The Hoyt Coe Classroom Renovation Project fell under the USGBC New Construction Version 2009 LEED System and achieved Silver Certification Level.

This Project was RG Williams Construction first LEED Project. With the project now completed and the final numbers in, you can see what a true success this project was for RG Williams Construction.

I’ll highlight just a few of the project’s high marks managed by BMA Designs and earned by the construction team.

RG Williams Construction completed this project with an 85% construction waste diversion. Meaning 85% of construction waste generated on site was diverted from the landfill and recycled.

In the past, when landfill capacity was readily available and disposal fees were low, recycling or reuse of construction waste was not economically feasible. Construction materials were less expensive than labor, and construction site managers focused on worker productivity rather than on material conservation.

Also, recycling infrastructure and recycled-materials marketplaces that process and resell construction debris did not exist.

However, in recent years ever-decreasing landfill capacities have caused tipping fees to increase.

While waste management plans, like the one drafted for RG Williams Construction by BMA Designs, require time and money to draft and implement; in the long term, they provide guidance to achieve substantial savings throughout the construction process.

Recyclable materials have differing market values, depending on the presence of local recycling facilities, reprocessing costs, and the availability of virgin materials on the market. In BMA Designs’ LEED experience, we have found that the costs of developing and implementing a construction waste management plan is out weighed by the return our client, the contractor, receives from market value of recyclable materials and savings on tipping fees.

Prior to Construction - Exterior Images. Original construction 1954.

Images During Construction

Images show protected stored on-site and installed absorptive materials from moisture damage, protected on-site AHU Units, ductwork, supply and return grills. Superb housekeeping practices documented.

Regional Materials and Recycled Content

Secondly, RG Williams hit an outstanding 62% mark of regional materials, meaning that of the total material costs for the project 62% were regional. LEED defines a regional building material or product to be extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured within 500 miles of the project site. R G Williams 62% regional material usage is truly impressive and reflects construction team efforts to incorporate as many regional products as possible into the job.

Additionally, R G Williams Construction used materials with a recycled content that constituted 37% based on cost of the total value of the materials used in the project. This number is most impressive.

Products with recycled content reduce virgin material use and solid waste volumes. As the number of building products containing recycled content grows the marketplace for recycled materials continues to develop.

Many commonly used products are now available with recycled content, including metals, concrete, masonry, gypsum wallboard, acoustic tile, carpet, ceramic tile, rubber flooring and wall base, and insulation.

LEED Projects demand cross-functional team work from all parties involved in the project. Cross-functional team work results in a more comprehensive approach to the overall project and an increasing functionally efficient facility.

In the end, a job very well done for R G Williams Construction.

Completed Project - Exterior Images