The document discusses the need for a common standard or lexicon for defining sustainable products. Currently there is no agreed upon definition, and manufacturers make varying claims about product sustainability that can be difficult for designers to evaluate. A standardized system is needed to comprehensively and consistently measure product sustainability across multiple criteria like materials, emissions, manufacturing processes and end-of-life impacts. This would help designers more easily compare and select products that meet defined sustainable benchmarks.
32. The need to understand the interactions between sustainable requirements and other performance characteristics including fire resistance, smoke development, toxicity, suitability for application, durability…etc.
UniFormat, a publication of CSI and CSC, is the Uniform Classification System for organizing preliminary construction information into a standard order or sequence on the basis of functional elements. Functional elements, often referred to as systems or assemblies, are major components common to most buildings that usually perform a given function regardless of the design specification, construction method, or materials used. UniFormat users can easily understand and compare information since it is linked to a standardized elemental classification structure.The changes in the new MasterFormat reflect the rapid growth in the amount and complexity of construction information generated for today's increasingly complex buildings since it was last updated in 1995. In part this was accomplished by adding new divisions to the previous editionユs 16-division structure. They address such rapidly developing areas as computer and telecommunications networks and integrated building automation systems. New divisions also enable specifications to better address building owners' post-9/11 security and life safety priorities as well as the trend toward more environmentally friendly facilities.Also enabling MasterFormat users to better handle the volume and complexity of information for modern construction projects is the 2004 edition's new six-digit numbering system for the sections within each division. It greatly expands the room in each division that can be used for developing and organizing more complete and detailed specifications, and provides more room for future expansion. To further help users handle future growth in construction project information, MasterFormat 2004 Edition reserves 16 of its 50 division numbers for addressing new products, practices, and priorities as they develop.Previously, MasterFormat didn't address engineering-related construction. Now a new Site and Infrastructure subgroup of divisions covers transportation, utility, and marine construction, and the new Process Equipment subgroup addresses industrial and process engineering projects.
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The Sustainable Attributes Verification and Evaluation™ Program (SAVE™) is a program created by ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) to provide independent conformance verification of sustainable products.
LEED 2009 redistributes the weight of available points within each rating system relative to each credit’s ability to potentially mitigate a building’s environmental impact. This enables the ability to measure the relative impacts of buildings. USGBC weighs each credit using the areas of concern identified by EPA’s Tools for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemicals and other Impacts (TRACI life-cycle analysis). Climate change as been identified as the most important area of concern and thus receives the most weight. Reflecting this, LEED 2009 puts a much greater emphasis on energy efficiency – 32% of LEED 2009 points come from EA credits versus 24% of LEED v. 2.2 points. As a result, buildings that ignore climate change impacts are inhibited from performing well in LEED.
Show how the questionaire works and how it is lead in for LCA and EPD’s that are what is coming.
Show how the site works to look for products and what to do with the results