Simpson Strong-Tie strongly supports sustainable building practices, such as those established by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™, and local green building codes. As we learn more about the impact of our actions on the environment, the building industry must continue to adopt practices that reduce the environmental footprint of our built environment. To learn more about the ways Simpson Strong-Tie is working to minimize our impact on the environment, read Simpson Strong-Tie: Commitment to the Environment.
Since many of our customers are involved in green building, we are frequently asked how our products contribute to green building and in particular, how our products can earn credits under LEED® for New Construction Rating System. The following Q&A helps clarify how to use Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems® products to earn LEED credits and addresses some of the common misconceptions about LEED.
Can Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems products contribute to credits under LEED for New Construction?
Yes, Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems products can contribute to credits MR 4.1 and MR 4.2. These credits require a minimum percentage of the value of the building materials to be recycled.
Mechanical anchors are made from a percentage of recycled steel. LEED allows a blanket assumption of 25% post-consumer recycled content for any steel product.
Several adhesive products are manufactured with recycled material:
| Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems Product | Recycled Material Content |
| EDOT™ Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 35.5% |
| ET Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 16.0% |
| SET High Strength Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 4.5% |
| CIP Crack Injection Paste-Over | 21.0% |
Can I use Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems products with fly ash concrete to earn credit under LEED for New Construction MR 4.1 or 4.2?
The answer is yes for mechanical anchors. As for adhesive anchors, the industry is still in the process of evaluating their performance in fly ash concrete.
If there is a Simpson Strong-Tie factory within 500 miles of my jobsite, can I earn credit for Simpson Strong-Tie anchors under MR 5.1 or 5.2?
LEED for New Construction offers credit under MR 5.1 and MR 5.2 for products "extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured" within 500 miles of the building site. Although many of our products are made at each manufacturing site, we can't guarantee today that a particular product was manufactured at a particular plant. In addition, Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems can't guarantee that the steel coils from which the mechanical anchors are manufactured were extracted, harvested, or recovered within 500 miles of the construction site. So therefore, our products are not eligible for this credit.
Is Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems LEED certified?
Companies cannot be LEED certified. However, companies can make products that earn LEED credits or make products that when used in particular ways earn LEED credits. Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems products earn credit in several LEED categories.
What is your LEED certification number?
This refers to the LEED credit number. Simpson Strong-Tie products can earn or contribute to credits in categories MR 4.1, 4.2 and EQ 4.1.
How do Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems adhesive products comply with LEED Credit EQ4.1?
The federal government relies upon state and local air quality management districts to provide direction for adhesives and sealants. Two air quality management districts, South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), have led the way in VOC regulations. Many air quality management districts across the country are adopting the regulations set by SCAQMD and BAAQMD.
New construction using only adhesives and sealants meeting the requirements of SCAQMD Rule 1168 are eligible for a LEED credit of one point under Indoor Environmental Quality, Credit 4.1 for "Low Emitting Materials: Adhesives and Sealants."
The use of Simpson Strong-Tie Anchor Systems adhesives complies with the criteria. The table below summarizes VOC levels for our adhesives and the VOC limits for the two main categories: multipurpose construction adhesives and architectural sealants.
| Multipurpose Construction Adhesive | VOC* Limit/Level | |
| SCAQMD Rule 1168 | 70 | |
| BAAQMD Rule 51 | 200 | |
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| AT High Strength Acrylic-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 15 | |
| EDOT™ Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 15 | |
| ET Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 35 | |
| E-TRANS Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 40 | |
| SET High Strength Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 65 | |
| SET-XP® Structural Epoxy-Tie® Anchoring Adhesive | 65 | |
| VGC Vinylester Glass Capsule Anchoring Adhesive | 15 | |
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| Architectural Sealant | VOC* Limit/Level | |
| SCAQMD Rule 1168 | 250 | |
| BAAQMD Rule 51 | 250 | |
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| CIP Crack Injection Paste-Over | < 1 | |
| Crack-Pac® Injection Epoxy | 10 | |
| Crack-Pac® Flex-H2O™ | 3 | |
| ETI-LV Low Viscosity Injection Epoxy | 85 | |
| ETI-GV Gel Viscosity Injection Epoxy | 80 | |
| ETR Epoxy Paste | 10 | |
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