Indoor Environmental Quality
Overview
Canadians spend an average of 90%
of their time indoors, where levels of
pollutants may be two to five times–and
occasionally more than 100 times–
higher than outdoor levels. In its 1999
Air Quality Guidelines, the World
Health Organization states that most of
a person’s daily exposure to many air
pollutants comes through inhalation of
indoor air. Many of these pollutants
can cause health reactions. 14.1% of
Canadians are estimated to be affected
by clinical asthma which, together with
those who have allergies, contributes to
millions of days absent from school and
work.
Research over the past decade has
increased our understanding of the
indoor environment, revealing both
problems and potential solutions. Major
health disasters such as outbreaks of
Legionnaires’ disease and sick building
syndrome have heightened the awareness
of indoor air quality for building owners
and occupants. An increasing number
of legal cases emphasize the need for
optimal indoor environmental quality
(IEQ) strategies. Such strategies
reduce potential liability for design
team members, building owners and
managers, increase the resale value of
the building, and increase productivity
of building occupants. In fact, case
studies suggest that IEQ improvements
have increased worker productivity by
between 5% and 34% (Katz, 2003).
Studies have shown average workforce
productivity gains of:
• 7.1% with lighting controls
• 1.8% with ventilation controls
• 1.2% with thermal controls
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Significant gains for daylighting – up
to 40% for retail purchasing behavior Overview of LEED®
Canada-NC v1.0 Credits:
(Heschong Mahone Group, 1999).
EQ Prerequisite 1
IEQ strategies include issues related
Minimum IAQ
to indoor air quality (IAQ), such as
Performance
supply of filtered outside air, ventilation
effectiveness, moisture management, EQ Prerequisite 2
Environmental Tobacco
and control of air contaminants.
Smoke (ETS) Control
Prevention of air quality problems is
generally much less expensive than EQ Credit 1
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
cleaning up after these problems Monitoring
occur. For example, it is inexpensive
and sensible to sequence construction EQ Credit 2
Ventilation Effectiveness
activities so that materials are kept dry
and those that absorb contaminants are EQ Credit 3
installed after other materials have off- Construction IAQ
gassed their contaminants. Selecting Management Plan
materials that release fewer and less EQ Credit 4
harmful contaminants and interior Low-Emitting Materials
design can affect indoor environmental EQ Credit 5
quality significantly. For best results and Indoor Chemical &
occupant satisfaction, interior designers Pollutant Source Control
are included early in an integrated design EQ Credit 6
process that consciously addresses these Controllability of Systems
IEQ issues.
EQ Credit 7
Another strategy is to protect air Thermal Comfort
handling systems during construction, EQ Credit 8
and flushing the building with outdoor Daylight & Views
air prior to occupancy. To provide
optimal air quality for building There are 15 points in the
occupants over the lifetime of the Indoor Environmental
Quality category.
building, automatic sensors and controls
can be integrated with the HVAC system
to adjust temperature, humidity, and the
percentage of outside air introduced
to occupied spaces. Sensors can alert
building operators to potential IAQ
problems, alerted by carbon dioxide
(CO2) build-up in occupied space.
Other IEQ issues include daylighting
and lighting quality, thermal comfort,
acoustics, occupant control of building
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systems, and access to views. All
of these issues have the potential to
Overview enhance the indoor environment and
optimize interior spaces for building
occupants.
LEED Canada
The LEED Canada-NC 1.0 IEQ category
provides specific guidance in achieving
enhanced indoor environmental quality
through early design integration,
sensible construction sequencing,
careful construction practices, and
thoughtful selection of materials. It
contains Credits that address both the
reduction or elimination of sources of
indoor environmental problems at their
source, and improving the supply of
high quality ventilation.
As in the Energy and Atmosphere
section, building commissioning
and performance measurement and
verification plans will ensure enhanced
indoor environmental quality is sustained
throughout a building’s lifetime.
Changes from LEED-2.1
Many of the Indoor Environmental
Quality Credits in LEED Canada
have not been changed significantly
from the USGBC’s LEED-NC 2.1.
However, other have been changed to
include proposed changes that will be
incorporated to LEED version 2.2:
• Prerequisite 2: Environmental
Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control has
been changed to permit one of three
compliance options:
1. Prohibit smoking in the building; or
2. Establish negative pressure in the
rooms with smoking; or,
3. Reduce air leakage between rooms
with smoking and non-smoking
areas in residential buildings
(residential buildings only).
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• Credit 3.2: Construction IAQ
Management Plan - Testing Before
Occupancy has been amended
to permit the development and
implementation of an Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ) Management Plan that
follows one of three options, as well
as reference specific testing protocol
requirements.
• Credit 4: Low-Emitting Materials has
been changed to reflect more specific
requirements and up-dated standards.
• Credit 5: Indoor Chemical& Pollutant
Source Control now reflects more
specific requirements and includes
replacement of all filtration media
immediately prior to occupancy.
• Credit 8.2 Daylight and Views - Views
for 90% of Space has been changed to
incorporate more specific view angle
requirements.
Minor changes to the other Indoor
Environmental Quality Credits reflect
Canadian standards, data sources, units
and preferred terminology.
Related Environmental Issues
The following environmental issues
are not explicitly addressed with LEED
Canada-NC v1.0 but may be important
design considerations:
• Indoor air quality problems from
moisture, sprays and standing water
• Mineral fibres
• Adverse impacts of external and
internal noise sources
• Maintenance of performance
• Electro-Magnetic Pollution
Potential IAQ Problems from Moisture,
Sprays and Standing Water
Building design, construction and
operations should aim to eliminate the
potential for uncontrolled moisture,
sprays and standing water.
• Growth of biological contaminants
is regulated by the availability of
moisture. Moisture can lead to both
premature failure of building systems
as well as microbial contamination of
absorbent materials leading to growth
of pathogenic bacteria and fungi,
with their potential to affect occupant
health, and degrading the value of
the building with discolouration and
sour odours. Construction materials
that may harbour fungi and mould
spores include wood, cellulose, wall
paper, organic insulating materials,
glues, paints, mortars, textiles etc.
Water systems may be contaminated
by bacteria, algae and yeasts.
• Wet cooling towers and evaporative
condensers are potential breeding
grounds for Legionella, as the
temperature are frequently ideal for
their growth. Wet cooling towers
are typically treated using caustic
and toxic chemicals, which are also
hazardous.
Potential IAQ Problems from Mineral
fibres
Building design, construction and
operations should aim to eliminate the
potential for the release of fibres from
un-contained mineral fiber materials.
• Mineral Fibre Duct Liners: Three
potential air quality problems have
been associated with mineral fiber
liners used for acoustic and thermal
insulation inside HVAC ducts: fibrous
liners trap dust, making air filtration
and duct cleaning less effective;
accumulated dust and debris support
microbial growth if moisture is
present, and, deteriorating fibrous
liners are a direct source of hazardous
mineral fibers.
• Loose Mineral Fibre: Manmade
mineral fibre materials (other than
duct liners) which are exposed to the SS WE EA MR EQ ID
building interior or to air handling
systems are also potential sources Overview
of hazardous fibers. Structural fire
retardant treatments and exposed
acoustic or thermal insulation in
suspended ceilings used as return air
plenums are common examples.
• Adverse Impacts of External and
Internal Noise Sources: Building
design, construction and operations
should aim to minimize unwanted
noise.
- Noise attenuation through the
building envelope, in particular,
building glazing systems, of
externally generated noise are
important design considerations.
Traffic, airport, rail and industrial
noise are all common irritants
caused by poor sound isolation by
building envelope elements.
- Transmission of HVAC mechanical
noise is a common irritant within
buildings, and is usually caused by
worn or poorly adjusted equipment
or poor sound isolation. Moderate
systems noise can be an advantage,
since excessively low ambient noise
levels (i.e., low background noise)
can lead to a loss of acoustical
privacy. Noise may be amplified
by vibrating sheet metal parts and
carried long distances by ducts.
Equipment rooms are a substantial
source of noise in adjacent spaces
or in ducts unless designed to
appropriate noise reduction
standards.
• Noise Attenuation Between Occupan-
cies: Noise generated within build-
ings by occupants, their equipment
and plumbing is also a common ir-
ritant and is usually caused by poor
sound isolation by floors and walls.
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• Maintenance of Performance: If the
intended performance of the building is to
Overview be maintained throughout life, technical
systems must be properly maintained
and periodically replaced. This, in turn,
requires careful attention by designers to
provide adequate clearance and access for
maintenance, cleaning and adjustments.
Many health issues derive from inadequate
maintenance of the mechanical systems.
Poor maintenance also results in added costs
due to shortened life-spans of equipment.
• Electro-Magnetic Pollution: Reducing
occupant exposure to electromagnetic
pollution is an emerging health concern.
Although there remains scientific
uncertainty about the health effects, it
is prudent to adopt precautionary field
management and mitigation strategies
to reduce the exposure of people to
nonionizing electromagnetic radiation as
much as possible.

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Minimum IAQ Performance SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent Prerequisite 1
Establish minimum indoor air quality (IAQ) performance to enhance indoor
air quality in buildings, thus contributing to the comfort and well-being of the
occupants.

Requirements
Meet the minimum requirements of voluntary consensus standard ASHRAE 62-
2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, and Addenda approved at the
time the building was permitted. Mechanical ventilation systems shall be designed
using the Ventilation Rate Procedure.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the responsible design
professional, declaring that the project is fully compliant with Sections 4, 5,
6, and 7 of ASHRAE 62-2001 and all applicable Addenda, and describing
the procedure employed in the IAQ analysis (as a minimum, the standard’s
Ventilation Rate Procedure for mechanical ventilation systems).
If an audit is requested during the certification process:

Submissions for designs using the Ventilation Rate Procedure should include
a table of outdoor air flows, including assumptions such as occupancy
type, floor area or estimated maximum occupancy, supply air flow rate and
ventilation effectiveness, and HVAC system type to each regularly occupied
space within the building.

Submissions for designs using a natural ventilation strategy should include
a table including the free, unobstructed openable area of wall and roof
openings, the floor area, the percentage ratio of wall and roof openings to
floor area, the distance of the space to the nearest openable wall or roof
opening, and, for interior spaces not adjacent to the outdoors, the free open
area between the adjacent perimeter space and the interior space, for each
regularly occupied space within the building. An alternative to such a table
would be engineering calculations or a summary of output from a suitable
computer model that shows outdoor air flows for each regularly occupied
space within the building under peak heating and cooling conditions.

Summary of Referenced Standard

ASHRAE Standard 62-2001: Ventilation For Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, and
associated Addenda
ASHRAE, www.ashrae.org, (800) 527-4723
This standard specifies minimum ventilation rates and indoor air quality (IAQ)
levels to reduce the potential for adverse health effects. The standard specifies
that mechanical or natural ventilation systems be designed to prevent uptake
of contaminants, minimize the opportunity for growth and dissemination of
microorganisms, and filter particulates, if necessary. Makeup air inlets should be
located away from contaminant sources such as cooling towers; sanitary vents; and

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vehicular exhaust from parking garages, loading docks, and street traffic.
A Ventilation Rate Procedure and an Indoor Air Quality Procedure are outlined to
Prerequisite 1 achieve compliance with the standard. The Ventilation Rate Procedure prescribes
outdoor air quality acceptable for ventilation; outdoor air treatment measures;
Required and ventilation rates for residential, commercial, institutional, vehicular, and
industrial spaces. The procedure also includes criteria for the reduction of outdoor
air quantities when recirculated air is treated by contaminant-removal equipment
and criteria for variable ventilation when the air volume in the space is used as a
reservoir to dilute contaminants. The Indoor Air Quality Procedure incorporates
both quantitative and subjective evaluation and restricts contaminant concentrations
to acceptable levels.
Under section 5.1 of the ASHRAE standard, designs relying on natural ventilation
are required to have wall or roof openings with unobstructed opening areas,
controllable by the occupants, that total at least 4% of the net occupiable floor area
for spaces within 7.5m (25 ft.) of the exterior wall. Interior spaces without direct
exposure to the outdoors are required to have openings to naturally-ventilated
perimeter spaces that are at least 8% of the net occupiable area, or 2.3m2 (25 sq.ft.)
at a minimum. Engineered natural ventilation systems approved by local authorities
are allowed to vary from these requirements; typically these require engineering
calculations or computer modeling that establishes minimum outdoor airflows at
peak temperature conditions that meet the standard’s airflow requirements. Chapter
23 “Infiltration and Ventilation” of the 1993 ASHRAE Handbook - Fundamentals
details engineering calculations for natural ventilation designs; several computer
building modeling programs are capable of these calculations, including COMIS,
CONTAM, TAS, ESP-r and EnergyPlus, among others.

Interpretations
• Use of natural ventilation with operable wall or roof openings to meet these
minimum requirements is allowable instead of mechanical systems, so long as
the wall and/or roof openings in each occupied space meet the requirements of
Section 5.1 of ASHRAE 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
and its Addenda, and are designed to ensure that comfort is maintained under peak
conditions when only minimum outdoor air supplies are desirable, particularly
with regard to cold drafts.
• If a mechanical ventilation system is installed, it must be designed using the
standard’s Ventilation Rate Procedure.

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Green Building Concerns Additional effort may be required to SS WE EA MR EQ ID
optimize the integration of the HVAC
Optimal IAQ performance in buildings system with the layout of the structure Prerequisite 1
results in improved occupant comfort, and surrounding area.
well-being, and productivity. Key
components for maintaining superior Credit Synergies
Community Issues
indoor air quality include using high-
quality outdoor air and providing IAQ optimization strategies can SS Credit 1
adequate ventilation rates. The lead to a healthier environment for Site Selection

referenced standard describes occupants, which typically results in SS Credit 2

procedures for avoiding the introduction fewer complaints, lower absenteeism Development Density
of contaminants such as location of air and illness, and higher productivity.
SS Credit 3
intakes relative to potential sources of Improved occupant health results in
Redevelopment of
contamination. The referenced standard decreased health care and insurance Contaminated Sites
also outlines general ventilation rates costs.
SS Credit 4
for a variety of building types. Alternative Transportation
Design Approach WE Credit 1
Environmental Issues Water Efficient
Strategies
Higher ventilation rates are sometimes Landscaping
• Evaluate the project site prior to
necessary to optimize IAQ, and this can EA Prerequisite 1
acquisition to avoid choosing a site
result in higher energy use to operate the Fundamental Building
with potential IAQ problems. These
building HVAC system. However, this Systems Commissioning
potential problems might include
can be greatly reduced by recovering EA Prerequisite 2
heavy traffic areas, nearby polluting
heat from exhaust streams to help Minimum Energy
industrial sites, or neighboring waste
condition incoming outdoor air. Performance
management sites. In addition,
identify possible future uses of EA Credit 1
Economic Issues nearby sites that may impact outdoor Optimize Energy
Increased ventilation rates may Performance
air quality. Obtain ambient air quality
result in greater annual energy costs. data and local wind patterns from EA Credit 3
However, poor indoor air quality can local sources to identify sources of Best Practice
cause occupant illnesses, resulting in pollution most likely to affect the Commissioning
increased expenses and liability costs site. EA Credit 5
for building owners, operators, and Measurement and
insurance companies. Personnel costs • After the building site has been chosen, Verification
are a significant percentage of operating identify site activities that may have
MR Prerequuisite 1
costs, much greater than energy or a negative impact on air quality such
Storage & Collection of
maintenance costs, and, thus, actions as construction activities, materials Recyclables
that affect employee attendance and installed in the building, and chemical
handling activities during occupancy. MR Credit 1
productivity are significant. Building Reuse
Establish air quality standards early
ASHRAE Standard 62-2001has become in the design process, and clearly EQ Prerequisite 2
standard ventilation design practice and state these design criteria in plans and Environmental Tobacco
typically does not require additional specifications. Smoke (ETS) Control
design effort or cost. Good IAQ EQ Credit 1
reduces potential liability for architects, • Specify, design, and install fresh air Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
builders, owners, building operators, intakes away from possible sources Monitoring
and occupants, as well as increases the of contamination (at least 7.5m is
value and marketability of a building. recommended and 12m is preferable). (continued on pg.336)

