Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED): Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
This category focuses on ensuring that a facility provides the healthiest possible indoor environment for the life of the building. It represents a balancing act between design, energy efficiency and quality of life for the occupants that will live and work in the space. Fifteen points can be harvested here, and many are easy enough to add to the tally for certification.
Two prerequisites must be met, and both are pretty much common sense. The first requires some thought in the design and engineering by establishing a base level of indoor air quality. Decent air circulation is pretty much mandatory in any enclosed environment these days, but this prerequisite ensures provides a minimum accepted level. The main challenge here is to design a facility that balances occupant comfort with energy use.
The second prerequisite is to establish a smoking control system. Most of the specifics here limit exposure to second hand smoke and are getting to be standards established by local ordinances. There are some specific parameters to ensure compliance.
The first point towards certification is IEQ Credit 1: Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring. This credit is earned by verifying that a minimum level of air quality is maintained inside the building. While the prerequisite mandates a minimum standard, this credit establishes the means for maintaining that quality level. This is easily accomplished by installing a system that provides notice when there is any significant deviation form the accepted air quality standard.
The next point that can be earned is IEQ Credit 2: Increased Ventilation. There is merit to the old adage about fresh air being good for health, and this credit rewards designing a system that provides regular circulation of fresh air into the working areas of the building. Again, this must be balanced with energy efficiency and other costs, but the benefit to the occupants is considerable.
The third IEQ credit offers the opportunity for two points. The first through IEQ 3.1: Construction Air Quality Management Plan – During Construction, and the other through IEQ 3.2: Construction Air Quality Management Plan – Before Occupancy. IEQ 3.1 provides specific measures to follow during construction to minimize the introduction of contaminants. It offers a variety of practices such as sealing off ductwork, installing filters and similar actions. IEQ 3.2 provides a bit of insurance to the whole business by mandating a thorough air flush of the entire building prior to occupation. That “new building smell”, like the new car smell, it is not exactly a sign of a healthy environment. This point is gained by flushing out whatever contaminants might have evaded the measures taken in 3.1 and cleans them out of the environment.
The fourth credit, “Low-Emitting Materials”, is intended to minimize the materials used inside the building that have the potential to emit irritants and pollutants into the air. There are four points available here, and all should be easily attained by specifying materials that offer the least possibility of obnoxious emissions. IEQ 4.1 addresses Adhesives and Sealants, 4.2: Paints and Coatings; 4.3, Flooring Systems and 4.4 is all about Composite Wood and Agrifibers. For each there are specific standards of permissible emissions and there are specific materials that are prohibited. The ideal scenario is that the air inside is indistinguishable from the air outdoors. It provides a menu of acceptable materials and a list of stuff to be avoided at all costs. Top of that list is urea formaldehyde resin, which recently caught a bit of negative attention in the post-Katrina temporary housing fiasco.
IEQ 5: Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control. It is one thing to ensure that the materials used on the interior of the building are not degrading the atmosphere inside. It’s another to prevent outside contaminants from easing in after the building is in service. This credit provides a point for minimizing the intrusion of contaminants through air filters, mats and grills near entranceways and other active measures to limit the invasion of undesirable particles.
There are two points available for the sixth credit: 6.1 Controllability of Systems – Lighting
and IEQ Credit 6.2, Controllability of Systems – Thermal Comfort. These are gained by providing occupants with the ability to mange lighting and temperature to meet individual and group needs. This is nice, but often not all that realistic or cost effective to meet the standards required here.
IEQ Credit 7.1 Thermal Comfort – Design and IEQ Credit 7.1 Thermal Comfort – Verification
are certainly worth collecting the points for. This is about developing a comfortable thermal environment in the building and then providing a regular assessment to ensure that it is being maintained at the envisioned level. Easy points for what would probably be considered a given regarding the minimum level of comfort for occupants, but still tricky when trying to fold in energy efficiency and other IEQ factors.
The last credit in this category offers two points through IEQ Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views – Daylight, and IEQ Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views – Views. This makes for an interesting challenge in designing the building to provide occupants with a connection to the outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views in the regularly occupied areas of the building. The two points that can earned here are worth emphasizing in the design process. The benefits in terms of well being for the folks living and working are priceless, hence the allure of a window office as a sign of prestige and status. This can be one of the most beneficial yet difficult challenges in the design process, to try and incorporate as much of a connection with the outside as possible through a skillful layout of space and lighting in relationship to the functioning areas of the building. Sounds complicated, and it is.
The intent of the LEED Indoor Environment Quality category is to develop an indoor environment that approximates the better conditions found in the outdoors. There are countless studies that confirm the benefits in terms of health and productivity by creating such space, and this category encourages and rewards designs and practices that advance the concept.
Rick Sebenoler is a LEED AP based in Austin, TX