Use the following specifications on your next green building project:

• Recommended construction practices
• Construction waste specifications
• Deconstruction specifications
• Green building products

Recommended Construction Practices

The most successful projects not only develop green building strategies during early design stages, they also implement them well during construction.  For more information on recommended practices, refer to the City of Seattle's Recommended Construction Practices and use the following specifications:

Site Protection Plan (Word, 42kb)
Section 01573 specifies the client's requirements to the contractor regarding site disturbance.

Indoor Air Quality Construction Plan (Word, 43kb)
Section 01574 specifies the client's indoor air quality requirements for the building to the contractor.

Indoor Environmental Control (Word, 33kb)
Section 01573 specifies the client's requirements to the contractor regarding fungal contamination and indoor pollution control.

Construction Waste Specifications

One of the biggest impacts of construction can be disposal of construction, demolition and land clearing (CDL) wastes from a site.  Many of these materials, whether materials of buildings removed from a site, or materials removed during excavation, can be recycled and used again, reducing the impact on municipal landfills. To better manage waste from the construction site, you can add Construction Waste Management Specification 01524 (Word, 74kb) into your construction documents. This legal document is your insurance that your contractor will achieve the client's expectations. In fact, many site superintendents appreciate this spec because it gives them an influential tool to get their subs to comply with the job-site recycling program.  For additional construction specs, go to Draft Federal Guide for Green Construction Specs.

Deconstruction Specifications

Consider including a deconstruction specification in your bid package. Section 024293 [01736] specifies deconstruction and removal of selected portions of or an entire building for salvage. This specification is appropriate for all building types.

Green Building Products

The Green Spec Directory has information on more than 1,750 green building products carefully screened by the editors of Environmental Building News and organized by CSI division. Green Seal has manufacturer and product recommendations on its Web site for carpets, occupancy sensors, luminaries, particleboard and medium-density fiberboard.