Reviewer Tips: Documenting the BPDO credits

The LEED v4 and v4.1 Building Product Disclosure and Optimization (BPDO) credits are focused on rewarding project teams for selecting products that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts. Submissions for these credits include a lot of manufacturer documentation, and a well-organized submission helps ensure an accurate and timely review, and also makes it easier for the project team to respond to review comments in preparing the project’s final submission.

Here are a few submittal tips to help improve your project’s BPDO credit submissions:

All BPDO credits:

• The BPDO Calculator is designed to help document the BPDO credits. Be sure to upload the calculator with your submission, and use the latest version of the v4.1 calculator if substituting the v4.1 credit. Include the Manufacturer and Product name as well as a brief description of the product that corresponds with the supporting documentation.

• Organize the supporting documentation so that each product’s document clearly corresponds to the materials entered in the BPDO calculator. For example, including the product’s line number from the BPDO calculator in the file name of the supporting documentation ensures that the files appear in order and correspond to specific products in the BPDO calculator.

• Take note of expiry dates; the dates of the documentation must be applicable to the period the installed product is manufactured. Be mindful that most documents are only valid for two-five years.
• The addenda have included several changes to these credits. Remember to refer to the addenda and the latest version of the LEED v4.1 BD+C Beta Guide for additional guidance and adjustments which in some cases reduce performance thresholds.

MR Credit: BPDO – Environmental Product Declarations:

• Ensure that the EPD type entered in the calculator corresponds to the information on the supporting documentation.
• Verify that the manufacturer is included as a participant in any industry wide EPDs.

MR Credit: BPDO – Sourcing of Raw Materials:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): The manufacturer brochure must describe the EPR program, including contact information, proof that the product is included in the program, a description of the recycling process and stating the average rate of return for the material.
• Certified wood: Provide the vendor’s FSC Chain of Custody certificates as well as invoices for all wood products included in the BPDO calculator. Remember that FSC certified recycled content may not be counted as both FSC certified and recycled content.
• Bio-Based Materials: Ensure that the products either have a Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal and were grown on farms that meet the Sustainable Agricultural Network (SAN) Standard.
• Remember that only products extracted, manufactured, and purchased within 100 miles (160 km) of the project site can achieve the additional contribution for regional content.

MR Credit: BPDO – Material Ingredients:

• Confirm that each material ingredient report demonstrates the chemical inventory of the product to at least 0.1% (1000 ppm).
• On Nested HPDs, ranges should not exceed 20%. If it does, the reason for the large amount should be included in the substance notes or other material notes. If the explanation is not provided, the substance or material can’t be considered “Characterized”.
• Remember that the Declare labels must be designated as LBC Red List Approved or LBC Compliant, and indicate that all ingredients have been evaluated and disclosed down to 0.1% (1,000 ppm). (Note that “<1%” does not meet requirements)

For more tips for documenting LEED v4 credits, check out the LEED v4 BD+C Submittal Tips, which are also included in the Credit Library for each credit.