Regional Materials Mystery

Why, I wonder, do manufacturers, set up obstacles to using their products? The issue came up during a recent conversation with a designer working on a LEED-CI platinum-level commercial office project.  She and her team had decided on movable rather than fixed walls – an excellent environmental decision – and set about selecting the best system. Aesthetics, design features, availability and cost all needed to be considered but so did the product’s contributions to LEED points.

Most of the movable wall systems are low emitting and have recycled content. The regional material credit, however, depends on the location of the project and the manufacturer, and it didn’t look good. All likely suppliers were outside the 500-mile radius.

Remember, this a PLATINUM project and every point is crucial. Then the designer had a brainstorm. The wall system had a lot of glass, which, if sourced locally rather than supplied and shipped from the manufacturer, might be enough to reach the required regional material thresholds.

Brilliant – except that the manufacturer flatly refused. The designer switched the specification to a more accommodating supplier. Go figure!