Product Certification and Testing for LEED for Schools IEQc4.1–4.4 and IEQc4.6

California Department of Health Services Standard Practice for the Testing of Volatile Organic Emissions from Various Sources Using Small-Scale Environmental Chambers, including 2004 Addenda

The referenced standard supersedes the Special Environmental Requirements, Specifications Section 01350, developed by the State of California for screening building materials. Receiving and handling requirements, lab methods and reporting have been revised or expanded in the updated standard. The testing is pass/fail.

The testing set-up for a small chamber will look something like this, although the testing lab takes care of this part, not the project team. Image – EPAMaterials must be conditioned for 10 days upon receipt by the testing agency. The test period is 96 hours with contaminant concentrations being sampled at 24, 48 and 96 hours. The chemicals being tested for are either probable or known carcinogens or are reproductive toxicants. Emission factors from the small chamber tests for each identified chemical are then used to calculate or “model” indoor air concentrations for a standard office or classroom. No chemical can exceed half of the Chronic Reference Exposure Level (CREL),...