Cable now part of USGBC's LEED credit program

For the first time, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has specifically mentioned cable as a building component that can contribute to an organization’s obtaining a LEED credit. LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the USGBC-administered program that recognizes “green” buildings.

Cable is mentioned in a pilot credit USGBC released in November. The organization states on its web site that it uses the pilot credit program to test and refine credits. The pilot credit in which cable is mentioned is Pilot Credit 2: PBT Source Reduction: Dioxins and Halogenated Organic Compounds.

“PBT” stands for persistent bioaccumulative toxic and refers to chemicals. In order to gain credit, an organization must … (the following is taken right from the pilot credit document) … “use materials manufactured without added halogenated organic compounds for at least 75%, by cost, of the material totals in a minimum of three of the following four groups.”
1. Exterior components
2. Interior finishes
3. Piping, conduit and electrical boxes
4. Building-installed electrical cable and wire jacketing.

Wait just a minute, now. It specifically says electrical cable and wire jacketing. So it doesn’t apply to communications cables, does it? I wouldn’t be so sure. With this being a pilot credit, I’d be willing to bet $5 that an organization submitting cabling of any kind that does not include halogenated organic compounds will be recognized as meeting the USGBC requirement. Furthermore, once the pilot credit is fully evaluated, I’m betting that communications cable is mentioned by name.

Of particular note to those of us in the cabling trade, the compounds covered in the credit - that is, compounds to avoid - include all plastics containing chlorine or fluorine. That includes polyvinyl chloride and fluorinated ethylene propylene, both of which can be found in large quantities in communications cables. Also, the specific mention of FEP in the pilot credit is an indication to me that the USGBC intends to include comms cable in addition to electrical cable in its consideration.

Many in the cabling industry have been waiting a long time for a direct link between the cabling systems installed in buildings and LEED credits. I believe that link between cable and LEED has arrived for those who can find cables without halogenated organic compounds. What do you think?