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Possible sources of contamination
include loading areas, building
Prerequisite 1 exhaust fans, cooling towers, street
traffic, idling cars, standing water,
parking garages, sanitary vents,
Credit Synergies dumpsters, and outside smoking
(continued) areas. Locating fresh air intakes
appropriately requires coordination
EQ Credit 2
between HVAC designers and the
Ventilation Effectiveness
project architect.
EQ Credit 3
Construction IAQ • Ensure that the outside air capacity
Management Plan for the ventilation system can meet
EQ Credit 4 the requirements of the referenced
Low-Emitting Materials standard in all modes of operation.
Remember to consider the maximum
EQ Credit 5
Indoor Chemical &
potential occupancy load when
Pollutant Source Control calculating outside air needs in all
spaces. Assess changes in occupant
EQ Credit 7
loads for renovation or retrofit
Thermal Comfort
projects and, where possible, plan
for these future requirements. Avoid
over-design and under-design of the
ventilation system and anticipate
future retrofits.
• Upon project completion, include
operational testing in the building
commissioning report. Implement an
operations and maintenance plan to
maintain an uncontaminated HVAC
system.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Site location and landscape design
affect the outdoor air volumes that
can be circulated through the building.
Dense neighborhoods, adjacent
transportation facilities, and existing
site contamination can adversely affect
the quality of outside air available
for ventilation purposes. Increased
ventilation rates can solve some
indoor air quality problems by diluting
contaminant levels, but this strategy
may affect indoor thermal comfort
and may increase energy use. Exhaust
heat recovery, building commissioning
and measurement & verification
Canada Green Building Council
336
processes are tools that can be used to
optimize indoor air quality levels while
minimizing energy efficiency losses.
During construction and building fit-
out, protect building materials from
moisture and specify materials and
furnishings that do not release harmful
or irritating chemicals, such as volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) from paints
and solvents, to reduce the detrimental
effects these substances have on IAQ.
Occupant activities such as chemical
handling and smoking can reduce
the amount of clean air in a space.
More often, it is beneficial to reduce
IAQ problems at the source, such as
specifying low-VOC materials, than to
use energy to ventilate the building and
to condition a greater volume of air.
Resources
Web Sites
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE): Advances
the science of heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, and refrigeration for
the public’s benefit through research,
standards writing, continuing education,
and publications.
Site: www.ashrae.org
Cost-Effective Open-Plan Environ-
ment (COPE) Research Reports:
Institute for Research in Construction,
National Research Council and COPE
Consortium. In-depth studies of
open-plan office design variables and
their effect on occupant satisfaction,
including workstation design, indoor
air quality and thermal comfort,
lighting and acoustics. Studies include
field and literature reviews, mock-up
office experiments, and simulations to
investigate the many elements of the
open-plan office. (Some reports are not
yet available.)
Reports include:
• Environmental Satisfaction in Open-
Plan Environments: 2. Effects of
Workstation Size, Partition Height
and Windows
• Office Air Distribution Systems and
Environmental Satisfaction
• ALiterature Review on the Relationship
between Outdoor Ventilation Rates in
Offices and Occupant Satisfaction
• Investigation of Air and Thermal
Environments in a Mock-up Open
Plan Office: Measurements and CFD
Simulations
• The Effect of Office Design on
Workstation Lighting: Simulation
Results
• Effects of Office Design on the Annual
Daylight Availability
Site: irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/cope/02-4-
Reports.html#IAQ
The Costs and Financial benefits
of Green Buildings, Greg Katz. This
2003 report to the California Integrated
Waste Management Board’s Sustainable
Building Task Force is a thorough cost-
benefit analysis of green building,
concluding that “...minimal increases in
upfront costs of 0-2% to support green
design will result in life cycle savings of
20% of total construction costs – more
than ten times the initial investment.”
Site: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/
greenbuilding/Design/CostIssues.htm
Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality
Research. Institute for Research
in Construction, National Research
Council Canada. Canada’s Institute
for Research in Construction, a division
of the National Research Council, has
long been a major contributor to indoor
air quality research, and publishes
a number of guidebooks for design
and construction, with many research
papers available for free download. The SS WE EA MR EQ ID
best way to access their full range of
publications is via the topic “air quality” Prerequisite 1
in their A-Z Index; latest research and
publications can be accessed through
their Ventilation and IAQ Research
home page’s Projects and Publications
menu items.
Site: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/iaq/
Indoor Air Quality. Architectural
and Engineering Services, Public
Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC). Public Works and
Government Services Canada maintains
an extensive listing of IAQ links.
Site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/rps/aes/
content/iaq-e.html
Indoor Air Quality in Office
Buildings: A Technical Guide,
Health Canada,1995. An invaluable
resource for existing buildings, but with
application to new building design, now
available in Adobe PDF form.
Site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/
air_quality/pdf/93ehd166.pdf
US Environmental Protection
Agency’s IAQ Homepage: Includes
a wide variety of tools, publications,
and links to address IEQ concerns in
both residential and non-residential
buildings. Of particular interest are
their IAQ materials for schools; and
their Energy Cost and IAQ Performance
of Ventilation Systems and Controls
Modeling Study, which summarizes
cost, revenue, and productivity impacts
of IAQ efforts.
Site: www.epa.gov/iaq
US National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
Indoor Environmental Quality
Homepage: Provides access to a
wide variety of publications on indoor
environmental quality, including
information on contaminants such as
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mould, asbestos, chemicals, asthma Definitions
and allergies, etc. Particularly timely
Prerequisite 1 are guides to building and air cleaning Indoor Air Quality: the nature of air
equipment design to protect against that affects the health and well-being of
deliberate chemical, biological or building occupants.
radiological attacks. Sick Building Syndrome: a situation
Site: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ where a substantial proportion of
indoorenv/ building occupants experience acute
discomfort and negative health effects
Print Media as a result of exposure to contaminated
• CSA Standard Z204-94 (R1999), air in the building.
Guideline for Managing Indoor Air Ventilation: the process of supplying
Quality in Office Buildings: This and removing air to and from interior
Guideline defines acceptable indoor air spaces by natural or mechanical means.
quality (IAQ) and provides methods
to help achieve acceptable indoor air
quality in office buildings, throughout Regional Variations
the conception, design, construction,
The requirements of this Prerequisite are
commissioning, operation, and
universally applicable across Canada.
maintenance stages.
• Wabeke, Roger, Air Contaminants
and Industrial Hygiene Ventilation: A
Handbook of Practical Calculations,
Problems, and Solutions, CRC Press
& Lewis Publishers, 1998.
• Moffatt, Donald, Handbook of Indoor
Air Quality Management, Prentice
Hall, 1997.
• Meckler, Marvin, Improving Indoor
Air Quality Through Design,
Operation and Maintenance, Prentice
Hall, 1996.
• Miller, E. Willard, et al., Indoor
Pollution: A Reference Handbook
(Contemporary World Issues), ABC-
CLIO, 1998.

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Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent Prerequisite 2
Prevent or minimize exposure of building occupants, indoor surfaces, and systems
to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS).

Requirements
Choose one of the following compliance options:

Option 1. Prohibit smoking in the building.

• Prohibit smoking in the building
• Locate any exterior designated smoking areas at least 7.5 meters (25 feet) away
from entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows.

Option 2 - Establish negative pressure in the rooms with smoking.

• Prohibit smoking in the building except in designated smoking areas
• Locate any exterior designated smoking areas at least 7.5 meters (25 feet) away
from entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows.
• Provide one or more designated smoking rooms designed to effectively contain,
capture and remove ETS from the building. At a minimum, the smoking room
must be directly exhausted to the outdoors with no re-circulation of ETS-
containing air to the non-smoking area of the building; enclosed with impermeable
deck-to-deck partitions; and operated at a negative pressure compared with the
surrounding spaces of at least an average of 5Pa (0.02 inches of water gauge) and
with a minimum of 1Pa (0.004 inches of water) when the door(s) to the smoking
room are closed.
• Performance of the smoking room differential air pressures shall be verified by
conducting 15 minutes of measurement, with a minimum of one measurement
every 10 seconds, of the differential pressure in the smoking room with respect
to each adjacent area and in each adjacent vertical chase with the doors to the
smoking room closed. The testing will be conducted with each space configured
for worst case conditions of transport of air from the smoking rooms to adjacent
spaces.

Option 3 - Reduce air leakage between rooms with smoking and non-smoking
areas in residential buildings. This option is for residential buildings only.
• Prohibit smoking in all common areas of the building
• Locate any exterior designated smoking areas at least 7.5 meters (25 feet) away
from entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows opening to common
areas.
• Minimize uncontrolled pathways for ETS transfer between individual residential
units by sealing penetrations in walls, ceilings, and floors in the residential units,
and by sealing vertical chases adjacent to the units. In addition, all doors in
the residential units leading to common hallways shall be weather-stripped to
minimize air leakage into the hallway. Acceptable sealing of residential units

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shall be demonstrated by blower door test conducted in accordance with ANSI/
ASTM-779-99 using the progressive sampling methodology defined in Chapter 7
Prerequisite 2 4 (Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) Required Verification And Diagnostic
Testing) of the California Low Rise Residential Alternative Calculation Method
Approval Manual Residential units must demonstrate less than 0.875 cm2 of
leakage area per square meter of enclosure area (1.25 in2/100ft2) at 10 Pa pressure
difference.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the building owner or
responsible party, declaring that the building will be operated under a policy
prohibiting smoking except in designated areas. If this Prerequisite is audited
for certification, submittals would be expected to include a letter signed by
the building owner or operator detailing a non-smoking policy compliant
with Option 1, or a copy of applicable municipal, regional or provincial
regulations or legislation.
OR,

For Options 2 and 3, provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the
responsible design professional, declaring and demonstrating that the design
criteria described in the Credit requirements have been met and performance
has been verified using the method described in the Credit requirements.
If an audit of this Credit is requested during the certification process:

For Option 2, provide test records of differential pressure performance
for designated smoking rooms, including records of differential pressures
between each adjacent space or vertical chase drawings; and a narrative
describing how partition openings are sealed, and the independent ventilation
systems designed for designated smoking rooms.

For Option 3, records of blower door tests conducted in accordance with
the referenced standards, for at least 10% of the first 100 dwelling units
in the building, and 5% of any additional units. (For example, a 150 unit
building would be required to test a total of 10 + 2.5 = 13 dwelling units.)
Distribution of the tested units should reflect wind and buoyancy conditions
experienced by the building, i.e., on different faces and elevations in the
building; test records should include the normalized leakage area calculated
and test reference pressure for each dwelling unit tested, as well as indoor
and outdoor temperatures and windspeeds during the tests. For high-
rise buildings constructed during cold outdoor temperatures, summarize
measures used to ensure accurate blower door test results.

Summary of Referenced Standard

ANSI/ASTM E779-03: Standard Test Method for Determining Air Leakage Rate
by Fan Pressurization
American National Standards Institute (ANSI), (202)293-8020
http://webstore.ansi.org/ansidocstore/product.asp?sku=ASTM+E779%2D03

The standard defines a procedure and calculation methods for performing

pressurization tests to measure air leakage of the walls, roofs and floors of a

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building or dwelling unit, using blower door apparatus that includes one or more SS WE EA MR EQ ID
fans equipped with speed controls and sensitive differential pressure and airflow
measurement sensors. Typically, the blower door is used to measure the fan’s Prerequisite 2
airflow into or out of the space at a range of differential pressures, relative to
an average outdoor pressure; the resulting curve can then be used to estimate air
leakage, and net leakage area of the enclosing envelope, at a standard reference
pressure (typically 4 Pa). The most common use of a pressurization test is to confirm
performance of the air barrier of the building’s or dwelling units exterior envelope
to minimize infiltration energy losses. For the purposes of this Prerequisite, it
determines total air leakage of both the exterior envelope and interior partitions,
floors and ceilings.
The equivalent Canadian standard is CAN/CGSB-149.10-M86 (Determination
of the Airtightness of Building Envelopes by the Fan Depressurization Method).
This standard is referenced by the 2001 edition of the R2000 Standard for Part
9 buildings, which requires that R2000 homes have a Normalized Leakage Area
at 10 Pascals that does not exceed 0.7 cm²/m² (1.0 in²/100ft.²) – a more stringent
requirement than the HERS System.
Both Standards specifically limit their application in high-rise buildings during
cold temperatures, due to the potential inaccuracies of blower door testing under
high buoyancy pressures (stack effect). If a high-rise residential building following
Option 3 is under construction when outdoor temperatures may make accurate
blower-door test results difficult to achieve, applicants should consider testing of
dwelling units with open doors and windows in floors above and below the test unit
and in adjacent dwellings; or other methods of achieving equivalent performance,
such as tracer gas testing.
California Low Rise Residential Alternative Calculation Method Approval
Manual, Chapter 4 (Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) Required Verification
And Diagnostic Testing) of the California Energy Commission
http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/residential_acm/
The manual defines field verification and testing procedures for California’s Home
Energy Rating System (HERS), to demonstrate compliance with the state’s Title
24 housing energy efficiency legislation. HERS covers a wide variety of housing
energy topics; of direct interest for this Prerequisite is Chapter 4’s procedures for
testing (and retesting if necessary) of envelope sealing of dwelling units, detailed
on section 4.4.4. Other portions of this standard are not used for this Credit.

Interpretations
• For residential buildings, unless there is a building-wide ban on smoking, it must
be assumed that any dwelling unit may be occupied by smokers; so all dwelling
units should be treated as if they were individual smoking rooms.
• Option 3 requires dwelling unit doors to be weather-stripped even when corridors
are mechanically pressurized. Weather-stripping is required to minimize tobacco
smoke leakage from dwelling units to common corridors, when low outdoor
temperatures or high windspeeds create pressures within dwelling units higher
than those in the corridors, which research indicates is a common circumstance.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Underfloor air distribution (UFAD) systems are somewhat simpler to document
for EQc2 than other systems. Since ASHRAE Fundamentals Chapter 32 Table 4
Prerequisite 2 does not include recommendations for underfloor systems, use the manufacturers’
recommendations for proper selection and spacing of the diffusers and then use
ASHRAE 62-2001, Appendix N, Table 6.2, to select a zone air distribution
effectiveness. (Note that zone air distribution effectiveness is equivalent to
ASHRAE 129 air change effectiveness (ACE)). Per Table 6.2, underfloor systems
in the cooling mode have an ACE greater than 0.9. However, not all underfloor
system designs will achieve a sufficiently high ACE in the heating mode. For
instance, underfloor air distribution systems (UFADs) that heat from the floor
(e.g. through grilles along the building perimeter) have an ACE of 0.8 per Table
6.2. These systems may not qualify for this Credit. The ACE in each space in
both heating and cooling mode must be documented and the average ACE must
be shown to exceed 0.9.

