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Good IAQ benefits everyone
Managing indoor air quality (IAQIndoor air quality: The quality and attributes of indoor air affecting the health and comfort building occupants. IAQ encompasses available fresh air, contaminant levels, acoustics and noise levels, lighting quality, and other factors.) systematically during construction is becoming more and more common as contractors gain more experience with LEED. It benefits the health of everyone who works on the site, not just the eventual occupants of the building.
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13 Comments
Phased Construction
We have a major renovation project where the renovations are phased to avoid full facility shut-down. We will temporarily relocate groups of occupants, capping off the old HVAC system and installing the new HVAC system during the renovation. It is only after an area has been renovated that the new HVAC system will be in use and renovated areas will be separated from unrenovated spaces by a plastic barrier, etc. Do we need to provide MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8 filtration media in these renovated areas once they are occupied and separated by plastic barrier, etc. from other areas under construction?
Shillpa Singh replied Senior Consultant, YRG Sustainability Jun 04 2010
If the newly renovated spaces are independent air supply from construction spaces then they don’t require MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8 filters. Construction spaces would still benefit with filters on return and supply ducts.
Location of MERV 8 Filters
We are using variable refrigerant flow systems with ceiling cassette units and the maximum filtration media that can be used is MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 4. Can we provide MERV 8 external filters during construction to meet the credit requirements?
Shillpa Singh replied Senior Consultant, YRG Sustainability Jun 04 2010
SMACNA IAQIndoor air quality: The quality and attributes of indoor air affecting the health and comfort building occupants. IAQ encompasses available fresh air, contaminant levels, acoustics and noise levels, lighting quality, and other factors. Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction recommends protecting HVAC system during construction. Ideally you would like to not run permanent installed system during construction. If possible, try to use a temporary system. If you have to use the system, the return air has to be protected with a MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8 filter to avoid any particulates and pollutants entering the duct system from the construction interiors. The supply air side also has to be protected, too. If you can’t install the filters then meet other requirements of HVAC protection. The ducts have to be cleaned and started up before occupancy to remove any leftover debris. You may find it helpful to provide a descriptive narrative of the project approach taken to comply with SMACNA guidelines and protect the ductwork in absence of MERV 8 filters. Refer to the referenced SMACNA guidelines http://www.smacna.org/bookstore/index.cfm?fuseaction=search_results&keyw...,
naturally ventilated areas
im working a residential rehad 8 stories and the units dont have HVAC but operable windows, its near the beach so this works but how do i get this credit to work for naturally ventilated areas?
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Jun 10 2010
There is not much about this credit that relates to ventilation method. What specifically did you have a question about?
Direct Exhaust Systems
Does a project where all exhaust air is exhausted directly to the outside need MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8 filters to meet EQc3.1?
This is a lab project where supply air is 100% OA. There is no mixing between supply and exhaust.
Has anyone dealt with this in the past? Thanks
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Jul 08 2010
Erik, you've got an answer to this question over on the LEED 2009 version of this credit forum.
Erik Ruoff replied The Green Engineer, LLP Jul 08 2010
Thanks Tristan - and thanks to the LEED User community
MERV 8 filtration
I have a project that a contractor assumed that 2-layers of MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 7 filtration would equate to a MERV 8 filter. When the filter manufacturer was contacted to confirm the contractor's assumption they inidcated that there was no supporting documentation or calculations to backup the assumption. Knowing this, is there another option of achieving this credit?
Tristan Roberts replied Editor – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, LLC Aug 29 2010
Assuming this is in the past tense and air handlers were used during construction, I don't know of a way for you to earn the credit.
Franklin Snyder replied President, Susquehanna Valley Engineering Group, Inc. Aug 30 2010
Thank you for the reply.
If the ductwork was thoroughly cleaned and the proper filtration added after the cleaning would this achieve the credit?
Allison Beer McKenzie replied Architect/Director of Sustainability, SHP Leading Design Aug 30 2010
Franklin- there is no existing alternative compliance path that would cover the strategy you are proposing. You could certainly chose to submit your actions in the "alternative compliance path" portion of the LEED template, but since there is nothing that really allows you to use the method you are proposing, it would be up to the GBCI reviewer's discretion as to if you are awarded the credit or not. Since the credit language is so clear in requiring MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8, I would be surprised if they award you the credit.
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