LEED, Architectural Metals and the Ecology
Historical BronzeWorks is committed to the environment.
To fulfill this mission we will:
- Build quality products that last in order to minimize maintenance and replacement.
- Seek to use recycled and to recycle whenever we can.
- Never stop working to develop innovative solutions to improve.
- Share environmental information with our clients and partners.
- Recognize that financial health is essential to our environmental future.
- Measure and monitor our progress for each project.
- Encouraging all of our partners to share in our mission.
Historical BronzeWorks is going Green (and it’s not just the patina)
Durability
Building for durability is one of the best ways to minimize environmental impact. Historical BronzeWorkss last. At Historical BronzeWorks we strive to produce quality, timeless works of bronze. Bronze works that will endure to be passed from generation to generation. Bronzes from Greece and Rome over 2,000 years old are still in excellent condition. A less durable material might have been replaced 100 times or more over that same time period. That’s 100 times the environmental impact with extraction costs, fabrication, transportation, installation and disposal. Unlike the lesser materials, the bronzes grow more valuable and treasured with time.
Recycled and recyclable
Historical BronzeWorks recognizes our responsibility to do our part in helping conserve the environment. We start with quality recycled metals and we recycle all of our scrap copper and bronze. Our architectural bronze is over 80% recycled content and is 100% recyclable. Bronze, a copper alloy is easily recycled. It has been estimated that 85% of all bronze ever made is still in use today. If Bronze is no longer needed it can be recycled over and over again. "Green Building projects that can earn LEED points include those that have incorporated recycled content materials, such as copper, which promotes sustainability and helps to reduce the impact of new material extraction on the environment."
USGBC LEED Program Manager Tom Dietsche
Our Green Philosophy
At Historical BronzeWorks, we believe that being environmentally sensitive makes good sense, both for the business and for the environment.
- With a useful lifespan of centuries, bronze is one of the most environmentally sensitive materials
- All Historical Bronze Works castings are made from over 90% art grade recycled bronze.
- Our product can help contribute up to 2 LEED points.
- We offer a "completing the circle" recycling process to recast scrap bronze.
LEED FAQ
- What is LEED?
- LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design". LEED is a nationally accepted certification program for the design, construction, and operation of "green" buildings. The voluntary LEED program promotes a whole-building approach to energy conservation and sustainability by focusing on key performance areas of human and environmental health. These areas include: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
For a building to be certificated by LEED, the design and construction must meet certain criteria. Many federal, state and local government agencies have made LEED the sustainable building standard of choice for new construction contracts.
- How can your project become LEED certified?
- To begin, your project must register with LEED. To earn LEED certification, a project must meet certain performance benchmarks ("credits") within each defined category.
- Are there limits as to who can participate in LEED?
- No. Architects, real estate professionals, facility managers, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders, government officials, etc. can all participate.
To learn more about LEED, visit the U.S. Green Building Council at www.usgbc.org.
- What are some ways that sculptural or architectural bronze from Historical BronzeWorks can help you qualify in LEED?
-
Materials & Resources
MR Credit 1.1 Building Reuse: Maintain 75% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof
MR Credit 1.2 Building Reuse: Maintain 95% of Existing Walls, Floors & Roof
(When a building is renovated for reuse, restoration bronze can help you qualify.)
MR Credit 2.1 Construction Waste Management: Divert 50% from Disposal
MR Credit 2.2 Construction Waste Management: Divert 75% from Disposal
(Architectural bronze arrives “ready to install” with little if any scrap or waste generated. Any scrap generated would be a valuable recyclable)
MR Credit 3.1 Materials Reuse: 5%
MR Credit 3.2 Materials Reuse: 10%
(When a building is demolished, existing bronze may be sold, recycled or can be reused.)
MR Credit 4.1 Recycled Content: 10% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
MR Credit 4.2 Recycled Content: 20% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
(All Historical BronzeWorks bronzes contain 80% or more recycled content)
Indoor Environmental Quality
(Bronzes need no paint)
|
