What Does LEED Certification Stand for in Fabric?

Overview

• Homeowners, architects and building owners who wish to achieve third-party certification can pursue green certification through the USGBC LEED program. LEED offers points for buildings that meet various eco-friendly criteria, such as reducing water consumption and minimizing energy use. If the building earns a specified number of points, it can achieve either Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum status from the USGBC. No product qualifies as LEED certified on its own, including fabric. Instead, choosing certain types of fabric that meets specific LEED criteria helps a building earn points needed for certification.

Recycled Content

• Fabric used in a building can earn points under the LEED Materials and Resources category. MR Credits 4.1 and 4.2 award points for using recycled materials. Buildings that use materials where at least 10 percent of the value of all materials comes from recycled products earn one point under this credit, while buildings that increase recycled material use to 20 percent earn two points. Fabrics made from recycled materials often meet the requirements needed to earn points in this category.

Regional Materials

• LEED awards points to structures that contain regionally harvested, extracted or salvaged materials. Under Materials and Resources Credit 5, a building can earn one point if 10 percent of all materials come from sources located less than 500 miles away from the building site. The building earns two points toward LEED certification if 20 percent of materials come from local sources. Fabrics produced using local cotton or other fibers help a building earn points under this credit.

Renewable Resources

• LEED Materials and Resources Credit 6 covers the use of rapidly renewable resources, which regenerate in less than a decade. If rapidly renewable resources account for at least 2.5 percent of all materials used on the job by cost, the structure can earn one point under this credit. Fabrics made from bamboo, cotton, wool and other renewable resources help a structure earn points in this category.

Energy and Atmosphere

• Buildings striving for LEED certification also earn points under the Energy and Atmosphere category. EA Credit 1 awards up to 19 points for structures that optimize energy performance. The choice of fabrics can affect the points earned in this category in certain cases. For example, window shades or awnings that block solar heat gain help a building earn more points in this category than the structure would earn without these fabrics.