855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 402
Extracted Content
Zero Waste Operations Planning
Include design details, maintenance manuals, and/or other resources from the design and construction team that help facilitate building occupants and operators to meet highperformance waste prevention and recycling goals once in operation.
Core and Shell only Communicate the building’s infrastructure and service options information in the tenant guidelines.
REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED
The goal for the prerequisite is to minimize waste generated by building occupants and to implement strategies in reducing, reusing, and recycling waste throughout the building’s lifecycle. This includes incorporating design measures that prioritize waste prevention, material reuse, and effective waste management. It also encourages project teams to thoughtfully consider and plan for the access requirements of all individuals who will service and use the building. Additionally, teams should anticipate and accommodate the operational needs necessary for achieving zero waste by enabling effective waste diversion practices. This includes ensuring proper sorting, storage, and access solutions to facilitate recycling, composting, and other waste diversion methods while prioritizing reuse as a key strategy.
Storage and Collection of Recyclables
Municipal solid waste has become a growing concern as the volume of waste generated in the U.S. continues to increase. [103] An obstacle to effective recycling in buildings is the lack of convenient, dedicated physical spaces for collection. Incorporating recycling infrastructure early in the design process encourages successful recycling once operations begin. Well-designed and accessible waste management infrastructure is intuitive (easy to locate, reach, and use) for all occupants, regardless of physical ability or mobility, anticipating how and where waste will be discarded by occupants. Address concerns for noise, odor, and vectors.
Recycling includes traditional materials like glass, plastic, and metals, as well as organic materials, like food scraps, paper products, and landscape materials. Organic materials collected in buildings can be composted onsite or offsite. Composting can occur at multiple scales and locations: small-scale systems might include basic compost piles or bins, while large-scale operations involve centralized, commercial facilities that process organic waste from an entire region.
103 “U.S. Municipal Solid Waste”, University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems, (2024), https://css.umich.edu/sites/default/files/2025-02/CSS04-15.pdf.
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 392