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Green Building Concerns
The relationship between smoking and
various health risks, including lung
disease, cancer, and heart disease, has
been well documented. A strong link
between Environmental Tobacco Smoke
(ETS) or “secondhand smoke” and
health risks has also been demonstrated.
Health Canada estimates that exposure
to second-hand smoke causes over 1000
deaths per year in Canada.
The most effective way to avoid health
problems associated with tobacco
smoke is to prohibit smoking in
indoor areas. If this is not possible or
desirable, indoor smoking areas should
be isolated from nonsmoking areas and
have separate ventilation systems to
avoid the introduction of tobacco smoke
contaminants to nonsmoking areas.
The 1989 Non-Smokers’ Health Act
prohibits smoking in federal and
federally regulated workplaces, on
inter-provincial transit and on airplanes.
Most provinces have enacted laws and
bylaws that address the issue of second-
hand smoke in public places, and
over 300 municipalities are currently
at different stages in the passage of
legislation around this issue. However,
there is no consistent level of protection
from one area to the next.
Approximately 80% of exposure
to second-hand smoke occurs in
the workplace. Moreover, even in
workplaces with designated smoking
areas, ventilation systems for these
spaces are rarely designed separate
from the system serving the rest of the
building. As such, all workers within a
building are exposed to the thousands of
tasteless, odourless and toxic chemicals
that remain in the air even after visible
smoke has dissipated.
Environmental Issues SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Separate smoking areas occupy space
in the building and may result in a Prerequisite 2
larger building, additional material
use, and increased energy to condition
ventilation air. However, these impacts Credit Synergies
can be offset by building occupants who
are more comfortable, productive, and
EA Prerequisite 1
Fundamental Building
have lower absenteeism and illnesses. Systems Commissioning
EA Prerequisite 2
Economics Issues Minimum Energy
Separate smoking areas often result in Performance
higher first costs for increased building EA Credit 1
space, better sealing between smoking Optimize Energy
and non-smoking rooms and dedicated Performance
mechanical ventilation systems. EA Credit 3
Smoking within a building contaminates Best Practice
indoor air and can instigate occupant Commissioning
reactions ranging from irritation and
EA Credit 5
decreased productivity to respiratory Measurement and
illnesses. These problems increase Verification
expenses and liability for building
MR Credit 8
owners, operators, and insurance
Durable Building
companies. A nonsmoking policy
avoids these problems and eliminates EQ Prerequisite 1
Minimum IAQ
the need for sealing and a separate
Performance
ventilation system for isolated smoking
areas. Control of indoor smoking can EQ Credit 2
also increase the useful life of interior Ventilation Effectiveness
fixtures and furnishings. EQ Credit 5
Indoor Chemical &
Pollutant Source Control
Community Issues
Air is a community natural resource, EQ Credit 6
Controllability of Systems
and promoting clean air benefits
everyone. Strict non-smoking policies
improve the health of the community
as a whole, resulting in lower health
care and insurance costs. Eliminating
transfer of smoke-laden air between
rooms with better sealing and controlled
room pressures reduces irritation, illness
and complaints from non-smoking
neighbours.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Design Approach
Prerequisite 2 Strategies
There are two major strategies to control
of environmental tobacco smoke:
1. Prohibit smoking in the building and
near building entries, windows or
outdoor air intakes; or
2. Install dedicated smoking rooms
with sealed perimeter assemblies,
ventilation systems that ensure
smoke is not transferred to non-
smoking rooms, and/or provided
with smoke-removal equipment and
generous ventilation airflow that is
not recirculated.
When smoking is prohibited, designs
should provide designated smoking
areas outside the building in locations
where ETS will not enter the building
or ventilation system and distant from
concentrations of building occupants
and pedestrian traffic. Post information
on the nonsmoking policy for occupants
to read, and provide ashtrays and waste
receptacles to control smoker’s litter.
If indoor smoking rooms are designed
for the building, a separate ventilation
system should be installed, and the
walls, ceilings and floors of the rooms
carefully sealed to eliminate smoke
transfer. Smoking rooms should be
continuously maintained at a lower
pressure than the balance of the building,
usually done with a dedicated exhaust
system, and provided with additional
ventilation air, either directly from the
outdoors or transferred from adjacent
rooms. Often, in smoking lounges
where large numbers of smokers are
expected which may otherwise require
impractical volumes of exhaust and
ventilation air, specialized smoke-
removal equipment is installed such as
electrostatic filters.
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ASHRAE Standard 62-2001 designates
outdoor air requirements for smoking
lounges. Smoking areas are typically
operated at higher ventilation rates
than nonsmoking rates to remove
contaminants from the conditioned
space. In general, rooms where smoking
is permitted require more than twice
the ventilation volumes of nonsmoking
rooms with similar occupancies. See
the standard for more information
on designing ventilation for smoking
lounges and rooms.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Sealing of perimeter walls, ceilings
and floors, and installation of
separate ventilation systems to isolate
smoking areas from the rest of the
building requires commissioning and
measurement & verification attention.
Smoking activities, both indoor and
outdoor, affects IAQ performance of the
building. Smoke can enter the building
areas through operable windows and
intake vents or through the ventilation
system for indoor smokers. It may be
advantageous to address smoking loads
in the building in conjunction with
chemical and pollutant sources in the
building.
Resources
Web Sites
Provincial Workers Compensation
Board web-sites, e.g.: Part 4: General
Conditions / Occupational Health
and Safety Regulation - WCB of BC,
Sections 4.81-4.83 Environmental
Tobacco Smoke.
Site: http://regulation.healthandsafety-
centre.org/s/GuidelinePart4.
asp#SectionNumber:G4.81
The Facts - Secondhand Smoke: A
Health Canada document on the effects
of ETS and measures to reduce human
exposure to it.
Site:http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/
media/releases/2002/2002_64bk3.htm
Setting the Record Straight:
Secondhand Smoke Is a Preventable
Health Risk: An EPA document with
a discussion of laboratory research on
ETS and federal legislation aimed at
curbing ETS problems.
Site: http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/
pubs/strsfs.html
Non-smokers’ Health Act R.S., 1985,
c. 15 (4th Supp.): An Act to regulate
smoking in the federal work-place and
on common carriers and to amend the
Hazardous Products Act in relation to
cigarette advertising.
Site: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/N-
23.6/85781.html
Print Media
• Jenkins, R.A., et al., The Chemistry
of Environmental Tobacco Smoke:
Composition and Measurement,
Second Edition, CRC Press & Lewis
Publishers, 2000.
• Galloway, Arlene. The Smoke-Free
Guide: How to Eliminate Tobacco
Smoke from Your Environment,
Gordon Soules Book Publishers,
1988.
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Definitions
Air Change Effectiveness: A Prerequisite 2
measurement based on a comparison of
the age of air in the occupied portions
of the building to the age of the air that
would exist under conditions of perfect
mixing of the ventilation air.
Age of air: The average amount of
time that has elapsed since a sample of
air molecules at a specific location has
entered the building.
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
or second hand smoke: ETS consists
of air borne particles emitted from the
burning end of cigarettes, pipes, and
cigars, and exhaled by smokers. These
particles contain about 4,000 different
compounds, up to 40 of which are
known to cause cancer.
Regional Variations
The requirements of this Prerequisite are
universally applicable across Canada.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitoring
Credit 1 Intent
Provide capacity for indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring to help sustain long-term
1 Point occupant comfort and well-being.

Requirements
Install a permanent carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring system that provides feedback
on space ventilation performance in a form that affords operational adjustments.
Refer to the CO2 differential for all types of occupancy in accordance with ASHRAE
62-2001, Appendix C.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the mechanical engineer or
responsible party, declaring and summarizing the installation, operational
design and controls/zones for the carbon dioxide monitoring system. For
mixed-use buildings, calculate CO2 levels for each separate activity level
and use.

Documentation submitted if a Credit is audited for certification should
include drawings, specifications and cut sheets describing the installed
carbon dioxide monitoring system. Include a narrative that describes the
sequence of operation and control of building ventilation systems with initial
control setpoints and operational ranges for control parameters.

Summary of Referenced Standard

While there is no standard directly referenced for this Credit, ASHRAE Standard
62-2001 provides guidance on design of ventilation systems using CO2 sensors
to control outdoor air supply flows and their timing, as well as recommending
differential CO2 concentrations (relative to outdoor air) for various levels of
occupant activity

Interpretations
• CO2 sensors and controls should respond not only to indoor CO2 concentrations,
but to the differential between indoor and outdoor levels.
• HVAC systems serving spaces likely to have high CO2 levels should be designed
to ensure that other spaces are not overventilated.

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Green Building Concerns
Buildings are supplied with outdoor
air to flush airborne contaminants
and to replenish fresh air on a regular
basis. High CO2 levels are generally
an indication of poor indoor air quality
(IAQ), with high levels of human
bioeffluents, odours and other indoor
air pollutants. Maintaining low CO2
concentrations similar to those found
outdoors is one strategy by which
indoor air quality can be optimized.
Traditionally, ASHRAE Standard 62,
OHSA standards and local regulations
have guided mechanical engineers in
designing systems that provide constant
minimum outdoor air supply rates for
different occupancies. However, a
fixed outdoor air supply cannot respond
to varying numbers of occupants; and
can be difficult to implement reliably
with variable air volume systems.
Now, the widespread use of direct
digital control of HVAC systems and
availability of economical, reliable
CO2 sensors makes it relatively simple
to implement outdoor air supplies
controlled to respond to the number
of occupants. The typical method is
to measure CO2 concentrations either
within individual spaces or in return
airstreams, and to adjust outdoor air
dampers and/or supply air volumes
to ensure that the outdoor air supply
responds to the number of people in
a building, or in individual spaces.
However, care should be taken to ensure
that minimum outdoor air supply flows
will deal well with air pollutants not
generated by occupants, such as VOCs,
solvents, etc; and that outdoor air
supplies do not unnecessarily increase
HVAC energy consumption.
Environmental Issues
Optimal IAQ with CO2 sensors may
sometimes provide higher ventilation
rates when more people occupy SS WE EA MR EQ ID
particular spaces than is anticipated by
design standards such as ASHRAE 62, Credit 1
which may increase energy use by the
building. However, CO2 sensor control
usually results in lower HVAC energy Credit Synergies
consumption, since in good designs
outdoor air supply is reduced to levels EA Prerequisite 1
Fundamental Building
that control non-human contaminants
Systems Commissioning
for spaces with few or no occupants.
EA Prerequisite 2
Minimum Energy
Economic Issues Performance
Potential impacts of air quality EA Credit 1
problems range from reduced work Optimize Energy
productivity to temporary or permanent Performance
health issues for building occupants.
EA Credit 3
A permanent air monitoring system Best Practice
enables building owners, maintenance Commissioning
personnel, and occupants to detect air
EA Credit 5
quality problems relatively quickly so
Measurement and
that corrective actions can be applied. Verification
Use of CO2 sensors and direct digital
control of outdoor air supply flow MR Credit 1
Building Reuse
rates to individual rooms or zones
offers automatic corrective action to EQ Prerequisite 1
poor indoor air quality, as well as the Minimum IAQ
potential for energy cost savings. Performance
EQ Credit 2
CO2 monitoring systems slightly Ventilation Effectiveness
increases initial construction costs due
EQ Credit 5
to sensor and control equipment and
Indoor Chemical &
installation costs. Initial costs have
Pollutant Source Control
dropped rapidly in recent years as the
technology has matured, currently EQ Credit 6
Controllability of Systems
installed prices typically range from
$5000 to $1000 per sampling point EQ Credit 7
(depending on the quality of the Thermal Comfort
equipment and number of sampling
points), while annual costs for equipment
maintenance and calibration procedures
are usually less than $2,000 overall. The
initial monitoring or control system cost
is often offset by reduced absenteeism
and increased occupant productivity, as
well as energy cost savings. Often, the
lifetime of the HVAC system is extended
and more efficient HVAC operation
is achieved as a result of effective air
quality monitoring.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Community Issues
A permanent air monitoring system
Credit 1 ensures that the means to maintain
high-quality indoor air is provided, with
the ability to protect the well-being of
the building occupants and enhance
productivity. Increased occupant health
results in decreased health insurance
costs and health care costs.
Design Approach
Strategies
Development of an appropriate and
effective carbon dioxide sampling
methodology is largely dependant upon
the type of ventilation system being
used. This section seeks to provide
guidance on development of an effective
sampling methodology.
Carbon dioxide sampling locations
should be selected to provide
representative readings of the average
CO2 concentrations in the occupied
spaces served by each HVAC system.
Carbon dioxide monitoring locations
should be located in areas that present
the greatest challenges for adequately
ventilation by the HVAC system,
typically those with highly variable
occupant densities (e.g., conference
rooms, auditoriums, training rooms,
etc.) and those served by the longest
lengths of ductwork.
Automatic ventilation control should be
provided for all HVAC systems serving
a large number of spaces with diverse
occupancy types or schedules, and for
spaces with variable occupant densities.
Manual ventilation control may be used
for spaces with static occupant densities,
but the most responsive comfort control
is provided by an automated system.
Spaces with static occupant densities
must each be controlled or they can
be combined into small groups if the
combined floor area of the group is
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reasonably small. The optimum location
for sampling in a room is six to ten
feet from the nearest person. Sampling
locations should be positioned to avoid
low CO2 concentration air entering
the space through open windows and
supply air vents.
For HVAC systems that serve multiple
spaces with similar occupancies and
schedules, and a small combined floor
area, indoor CO2 sampling points
may be located in the return air duct
at the junction where return air is
combined from multiple spaces. It
is important, to ensure that the sensor
location is far enough away from return
air exhausts or outside air intakes
to ensure representative reading of
indoor space CO2 concentrations rather
than mixed air conditions; return duct
joints should be effectively sealed for
the same reason. Occupant use and
schedule changes should be considered
when establishing and reassessing
ventilation setpoints. Designers should
be conscious that the CO2 concentration
sensed in this arrangement is an average
of all rooms served by that return duct
branch; this arrangement cannot address
the ventilation needs of individual
spaces with highly variable occupancy
densities or schedules.
Indoor CO2 concentrations must be
compared to outdoor CO2 concentrations
to determine the differential point
at which ventilation rates should be
adjusted:
• The differential CO2 level that activates
ventilation within each space must
be based on occupant activity level
and the corresponding metabolic rate
(MET) defined in ASHRAE Standard
55-2004, Table 4, Appendix A.
• For rooms where occupants are
sedentary, ASHRAE Standard 62-
2001 recommends CO2 differential
 concentrations of approximately 700
parts per million (ppm), relative to
outdoor air. The differential setpoint
should be adjusted to reflect the
occupant’s activity level and metabolic
rate for non-sedentary activities.
CO2 ventilation control systems must be
calibrated and tested by the contractor
and proper operation must be verified
as part of the building commissioning
process. Periodic checks, recalibration
and maintenance are required for
reliable performance once the building
is occupied; and sensor locations must
respond to future tenant improvements.
Technologies
Current systems include shared-sensor
vacuum-draw systems and distributed
sensors. Distributed sensors are
either hard-wired or plugged into
power circuitry and use carrier wave
communication. Once the system is
properly calibrated, it is used to assess
the adequacy of airflows throughout
the building interior. Specify annual
calibration activities for sensors per
manufacturer instructions in the HVAC
system operation manual. Include
sensor and system operational testing
and initial set point adjustment in the
commissioning plan and report.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
CO2 monitoring requires additional
equipment to be installed and additional
commissioning and measurement &
verification (M&V) attention. Existing
HVAC systems in renovated buildings
may preclude optimization of ventilation
rates with CO2 control, due to inflexible
HVAC equipment or inadequate outside
air intakes.
Monitoring CO2 levels has significant
impacts on overall IAQ performance,
chemical and pollutant control, with
consequent effects on ventilation rates SS WE EA MR EQ ID
and thermal comfort. Proper ventilation
rates are integral to successful energy Credit 1
efficiency and air quality programs. CO2
monitoring can be used either actively
or passively to alter ventilation rates as
appropriate.
Resources
Web Sites
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE): Advances
the science of heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, and refrigeration for
the public’s benefit through research,
standards writing, continuing education,
and publications.
Site: www.ashrae.org
Indoor Air Quality in Office
Buildings: A Technical Guide: A Health
Canada publication on IAQ sources in
buildings and methods to prevent and
resolve IAQ problems.
Site: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/air_
quality/pdf/93ehd166.pdf
Building Air Quality: A Guide
for Building Owners and Facility
Managers: An EPA publication on IEQ
sources in buildings and methods to
prevent and resolve IEQ problems.
Site: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/
largebldgs/baq_page.htm
Demand Control Ventilation Using
CO2: ASHRAE Journal, Feb. 2001
Schell, M. & Inhout, D. Summarizes
design issues of demand controlled
ventilation systems using CO2
as an indicator, with discussions
of technologies, their reliability,
application, installation and
maintenance.
Site: http://www.ashrae.org/template/
JournalLanding
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Demand Control Ventilation Using
CO2 Sensors: US Federal Energy
Credit 1 Management Program. Survey
of demand controlled ventilation
systems using CO2 sensors including
technologies, first and operating
costs, application, performance and
maintenance, including an office case
study. Especially useful is a list of
sensor and controls manufacturers and
users.
Site: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/
pdfs/fta_co2.pdf
Real-Time Ventilation Control: HPAC
Engineering, M. Schell. Best Practices
for control of zone ventilation using
CO2 sensors, with sidebar discussions
of outside air measurement, minimum
ventilation rates and a case study of a
VAV retrofit.
Site: http://www.hpac.com/member/
feature/2002/0204/0204schell.htm
Print Media
• CSA Standard Z204-94 (R1999),
Guideline for Managing Indoor Air
Quality in Office Buildings: This
Guideline defines acceptable indoor air
quality (IAQ) and provides methods
to help achieve acceptable indoor air
quality in office buildings, throughout
the conception, design, construction,
commissioning, operation, and
maintenance stages.
• Application Guide: Indoor Air Quality
Standards of Performance, ASHRAE,
2000.
• ASHRAE Standard 55-2004: Thermal
Environmental Conditions for Human
Occupancy, ASHRAE, 2004.
•ASHRAE Standard 62-2001: Venti-
lation for Acceptable Indoor Air
Quality, ASHRAE, 2001.
•ASTM D 6245-1998: Standard Guide
for Using Indoor Carbon Dioxide
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Concentrations to Evaluate Indoor
Air Quality and Ventilation, ASTM,
1998.
• Building Design Series, Volume
2: Heating, Ventilating, and Air
Conditioning, Prentice Hall, 1998.
• M.B. Schell, S.C. Turner, and R.O.
Shim, “Application Of CO2 Demand-
Controlled Ventilation Using
ASHRAE 62: Optimizing Energy
Use And Ventilation,” ASHRAE
Transactions, vol. 104, pt. 2, pp. 1213-
1225, American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers, Atlanta, 1998.
Definitions
Carbon Dioxide (CO2): in this
context, CO2 is used as an indicator
of indoor air quality resulting from
human occupancy of buildings. A
differential concentration of 700ppm
of CO2, relative to that of outdoor air,
has been determined to satisfy comfort
criteria related to human bioeffluents or
odours.
Return Air: Air removed from
conditioned spaces that is either
recirculated in the building or exhausted
to the outside.
MET: is the metabolic rate of an
individual, which varies depending on
activity level.
Supply Air: Air delivered to
conditioned spaces for use in ventilating,
heating, cooling, humidifying, and
dehumidifying those spaces.
Regional Variations
The requirements of this Credit are
universally applicable across Canada.
 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 1

Case Study

Student Centre, Scarborough Campus

University of Toronto
Scarborough, Ontario
Dunlop Architects Inc. 2004

The new 4,352m2 facility was designed with the inten-

Photo credit: Dunlop Architects Inc.
tion of enriching student life through the creation of a sig-
Photo credit: Gerry Kopelow
nificant place, positively identifiable with their university
experience. The high-energy performance of the building
is maintained by constant measurement and verification
while carbon dioxide monitoring optimizes indoor air
quality. Operable windows maximize passive ventilation
and occupant comfort through independent personal con-
trol of the interior environment, reducing dependence on
and use of the HVAC system. The central interconnected
public space creates a natural ventilation “chimney” that
exhausts air from adjacent spaces with mechanized oper-
able windows controlled by sensors.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Ventilation Effectiveness
Credit 2 Intent
Provide for the effective delivery and mixing of supply air to support the safety,
1 Point comfort and well-being of building occupants.

