855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 399

Extracted Content

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (MR)

OVERVIEW

The Materials and Resources (MR) category in LEED v5 focuses on critical areas that result in reductions in embodied carbon, protecting human and environmental health, and fostering a circular economy. Alongside these critical areas of focus, the credits target data availability, transparency, and supply chain improvements, ultimately increasing the accessibility of compliant materials for all.

The MR credits support LEED v5’s materials strategy by furthering the shift toward multiattribute product selection and procurement. This approach evaluates materials based on a variety of key metrics, from their sourcing to manufacturing processes and overall environmental and social impacts to guide projects toward well-rounded material choices that go beyond single-issue solutions.

Another key focus of the MR credit category is embodied carbon, or the emissions generated during the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, installation, and disposal of products. The impact of opportunities for reductions in embodied carbon go beyond design phase EPD analysis and whole building life cycle assessment, with material reuse and key waste management practices playing an important role in the global effort to minimize the impacts of building materials on the environment. As embodied carbon from building materials accounts for at least 11% of annual global emissions, LEED v5 targets strategies for high-impact actions like supply chain decarbonization, low-embodied carbon material selection, and building reuse to help project teams achieve meaningful carbon reductions immediately.

LEED v5 simplifies strategies to maximize impact and promote industry alignment. The MR category harmonizes terminology and standards across systems, aligning with initiatives like the Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization (ECHO) project, the Mindful Materials Common Materials Framework and the AIA Architecture and Design Materials Pledge. [100101102] These efforts reduce complexity, making it easier for manufacturers and project teams to meet sustainability goals and establish workflows that will keep industry advancement moving forward.

100 “Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization (ECHO) Project”, Embodied Carbon Harmonization and Optimization (ECHO) Project, (n.d.), https://www.echo-project.info/. 101 “Mindful MATERIALS Home”, mindful MATERIALS, (2024), https://www.mindfulmaterials.com/. 102 “AIA Materials Pledge”, AIA, (n.d.) https://www.aia.org/design-excellence/climate-action/zero-carbon/materials-pledge.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 389