The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. It is leading a national consensus for producing a new generation of buildings that deliver high performance inside and out. As a member of LEED, using our products may help to achieve LEED credits (up to 7 credits/points). The LEED program focuses exclusively on an individual building structure not a specific product. The purpose of the program is to evaluate the whole building from an environmental performance perspective over the buildings life cycle to determine if the building is a "green building.

Sustainability

Under normal type of foot wear and tear as well as traffic, rubber flooring typically outlasts carpet and linoleum floors. The tiles can be managed in such a way that their life span is doubled and even tripled. Moving the interlocking pieces away from high traffic zones and exchanging them with other interlocking tiles-mats-blocks in low traffic zones achieve this. In addition, the interlocking tiles-mats-blocks are sometimes reversible (depending on the product) and easy to re-install if needed, thus extending the life span.

Once the unitary rubberized safety surfacing, flooring and pavers are no longer being used, the can be shipped back to "UNITY" for recycling. These resulting materials are then used in manufacturing our other environmentally friendly products such as: Tough-Land, Pave-Land, Play-Land, Soft-land, Rainbow land and even Rubber-Land.

LEED Contribution:

LEED is a self-assessing rating system based on a point system that focuses on a number of individual building structure, design and construction categories, not a specific product, which will reduce a building's environmental footprint. Unity can help with four of the categories:

1. Recycled Content
2. Local / Regional Materials
3. Construction Waste Management
4. Low-Emitting Materials

The purpose of the program is to evaluate the whole building from an environmental performance life cycle perspective and to determine if the building is "green", or "going-green". Unity Surfacing Systems can help with two of the categories -

1. Materials and Resources
2. Indoor Environmental Quality.

The following chart summarizes the point potential for both these categories and shows where Unity's rubberized safety surfacing, flooring and paver products may help you contribute to the potential earning of credit points.

Materials & Resources Credit 4: Recycled Content

Intent:

Increase demand for building products that incorporates recycled content materials, therefore reducing the impacts resulting from extraction and process of new virgin materials.

Credit 4.1 (1 point) Requirements: 

Used materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half (the value of) the post-industrial content constitutes at least 10% of the total value of the materials in the project.

The value of the recycled content portion of a material or furnishing shall be determined by dividing the weight of recycled content in the item by the total weight of all materials in the item, then multiplying the resulting percentages by the total value of the item.

Credit 4.2 (1 point in addition to MR.4.1) Requirements: 

Used materials with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the post-industrial content constitutes at least 20% of the total value of the materials in the project.

Unity's contribution:

Our products are compressed of shredded tires and rubber that is cleaned SBR (100% post-consumer waste) and colorful EPDM flex (30% pre-consumer waste). Recycled content is defined in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization document, ISO 14021 - Environmental labels and declarations:

1. Post-consumer material - waste materials diverted from waste stream after consumer or commercial use.
2. Pre-consumer material - materials diverted from waste stream during manufacturing process. Excluding is regrind, rework or scrap.

Potential Technologies & Strategies:

Establish a project goal for the recycled content materials and identify material suppliers that can achieve this goal. During construction, ensure that the specified recycled content materials are installed and quantify the total percentage of recycled content materials installed. Consider a range of environmental, economic and performance attributes when selecting products and materials within the Unity line.

~2 passenger car tires and/or buffings provide enough recycled crumb rubber for 1 tile/mat/block that is 1" thick.

~2.5 passenger car tires and/or buffings provide enough recycled crumb rubber for 1 tile/mat/block that is 1.75" thick.

~3 passenger car tire and/or buffings provide enough recycled crumb rubber for 1 tile/mat/block that is 2.25" thick.

~3.5 passenger car tire and/or buffings provide enough recycled crumb rubber for 1 tile/mat/block that is 3" thick.

~4 passenger car tire and/or buffings provide enough recycled crumb rubber for 1 tile/mat/block that is 3.25" thick.

Materials & Resources Credit 5: Local / Regional Materials

Intent:

Increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region, thereby supporting the regional economy and reducing impacts resulting from transportation.