Requirements
For mechanically ventilated buildings, design ventilation systems that result in
an air change effectiveness (Eac) greater than or equal to 0.9 as determined by
ASHRAE Standard 129-1997. For naturally ventilated spaces demonstrate a
distribution and laminar flow pattern that involves not less than 90% of the room
or zone area in the direction of air flow for at least 95% of hours of occupancy.

Submittals

For mechanically ventilated spaces: provide the LEED Letter Template,
signed by the mechanical engineer or responsible party, declaring that the
design achieves an air change effectiveness (Eac) of 0.9 or greater in each
regularly-occupied room type. Complete a table summarizing the air change
effectiveness achieved for each room type.
If audited during certification review, submitted documentation should
include:
A report summarizing the results of tracer gas tests of air change effectiveness
following ASHRAE Standard 129-1997 for sample spaces representative
of the major building occupancies. The report should include the type of
tracer gas test(s) used, start and stop times and corresponding tracer gas
concentrations, supply and exhaust airflow rates, air ages, nominal time
constants and air-change effectiveness for each tested space.
OR,

For mechanically ventilated spaces: provide the LEED Letter Template,
signed by the mechanical engineer or responsible party, declaring that the
design complies with the recommended design approaches in ASHRAE
2001 Fundamentals Chapter 32, Space Air Diffusion.
If audited during certification review, submitted documentation for this
Credit should include:
Scale plans and sections showing essential elements of the ventilation system
of each regularly-occupied room type, following ASHRAE Fundamentals
Handbook 2001, Chapter 32: Space Air Diffusion guidance. These
should show inlets and outlets; air throws; the occupied zone; furniture
and typical heat sources. For mixing systems, they should also include
characteristic room lengths and ADPI for each room type; for displacement
or unidirectional systems, sketches should also show predicted distribution
of stratified zones. All submissions should include schedules and equipment
cut sheets of installed terminal inlets and outlets, keyed to the drawings; and
an as-built inspection report with photographs of each room type. Overall
compliance must be shown in both heating and cooling mode.
OR,

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 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

For naturally ventilated spaces: provide the LEED Letter Template, signed
by the mechanical engineer or responsible party, declaring that the design Credit 2
provides effective ventilation in at least 90% of each regularly-occupied
room or zone for at least 95% of hours of occupancy. 1 Point
If audited during certification review, submitted documentation for this
Credit should include:
A report summarizing airflow (CFD or nodal airflow) simulation results for
each regularly-occupied zone type in both heating and cooling modes. The
report should include a brief narrative describing system operational modes,
graphics showing zone and building airflow patterns with local winds in
each cardinal and prevailing direction, and identify the computational fluid
dynamics or network airflow modeling program used.

Summary of Referenced Standard

ASHRAE 129-1997: Measuring Air-Change Effectiveness
ASHRAE, www.ashrae.org, (800) 527-4723
This standard describes a method for measuring air-change effectiveness in
mechanically ventilated buildings and spaces, using a tracer gas procedure to
determine the age of air in ventilated spaces. Air-change effectiveness (Eac) is
influenced by the pattern of outdoor airflow within the building’s ventilated spaces
and by recirculation by mechanical systems. If the ventilation air within a space is
perfectly mixed (Eac = 1), the outdoor airflow rate to the ventilated space should be
identical to the required rate of outdoor airflow. The Credit requirement specifies
a minimum Eac value of 0.9.
ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook 2001, Chapter 32: Space Air Diffusion
ASHRAE, www.ashrae.org, (800) 527-4723
This guideline describes air diffusion strategies and technologies, methods of
evaluation, and system design considerations. It includes diffuser selection and
ADPI calculation procedures.

Interpretations
• While the presence of operable windows may be sufficient to demonstrate
compliance with EQp1, their presence alone is not sufficient to demonstrate
compliance with EQc2. For naturally ventilated rooms, simulations using network
airflow or computational fluid dynamics models shall be used to demonstrate
the required ventilation effectiveness, accompanied by a detailed narrative and
graphics showing airflow patterns within regularly occupied rooms.
• Projects following the recommended design approaches in ASHRAE 2001 Fun-
damentals Chapter 32, Space Air Diffusion need not perform tracer gas testing.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Green Building Concerns with network airflow or CFD computer
modeling.
Credit 2 Inadequate ventilation in buildings
reduces occupant comfort and impairs
Community Issues
well-being, while overventilation
Credit Synergies consumes significant amounts of energy Optimal ventilation distribution and
without benefit However, good system air supply improves IAQ, resulting in
SS Credit 1 design balances ventilation rates and reduced health care and insurance costs
Site Selection energy efficiency. as well as enhancing the well-being of
EA Prerequisite 2
building occupants.
Minimum Energy
Environmental Issues
Performance
Optimal indoor air quality (IAQ) is Design Approach
EA Credit 1 beneficial to building occupants,
Optimize Energy Strategies
resulting in greater comfort, lower
Performance The minimum values for ventilation
absenteeism, and greater productivity.
EA Credit 3 air rates in a space are determined
However, care must be taken to avoid
Best Practice by ASHRAE 62-2001 as part of EQ
overventilation with mechanical
Commissioning Prerequisite 1. EQ Credit 2 enhances
systems, due to the potential for energy
the minimum indoor air quality
EA Credit 5 waste.
Measurement and requirements by ensuring that superior
Verification ventilation is delivered as directly
Economic Issues as possible to building occupants.
MR Credit 1
Adequate ventilation in buildings In general, this Credit rewards the
Building Reuse
typically results in greater occupant architectural and mechanical system
EQ Prerequisite 1 satisfaction, higher productivity and design that enhances ventilation
Minimum IAQ
reduced health problems; for a company, effectiveness, the movement of outdoor
Performance
the result is increased profitability. and supply air through the occupied
EQ Prerequisite 2 However, excess ventilation requires zone, rather than space regions where
Environmental Tobacco more operational energy. Therefore, people are not found.
Smoke (ETS) Control
designs should maximize ventilation
EQ Credit 1 effectiveness to take best advantage of air There are three approaches to ventilating
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) supplies and avoiding overventilation. buildings: mechanical, natural or mixed-
Monitoring mode.
Well-executed mechanical ventilation 1. Mechanical ventilation strategies
EQ Credit 5
Indoor Chemical &
system designs typically cost no more use mechanical fan energy, ductwork
Pollutant Source Control for construction than poor ones; and and diffusers to ventilate occupied
there is an emerging body of case spaces. Mechanical systems provide
EQ Credit 6
studies showing little or no construction the most reliability and control, but
Controllability of Systems
cost premium for displacement require fan energy and higher system
EQ Credit 7 ventilation versus overhead or sidewall capital costs to ensure comfort and
Thermal Comfort air distribution systems. good ventilation.
Strategies relying solely on natural 2. Natural ventilation strategies shape
ventilation can be much less expensive building form to take best advantage
to construct and operate than mechanical of site wind patterns and stack effects
ventilation strategies, but require an using operable windows, vents and
appropriate climate, building form and roof openings to ventilate occupied
envelopes adapted to local winds and spaces. Natural ventilation strategies
solar angles and, for larger buildings, typically provide most occupants
more comprehensive design analysis individual control, a connection to the

