2. MR – Materials & Resources

1–3 Points

Intent
To extend the lifecycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.
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Requirements Maintain the existing building structure (including structural floor and roof decking) and envelope (the exterior skin and framing, excluding window assemblies and non-structural roofing material).

All Bencore® family products Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben are extremely light in weight thanks to their honeycomb core that provides light weight against an high stiffness. Architects can use Bencore® panels in building renovation with a special attention to materials that do not add excessive load to existing walls and structures.
Used as partition walls, doors, false-ceillings, Bencore® panels give an answer to a strategy aimed at refurbish building so reducing environmental impact due to old building demolition and new building construction.

To extend the lifecycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

Requirements
Use existing interior nonstructural elements (e.g., interior walls, doors, floor coverings and ceiling systems) in at least 50% (by area) of the completed building, including additions.

Thanks to Bencore® product families Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben architects can design architectural elements like dividing walls, roof lights, false-ceilings, doors, floors, stairs elements etc. with translucent materials that let the natural light reaching inner parts of the building without sacrificing privacy of working / living spaces. So you can achieve a reduction in energy consumption for lighting systems, improving occupant well-being. Light Transmission tests on Bencore® panels are in progress and you will find them on our internet site

MR Credit 1.1: Building Reuse — Maintain Existing Walls, Floors and Roof 1–3 Points

1 – 3 Points

Intent
To reuse building materials and products to reduce demand for virgin materials and reduce waste, thereby lessening impacts associated with the extraction and processing of virgin resources.

Requirements
Use salvaged, refurbished or reused materials, the sum of which constitutes at least 5% or 10%, based on cost, of the total value of materials on the project

MR Credit 1.2: Building Reuse—Maintain Interior Nonstructural Elements

1 Point

Intent
To extend the lifecycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste and reduce environmental impacts of new buildings as they relate to materials manufacturing and transport.

Requirements
Use existing interior nonstructural elements (e.g., interior walls, doors, floor coverings and ceiling systems) in at least 50% (by area) of the completed building, including additions. Thanks to Bencore® product families Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben architects can design architectural elements like dividing walls, roof lights, false-ceilings, doors, floors, stairs elements etc. with translucent materials that let the natural light reaching inner parts of the building without sacrificing privacy of working / living spaces. So you can achieve a reduction in energy consumption for lighting systems, improving occupant well-being.
Light Transmission tests on Bencore® panels are in progress and you will find them on our internet site

Bencore® product families Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben can be reused after refurbishment of a building achieving a new life cycle: Bencore® panels can be polished – especially those with surfaces in acrylic – and re-machined for a new use / life so avoiding production of material for waste disposal and consumption of new materials.
For more information on this topic, please, contact Bencore® Technical Office (lab@bencore.it)

MR Credit 3: Materials Reuse

1–2 Points

Intent
To reuse building materials and products to reduce demand for virgin materials and reduce waste, thereby lessening impacts associated with the extraction and processing of virgin resources.

Requirements
Use salvaged, refurbished or reused materials, the sum of which constitutes at least 5% or 10%, based on cost, of the total value of materials on the project.
Bencore® product families Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben can be reused after refurbishment of a building achieving a new life cycle: Bencore® panels can be polished – especially those with surfaces in acrylic – and re-machined for a new use / life so avoiding production of material for waste disposal and consumption of new materials.
For more information on this topic, please, contact Bencore® Technical Office (lab@bencore.it)

MR Credit 5: Regional Materials

1–2 Points

Intent
To increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.

Requirements
OPTION 1:
Use building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured,within 350 Km of the project site for a minimum of 10% or 20%, based on cost, of the total materials value. If only a fraction of a product or material is extracted, harvested, or recovered and manufactured locally, then only that percentage (by weight) can contribute to the regional value. Bencore® panels can contribute to allocate LEED points to this credit when used within the area highlighted on the map.

3. QI - Environmental Quality

In European countries people spend about 90% of their days inside buildings. This means that the building quality standards greatly influence well-being, productivity and quality of life.
Studies on people exposition to indoor polluting agents demonstrates that closed places show danger to health sometimes twice higher than outdoor places.
Indoor polluting agents can come out from buildings, furniture or form chemical components (paintings, smoke, radon, asbestos, benzene …)
A practical way to prevent these problems is to include in the tender specification, materials less dangerous for human health and with low chemical emissions. Adhesives, paintings, carpets, wooden products with low potentially-irritating emissions can reduce people exposition and lower heath damage.
A convenient scheduling of material delivery and building works execution can reduce exposition of material to humidity and to contaminants adsorption.
Sun light reduces the need of electric light and so of energy consumption. This contributes to lower the impact on natural environment for energy production and consumption.
Courtyards, entrance-halls, rooflights, lamps, external shelters, adjustable shutters used alone on together, are strategic architectonical solution to get a natural lighting until late time.

IE Q Credit 4.3 / option 2: Low-Emitting Materials—Flooring Systems

1 Point

Intent
To reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.

Requirements
OPTION 2:
All flooring elements installed in the building interior must meet the testing and product requirements of the California Department of Health Services Standard Practice for the Testing of Volatile Organic Emission from Various Sources Using Small-Scale Environmental Chambers, including 2004.
Bencore® Starlight Floor is a composite panel produced using low-emissive adhesives. Starlight Floor can be used for floors, steps, platforms giving a contribution to allocate points for the present credit.

Related Credit: IEQ 8.1

IE Q Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views—Daylight

1 Point

Intent
To provide building occupants with a connection between indoor spaces and the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied areas of the building.
Thanks to Bencore® product families Starlight, Lightben and Hexaben architects can design architectural elements like dividing walls, roof lights, false-ceilings, doors, floors, stairs elements etc. with translucent materials that let the natural light reaching inner parts of the building without sacrificing privacy of working / living spaces. So you can achieve a reduction in energy consumption for lighting systems, improving occupant well-being.

Related Credit:IQI 6.1