LEED® Guide

Our ICA-LITE EPS & Geofoam can add LEED points to your green building construction projects

What is LEED®?

Members of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System to establish practices for designing, constructing, and certifying sustainable buildings. The LEED rating system has become a recognized benchmark for sustainable building practices.

The seven categories in the LEED® rating system:

• Sustainable Sites (SS)
• Water Efficiency (WE)
• Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
• Materials and Resources (MR)
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
• Innovation in Design (ID)
• Regional Priority (RP)

The LEED program includes projects related to new construction (NC), schools (SCHOOLS), Core and Shell Projects (CS), and existing building renovations. More extensive information on the LEED program can be found at www.usgbc.org.

In accordance with USGBC standards, Insulation Company of America’s ICA-LITE EPS Panels and Geofoam may provide LEED points for construction projects.

 

ICA-LITE® EPS Panels

EA Credit 1 – Optimize Energy Performance:

ICA-LITE® EPS Panels are an efficient and thermally advantageous solution to above or below grade construction needs. These EPS panels facilitate compliance with ASHRAE 90.1-2004. ICA-LITE EPS Panels are manufactured in a variety of densities and thicknesses to meet the environmental design criteria to deliver a wide range of R-value specifications. ICA-LITE® EPS Panels are the only rigid foam insulation that provides long-term thermal resistance that does not need to be adjusted for age. ICA-LITE EPS Panels are also CFC and HCFC free and building systems utilizing EPS insulation greatly reduce air leakage as compared to other systems to further increase thermal efficiency.

This significant improvement in thermal efficiency will ensure that any project utilizing ICA-LITE EPS Panels by ICA can take full advantage of the LEED points available under EA Credit 1.

Download: ICA-LITE® Spec Sheet

MR Credit 2 – Construction Waste Management:

Most ICA-LITE EPS Panels are designed specifically for a construction footprint, leaving very little debris after construction. However, ICA-LITE® EPS Panels are completely recyclable and reusable. Any clean leftover panels or scrap materials can be returned to ICA or reused at other construction sites.

This efficiency in design and pollution reduction engineering will ensure that any project utilizing ICA-LITE EPS Panels can take full advantage of the LEED points available under MR Credit 2.

Download: ICA-LITE® SDS

MR Credit 4 – Recycled Content:

ICA-LITE EPS Panels by ICA are manufactured with recycled materials. Products produced at 1.0 pound density have between 15% and 35% recycled content. There is no recycled content in products made at less than 1.0 pound or more than 1.0 pound, unless specified. These construction materials greatly reduce the demand for virgin resources.

The amount of recycled materials used in the manufacture of ICA-LITE EPS Panels by ICA will ensure that any project utilizing ICA-LITE EPS Panels can take full advantage of the LEED points available under MR Credit 4.

IEQ Credit 7.1 – Thermal Comfort, Design:

The design and manufacture of ICA-LITE EPS Panels would be eligible to contribute to obtaining LEED points for Indoor Environmental Quality as follows: EPS is not known to adversely affect indoor air quality and tests favorably in mold resistance tests in accordance with ASTM C1338. Building systems utilizing ICA-LITE EPS Panels by ICA will also help reduce noise transmission. These panels will help maintain a consistent air temperature contributing to optimizing the overall comfort of the occupants. All of these attributes may help any project utilizing ICA-LITE EPS Panels take full advantage of the LEED points available under IEQ Credit 7.1.

SS Credit 7.1 & 7.2 – Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof & Roof:

EPS insulation reduces the impact on the microclimate. Additionally, the use of ICA-LITE EPS Panels in roofing or non-roofing systems will improve the thermal efficiency of the building or structure. For these reasons, the design and manufacture of ICA-LITE EPS Panels would be eligible to contribute to obtaining LEED points for Sustainable Spaces.

 

GEOFOAM

SS Credit 5.1 – Protect or Restore Habitat:

Geofoam is manufactured in a variety of densities and thicknesses to meet the environmental design criteria to deliver a wide range of compressive strength specs to enhance soil stabilization. It is the only rigid foam insulation that provides long-term functionality and solutions that does not need to be adjusted for age. Geofoam is also CFC and HCFC free.

This significant improvement in soil stabilization will ensure that any project utilizing Geofoam by ICA can take full advantage of the LEED® points available under SS Credit 5.1.

Download: Geofoam Spec Sheet

MR Credit 2 – Construction Waste Management:

Geofoam by ICA is designed specifically for a construction footprint, leaving very little debris after construction. However, Geofoam by ICA is completely recyclable and reusable. Any clean leftover panels or scrap materials can be returned to ICA or reused at other construction sites.

This efficiency in design and pollution reduction engineering will ensure that any project utilizing Geofoam by ICA can take full advantage of the LEED points available under MR Credit 2.

MR Credit 4 – Recycled Content:

Geofoam by ICA is manufactured with recycled materials. Products up to EPS15 or 0.9 pound densities are made from approximately 10% pre and post consumer recycled content. Products with densities greater than 0.9 pounds do not use recycled content. These construction materials greatly reduce the demand for virgin resources.

The amount of recycled materials used in the manufacture of Geofoam will ensure that any project utilizing Geofoam by ICA can take full advantage of the LEED points available under MR Credit 4.

SS Credit 7.1 & 7.2 – Heat Island Effect, Non-Roof, Roof:

EPS insulation reduces the impact on the microclimate. Additionally, the use of Geofoam by ICA in roofing or non-roofing systems will improve the soil stabilization of the building or structure. The use of Geofoam by ICA in vegetated roofing systems will improve the soil stabilization of the roofing system.

Geofoam is manufactured in a variety of densities and thicknesses to meet the environmental design criteria to deliver a wide range of compressive strength specs to enhance soil stabilization. It is the only rigid foam insulation that provides long-term functionality and solutions that does not need to be adjusted for age. Geofoam is also CFC and HCFC free.

For these reasons, the design and manufacture of ICA-LITE EPS Panels would be eligible to contribute to obtaining LEED® points for Sustainable Spaces.

 

ICA-LITE® EPS Panels & GEOFOAM by ICA

MR Credit 5 – Regional Materials:

ICA-LITE® EPS Panels and Geofoam by ICA would be eligible to contribute to obtaining LEED® points in an area roughly bound by: The Canadian Border, Bangor, ME, Lansing, MI, Cincinnati, OH, and Charlotte, NC.

ICA manufactures Geofoam in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The majority of the raw materials are sourced within 500 miles of the manufacturing site. EPS Beads come from Quebec, Canada while the Insect Resistance Additive is shipped from Arizona.

 

If you have any questions regarding ICA’s LEED® eligibility, please Contact Us or visit www.usgbc.org to learn more about the LEED rating system.

In addition to our cooperation with green building practices, we have taken initiative here at ICA to offer a greener working environment. So just how green are we? Take a look at our Going Green Page to find out more!

 

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