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354
 outdoors, and can have low operation
and maintenance costs. The advent
of inexpensive, sophisticated network
airflow and CFD computer modeling
can greatly inform design of naturally-
ventilated buildings, critical and
regularly-occupied spaces.
3. Mixed-mode designs combine
mechanical and natural ventilation
designs to ensure effective ventilation
and comfort regardless of outdoor
conditions. Often tightly-sized
mechanical systems are used to
guarantee ventilation air and comfort
when naturally-driven outdoor
airflows would become less effective
and/or result in increased cooling or
heating loads.
Project teams should evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of each
approach, including building location,
regional climate patterns and local
microclimatic conditions, as well as
client preferences in the final decision
for ventilation strategies.
ASHRAE 129-1997 describes a test
method for quantifying the air-change
effectiveness for a given room design.
The measured value is influenced
by the shape of room, the extent of
mechanical recirculation, the location
of heat-generating objects, and air
motion. Because these variables are
highly specific to each design, a full-
scale mock-up is the most effective
way to verify E with a high level of
confidence. Testing under ASHRAE
129-1997 is suitable mainly for
laboratory-based conditions and is not
appropriate in most field applications.
Therefore, the standard is referenced
as a high benchmark for demonstrating
ventilation effectiveness.
For mechanical designs, Credit
compliance may also be achieved by
following and documenting the use of
recommended design approaches in SS WE EA MR EQ ID
the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook
2001, Chapter 32: Space Air Diffusion. Credit 2
Natural ventilation and mixed-mode
designs should follow and document
design procedures similar to those
outlined by the CIBSE Application
Manuals <www.cibse.org>: AM10,
“Natural Ventilation in Non-domestic
Buildings”; AM 11, “Building Energy
& Environmental Modeling”; and
AM13, “Mixed Mode Ventilation”.
Technologies
Displacement ventilation (low velocity,
low ∆T ventilation with air supply
vents located near the bottom of the
occupied zone and return vents at the
top) typically provides more effective
air distribution than the more typical
mixing-type designs.
For mechanical HVAC systems, the
ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook
2001, Chapter 32, Space Air Diffusion
lists the five major types of outlet
types:
• Group A, mounted near the ceiling
discharging horizontally;
• Group B, mounted in or near the floor
discharging a vertical non-spreading
jet;
• Group C, mounted in or near the floor
discharging a vertical spreading jet;
• Group D, mounted in or near the floor
that discharge horizontally; and
• Group E, mounted in or near the
ceiling projecting vertically.
Each of these types is best suited to
different load conditions; Group A
overhead mixed-air systems often
distribute air poorly under the heating
or low cooling load conditions found
across Canada for much of the year.
VAV reheat systems, in particular,
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
must be carefully designed to ensure
good mixing in the occupied zone
Credit 2 under minimum airflow. See ASHRAE
Handbooks for details.
There are several new approaches
to mechanical ventilation systems
that are very effective at preventing
short-circuiting of airflow delivery.
These applications include the use of
displacement ventilation, low velocity
ventilation, and plug flow ventilation
such as underfloor or near-floor
delivery.
Figure 1 illustrates an underfloor
ventilation system. Supply air is
introduced through diffusers and grills
in the floor. The air travels upward
through the occupied space and is
exhausted in return grills in the ceiling.
The underfloor plenum can also be used
as a cabling conduit.
Natural ventilation strategies rely on
openings in the building envelope to
Figure 1: Example of Underfloor Ventilation System
Canada Green Building Council
356
develop airflows. Operable windows,
often combined with atria and/or narrow
floor plates, are the most common
architectural strategy employed to create
natural ventilation, cross ventilation, and
stack effects. Use of operable windows
and other openings as elements of the
ventilation system requires analysis
of inlet and outlet location, size, and
regional climate patterns. Typically,
for reliable natural ventilation of
large buildings, their designs take into
account all microclimatic conditions
experienced by the building, with
responses by building form, interior
space planning and vent or window
location and selection. Computer
models are helpful to predict ventilation
processes and determine the best
location for ventilation elements. North
American designers now have available
network airflow and computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) modeling tools that
can greatly inform natural ventilation
design, but are not yet widely used
due to their recent introduction to this
continent.
Natural ventilation opportunities are
very site-specific and may not be
feasible for many locations or building
use programs; and naturally-ventilated
buildings must be carefully designed
to provide effective and comfortable
outdoor airflow under all likely
operating conditions.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Regional climate characteristics of
the selected project site should be
carefully assessed, and dictate whether
mechanical, natural or mixed-mode
ventilation strategies should be used.
Ventilation strategies influence the
overall energy performance of the
building and require commissioning
as well as measurement & verification
(M&V). Overventilation by mechanical
systems, with or without heat recovery,
has an operating energy price.
Many existing buildings are poorly
suited to natural ventilation strategies
if they were not originally designed to
respond to local wind and temperature
conditions; however, many older
buildings were designed with close
attention to microclimate, often with
narrow floor plates and operable
windows. Some sites and building
programs are inappropriate for natural
ventilation schemes due to poor
outdoor air quality, noise sources,
prevailing airflows, undesirable outdoor
temperatures or security concerns.
Many building codes are oriented
toward mechanical HVAC systems,
and vague on natural ventilation design
and compliance criteria. Important
code issues, such as prohibition of
corridors for air transfer, fire and smoke
control, and others makes early and
close involvement of code officials SS WE EA MR EQ ID
advisable.
Credit 2
Natural ventilation and daylighting
issues should be considered
simultaneously during concept and
early schematic design; both commonly
feature high, open spaces; skylights
and clerestories, and careful window
selection, which can have significant
implications for building form and
space planning.
Calculations
The following calculation methodology
is used to support the Credit submittals
listed on the first page of this Credit.
There are two compliance paths for
mechanically ventilated buildings, and a
third for naturally-ventilated or mixed-
mode buildings.
The first compliance path is to field-test
the completed HVAC system. Testing
must be performed as described in
ASHRAE 129-1997 after the building
is constructed to demonstrate that air-
change effectiveness of 0.9 or greater
is achieved in all regularly-occupied
areas.
The second compliance path is through
design verification. If this Credit is
audited during the LEED certification
review, the designer must provide
illustrations of the design approaches
used, per the ASHRAE Fundamentals
Handbook 2001, Chapter 32: Space
Air Diffusion. Scale section and plan
drawings of each major room type
should be submitted, showing inlets,
outlets, furniture and the occupied zone
specific to the following system types:
• Mixing Systems: the outlet types, the
characteristic room lengths, the return/
exhaust openings, all air velocities,
and the predicted Air Diffusion
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Performance Index (ADPI).
Credit 2 • D i s p l a c e m e n t / U n i d i re c t i o n a l
Systems: the outlet types, the return
and exhaust openings, all air velocities,
and the predicted distribution of the
upper and lower stratification zones.
Airflow patterns must be graphically
illustrated to scale. Cut sheets and
specification tables for all terminal
vents, grills, and registers must be
provided and cross-referenced to the
drawings.
If the HVAC design has been developed
according to Chapter 32, Table 4, ADPI
Selection Guide, for an estimated ADPI
of at least 80%, one may use the Zone
Air Distribution Effectiveness, Ez, in
ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Addendum
n, Table 6.2, to identify the ACE for each
zone. This table prescribes the Zone Air
Distribution Effectiveness values for
various HVAC air distribution designs.
To apply the values in the table
correctly, requires consideration of both
heating and cooling occupied modes
for each zone. Separately analyze each
unique space design. Projects must
document designed performance in a
table showing, for each zone, estimated
ADPI of 80% or greater as well as an
average ACE of 0.9 or greater for the
occupied hours under worst case ACE
conditions (e.g. the design day where
the greatest number of occupied hours
are projected for the ventilation mode
with the lowest ACE, e.g. typically the
design day with the greatest number of
occupied hours with heating).
For example, the documentation table
will show:
• Zone ADPI*
• Zone Heating** ACE
• Zone Cooling ACE
• Zone Average ACE***
Canada Green Building Council
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* Based on ASHRAE Handbook of
Fundamentals Chapter 32, Table 4,
“ADPI Selection Guide”
** Based on ASHRAE 62-2001,
Addendum N, Table 6.2. “Zone Air
Distribution Effectiveness”.
*** Time averaged ACE based on
above ACE heating and cooling values,
and ASHRAE 62-2001, Addendum
n, Equation 6-9, for calculating the
average ACE during the occupied
hours. Calculation to be made using the
worst case conditions representing the
design day where the greatest number
of occupied hours are projected for the
ventilation mode with the lowest ACE.
Software created by diffuser
manufacturers or other credible sources
may be used to calculate estimated
ADPI as long as the LEED application
narrative for this Credit identifies the
program by name and company.
Any space with heating capability, such
as a heating coil, serving a space with
exterior walls or roof will typically
operate in a heating mode at some point
when the space is occupied. These
spaces must document ACE under
heating mode. Spaces without this type
of heating condition can document ACE
under cooling mode only.
For designs with heating capability,
where heating is designed to only occur
during unoccupied hours (e.g. morning
warm up), ACE may be documented
under cooling mode only, provided
submittal documentation demonstrates
that heating does not occur during
occupied hours.
For designs with heating capability,
where both heating and cooling are
expected to occur during occupied
hours, one may use ASHRAE 62-2001,
Appendix N Section 6.2.5.2, “Short
Term Conditions”, Equation 6-9, to
determine the average conditions over a
defined time period, T, where T equals 3
times the room volume (ft3) divided by
the breathing zone outdoor air flow rate
(cfm) calculated in Equation 6-1.
Example
In a 93m2 (1000 ft2) office space with
5 occupants and 3.65m (13 ft) ceilings,
including return air space above the
suspended ceiling, Equation 6-1
requires 40L/s per 93m3 (85 cfm per
1000 ft2). From Equation 6-9, T equals
3 times 368m3 (13,000 ft3) divided
by 40L/s (85 cfm), or 27,600 seconds
(460 minutes) or 7.67 hours. This is the
maximum time allowed for averaging.
If the morning warm up continues for
the first two hours of a 10 hour occupied
period (e.g. 8 AM to 6 PM), followed
by 8 hours of cooling, then the average
ACE is calculated as follows for ceiling
diffusers with a Zone Air Distribution
Effectiveness of 1.0 in cooling mode
and 0.8 in heating mode (i.e., supply
air greater than 8.5 degC (15 degF)
warmer than space and ceiling return
air temperature):
For the first 7.67 hours (i.e. the
maximum averaging period, T, as
determined by Equation 6-9 above)
the average ACE is calculated as (2
hours x 0.8 + 5.64 hours times 1.0)
divided by 7.67 hours, for an average
ACE of 0.94. This average is then
averaged with the remaining 2.33
hours of cooling only, which has an
ACE of 1.0 as follows: (7.67 hours
times 0.95 + 2.33 hours times 1.0)
divide by 10 hours, for an average
ACE for the 10 hour occupied period
of 0.96.
The submitted table would provide this
information, for example:
Zone: 1
• ADPI: 0.80
• ACE, Heating: 0.80 **
• ACE, Cooling: 1.0 ** SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• ACE, Average: 0.96 ***
Credit 2
Regarding how to proceed with a design
using perforated and louvered ceiling
diffusers in a laboratory with room
loads in excess of 158 W/m2 (50 BTU/
hr-ft2), we acknowledge that there are
no data for these higher room loads in
Chapter 32 Table 4, or to our knowledge
in any diffuser manufacturer calculation
programs. There are other diffuser types
that provide estimated ADPI values
for room loads as high as 252 W/m2
(80 BTU/hr-ft2). Also, since as room
cooling loads increase, the mixing of
the indoor air increases (e.g. results
in ACE values closer to unity). For
applications with room cooling loads
greater than those listed in ASHRAE
Chapter 32, Table 4, we recommend
use of the estimated ADPI and the T50/
L range for the highest room load listed
for that diffuser type.
For designs utilizing different types of
diffusers, air distribution configurations,
or T50/L’s not described in ASHRAE
Chapter 32 or Standard 62 tables, the
only options for this Credit are to conduct
measurements of ACE (ASHRAE 129)
or ADPI (ASHRAE Standard 113) either
in the field or in a laboratory simulation.
Also, for application of ASHRAE 129
in the field for this Credit, we note that
the requirements in Section 4, “Criteria
for Acceptable Test Space”, are not
required, provided the space is operated
under normal design conditions.
The third method of demonstrating
Credit performance involves network
airflow or CFD simulation programs to
model and document natural ventilation
and mixed-mode airflow designs. For
naturally ventilated and mixed-mode
buildings, computer simulation is used
to inform building shape and inlets,
outlets and internal air paths, consider-
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
ing typical and extreme wind, heating
and cooling load conditions Particular
Credit 2 attention is paid to airflows in regularly
occupied zones, and operational modes
with winds from prevailing and the
cardinal directions, to ensure effective
outdoor air distribution under all
expected operating conditions.
The report should combine narrative
and graphics to clearly and concisely
describe design intent for building
commissioning, future occupant and
operator training, as well as for LEED
certification. It should describe critical
building / mechanical equipment,
systems and control modes; and refer
to equipment, sequences of operation,
setpoints and control ranges in the
control specifications. System control
under fire and smoke emergencies should
be carefully and clearly outlined.
Suitable natural ventilation airflow
simulation programs are able to model
hourly variations in wind velocity
and other outdoor conditions, internal
airflows, heat gains, thermostat set
points and HVAC system operation;
and thermal mass effects for ten or more
thermal zones, and for 8760 hours of a
typical meteorological year. Programs
should be able to produce hourly reports
of energy use; air, surface and mean
radiant conditions; and airflows and
design loads for individual zones.
Demonstrating the proportion
of occupied hours with effective
natural ventilation requires statistical
calculation of the number of hours in
a typical year that internal airflows and
comfort criteria are met with naturally-
driven airflow. Calculations should
be based on outdoor conditions of an
appropriate Typical Meterological Year
file.
Canada Green Building Council
360
Resources
Web Sites
ASHRAE Handbook: Heating,
Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
Systems and Equipment, American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc., Tullie
Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329 USA
Site: www.ashrae.org
Advanced Ventilation Systems.
Productive Work Environments:
Technology Directorate, Public Work
and Government Services Canada
(PWGSC). Site describes new
ventilation technology being researched
by PWGSC.
Site: http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/rps/aes/
tech/text/ventsys-e.html
Air Change Effectiveness Measure-
ments in Two Modern Office
Buildings: A case study on ventilation
effectiveness.
Site: www.fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/
build94/PDF/b94024.pdf
American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE): Advances
the science of heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, and refrigeration for
the public’s benefit through research,
standards writing, continuing education,
and publications.
Site: www.ashrae.org
Mixed Mode Ventilation: HVAC
Meets Mother Nature: A May
2000 article in Engineered Systems
about various options for building
ventilation.
Site: www.esmagazine.com (see May
2000 archive)
Cost-Effective Open-Plan Environ-
ment (COPE) Research Reports:
Institute for Research in Construction,
National Research Council and COPE
Consortium. In-depth studies of
open-plan office design variables and
their effect on occupant satisfaction,
including workstation design, indoor
air quality and thermal comfort,
lighting and acoustics. Studies include
field and literature reviews, mock-up
office experiments, and simulations to
investigate the many elements of the
open-plan office. (Some reports are not
yet available.)
Reports include:
• Environmental Satisfaction in Open-
Plan Environments: 2. Effects of
Workstation Size, Partition Height
and Windows
• Office Air Distribution Systems and
Environmental Satisfaction
• ALiterature Review on the Relationship
between Outdoor Ventilation Rates in
Offices and Occupant Satisfaction
• Investigation of Air and Thermal
Environments in a Mock-up Open
Plan Office: Measurements and CFD
Simulations
• The Effect of Office Design on
Workstation Lighting: Simulation
Results
• Effects of Office Design on the Annual
Daylight Availability
Site: irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/cope/02-4-
Reports.html#IAQ
Underfloor Air Technology: This
extensive website by the University
of Berkeley’s Center for the Built
Environment offers an overview of
underfloor air distribution systems
provides design and construction design
guidelines, research, sample plans and
sections, as well as several detailed case
studies and information resources.
Site: http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/
underfloorair/Default.htm
Hype vs. Reality: New Research SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Findings on Underfloor Air
Distribution Systems: Describes Credit 2
potential benefits, pitfalls and design
and construction issues of underfloor
air distribution systems.
Site: http://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/
RESEARCH/pdf_files/Lehrer2003_
UFAD.pdf
NATVENT:projects.bre.co.uk/natvent/
CIB:
• Annex 20, Air Flow Patterns within
Buildings: http://www.ecbcs.org/
Annexes/annex20.htm
• Annex 23, Multizone Airflow
Modeling: http://www.ecbcs.org/
Annexes/annex23.htm
• Annex 26, Air Flow in Large
Enclosures: http://www.ecbcs.org/
Annexes/annex26.htm
• Annex 35, Control Strategies
for Hybrid Ventilation in New &
Retrofitted Office Buildings: http://
www.ecbcs.org/Annexes/annex35.htm
Print Media
• ASHRAE Handbook: Fundamentals,
ASHRAE, 2001.
• ASHRAE Handbook: HVAC Systems
and Equipment, ASHRAE, 2004.
• Grumman, D. ASHRAE GreenGuide,
ASHRAE, 2003.
• Designer’s Guide to Ceiling-Based
Air Diffusion, ASHRAE, 2002.
• Displacement Ventilation in Non-
Industrial Premises, REHVA, 2001.
• Heating, Ventilating, and Air
Conditioning: Analysis and Design,
4th Edition, by Faye McQuiston and
Jerald Parker, John Wiley & Sons,
1993.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Bearg, D. Indoor Air Quality and
HVAC Systems, CRC, 1993.
Credit 2
• Chen, Q. & Glicksman, L. System
Performance Evaluation and
Design Guidelines for Displacement
Ventilation, ASHRAE, 2003.
• Bauman, F. & Daly, A. Underfloor Air
Distribution Design Guide, ASHRAE,
2000.
• UK CIBSE Application Manuals
<www.cibse.org>
- AM10, “Natural Ventilation in Non-
domestic Buildings”
- AM 11, “Building Energy &
Environmental Modeling”
- AM13, “Mixed Mode Ventilation”
• “Wind Towers: Detail in Building”,
Battle McCarthy Consulting
Engineers, 1999, Wiley & Sons. ISBN
0-471-98087-0
• “Climate Considerations in Building
& Urban Design”, Baruch Givoni,
1998, Wiley & Sons,. ISBN 0-471-
29177-3
• “Passive & Low Energy Cooling in
Buildings”, Baruch Givoni, 1994,
Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-28473-4
• “The Technology of Ecological
Building”, K. Daniels, 1996,
Birkhauser Verlag. ISBN 3-7643-
5461-5
Definitions
Age of Air: The average amount of
time that has elapsed since a sample of
air molecules at a specific location has
entered the building.
Air-Change Effectiveness:
measurement based on a comparison of
the age of air in the occupied portions of
the building to the age of air that would
Canada Green Building Council
362
exist under conditions of perfect mixing
of the ventilation air.
Conditioned Space: The portion of the
building that is heated or cooled, or both,
for the comfort of building occupants.
Natural Ventilation: The process of
supplying and removing air without
mechanical ductwork in building spaces
by using openings such as windows and
doors, non-powered ventilators, and
infiltration processes.
Occupied Zone: the region normally
occupied by people within a space,
generally considered to be between
the floor and 1.8m (6 ft) above the
floor and more than 1.0m (3.3 ft)
from outside walls/windows or fixed
heating, ventilating or air conditioning
equipment and 0.3m (1 ft) from internal
walls.
Regularly-Occupied Zone or Space:
Zones or spaces normally occupied
during typical building operating
hours.
Tracer Gas: Gas that can be mixed
with building air in small amounts to
study airflow patterns and measure the
age of air and air-change rates.
Ventilation: Process of supplying and
removing air by natural or mechanical
means in building spaces.
Ventilation Effectiveness: The move-
ment of the supply air and it’s fresh
outdoor air through the occupied space.
High ventilation effectiveness is essen-
tial for making full use of the outside
air that is supplied and minimize the en-
ergy used to condition and deliver it.
A
Regional Variations
The requirements of this Credit are
universally applicable across Canada.
 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 2

Case Study
Technology Enterprise Facility III
Vancouver, BC
Chernoff Thompson Architects, 2003
LEED Silver
This 10,500m2 building is the first LEED certified labora-
tory building in Canada and provides custom space for a
wide range of wet laboratory, dry laboratory, office and
information technology tenants. The building systems
and planning of floor plates result in efficient service
connections and space layouts. Through use of a highly
integrated and disciplined approach to the architecture Photo credit: Chernoff Thompson Architects
and systems, the shell and core construction cost was sig-
nificantly lower than a typical research building on a uni-
versity campus. Use of generic modular space concepts
contributes to flexibility, adaptability and economy for
the ongoing operation of the building. The design incor-
porates plug-and-play concepts which provide easy ac-
cess to services, minimal disruption during changes and
economical tenant improvements. Excellent ventilation
is necessary in any laboratory building, this facility has
100% fresh (outside) air in all laboratory spaces. There
is a 50% redundancy in air handling equipment to ensure
adequate ventilation even when a HVAC unit is off line.
In addition, indoor materials were strongly restricted to
minimize off gassing.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 2

Case Study
Sir Sandford Fleming College - Applied Computing &
Engineering Sciences Building
Peterborough, Ontario
Line Architecture Inc., 2003

The two-storey Applied Computing and Engineering Sci-

ences Building at Sir Sandford Fleming College utilizes a
unique natural ventilation design. An integrated air man-
agement system relies on the building circulation spines,
three thermal chimneys, clerestory glazing, and operable
windows to maximize the supply of fresh air. The stone
chimneys are each 15m high and are positioned at the
edges of the building to work in conjunction with the gal-
leria and to assist in fresh air supply and return air ex-
haust. The use of natural ventilation improves indoor air
quality and reduces the cost of running extensive heating
and cooling systems.
Photo credit: Amanda Mitchell

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Construction IAQ Management Plan: SS WE EA MR EQ ID
During Construction Credit 3.1
Intent
Prevent indoor air quality problems resulting from the construction/renovation
1 Point
process in order to help sustain the comfort and well-being of construction workers
and building occupants.

Requirements
Develop and implement an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Plan for the
construction and pre-occupancy phases of the building as follows:
• During construction meet or exceed the recommended Design Approaches of the
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA)
IAQ Guideline for Occupied Buildings under Construction, 1995, Chapter 3.
• Protect stored on-site or installed absorptive materials from moisture damage.
• If air handlers must be used during construction, filtration media with a Minimum
Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 8 must be used at each return air grill, as
determined by ASHRAE 52.2-1999.
• Make provisions for inspections of building and HVAC systems for deficiencies
that could adversely affect the IAQ (e.g. moisture in HVAC system, water damaged
walls, construction debris in ceiling spaces, materials stored near air intakes,
etc.), and the correction of any deficiencies found from building inspections.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the general contractor or
responsible party, declaring that a Construction IAQ Management Plan has
been developed and implemented, and listing each air filter used during
construction and at the end of construction. Include the MERV value,
manufacturer name and model number.
AND

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the responsible party, verifying
that any necessary corrections and/or mitigations resulting from inspections
that could adversely affect IAQ have been completed.
AND EITHER

Provide 18 photographs—six photographs taken on three different occasions
during construction—along with identification of the SMACNA approach
featured by each photograph, in order to show consistent adherence to the
Credit requirements.
OR,

Declare the five Design Approaches of SMACNA IAQ Guideline for
Occupied Buildings under Construction, 1995, Chapter 3, which were used
during building construction. Include a brief description of some of the
important design approaches employed.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Contruction IAQ Management Plan:
Credit 3.2 Testing Before Occupancy
Intent
1 Point
Minimize indoor air quality problems resulting from the construction/renovation
process in order to help sustain the comfort and well-being of construction workers
and building occupants.

Requirements
Develop and implement an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management Plan for the
pre-occupancy phase that follows one of the three options below:

Option 1. Building Flush Prior to Occupancy

Prior to occupancy, and after construction ends and all interior finishes are installed,
install new filtration media, and flush-out the building by supplying a total air
volume of 4,300m3 of outdoor air per m2 of floor area (14,100 ft3 of outdoor air
per ft2 of floor area) while maintaining an internal temperature of at least 16C
(60F) and, where mechanical cooling is operated, relative humidity no higher than
60%.

Option 2. Building Flush Overlapping with Occupancy

After construction ends and all interior finishes installed, install new filtration
media and flush-out the building by supplying a minimum of 0.045m3/m2 (0.15
cfm/ft2) of outside air to all occupied spaces for at least three hours prior to each
occupancy; and during occupancy, the greater of 0.045m3/m2 (0.15 cfm/ft2) or the
design minimum outside air supply, for the duration of the flush-out period. Spaces
may only be occupied following delivery of a minimum of 1,075m3 of outdoor air
per m2 of floor area (3,530 ft3 of outdoor air per ft2 of floor area). Continue the
flush-out until a total air volume of 4,300m3 of outdoor air per m2 of floor area
(14,100 ft3 of outdoor air per ft2 of floor area) has been provided.

Option 3. IAQ Testing Prior to Occupancy

Conduct baseline IAQ testing, after construction ends and prior to occupancy,
using testing protocols consistent with the United States Environmental Protection
Agency “Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Air Pollutants
in Indoor Air” and demonstrate that the contaminants listed in Table 1 are not
exceeded, taking remedial actions and repeating procedure until all requirements
have been met.

