GEO PRODUCTS
INTEGRATED GEOSYNTHETIC SOLUTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL MERIT
LEED® GREEN BUILDING CREDITS
Geo Products recognizes that construction generally leaves a significant footprint upon the environment, and therefore seeks to reduce any impact that our EnviroGrid® incurs upon the landscape. The limited amount of infill required for EnviroGrid® as opposed to conventional construction methods, as well as the lower quality needed, offers not only a much softened blow to the environment but also reduces project engineering, length, and cost.
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The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) system for designing and certifying environmentally sustainable buildings is the national standard for rating environmentally responsible construction. Introduced and enabled by the United States Green Building Council, LEED® takes into account materials and resources used, site location and development, air quality, and water and energy use in its evaluation of green buildings.
LEED® Sustainable Site Credit 5.1: Site Development–Protect or Restore Habitat​
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For Greenfield sites–sites not previously developed and remain in a natural state–limit all site disturbance to the specified parameters. For previously developed areas, restore or protect a specified area of the site with acceptable vegetation.
Geo Products Solution and LEED® Credit Opportunities:
EnviroGrid® provides options for pervious paving in parking and access road functions, thus reducing disruption to existing ecosystems and minimizing the construction footprint. Also, through the stabilization of steepened slopes and of storm water detention facilities, EnviroGrid® is able to reduce the construction footprint and keep site disturbance within the necessary parameters.
For previously developed building areas, use of the EnviroGrid® geocell allows for the restoration or promotion of vegetation, thus contributing to the ecosystem and further minimizing site disturbance.
The retaining wall and slope stabilization features of EnviroGrid® reduce valuable land consumption in an environmentally-friendly fashion.
LEED® Sustainable Site Credit 5.2: Site Development–Maximize Open Space
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To provide acceptable, vegetated open space within the project boundary in accordance with specified parameters, and to reduce development footprint.
Geo Products Solution and LEED® Credit Opportunities:
EnviroGrid® is ideal for encouraging useful vegetated open space whether with green parking areas through load support functions or by reducing land consumption with environmentally friendly slope stabilization and earth retention purposes. In any application, EnviroGrid® is designed to provide the most open space by eliminating the need for further drainage facilities or by allowing for steeper slopes with minimized environmental damage.
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LEED® Sustainable Site Credit 6.1 and 6.2: Stormwater Design–Quantity and Quality Control
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Implement a stormwater management plan to limit disruption of the ecosystem by limiting the area of impervious cover and increasing the area’s drainage capability according to specified guidelines. Also, to reduce the pollution and erosion associated with stormwater runoff.
Geo Products Solution and LEED® Credit Opportunities:
EnviroGrid® is designed to ensure natural water flows–porous pavement, earth retention, and slope stabilization applications all allow stormwater to drain in an environmentally responsible manner. Use of EnviroGrid® reduces the use of impervious cover and impervious concrete retention walls, thereby reducing pollutant loadings. EnviroGrid® is also useful in creating natural treatment systems of stormwater runoff.
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LEED® Sustainable Site Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect–Nonroof
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To reduce the heat island impact on microclimates and surrounding habitat, measures must be taken to reduce the heat absorption of exterior materials.
Geo Products Solution and LEED® Credit Opportunities:
US Green Builders Council suggests the use of vegetated or permeable surfaces such as EnviroGrid® instead of constructed hardscape, thereby reducing the area’s tendency to absorb heat significantly. The promotion of vegetative cover also contributes to the overall reduction of heat island effects.
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LEED® Materials & Resources Credit 5.1 and 5.2: Regional Materials
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To reduce the environmental impact resulting from transportation of construction materials by using materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region.
Geo Products Solution and LEED® Credit Opportunities:
EnviroGrid® allows the use of virtually any local aggregate, eliminating the need to import higher quality infill materials. Construction within 500 miles of GeoProducts’ Houston, Texas manufacturing facility can also apply the EnviroGrid® geocell itself to the percentage contributing to LEED credit.
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