Credit 5.1 (1 point) Requirements: 

Use a minimum of 10-20% of building materials and/or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as, manufactured within a radius of 500 miles of the project site. If only a fraction of a product or material is extracted/harvested/recovered and manufactured locally, then only that percentage (by weight) shall contribute to the regional value.

Credit 5.2 (1 point in addition to MR 5.1) Requirements:  

Of the manufactured materials documented for MR Credit 5.1, use a minimum of 20% building materials and products extracted, harvested, or recovered (as well as manufactured) within 500 miles of this project site.

Unity's contribution:

Unity Creations, LTD. unitary rubberized safety surfacing flooring and paver products in the tile/mat/block form are manufactured in Saugerties , NY . 12477.

Potential Technologies & Strategies:

LEED - NC 2.1 Construction Waste Management

Intent:

Increase demand for building materials and products to be re-recycled, thereby supporting and saving the environment and reducing impacts resulting from waste.

Credit 2.1 (1-point) Requirements: 

Recycle and/or salvage at least 50% of non-hazardous construction and demolition debris. Develop and implement a construction waste management plan that, at a minimum, identifies the materials to be diverted from disposal and whether the materials will be sorted on-site or commingled. Calculations can be done by weight or volume but must be consistent throughout.

Credit 2.2 (1 point in addition to MR 2.1) Requirements:  

Recycle and/or salvage an additional 25% beyond MR 2.1 (75% total) of non-hazardous construction and demolition debris.

Unity's contribution:

Unity can contribute in two ways: 1.) All salvages and overages can be packages and shipped back to us at the owner's expense. Typically we either recycle this material or cut them up for customer samples. This strategy is exclusive to Unity via the "Ecocyclable" program.

The "Ecocyclable" program is defined as any product being used more than once (i.e. reusable) as the same, or different, product.

Potential Technologies & Strategies:

Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 4: Low-Emitting Materials

Intent:

Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritation and/or harmful to the comfort and well being of installers and occupants.

Credit 4.1 (1-point) Requirements: 

The VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) content of adhesives and sealants used must be less than the current limits of South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule # 1168, and all sealants used as fillers must meet or exceed the requirements of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulations 8, Rule 51.

Potential Technologies & Strategies:

Specify Low-VOC Materials in Construction documents. Ensure that VOC limits are clearly stated in each section where adhesives and sealants are addressed. Review product cut sheets, MSDS's, signed attestations or other official literature from the manufacturer clearly identifying the emissions limits.

Unity's = tiles/mats/blocks.

Adhesive (glue)

Unity's CX-948 adhesive (glue) is a single component polyurethane based tube (or trowel grade), structural adhesive. The patented formula is VOC compliant, and it contains no solvents or water. CX-948 provides excellent grab and outstanding bond strength formulated for use indoors and out. The VOC content is 45 grams per liter, which falls below the current SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District) VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) limit of 50 grams per liter.

Key Differences Between: LEED-NC, LEED-CI and LEED-EB  

In November 2004, the USGBC released two additional rating systems: LEED_CI and LEED-EB to accompany LEED-NC. All three programs are part of a comprehensive suite of LEED green building rating tools the USGBC has developed to promote green design, construction and operations practices in buildings nationwide.

LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) addresses the specifics of tenant spaces in offices, retail and institutional buildings.

LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) addresses the sustainable operation of existing buildings, and covers building operations and systems upgrades in existing buildings where the majority of interior or exterior surfaces remain unchanged.

As a sustainable product manufactured from recycled materials (tires & rubber), Unity is the right choice for high performance green building products. As the leader in the safety surfacing, flooring and paver industry, we recycle our own raw materials, that is clean and safe to use which awards us with the most consist product on the market today.

Unity is committed to operating its manufacturing and recycling business in a manner that uses recourses wisely and protects the quality of the environment as well as the health and safety of associates, family friends, community and end users of its products and services.

Unity Creations, LTD.: Approvals, Sponsors Affiliates &/or Memberships:

For complete and comprehensive LEED credit information, please visit: www.usgbc.org