Submittals

If either of the first two compliance option are used, provide the LEED Letter
Template, signed by the architect, general contractor or responsible party,
describing the building flush-out procedures, including start and stop dates,
outdoor airflow volumes and durations, and total volume of flush air. In the
event of an audit of this Credit, document the background calculations that
demonstrate that the required total air volumes and minimum ventilation
rates have been delivered.

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OR,
Credit 3.2

If the IAQ testing option is used, provide the LEED Letter Template, signed
by the environmental consultant, declaring that the referenced standard’s
IAQ testing protocols have been followed, and provide a copy of IAQ 1 Point
testing results indicating that the air quality testing has been completed
and maximum chemical contaminant concentration requirements are not
exceeded in the areas tested.

Table 1: Maximum Concentration Criteria of IAQ Pollutants

Contaminant Maximum Concentration

Particulate Matter (PM10) 50 ug/m3
Formaldehyde 50 parts per billion
Total Volatile Organic Compounds 500 ug/m3
Carbon Monoxide 9 PPM and no greater than 2 PPM above outdoors
4-Phenycyclohexene (4-PC) * 6.5 ug/m3
* Required only if carpets with Styrene Butadiene (SB) latex backing material are installed.

Summary of Referenced Standards

SMACNA IAQ Guideline for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 1995
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA),
www.smacna.org, (703) 803-2980
This standard provides an overview of air pollutants associated with construction,
control measures, construction process management, quality control,
communications with occupants, and case studies. Consult the referenced
standard for measures to protect the building HVAC system during construction
and demolition activities.

ANSI/ASHRAE 52.2-1999: Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-Cleaning

Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size
ASHRAE, www.ashrae.org, (800) 527-4723
This standard presents methods for testing air cleaners for two performance
characteristics: the ability of the device to remove particles from the air stream and
the device’s resistance to airflow. The minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV)
is based on three composite average particle size removal efficiency (PSE) points.
Consult the standard for a complete explanation of MERV value calculations.
Filtration media used during the construction process must have a MERV of 8.

US EPA “Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Air Pollutants

in Indoor Air” http://yosemite.epa.gov/ncepihom/nsCatalog.nsf/0/
4CF701C7CCD6EE6385256EEF0053A4A8?OpenDocument
This document describes technical details of indoor air quality test procedures and
equipment, used by the US EPA. It covers both passive and active techniques, and
analytical procedures.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Interpretations
• To achieve equivalence in the absence of MERV 8 filters, it would be necessary
Credit 3.2 to document that none of the ductwork or air handlers were used during the
construction process, and that all HVAC components were effectively sealed and
1 Point protected from contamination through the construction process. Submissions
should include photographic documentation of these conditions and should note
that any temporary HVAC units are not connected to the permanent ductwork,
and clarify how the dust generated by construction is removed from all surfaces
before occupancy, through HEPA vacuuming, flushout with filtration, and/or
other strategies.
• The installation sequence of interior materials is important, to ensure that
absorbent materials such as fabrics, ceiling tiles, gypsum wall board, carpets, etc.
are installed after VOC-emitting materials have offgassed their air contaminants.
The point is to ensure that absorbent materials do not collect air pollutants and
later release them to occupied spaces.
• Projects where portions of the building are to be occupied while construction
is ongoing in other areas should ensure that interior construction activities do
not affect intake air quality for the ventilation system serving occupied areas,
and that filters in the ventilation units are replaced prior to the first phase of
occupancy. SMACNA control measures must be implemented in each unit until
its construction has been completed to keep unit contaminants from entering
building ventilation system serving occupied areas. In these cases, the narrative
for this Credit should detail control measures for the building, and for phased
occupancies.

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Green Building Concerns
Building construction processes
invariably include activities that
contaminate the building during
construction. Often, this results in
residual building contamination that
continues to impair indoor air quality
long after construction is complete.
HVAC systems are especially prone to
contamination with particulate matter
generated during construction activities;
dust can bear and adsorb volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) and other
contaminants, and foster molds and
microorganisms that may remain in
HVAC systems for years. Building
occupant health may be adversely
affected, with reduced productivity,
increased absenteeism and liability by
building owners and operators.
Fortunately, construction management
strategies can be readily instituted during
construction and before occupancy that
minimize the potential for building
contamination and to remediate or
clean up inadvertent contamination.
Protection of HVAC systems during
construction, flush-out of the building
and IAQ testing prior to occupancy are
effective ways to mitigate IAQ impacts
of construction activities and new
products.
Environmental Issues
A ventilation flush-out prior to
occupancy requires additional energy
use, with its associated air and water
pollution; and the time flushing requires
may be difficult to accommodate
with slipping construction deadlines.
However, the minor cost and
management difficulty are well worth
the health benefits provided to building
occupants: greater comfort, lower
absenteeism, and greater productivity.
Economic Issues SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Superior indoor air quality is likely to
increase worker productivity, translating Credit 3
to greater profitability for companies.
Additional time and labor may be
required during and after construction Credit Synergies
to protect and clean ventilation systems.
However, these actions can extend the
MR Credit 2
Construction Waste
lifetime of the ventilation system and Management
improve ventilation system efficiency,
resulting in reduced operating energy
EQ Prerequisite 1
use. Sequencing of material installation
Minimum IAQ
Performance
to prevent absorption by porous
materials may require additional time or EQ Credit 4
interim storage space, and may delay the
Low-Emitting Materials
date of initial occupancy if not managed
carefully. Early coordination between
the contractor and subcontractors can
minimize or eliminate scheduling
delays.
Community Issues
Contaminants from the construction
process can affect the health of
construction workers during construction
and building users during occupancy,
resulting in liability for builders, owners
and operators. If these contaminants
remain in the building after occupancy
commences, they may affect indoor air
quality, potentially leading to expensive
and complicated clean-up procedures
and/or legal action. Construction and
occupant worker health issues are
addressed by federal and provincial
regulations, primarily those of the
Canadian Centre for Occupational
Health and Safety (CCOHS - see http://
www.ccohs.ca/)
Design Approach
Strategies
This Credit hinges on performance
by the builder, typically following
specifications within the General
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 Conditions of the construction
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
documents prepared by the designers.
Credit 3 Regardless of the project delivery
mechanism, design/bid/build, design/
build or other variants, it is the ultimate
responsibility of the general contractor
to implement an IAQ Management Plan
for the construction process; often the
design team may provide a draft plan
that the contractor then tailors to the
situation. In other cases, the contractor
is charged with creating the plan in order
to keep the roles and responsibilities
perfectly clear.
The IAQ Management Plan should
address protection of the ventilation
system components during construct-
ion, and cleanup of contaminated
components after construction is
complete.
Include construction-related IAQ
procedures in the pre-construction
and construction progress meeting
agendas. Also, ensure that all
participants in the construction process,
including subcontractors, are trained
in IAQ procedures and understand
the importance of IAQ management
goals. If necessary, identify an owner’s
representative as the IAQ Manager
to identify IAQ problems and require
mitigation as necessary.
The referenced SMACNA standard
recommends control measures in five
areas: HVAC protection, source control,
pathway interruption, housekeeping, and
scheduling. The second portion of this
Credit provides an additional point for
a sixth control measure: building flush-
out or IAQ testing. For each project,
review the applicability of each control
measure and include those that apply in
the final IAQ Management Plan. The
control measures are as follows:
HVAC Protection: Shut down the return
side of the HVAC system (which is, by
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definition, ductwork under negative
pressure, which returns air to occupied
spaces) whenever possible during
heavy construction or demolition. The
return side should also be isolated from
the surrounding environment whenever
possible. For example, all ceiling
tiles for the ceiling plenum should be
in place and all leaks in ducts and air
handlers should be repaired promptly.
If the ventilation system must be
operated during construction, it should
be fitted with temporary filters that can
be replaced with clean media just prior
to completion and occupancy.
The return side of the HVAC system
should be dampered off in the heaviest
work areas and return system openings
should be sealed airtight, with coverings
that should resist expected pressure
differentials. Upgraded filter efficiency
is recommended where major loading is
expected.
Source Control: Specify finish mate-
rials (such as paints, carpet, compos-
ite wood, adhesives, and sealants) that
have low VOC levels, or none at all.
Low-VOC materials selection is cov-
ered under EQc4. Materials that are
potentially noxious should be identi-
fied by the project architect, and control
measures specified, as described in the
SMACNA guidelines.
Pathway Interruption: During con-
struction, isolate areas of work to pre-
vent contamination of clean or occupied
spaces. Depending on the climate, ven-
tilate using 100% outside air to exhaust
contaminated air directly to the outside
during installation of VOC-emitting ma-
terials. Pressure differentials between
construction areas and clean areas can
be utilized to prevent contaminated air
from entering clean areas. Such strate-
gies often require the erection of tem-
porary barriers between work areas and
non-work areas.
Housekeeping: Institute cleaning activ-
ities concentrating on HVAC and build-
ing spaces to remove contaminants from
the building prior to occupancy. Build-
ing materials should be protected from
weather and stored in a clean area prior
to unpacking for installation. All coils,
air filters, and fans should be cleaned
before performing testing and balanc-
ing procedures and especially before
conducting baseline air quality tests.
Scheduling: Specify construction
sequencing to reduce absorption of
VOCs by porous materials. Complete
applications of wet and odorous
materials such as paints, sealants, and
coatings before installing absorbent
“sink” materials such as ceiling tiles,
carpets, insulation, gypsum products,
and fabric-covered furnishings.
Materials directly exposed to moisture
through precipitation, plumbing leaks,
or condensation from the HVAC
system are susceptible to microbial
contamination and should be replaced.
Flush-out: Conduct a minimum two-
week building flush-out with MERV 13
filtration media and 100% outside air
after construction ends; ideally prior to
occupancy. (Note: the former require-
ment of LEED NC v2.1 for new replace-
ment MERV 13 filters after flushout is
now rewarded by IE Credit 5.)
IAQ Testing: For each building area
where the maximum concentration
limits are exceeded, identify and mitigate
pollutant sources and conduct a partial
building flush-out for a maximum of
two weeks. Retest for any contaminant
concentrations that were exceeded.
Repeat this process until appropriate
concentration levels are achieved.
IAQ Testing Scope of Work
The scope of work shall address the
following:
• Testing shall be completed over the
course of 1 normal operating day SS WE EA MR EQ ID
(additional days are acceptable if
required due to sampling equipment Credit 3
limitations) and conducted by a
qualified IAQ testing contractor who
is also LEED accredited.
• All HVAC systems shall be fully
operational during all testing periods.
• The number of sampling locations
will vary depending upon the size of
the building but shall not be less than
6 (5 indoors and 1 outdoors) and not
less than 1 location per floor. After
considering the above, an additional
requirement of 1 sample per 1000m2
of space shall be considered.
• Actual sample locations shall be
evenly distributed throughout
the building in an effort to obtain
adequate representation of all areas.
A minimum of one sample location
per floor of a high-rise building is
essential.
• A minimum of 1 outdoor sample
is required for each day of indoor
testing. Outdoor sampling locations
should be collected near building
outdoor air intakes if possible.
• Indoor testing to be completed bet-
ween 1200mm (4 ft.) and 2100mm
(7 ft.) from the floor in an effort
to represent the breathing zone of
occupants.
• Pollutants to be tested include the
following as a minimum:
- carbon dioxide
- air temperature & relative humidity
- carbon monoxide
- respirable suspended particulate
(PM10)
- formaldehyde
-total volatile organic compounds
(TVOC)
• Additional parameters may require
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
testing if specific or unusual Site: www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ventilat.
contaminants are anticipated. These html
Credit 3 contaminants may include but are not
limited to perchloroethylene from Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
dry-cleaners or inks from printers. National Contractors Association
Buildings likely to contain styrene (SMACNA): Professional trade
butadiene (SB, often found in latex association that publishes the referenced
carpet backing material) should be standard as well as Indoor Air Quality:
monitored for 4-Phenycyclohexene A Systems Approach, a comprehensive
(4-PC). discussion of the sources of pollutants,
measurement, methods of control, and
Synergies and Trade-Offs management techniques.
Proper construction management can Site: www.smacna.org
minimize the possibility of building
contamination, but it must be considered Print Media
from the start of construction planning.
• Indoor Air Quality, Construction
It is also important to choose building
Technology Centre Atlantic. Written
materials that have a low potential for
as a comprehensive review of indoor
contaminating the building, such as low-
air quality issues and solutions, the
VOC paints, adhesives, and sealants;
report is available for purchase from
and to schedule their offgassing prior
ctca.unb.ca/IAQ/index.htm or (506)
installation of absorbent materials,
453-5000.
such as carpets and furniture. Careful
scheduling and specifications requiring
off-site flushing of building materials can Definitions
help avoid unanticipated construction
delays. A Construction IAQ Management
Plan: a document specific to a building
project that outlines measures to
Resources minimize contamination in the building
Web Sites during construction and prior to
occupancy.
EPA Protocol for Environmental
Requirements, Testing for Indoor Air HVAC Systems: include heating,
Quality, Baseline IAQ and Materials ventilating, and air-conditioning systems
for Research Triangle Park Campus. used to provide thermal comfort and
This specification section was a part of ventilation for building interiors.
the construction documents for the EPA’s
Research & Administration Facility at
Research Triangle Park. Section 01445
Regional Variations
addresses baseline indoor air quality The requirements of this Credit are
testing and materials testing. universally applicable across Canada.
www.epa.gov/rtp/new-bldg/
environmental/specs.htm, (919) 541-
0249
EPA Fact Sheet: Ventilation and
Air Quality in Offices: This EPA
publication addresses IAQ issues for
office buildings.

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 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 3

Case Study
Emergency Medical Services Facility
Cambridge, Ontario
McCallum Sather Architects Inc., 2004

The Emergency Medical Services Central Fleet Facil-

ity is the headquarters for ambulance dispatch response
throughout Waterloo Region and houses up to 12 ambu- Photo credit: McCallum Sather Architects Inc.
lances and administrative offices. The 2,000 square metre
facility was designed to achieve LEED Gold. Building
features include on-site water retention, native landscap-
ing, a rainwater cistern for toilet flushing, desiccant de-
humidification in place of air conditioning and a 20 kW
photovoltaic system. Energy and water savings are pre-
dicted to be 65% and 40% respectively compared to con-
ventional new buildings.
A construction indoor air quality plan was developed and
implemented at this facility. During construction contrac-
tors protected ductwork with plastic wrap, kept carpets
and ceiling tiles wrapped until needed and did not oper-
ate the HVAC systems. Following construction but prior
to occupancy a three-day indoor air testing program was
undertaken. Levels of particulates, formaldehyde, VOCs,
carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were continuously
measured. The average values were all below the required
values.

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Credit 3

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Low-Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent Credit 4.1

Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating
and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants. 1 Point

Requirements
The VOC content of adhesives, sealants and sealant primers used must be less
than the VOC content limits of the State of California’s South Coast Air Quality
Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1168, October 2003.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, listing the adhesives and sealants used in the building and declaring
that they meet the noted requirements.
If an audit is requested during the certification process:

Provide cut sheets, Material Safety Data sheets (MSDSs), signed attestations
or other official literature from manufacturers clearly identifying product
emissions rates.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Low-Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings
Credit 4.2 Intent
Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating
1 Point and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.

Requirements
VOC emissions from paints must not exceed the VOC and chemical component
limits of Green Seal’s Standard GS-11, January 1997 requirements.
AND
The VOC content of anti-corrosive coatings used must be less than the current
VOC content limits of Green Seal Standard GS-03, May 1993 requirements.
AND
For interior paints and coatings not already covered by GS-11 and GS-03, the VOC
content of all primers, under-coatings, sealers and clear wood finishes used must be
less than the current VOC content limits of South Coast Air Quality Management
District (SCAQMD) Rule #1113, November 1996 requirements.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, listing all the interior paints and coatings used in the building that
are addressed by Green Seal Standard GS-11, Green Seal Standard GS-03
and the SCAQMD Rule #1113. State that they comply with the VOC and
chemical component limits and/or chemical component restrictions of the
each standard.
If an audit is requested during the certification process:

Provide cut sheets, Material Safety Data sheets (MSDSs), signed attestations
or other official literature from manufacturers clearly identifying VOC
contents.

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Low-Emitting Materials: Carpet SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent Credit 4.3

Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating
and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants. 1 Point

Requirements
Carpet systems must meet or exceed the requirements of the Carpet and Rug
Institute’s Green Label Indoor Air Quality Test Program.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, listing all the carpet systems used in the building and stating that they
comply with the VOC limits of the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label
Indoor Air Quality Test Program.
If an audit is requested during the certification process:

Provide cut sheets, Material Safety Data sheets (MSDSs), signed attestations
or other official literature from manufacturers clearly identifying product
emissions rates.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Low-Emitting Materials:
Credit 4.4 Composite Wood and Laminate Adhesives

Intent
1 Point
Reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, potentially irritating
and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of installers and occupants.

