7.4 Construction and Demolition Waste Management
Key Takeaways
MR Credit: Construction and Demolition Waste Management is worth 1-2 points and goes beyond the prerequisite by requiring measured diversion.
Path 1 awards 1 point for diverting at least 50% of total C&D waste across at least 3 streams, and 2 points for at least 75% across at least 4 streams.
Path 2 awards 2 points for reducing total C&D waste generation to no more than 12.5 pounds per square foot of building floor area.
Diversion percentage equals diverted weight (or volume) divided by the sum of diverted plus landfilled weight (or volume); only one unit is used consistently.
Alternative Daily Cover (ADC) counts as landfill, not diversion, regardless of how the hauler reports it; land-clearing debris and hazardous waste are excluded from the calculation entirely.
From Plan to Performance
Where the MR prerequisite required a plan, this credit requires measured results. Two compliance paths are available — Path 1 (diversion percentage) and Path 2 (waste reduction per square foot). A project chooses one.
Path 1 — Diversion of C&D Waste
Divert the listed minimum percentage of total construction and demolition waste from disposal across the listed minimum number of streams.
| Diversion | Minimum Streams | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 3 | 1 |
| 75% | 4 | 2 |
What Counts as Diversion?
- Recycling (off-site at a permitted facility)
- Salvage and reuse on the same project
- Salvage and reuse off-site (donation to other projects or organizations)
- Wood chipping or composting for landscape use
What Does NOT Count
- Alternative Daily Cover (ADC) — counts as landfill.
- Land-clearing debris (stumps, soil) — excluded from numerator and denominator.
- Hazardous waste — excluded; handled under federal/state regulations.
- Excavation soils — excluded.
- Materials sent to waste-to-energy facilities — typically excluded, although some regional definitions vary; LEED counts these as landfill unless the LEED Interpretation database states otherwise.
Streams
A stream is a single material type that is separately diverted. Typical streams on a commercial project: concrete, metals, wood, gypsum board, cardboard, asphalt, brick/masonry, carpet. To earn 2 points, at least 4 separate streams must be diverted — a project that diverts 90% in concrete only would not qualify because it relies on a single stream.
Path 2 — Reduction of Total Waste Generation (2 points)
Reduce total C&D waste generated to no more than 12.5 pounds per square foot (61 kg/m²) of building floor area. This path rewards designs that prevent waste at the source through prefabrication, modular construction, accurate cut lists, and just-in-time delivery. Path 2 is the only way to earn 2 points without sorting streams on-site.
Calculating Diversion Percentage
Use one unit consistently — either weight (tons or pounds) or volume (cubic yards). Do not mix.
Diversion % = Diverted Weight ÷ (Diverted Weight + Landfilled Weight)
Worked Example 1: Single Stream
A project sends 400 tons of concrete to a recycling facility and 100 tons of mixed debris to a landfill. Diversion = 400 ÷ (400 + 100) = 80%. If the project also diverted at least three additional streams above token amounts, it would qualify for the 75% / 2-point threshold. With only one stream, it qualifies for 0 points under Path 1 — stream count rules the day.
Worked Example 2: Multiple Streams
| Stream | Generated (tons) | Diverted (tons) | Landfilled (tons) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | 100 | 80 | 20 |
| Wood | 50 | 45 | 5 |
| Metal | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| Drywall | 20 | 15 | 5 |
| Total | 200 | 170 | 30 |
Diversion = 170 ÷ 200 = 85% across 4 streams → 2 points under Path 1.
Worked Example 3: ADC Trap
A hauler reports 1,000 tons of waste with 600 tons recycled, 200 tons used as Alternative Daily Cover, and 200 tons landfilled. Under LEED, ADC = landfill, so diversion = 600 ÷ 1,000 = 60%, not 80%. This is a frequent audit catch.
Commingled Recycling and Facility Rates
If the project uses a commingled (mixed) waste hauler, the diversion percentage is the facility's published material recovery rate for that stream. The hauler must provide a third-party-verified rate (often 60-75% for clean MRFs). Source-separated diversion typically scores better than commingled because more material is recovered.
A LEED BD+C project generates 800 tons of construction waste. Of that, 520 tons are recycled across 5 separated streams, 80 tons are sent to a landfill as Alternative Daily Cover, and 200 tons are landfilled. Under Path 1, how many points does the project earn?
0 points
1 point
2 points
3 points
A 100,000-square-foot project pursues Path 2 of MR Credit: Construction and Demolition Waste Management. What is the maximum total C&D waste the project can generate while still earning 2 points?
500,000 pounds
1,000,000 pounds
1,250,000 pounds
2,500,000 pounds
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