Table of Contents

Appendix A: List of Non-Paper Products
Appendix B: List of Labratory Products

I. Introduction 

The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design is committed to environmental stewardship by maintaining purchasing practices, as well as materials disposal that promote and encourage the use of environmentally and socially responsible products and practices. This work plan establishes a sustainable purchasing program for items purchased for use in the building, as well as details on resource recovery, i.e., the collection of recyclables and compostable food scraps, and disposal.

Requirements for materials management are found in the Materials Petal of the Living Building Challenge under the Net Positive Waste Imperative, which states that that “the project team must strive to reduce or eliminate the production of waste during design, construction, operation, and end of life in order to conserve natural resources and to find ways to integrate waste back into either an industrial loop or a natural nutrient loop.” For its operation phase, every project must have a collection plan for consumables and durables. Moreover, there must be dedicated infrastructure for resource recovery.

While not directly covering the purchase of items covered by this Materials Management Work Plan, the Red List Imperative and Living Economy Sourcing Imperative provide philosophical guidance that influenced this work plan. This work plan promotes purchasing policies that conserve resources, energy, and water; minimize the harmful environmental effects of pollution and toxicity; improve environmental health; support recycling markets and reusability; reduce landfill waste; support local suppliers; and educate through environmental stewardship and leadership during the operational phase of the building.

There are other work plans for the purchase and management of the following products:

• Herbicides, landscape insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, and soil amendments – Landscape Operations and Maintenance Work Plan
• Cleaning products, soaps, polishes, detergents, and other custodial supplies – Green Cleaning Work Plan.
• Pest control products – Pest Management Work Plan.

II. Contact Information

For general information regarding building operations and maintenance, custodial services, and servicing of bins, please contact Brooke Vacovsky, Kendeda Building Senior Facilities Manager:

• Phone: 404-662-8405
• Email: bvacovsky3@gatech.edu

For specifics regarding resource recovery, i.e., the collection of recyclables and compostable items, contact the Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling (OSWM&R) at (404) 385-0088.

Below are contacts for materials management procedures for specific spaces in the building.

Office Space, Design Studio/Makerspace, Auditorium, Classrooms, Seminar Room, and Conference Rooms

Kamilah Roberts, Program & Operations Manager

• Phone: (404) 385-4949
• Email: kamilah.roberts@sustain.gatech.edu

Laboratories

Juan Archila, Research Scientist II

• Phone: (404) 385-2948
• Email: juan.archila@cos.gatech.edu 

Special Events

Kamilah Roberts, Program & Operations Manager

• Phone: (404) 385-4949
• Email: kamilah.roberts@sustain.gatech.edu

Landscape Supplies and Equipment

Refer to the Landscape Operations and Maintenance Work Plan.

Custodial Supplies and Equipment

Refer to the Green Cleaning Work Plan.

Pest Control Supplies and Equipment

Refer to the Pest Management Work Plan.

III. Expectations

• The execution of this work plan requires coordination across multiple departments, e.g., OSWM&R, Building Services, Landscape Services, and College of Sciences. Each department commits to executing its portion of this work plan, e.g., purchasing, based on protocols enumerated in this work plan. Staff from the multiple departments that manage materials in The Kendeda Building will seek approval from the Building Director prior to making changes to bins, deviating from this work plan, or conducting waste audits in the building.
• The Office of Sustainability will contribute lessons learned from this program to the broader community of professionals working to promote sustainable purchasing. This could include sharing in annual reports, case studies to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s portal, and the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council.

IV. Supply Purchasing

Paper Products

All paper products will meet the following standards:

• 100% recycled printer and copier paper.
• Other paper products that contain the highest recycled content available.

Non-Paper Products

Buyers will purchase products such as non-paper office products that contain the highest post-consumer content available, but no less than the minimum recycled content standards established by the US EPA. Note that EPA’s recommendations do not preclude procuring agencies from purchasing non-paper office products made from the materials manufactured using other materials, such as wood or cloth. EPA simply recommends that procuring agencies, when purchasing non-paper office products made from the materials designated in the procurement guidelines, purchase these products containing recovered materials.

Buyers will purchase remanufactured products, such as toner cartridges, whenever practicable, but without reducing safety, quality, or effectiveness. Buyers will also reduce or eliminate use of products that contribute to the formation of dioxins and furans by prohibiting purchase of products that contain or are packing in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) such as office binders and other supplies.

See Appendix A for a list of non-paper products and associated standards for each item.

Electronic Equipment

Personnel from multiple departments sit in The Kendeda Building Office. The purchase of staff computers, monitors, and associated peripherals, and other information and communication technology (ICT) equipment is managed by each department’s Information Technology unit. The Building Director will encourage The Kendeda Building office occupants to request the purchase of personal computers, notebook computers, and monitors that meet at least the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Bronze rating level, with a preference for Silver or Gold rating.

For all ICT equipment not currently rated according to EPEAT standards, seek products that have a RoHS label.

For product categories where an EPEAT standard is in development, now or in future, once a product standard and registration process is in force, all products shall meet the minimum relevant EPEAT standard.

Makerspace / Design Studio Products

The makerspace / design studio will have a 3D printer. The filament used in the 3D printer will be made from cornstarch.