Requirements
Composite wood and agrifiber products, including core materials, must contain no
added urea-formaldehyde resins. Adhesives used to fabricate laminated assemblies
containing these products must contain no urea-formaldehyde.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, listing all the composite wood products used in the building and
stating that they contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins, and listing all
the laminating adhesives used in the building and stating that they contain
no urea-formaldehyde.

Provide documentation for all core and adhesive products used on the project
indicating that products used contained no added urea-formaldehyde.

In the event of an audit of this Credit, certification submissions should
produce cut sheets, Material Safety Data sheets (MSDSs), signed attestations
or other official literature from manufacturers clearly identifying product
emissions rates.

Interpretations
• This Credit applies to products and installation processes that may adversely affect
indoor air quality within the weatherproofing layer of the building envelope. As
a result, duct sealers, whether installed before or after windows are installed, are
controlled substances included in this Credit.
• Only those adhesives and sealants used in the interior of the building during the
construction phase must meet the thresholds referenced in the Credit. Adhesives
and sealants applied to casework, doors or other interior prefabricated components
manufactured off-site are not subject to the VOC requirements, but may not
contain urea-formaldehyde resins or binders for any casework or finishes affixed
to the building (flooring, shelves, cupboards, etc.). A project that requires shop
applied paints and coatings to also meet Green Seal requirements could apply
for an Innovative Design Credit for exceptional efforts regarding Environmental
Quality.
• Cut sheets, brochures and testimonial letters from manufacturers are acceptable
substitutes for MSDS sheets. Whatever the documentation may be, it must be
authentic and include the required data.
• If a project is forced to use small quantities of non-complying paint, a VOC budget
can be calculated to demonstrate that the overall average VOC of all paint products
(based on gallons of each applied) is below the allowed limit, by category.

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Summary of Referenced Standards SS WE EA MR EQ ID
South Coast Rule #1168 by the South Coast Air Quality Management District
South Coast Air Quality Management District, http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/reg/ Credit 4.4
reg11/r1168.pdf, (909) 396-2000
The South Coast Air Quality Management District is a governmental organization 1 Point
in Southern California with the mission to maintain healthful air quality for its
residents. The organization established source specific standards to reduce air
quality impacts. The South Coast Rule #1168 VOC limits for adhesives and
sealants (at the date of Reference Guide publication) are summarized in Tables 1a,
1b and 2; Table 3 summarizes Rule #1113 limits for architectural coatings. Note
that users should check for updated emissions factors, rather than relying on those
summarized in this Reference Guide.
Extract, California South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule
#1168 – Adhesive and Sealant Applications (October 3, 2003)
Requirements
1. Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (c)(2), a person shall not apply
any adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, or any other
primer which have a VOC content in excess of 250 g/L less water and
less exempt compounds.
2. A person shall not apply adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive
primers, sealants, sealant primers, or any other primer which have a
VOC content in excess of the limits specified below:

Table 1: California South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule #1168

Adhesive and Sealant Applications

VOC Limit*, Less Water and Less Exempt Compounds in Grams per Litre
http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/reg/reg11/r1168.pdf

Architectural Applications Current VOC Limit

Indoor Carpet Adhesives 50
Carpet Pad Adhesives 50
Outdoor Carpet Adhesives 150
Wood Flooring Adhesive 100
Rubber Floor Adhesives 60
Subfloor Adhesives 50
Ceramic Tile Adhesives 65
VCT and Asphalt Tile Adhesives 50
Dry Wall and Panel Adhesives 50
Cove Base Adhesives 50
Multipurpose Construction Adhesives 70
Structural Glazing Adhesives 100
Single Ply Roof Membrane Adhesives 250
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 Table 2: California South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule #1168
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
VOC Limit*, Less Water and Less Exempt Compounds in Grams per Liter
Credit 4.4 VOC Limits and Effective Dates**
Specialty Applications
Current
1 Point 6-7-02 1-1-03 1-1-05
VOC Limit
PVC Welding 510 285
CPVC Welding 490 270
ABS Welding 400
Plastic Cement Welding 350 250
Adhesive Primer for Plastic 650 250
Computer Diskette Manufacturing 350
Contact Adhesive 250 80
Special Purpose Contact Adhesive 250
Tire Retread 100
Adhesive Primer for Traffic Marking Tape 150
Structural Wood Member Adhesive 140
Sheet Applied Rubber Lining Operations 850
Top and Trim Adhesive 250
** The specified limits remain in effect unless revised limits are listed in subsequent columns.

Substrate Specific Applications Current VOCLimit

Metal to Metal 30
Plastic Foams 50
Porous Material (except wood) 50
Wood 30
Fiberglass 80
If an adhesive is used to bond dissimilar substrates together the adhesive
with the highest VOC content shall be allowed.

Sealants Current VOCLimit

Architectural 250
Marine Deck 760
Nonmembrane Roof 300
Roadway 250
Single-Ply Roof Membrane 450
Other 420

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Table 2: continued
SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Sealant Primers Current VOCLimit Credit 4.4

Architectural
1 Point
Non Porous 250
Porous 775
Modified Bituminous 500
Marine Deck 760
Other 750

• For low-solid adhesives or sealants the VOC limit is expressed in grams per
liter of material as determined in paragraph (b)(32); for all other adhesives and
sealants, VOC limits are expressed as grams of VOC per liter of adhesive or
sealant less water and less exempt compounds as determined in paragraph
(b)(31).
Table 3: Extract from State of Californian South Coast Air Quality Management
District's Rule 1113 - Architectural Coatings (Nov. 8, 1996)

Table of Standards: VOC Limits

Grams of VOC per Liter of Coating, Less Water and Less Exempt Compounds
http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/siprules/sr1113.pdf

Coating Limit* Effective Effective Effective Effective Effective

1/1/98 1/1/99 7/1/01 1/1/05 7/1/08
Bond Breakers 350
Clear Wood Finishes
- varnish 350
- sanding sealers 350
- lacquer 350 550 275
Concrete-curing Compounds 350
Dry-Fog Coatings 400
Fire-proofing Exterior Coatings 350 350
Fire-retardant Coatings
- clear 650
- pigmented 350
Flats 100 100 50
Graphic Arts (sign) Coatings 500
Industrial Maintenance Primers and TopCoats
- Alkyds 420
- Catalyzed Epoxy 420
- Bituminous Coatings Materials 420
- Inorganic Polymers 420
- Vinyl Chloride Polymers 420
- Chlorinated Rubber 420
- Acrylic Polymers 420
- Urethane Polymers 420

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 4.4
Table 3: Extract from State of Californian South Coast Air Quality Management
District’s Rule 1113 Architectural Coatings (Nov. 1996) continued

- Silicones 420
- Unique Vehicles 420
Japans/Faux Finishing Coatings 350 350
Magnesite Cement Coatings 450 450
Mastic Coatings 300
Multi-Color Coatings 250 250
Pigmented Lacquer 550 550 275
Pre-Treatment Wash Primers 780
Primers, Sealers, andUndercoats 350
Quick-Dry Enamels 400
Roof Coatings 300
Shellac
- Clear 730
- Pigmented 550
Stains 350
Swimming Pool Coatings
- Repair 650
- Other 340
Traffic Coatings 150 150
Waterproofing Sealers 400
Wood Preservatives
- Below-Ground 350
- Other 350
Low-solids Coating 120

Green Seal Standard GS-11 - Paints and GC-03 Anti-Corrosive Paints

Green Seal, www.greenseal.org, (202) 872-6400
Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that promotes the manufacture and sale of
environmentally responsible consumer products. Standard GS-11 was developed
for paints and primers; GC-03 for anti-corrosive paints.

Extract from Green Seal Environmental Standard

Paints (GS-11), First Edition May 20, 1993
http://www.greenseal.org/standards/paints.htm

4. Product-Specific Environmental Requirements.

4.1 Chemical Component Limitations.

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 4.1.1 VOCs. The VOC concentrations of the product shall not exceed SS WE EA MR EQ ID
those listed below as determined by U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Reference Test Method 24 (Determination of Volatile Credit 4.4
Matter Content, Water Content, Density Volume Solids, and Weight
Solids of Surface Coatings), Code of Federal Regulations Title 40, 1 Point
Part 60, Appendix A.
The calculation of VOC shall exclude water and tinting color added
at the point of sale.
Interior Coatings:
Coating Type VOC weight in grams/liter of product minus water
Non-flat3 150
Flat 50
Exterior Coatings:
Coating Type VOC weight in grams/liter of product minus water
Non-flat4 200
Flat 100

4.1.2 Aromatic Compounds. The product must contain no more than

1.0% by weight of the sum total of aromatic compounds. Testing for
the concentration of these compounds will be performed if they are
determined to be present in the product during a materials audit.

4.2 Chemical Component Restrictions. The manufacturer shall

demonstrate that the following chemical compounds are not used as
ingredients in the manufacture of the product.
4.2.1 Halomethanes
methylene chloride
4.2.2 Chlorinated ethanes
1,1,1-trichloroethane
4.2.3 Aromatic solvents
benzene
toluene (methylbenzene)
ethylbenzene
4.2.4 Chlorinated ethylenes
vinyl chloride
4.2.5 Polynuclear aromatics
naphthalene
4.2.6 Chlorobenzenes
1,2-dichlorobenzene
4.2.7 Phthalate esters
di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
butyl benzyl phthalate
di-n-butyl phthalate
di-n-octyl phthalate
diethyl phthalate
dimethyl phthalate
4.2.8 Miscellaneous semi-volatile organics
isophorone

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID 4.2.9 Metals and their compounds
antimony
Credit 4.4 cadmium
hexavalent chromium
1 Point lead
mercury
4.2.10 Preservatives (antifouling agents)
formaldehyde
4.2.11 Ketones
methyl ethyl ketone
methyl isobutyl ketone
4.2.12 Miscellaneous volatile organics
acrolein
acrylonitrile

Extract from Green Seal Environmental Standard

Anti-Corrosive Paints (GC-03), First Edition January 7, 1997
http://www.greenseal.org/standards/anti-corrosivepaints.htm
4 Product-Specific Environmental Requirements.
a.Chemical Component Limitations — VOC: the manufacturer shall
demonstrate that the paint is not formulated to exceed the VOC
concentrations (in grams per liter of product, minus water) listed
below:
Coating Type: Gloss — 250
Semi-Gloss — 250
Flat — 250
The calculation of VOCs shall exclude water and tinting color added at
the point of sale.
b.Chemical Component Limitations — Aromatic Compounds: the
product must contain no more than 1.0% by weight of the sum total of
aromatic compounds. Testing for the concentration of these compounds
will be performed if they are determined to be present in the product
during a materials audit.
c.Chemical Component Limitations — Other: the manufacturer shall
demonstrate that the following chemical compounds are not used as
ingredients in the product beyond incidental contamination:
1. Halomethanes: methylene chloride
2. Chlorinated ethanes: 1,1,1-trichloroethane
3. Aromatic solvents: benzene, toluene (methylbenzene),
4. ethylbenzene
5. Chlorinated ethylenes: vinyl chloride
6. Polynuclear aromatics: naphthalene
7. Chlorobenzenes: 1,2-dichlorobenzene
8. Phthalate esters: di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, butyl
9. benzyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, di-n-octyl
10. phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate
11. Miscellaneous semi-volatile organics: isophorone
12. Metals and their compounds: antimony, cadmium, hexavalent

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 13. chromium, lead, mercury SS WE EA MR EQ ID
14. Preservatives (antifouling agents): formaldehyde
15. Ketones: methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone Credit 4.4
16. Miscellaneous volatile organics: acrolein, acrylonitrile
Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Testing Program 1 Point
http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=3&requesttimeout=
350
Carpet and Rug Institute, www.carpet-rug.com, (800) 882-8846
The Carpet and Rug Institute is a trade organization representing the carpet and rug
industry. The organization established the Green Label Testing Program Limits
Table 4a: Extract from "Green Label" Testing Program — Carpet Criteria
http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=6

Maximum Emission Factor (measured in mg/m² ·hr)

Total Volatile Organic Compounds 0.5

4-PC (4-Phenylcyclohexene) .05
Formaldehyde (to prove that none is used) .05
Styrene .4

to identify low-emitting carpet products for consumers. The Program established

limits on VOCs for carpets, cushion, and adhesives, as summarized in Tables 4a,
4b and 4c below.
Table 4b: Extract from "Green Label" Testing Program — Cushion Criteria
http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=7

Maximum Emission Factor (measured in mg/m² ·hr)

Total Volatile Organic Compounds 1.00

BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) .0.30
Formaldehyde 0.05
4-PC (4-Phenylcyclohexene) 0.05

Table 4c: Extract from "Green Label" Testing Program — Adhesive Criteria
http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=8

Maximum Emission Factor (measured in mg/m² ·hr)

Total Volatile Organic Compounds 10.00

Formaldehyde 0.05
2-Ethyl-1-Hexanol 3.00

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Green Building Concerns
Credit 4 A large number of building products
contain compounds with negative
impacts on human health, indoor air
Credit Synergies quality and the Earth’s atmosphere. The
most prominent of these compounds,
MR Credit 1 volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
Building Reuse contribute to smog generation and
MR Credit 4 air pollution outdoors while having
Recycled Content an adverse effect on the well-being
MR Credit 5
of building occupants indoors. By
Regional Materials selecting low-emitting materials, both
outdoor and indoor air quality impacts
MR Credit 6
Rapidly Renewable
can be avoided.
Materials This Credit targets those building
MR Credit 7 materials that are commonly associated
Certified Wood with high-VOC content, including
MR Credit 8 adhesives, paints and coatings, carpet
Durable building systems, composite wood, and agrifiber
products.
EQ Prerequisite 1
Minimum IAQ
Performance Environmental Issues
EQ Credit 3 VOCs are chemical compounds that
Construction IAQ contribute to air pollution inside and
Management Plan outside of buildings.
VOCs are of concern for two main
reasons:
1. Prolonged exposure to many VOCs
directly affects human heath, even
with very low concentrations.
2. VOCs react with sunlight and
nitrogen in the atmosphere to form
ground-level ozone, a chemical that
has a detrimental effect on human
health, agricultural crops, forests, and
ecosystems. Ozone damages lung
tissue, reduces lung function, and
sensitizes the lungs to other irritants;
and is a major component of smog,
which affects agricultural crops and
wild vegetation.
Canada Green Building Council
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Economic Issues
Healthy occupants are more productive
and have fewer illness-related
absenteeism. Use of high-VOC content
materials can cause illness and may
decrease occupant productivity. These
problems result in increased expenses
and liability for building owners,
operators, and insurance companies.
As a result, the construction market is
driving product manufacturers to offer
low-VOC alternatives to conventional
building products. Costs for these low-
VOC products are generally competitive
with conventional materials.
However, the market for healthy building
materials is developing; low-VOC
products may also be difficult to obtain
for some product types; and some low-
VOC materials may be slightly more
expensive than conventional materials,
particularly when the products are
first introduced to the marketplace.
However, these problems are receding
as application of low-VOC products
becomes more commonplace.
Community Issues
VOCs impact indoor air quality and
contribute to sick building syndrome,
building-related illnesses, and multiple
chemical sensitivities. Application of
products containing VOCs also affects
outdoor air quality, creating smog and
producing an unhealthy environment.
By using low-VOC products, these
problems can be avoided, creating
a more favorable environment for
building occupants and neighbors.
 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 4

Table 5: Environmental Choice (EcoLogo) Criteria

http://www.environmentalchoice.ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.DspDivision&PageID=21&fkMainPage=0

