LEED IAQ Testing - Part 1

Per the LEED-NC EQ3.2 credit, in lieu of conducting a two-week building flush-out with new MERV 13 filtration media at 100% outside air, one can conduct a baseline indoor air quiality testing procedure consistent with the US EPA's current "Protocol for Enviromental Requirements, Baseline IAQ and Materials, for the Research Triangle Park Campus, Section 01445.

Now the LEED-CI EQ3.2 credit has a less intensive testing protocol than the original EPA Research Triangle Park (RTP) post-construction IEQ testing procedure

Post Construction-Pre-Occupancy Indoor Air Test Scope of Work

Test Requirements
Conduct a baseline indoor air quality testing procedure that randomly selects sampling points for every 25,000 square feet, or for each contiguous floor area, whichever is larger, to measure the maximum concentration levels for the chemical contaminates listed below:

Chemical Contaminant Maximum Concentration Reference Standard
- Carbon Monoxide: (CO) 9 parts per million and no greater than 2 parts per million above outdoor levels
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 530 parts per million* ASHRAE 62-1999
- Formaldehyde 50 parts per billion (State of Washington IAQ Standard)
- Particulates 150 micrograms per cubic meter (EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standard)
- TVOC 500 micrograms per cubic meter (State of Washington IAQ Standard)
- 4-PCH 6.5 micrograms per cubic meter (State of Washington IAQ Standard)

(* This measurement is required only if the building is regularly occupied during the testing. Measured differential between indoor and outdoor conditions is based on occupancy type as defined by ASHRAE 62-1999. Maximum concentration differential in parts per million = 10,300 / ventilation rate in cubic feet per minute.)


Performance
The tests shall be conducted before the arrival of furniture and occupants and after all construction activities are completed, including punch list items, and final touch up painting/sanding/finishing in order to not have those activities negatively effect the testing and sample collection.

For each building area where the maximum concentration limits for any one test are exceeded, stop sample collection, notify the owner, and recommend actions to mitigate cause. Then retest the indoor air quality levels to indicate the requirements are achieved.

Submittals
Provide a copy of the IAQ testing results indicating the methods used and measured chemical contaminate concentrations compared to the maximum chemical contaminate concentration requirements noted above. Reported concentration units of measure should be consistent with those stated in the maximum limits noted above.