Laboratory Products

Instructors will review all laboratory chemicals against the Red List. If any are not in compliance the instructor will have to demonstrate there is not a suitable alternative. Compliance with the Red List for lab chemicals is a voluntary action and not a requirement of the Living Building Challenge.

See Appendix B for equipment that should be purchased; instructors will search for sustainable products where appropriate but are not required to meet any standards under the Living Building Challenge.

Special Events Products

• See www.sustain.gatech.edu/take-action/green-your-event.  
• See https://livingbuilding.gatech.edu/reservations-guidelines-and-room-specifications.

V. Resource Recovery

Composting and recycling bins are present throughout the interior and exterior of the building. Composting and recycling bins are serviced by different departments based on waste stream and their location in the building. The information below provides details regarding which waste materials are collected in the building, how waste materials are collected in the various spaces types, i.e., restrooms, common spaces, etc., and images of the collection bins that are used in the building.

Recoverable Materials

Aluminum

• Aluminum cans only.
• No aluminum foil, trays, etc.
• Aluminum can bins are serviced by OSWM&R staff.

Batteries

• Batteries are collected by Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) personnel on an as needed basis after being notified by The Kendeda Building Director.

Cardboard

• Only cardboard with a wavy middle layer.
• Paperboard, such as cereal boxes, should be placed in the mixed paper bin.
• Boxes should be broken down flat.
• Corrugated cardboard is picked up from the loading area by OSWM&R staff.

Compostable Materials

• Food scraps.
• Paper-based and certified compostable food packaging.
• Paper towels and napkins.
• Compost bins are serviced by Building Services
• Compost vendor is local and compost is returned to local, community gardens.
• Landscape waste – see Landscape Operations and Maintenance Work Plan.

Confidential Materials

• OSWM&R will pick up documents that need to be shredded by request.

Electronics

• Old electronics are collected and recycled by Georgia Tech Surplus: http://www.procurement.gatech.edu/logistics/surplus.

Food Recovery

• See Catering Guidelines.

Furniture

• Furniture is collected by Georgia Tech Surplus: http://www.procurement.gatech.edu/logistics/surplus.

Glass

• Clear, green, and brown glass bottles and jars only.
• No laboratory glass.
• Glass bins are serviced by OSWM&R staff on Tuesdays.

Mixed Metals

• Contact recycle@gatech.edu to request pickup of mixed metals.

Mixed Paper

• Mixed paper includes Office paper (all colors):
  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Junk mail
  • File folders
  • Catalogs
  • Brochures
  • Paperback books
  • Adhesive notes
  • Paperboard (such as cereal boxes)
• OSWM&R staff empties the recycling bins.

Pallets

• Pallets are picked up from the designated spot in the loading area on Fridays.

Plastic

• Rigid plastic bottles and containers only.
• No plastic film, plastic bags, or polystyrene foam.
• Plastic bins are serviced by OSWM&R staff.

Plastic Film

• Plastic film is collected by OSWM&R and brought to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, a local hard to recycle vendor.

Styrofoam

• Styrofoam is collected by the OSWM&R and brought to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, a local hard to recycle vendor.

Toner Cartridges

• Contact Staples to request a collection bin.
• www.recycle.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/images/toner_recycling.pdf.

Uncategorized

These are materials for which Georgia Tech does not currently have a recycling program. Examples of acceptable items include:

• Aluminum Foil
• Plastic Film
• Styrofoam

These items will be OSWM&R and brought to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials. Waste streams from the Makers Space / Design Studio will be monitored to determine whether they can be recycled or reused.

Responsibility Matrix

The following is an overview how servicing various streams falls under different departments on campus:

Those groups identified as the responsible party above are also in charge of the weight of materials onsite, with the exception of compost and hard to recycle materials, which will be weighed by the vendor. Staff from the responsible department listed above will provide a monthly weight total for the waste/recycling streamt to the building’s Program Support Coordinator for tracking purposes.

Bins by Space Type / Event

Restrooms

• Composting bins
  • Composting bins for paper towels are located in the restrooms.
  • Building Services staff empty the restroom composting bins daily and place the materials in the designated larger bins located in the loading area.
  • The composting bins in the loading area are serviced by a third party vendor.
• Trash cans
  • Trash cans are emptied daily by Building Services staff.

Common Spaces 

There are three designated waste, recycling, and composting stations in the building. Two collect:

• Landfill
• Plastics
• Metals
• Compost
• Paper
• Hard to recycle items

One station collects all the above except hard to recycle items.

A designated waste, recycling, and composting stations in the building. This station also accepts
hard to recycle products and coffee waste.

Individual Work Stations

There are no bins at workstations.

Outdoor Waste and Recycling Stations

Outdoor waste and recycling stations contain landfill, plastics, aluminum, and compost containers. These bins (2 in total) are serviced by the Landscape Services team.

One of two outdoor waste and recycling stations.

Special Events

• Additional recycling bins for special events can be ordered online at http://www.recycle.gatech.edu/special-event-recycling-request.
• Work with the Program Support Coordinator to obtain additional composting bins.

Appendix A: List of Non-Paper Products

Appendix B: List of Laboratory Products