Schools 2009 IEQc5: Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control

  • NC_Schools_IEQc5_Type1_IndoorPollutant Diagram
  • A smorgasbord of requirements

    This credit requires compliance with a varied group of items that cumulatively help keep pollutants out of the indoor air. These requirements include self-closing doors on janitors' closets, MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 13 filtration on mechanical equipment, and entryway trackoff systems.

    Compliance will require the coordination of team members—including the mechanical engineer, architect, plumbing engineer, and contractor—and also impact project design and operations. The basic requirements are:

    • Permanent entryway walk-off systems at least 10 feet long (up from 6 feet in previous versions of LEED) at all regularly...

Step-by-step credit help

Got the gist of the LEED credit but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Members get:

  • Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
  • Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
  • Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
  • Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
  • All checklists organized by project phase.
  • On-the-fly suggestions on useful items from the Documentation Toolkit, Resources, and Credit Language.


  • Credit language straight from USGBC

    Need to check up on the exact LEED credit language from the LEED Rating System on the fly? LEEDuser includes the verbatim language. Members get:

    • Easy access to the official LEED credit language with just a couple of clicks.
    • On the jobsite without your bulky LEED Reference Guide? Check up on the credit language details here.
    • Credit language content is used by permission of the U.S. Green Building Council.


Your credit-by-credit reference library

Why waste time chasing down referenced standards and supporting resources when LEEDuser links you directly to the ones you need? LEEDuser has gathered all the best tools out there and organized them by credit for easy reference. Members get links to:

  • Organizations that can give information or help on a credit.
  • Standards or studies that are key reference points for credits and prerequisites.
  • Articles that help explain important topics.
  • Key documents or references for credit inputs.
  • Software tools you can use to run calculations or simulations.


Documentation Toolkit

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.


14 Comments

0
0
james moler, p.e. mgr systems engineering turner healthcare
Jan 12 2012
Guest
22 Thumbs Up

MERV 13 filters on fan coil units

Numerous CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide responses and LEED Interpretations previously denied the credit where fan coil units recirculating room air for supplemental cooling in high load spaces were equipped with MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 8 filters and where the ventilation air was supplied directly to the space by central systems with MERV 13 filters. Language added to these responses now indicates that revised credit language for LEED 2009 removes the requirement to provide MERV 13 filters on return air. MERV 13 filtration is only required on outdoor air. Is there any reason to expect a credit application under v2.2 with fan coil units only recirculating room air and equipped with MERV 8 filters will be denied?

1
1
0
Dylan Connelly Senior Mechanical Engineer, Glumac Feb 03 2012 Guest Expert 159 Thumbs Up

Fantastic question. Found another grey area in LEED. Do addenda for 2009 credits apply to credits in v2.2.
IMO you should be able to comply with the latest ruling in this case, because in this case the credits are very similar between 2009 and v2.2. Consider adding a narrative.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Renee Shirey
Aug 26 2011
Member
978 Thumbs Up

Can 10' requirement be met by a combination of mats?

Due to space constraints, our vestibules were not able to be a full 10' wide between our doors, thus the recessed walkoff mats aren't 10'. Does anyone see any issue with supplimenting the distance with a roll-off mat (properly maintained of course) laid out at the other side of the vestibule? The end result would be more than 10', but it would have a couple inch "break" as you passed through the door from the vestibule into the lobby.

1
1
0
Allison Beer McKenzie Architect, Director of Sustainability, SHP Leading Design Aug 26 2011 Guest Expert 2194 Thumbs Up

Renee- that shouldn't be a problem at all- we have had several similar situations and a combined length has always been accepted.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Naten Maniktala
Jul 29 2011
Member
7 Thumbs Up

IEQc5

What does the Average Pressure Differencial mean and where would I find that info on the plan set for this credit?

Thanks!

1
1
0
Dylan Connelly Senior Mechanical Engineer, Glumac Nov 17 2011 Guest Expert 159 Thumbs Up

Look for a copy room or janitor's closet. You want to find the amount of air that is regularly exhausted from those rooms. If air is also supplied into the space you need to subtract that number to find the total exhaust.

An ASHRAE equation for Pressure (∆P) in PA is:
Q=165.5*A*√∆P
Here is an example scenario:
3 foot wide closed door with a 0.5" undercut
A=0.125 ft
∆P=5 (required for LEED)
Solve for Q (Air Flow in CFM)
Q=165.5*0.125*√5 = 46.3 CFM
In order to ensure this room has a negative 5 PA differential pressure to an adjacent space you need to have roughly 50 CFM total exhaust (Exhaust CFM - Supply CFM). Area of the room is irrelevant for this equation but for LEED and local building codes you may also need to ensure that you have at least 0.5 CFM/SF exhaust.
The door also needs to be self-closing to achieve this credit.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Will Britten Associate, LEED-AP BD+C Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects
Jul 15 2011
Member
6 Thumbs Up

Walk-off mat size

The requirement for walk-off mats is vague in regards to size of mat required. I think they are typically 4'x6' or in that range, does the 10 foot requirement only apply to permanently installed entryway systems? Thanks.

1
1
0
Tristan Roberts Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Jul 15 2011 Moderator

Hi Will, the requirement seem very vague to me. If you're using a rollout mat, the 10-foot requirement still applies. If that weren't the case, that would be a major loophole in this credit.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Gendel Metlitsky Sustainability Project Manager NYC SCA
May 18 2011
Member
80 Thumbs Up

Permanent entryway walk-off systems at least 10 feet long

Q #1: We are working on design of 10-story school in downtown of the major US city. Design calls for roof play yard. Do we need to apply 10 feet rule for re-entry doors leading to elevator lobby?
Q #2: Design of another urban school calls for roof garden - do we need permanent walk-off system rules apply to re-entry from the garden?

1
1
0
Allison Beer McKenzie Architect, Director of Sustainability, SHP Leading Design May 18 2011 Guest Expert 2194 Thumbs Up

Yes- you should plan for 10' of walk-off system at the building entries from both of these exterior spaces. The idea is to contain particles, dust and dirt before they can get in the building and since you have the opportunity to pick up dirt and debris on the roofs, walk-off surface is required.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Laura Long Project Manager NORR
Dec 22 2010
Member
59 Thumbs Up

Receiving Room Doors

Our LEED-Schools project has a Receiving Room with a roll-up door and a man door. Are the entryway systems required at both the roll-up and the man door?

There is also a Receiving Office located within the Receiving Room. Will this room need to be physically separated from the Receiving Room via deck-to-deck partition or a gypsum board ceiling? Should a self-closing door be specified here?

Thank you!

1
1
0
Allison Beer McKenzie Architect, Director of Sustainability, SHP Leading Design Dec 29 2010 Guest Expert 2194 Thumbs Up

We do not typically provide entryway systems at overhead doors- just man doors.

The receiving room does not need to be separated from the receiving office unless it meets the requirement of hazardous gas or chemical areas.

Log In to Reply
0
0
Lisa Logan LEED AP BD+C Green Ideas
Nov 16 2010
Member
173 Thumbs Up

Courtyard Classrooms

All of my classrooms are entered directly off of a courtyard. So do I really need 10' of walk off mat per classroom? If so, I am thinking I will need to punt on this one. Just looking for some feedback - thanks.

1
1
0
Tristan Roberts Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Dec 07 2010 Moderator

The requirement is for "regularly used" entries to have the track-off mat; however that terms is not well defined. However, in this case it sounds like those entrances are regularly used and would be subject to the requirement.

Log In to Reply

Copyright 2012 – BuildingGreen, Inc.