Product Emissions Criterion Remarks

Non-flat Low-VOC Paints 125 gVOCs/L More stringent than Green Seal GS-11
Interior Coating criteria/
Flat Low-VOC Paints 50 gVOCs/L Same as Green Seal GS-11 Interior
Coating criteria.
Varnishes 250 gVOCs/L More stringent than SCAQMD Rule 1113.
Stains 100 gVOCs/L More stringent than SCAQMD Rule 1113.
Carpeting, Commercial TVOC: 0.25 mg/m2-hr - Formaldehyde criterion is less stringent
Modular (tiles) Formaldehyde: 0.25 mg TVOC /m2-hr than CRI Green Labels' - No requirement
for 4-PC(4-Phenylcyclohexene) or Styrene,
unlike CRI Green Label
Sealants & Caulking VOCs <= 4% by weight Environmental Choice criterion in weight
Compounds terms, instead of g/L as SCAQMD criterion,
so will require conversion calculations to
demonstrate compliance.
Contact Adhesives VOCs <= 8% by weight Environmental Choice criterion in weight
terms, instead of g/L as SCAQMD criterion,
so will require conversion calculations to
demonstrate compliance.
Multi-purpose Construction VOCs <= 7% by weight Environmental Choice criterion in weight
Adhesives terms, instead of g/L as SCAQMD criterion,
so will require conversion calculations to
demonstrate compliance.
Special Purpose Construction VOCs <= 5% by weight Environmental Choice criterion in weight
Adhesives terms, instead of g/L as SCAQMD criterion,
so will require conversion calculations to
demonstrate compliance.
** The specified limits remain in effect unless revised limits are listed in subsequent columns.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Design Strategies
Credit 4 Strategies
This Credit applies to products and
installation processes that have the
ability to adversely affect indoor air
quality (IAQ) on site: those that are
exposed to interior spaces accessible
by occupants. While projects should
strive to limit the use of VOC-emitting
materials on the building exterior or the
project site, their use is not addressed
under this Credit.
Develop a project outline specification
in early design stages, and include
criteria for materials with low-
VOC characteristics using current
requirements from the standards
referenced by this Credit. Materials
to address include construction and
finishing materials; special attention
should be paid to large quantities of
materials that will be exposed to the
indoor air.
Research and specify low-VOC products
based on durability, performance, and
environmental characteristics. Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) from
product manufacturers may not always
include information on VOC content, so
it may be necessary to request emissions
test data from product manufacturers.
Specifiers should note that many claims
of “zero VOC” or “low VOC” paint
claims are based on a limited range of
tints; exceeding their tint range may void
the VOC claim. Ensure that contaminant
limits are clearly stated in Division
1 and in specification sections where
adhesives, sealants, coatings, carpets,
and composite woods are addressed.
Consider field monitoring for emission
levels in the building during installation
and prior to building occupancy.
Consider implementing an ongoing,
periodic review of IAQ over the lifetime
Canada Green Building Council
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of the building.
Canada’s Environmental Choice
EcoLogo program certifies many, but
not all finishes covered by this Credit
and Sub-Credits. A summary of
EcoLogo-certified VOC requirements
can be found in Table 5. Compliance
with the cited standards should be
checked by users.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Material selection is important to
creating interior spaces with low-VOC
levels. Locally sourced materials and
those materials created with recycled
content, rapidly renewable materials,
and certified wood may have high VOC
content and, thus, may be inappropriate
for the project.
Use of low-VOC products improves
indoor air quality during the construction
process as well as over the lifetime of
the building. Selection of low-VOC
carpets, adhesives, paints, finishes
and sealants can greatly help IAQ test
results required by EQc3.
Calculations
This Credit applies to products and
installation processes that have the
ability to adversely affect indoor air
quality (IAQ) on site: those that are
exposed to interior spaces accessible
by occupants. While projects should
strive to limit the use of VOC-emitting
materials on the building exterior or the
project site, their use is not addressed
under this Credit.
Documentation for the four Sub-Credits
normally consists of recordkeeping.
Enter summary VOC data for products
in the LEED Letter Template. If this
Credit is audited during the LEED
certification review, provide cut sheets
containing VOC data.
Calculations are necessary only when
using the “VOC budget,” which is an
alternative compliance path that allows
for specialty applications for which there
are no low-VOC product options. Such
a budget can be used to demonstrate
overall low-VOC performance for
paints or adhesives (not a combination
of both). The applicant must establish
a baseline VOC budget based on the
appropriate referenced standard and
meet the budget based on the amount
of each product used and respective
VOC concentrations. To develop a
VOC budget, define application rates
of products and how much of each is
necessary for the project. Compare this
baseline case to a design case that lists
and sums VOCs for the products that
are (or will be) specified for the project,
for the same areas of application. If the
total VOC limit of the design case is
lower than the baseline case, the point
can be earned.
Resources
Web Sites
Formaldehyde Update: An infor-
mational document from the Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
Site: www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/
PUBS/725.html
GreenSpec: Detailed listings for more
than 1,500 green building products,
including environmental data,
manufacturer information, and links to
additional resources. (802) 257-7300
Site: www.greenspec.com,
Master Painters Institute’s Environ-
mental Issues Web Page
Site: www.paintinfo.com/green
Carpet and Rug Institute: “Green
Label Plus” Carpet Testing Program -
Approved Products Web Page
Site: http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_ SS WE EA MR EQ ID
down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=15&listid
=5 Credit 4
Ten Basic Concepts for Architects and
Other Building Designers: A primer
on IAQ basics from Environmental
Building News.
Site: www.buildinggreen.com/elists/
halpaper.html, (802) 257-7300
Zero VOC Paint Manufacturers: A
listing of paint manufacturers that offer
products with no or low VOC content,
provided by the South Coast Air Quality
Management District.
Site: http://www.aqmd.gov/business/
brochures/zerovoc.html
Guidelines for Volatile Organic
Compounds in Consumer Products.
Draft. Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, 1999. The National
Office of Pollution Prevention.
Environment Canada. Site provides
content limits for VOC and HVOC in
consumer products for use in Canada.
Site: http://www.ec.gc.ca/nopp/consult/
voc-cov/voc.htm
Certification Criteria, Environmental
Choice EcoLogo Program. The
Environmental Choice Program
presents an listing of products and
services that are third-party verified and
certified environmentally responsible.
(Note that not all EcoLogo criteria for
building products are as stringent as
standards referenced by this Credit.)
Site: http://www.environmentalchoice.
ca/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.DspDiv
ision&PageID=21&fkMainPage=0
Print Media
• ASTM D5116-97: Standard Guide for
Small-Scale Environmental Chamber
Determinations of Organic Emissions
from Indoor Materials/Products,
ASTM, 1997.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Indoor Air Quality Primer, by Dagmar
Schmidt Etkin, Cutter Information
Credit 4 Corp., 1993.
• “Paint the Room Green” in
Environmental Building News,
Volume 8, Number 2, February 1999.
Definitions
Formaldehyde: A naturally occurring
VOC, found in trace amounts in animals
and plants and commonly added (in
much larger quantities) in composite
building materials. Ureaformaldehyde
is carcinogenic and an irritant to
most people when present in high
concentrations—causing headaches,
dizziness, mental impairment, and other
symptoms. When present in the air at
levels above 0.1 ppm (parts per million
parts of air), it can cause watery eyes,
burning sensations in the eyes, nose,
and throat; nausea; coughing; chest
tightness; wheezing; skin rashes; and
asthmatic and allergic reactions.
Indoor Air Pollutants: all materials
that emit toxic contaminants that have
the potential to enter the indoor air
will be considered as indoor sources of
contaminants. Examples of materials
that have little or no potential for
communicating with the indoor air
are those siding and roofing materials
that are on the exterior side of the
waterproofing membrane.
Urea formaldehyde: A combination of
urea and formaldehyde that is used in
some glues which readily decomposes
at room temperature. Phenol
formaldehyde, which off-gasses only
at high temperature, is primarily used
in exterior products, although many of
those products are suitable for interior
applications.

Case Study
Mayo Replacement School
Mayo, Yukon Territory
Kobayashi + Zedda Architects, 2002
CBIP Designated & C2000 Compliant Green Building

The 3,300m2 wood frame school building serves a small,

isolated community of 500 residents and is located Photo credit: Kobayashi + Zedda Architects
400km north of Whitehorse. As the largest structure in
Mayo, the Replacement School serves many additional
roles including being used as a centre for community and
First Nations ceremonies, disaster relief and recreation.
All the major interior material finishes underwent a pre-
liminary screening process to identify acceptable prod-
ucts with low embodied energy and low VOCs. The final
choices included linoleum flooring, birch ply millwork,
paneling, trims, locally milled pine slat finishes and low
VOC latex paint.

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Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Carbon compounds that participate in
atmospheric photochemical reactions Credit 4
(excluding carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides
and carbonates, and ammonium carbonate).
The compounds vaporize (become a gas)
at normal room temperatures.

Case Study
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, 2001

The Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery was one of

the three Canadian 2002 Green Building Challenge proj-
ects. Natural, unfinished local materials have been used
throughout: wood, stone, concrete, stainless steel, sealed
metal doors instead of painted ones, cementboard exterior
cladding and rubble stone walls. The varied textures and
finishes enhance the agrarian aesthetic qualities sought in
the project. Approximately 95% of interior finishes are
low-VOC materials.

Photo credit: Amanda Mitchell

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
Credit 5 Intent
Minimize exposure of building occupants to potentially hazardous particulates,
1 Point biological contaminants and chemical pollutants that adversely impact air and water
quality.

Requirements
Design to minimize pollutant cross-contamination of regularly occupied areas:
• Employ permanent entryway systems (grills, grates, etc.) to capture dirt,
particulates, etc. from entering the building at all high volume entryways.
• Where hazardous gases or chemicals may be present or used (including garages,
housekeeping/laundry areas, and copying/printing rooms), provide segregated
areas with deck to deck partitions with separate outside exhaust at a rate of at least
9.2 cubic meters per hour per square meter (0.50 cubic feet per minute per square
foot), no air re-circulation, and operated at a negative pressure compared with the
surrounding spaces of at least an average of 5 Pa (0.02 inches of water gauge) and
with a minimum of 1 Pa (0.004 inches of water) when the door(s) to the room(s)
are closed.
• Provide containment drains plumbed for appropriate disposal of hazardous
liquid wastes in places where water and chemical concentrate mixing occurs for
maintenance or laboratory purposes.
• Replace all filtration media immediately prior to occupancy. Filtration media shall
have a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 13, as determined by
ASHRAE 52.2-1999 for media installed at the end of construction.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, declaring that:
• Permanent entryway systems (grilles, grates, etc.) to capture dirt, particulates,
etc. are provided at all high volume entryways.
• Chemical use areas and copy rooms have been physically separated with
deck-to-deck partitions and self-closing doors; and independent exhaust
ventilation has been installed that meets Credit requirements.
• In spaces where water and chemical concentrate mixing occurs, drains
are plumbed for environmentally appropriate disposal of liquid waste, as
determined by applicable regulations and standards.

Summary of Referenced Standard

ASHRAE Standard 52.2-1999 Table 1 summarizes the requirements.
Table 1: Requirements for MERV Value of 13

Composite Average Particle Minimum Final

Size Efficiency [%] Resistance
0.30-0.10 µm 1.0-3.0 µm 3.0-10.0 µm [Pa] [cm. of water]
< 75% ≥ 90% ≥ 90% 350 3.6

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Interpretations SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Acoustical lay-in ceilings are not able to contain or adequately isolate any
pollutants from leaking into other areas of the building, and may be problematic Credit 5
in maintaining a negative pressure differential as outlined in the Credit
requirements. If a ceiling is designed above space with uses that contribute air 1 Point
pollutants, a continuous hard (gypsum board) ceiling to the top of the walls is an
adequate alternative to the deck to deck separation requirement, as long as the
construction methods and details demonstrate that the assembly is adequate at
containing and isolating pollutants/chemicals.
• Non-occupied, conditioned spaces dedicated to specific industrial or agricultural
processes may be exempted from installation of MERV-13 filters, so long as they
are appropriately sealed and maintained at a lower pressure relative to adjacent
occupied spaces, to prevent their contamination. Submitted documentation
should clearly demonstrate that the rooms are unoccupied process areas and that
they are designed to prevent air leakage to adjacent occupied areas. However,
all areas within the building, regardless of occupancy, must follow the remaining
requirements of this Credit.
• Exhaust systems are not required to use MERV-13 filters, since they do not
recirculate air within the building.
• The definition of a convenience copier or printer, as opposed to high-volume
copy/print equipment requiring dedicated exhausts, is left to the discretion of the
design team, but they are generally the smaller printers and copiers shared by an
individual or a small work group for short print and copy jobs and located near
their workstations, rather than in a central location.
• Dedicated copy and print rooms that are exhausted in compliance with this Credit
should be segregated from other occupied spaces with automatically-closing
doors, to ensure they are held at a lower pressure and minimize movement of
air pollutants. Theoretically, this can be accomplished solely by maintaining
negative pressure. To satisfy the overall intent of this Credit using only this
strategy, documentation must be provided that indicates a pressure difference of
at least 7 PA (0.03 inches of water gauge) across any openings of these rooms
at all times (including peak usage times). In a room containing a large opening
with no door, exhausting more air from the room than is being supplied does not
necessarily produce sufficient negative pressure.
• Projects with attached garages must have independent exhaust systems dedicated
to the garages that maintain a negative pressure relative to occupied areas, to
ensure that contaminants are not transferred by infiltration or through open doors,
etc.
• Projects where entrances are placed within outdoor courtyards should include
permanent entryway systems at each suite entrance, to capture dirt and
contaminants picked up on passage through the courtyard.
• Typical resident laundry rooms in multi-unit residential buildings do not need
dedicated exhausts unless they are also intended to be used to store or mix
potentially hazardous chemicals, such as janitorial cleaners, or store mops,
brushes, etc.

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 Green Building Concerns for chemical spills that can impact
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
neighboring properties. An
Credit 5 Some common building activities have environmentally sound building also
a negative impact on indoor air quality. supports the well-being of occupants,
Occupants and visitors entering the which may contribute to lower health
Credit Synergies building may bring in contaminants on insurance rates and health care costs.
their shoes or clothing that can infiltrate
EA Prerequisite 1 the ventilation system. Other seemingly
Fundamental Building benign practices such as photocopying, Design Approach
Sustems Commissioning
faxing, and mixing housekeeping liquids Strategies
EA Prerequisite 2 can contribute significantly to airborne
Design all exterior entrances with
Minimum Energy contaminants, affecting the health and
Performance permanent entryway systems (e.g.,
productivity of building occupants. By
grills and grates) to catch and hold dirt
EA Credit 1 reducing the impacts of these activities,
particles and to prevent contamination
Optimize Energy superior indoor air quality can be
of the building interior. Design
Performance maintained.
exterior stone, brick, and concrete
EA Credit 3
surfaces to drain away from building
Best Practice Environmental Issues
Commissioning
entrances. The landscape design at
Additional materials and energy may be building entrances should utilize low
EA Credit 5 required to provide entryway systems maintenance vegetation. Species that
Measurement and and isolated chemical use areas. This can drop berries, flowers, and leaves should
Verification increase natural resource consumption be avoided in entrance areas so that
MR Prerequisite 1 as well as air and water pollution. organic matter does not migrate into
Storage & Collection of However, through proper management the building on occupants’ shoes. Plant
Recyclables of hazardous chemicals used for selection should also be based on an
MR Credit 1 building operations and maintenance, integrated pest management approach
Buidling Reuse chemical spills and accidents can be to eliminate pesticide applications that
avoided that would otherwise harm have the potential for tracking into
EQ Prerequisite 1
Minimum IAQ
wildlife and ecosystems. the building. Provide a water spigot
Performance and electrical outlet at entryways for
EQ Prerequisite 2
Economic Issues maintenance and cleaning activities.
Environmental Tobacco Additional sinks, drains, and separate
Physically isolate occupant activities
Smoke (ETS) Control exhausts for copying and housekeeping
associated with chemical use through
EQ Credit 1
areas can increase the project’s overall
proper building design. Isolation
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) initial cost. However, effective cleaning
includes adequate and secure storage
Monitoring spaces and systems coupled with
areas for housekeeping equipment and
good human health initiatives prove
EQ Credit 2 products. All of these areas should
Ventilation Effectiveness
economically sound over the lifetime
accommodate sinks and drains plumbed
of the building. Clean air can help
for appropriate disposal of liquid waste
support worker productivity, and this
and separate exhausts vented to the
translates into increased profitability for
outside that are operated under negative
the company. Reducing the potential for
pressure. To ensure that these features
spills can avoid costly environmental
remain effective over time, building
cleanups.
owners should institute operations and
maintenance training programs for
Community Issues chemical usage and storage.
Good housekeeping benefits the
community by reducing the potential During early blocking and stacking

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studies, design copy and printing rooms
with structural deck-to-deck partitions
and dedicated exhaust ventilation
systems. Locate high-volume printing
equipment (e.g., copiers, printers, and
fax machines) away from regularly
occupied areas and provide physical
isolation of this equipment. Provide
dedicated localized exhaust systems
and locate discharge points away from
HVAC system air intakes. Convenience
(small) copier and printer use should be
minimized where possible. Although
encouraged, designing exhaust systems
that address convenience copier and
printer use is not a required part of this
Credit.
Note that electronic air cleaners are
not testable by ASHRAE Standard
52.2-1999 and therefore not acceptable
for LEED compliance unless
rigorous research and test results are
submitted that demonstrate equivalent
performance.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Additional ventilation systems to
mitigate contaminating building
activities may affect building
energy performance, and require
commissioning and measurement and
verification attention. Ventilation
system design will also be affected. If
an existing building is being reused,
the building layout may prohibit
deck-to-deck separation and separate
ventilation systems for chemical use
areas. Recyclable storage areas may be
considered to be contaminant sources,
depending on the items recycled.
Janitorial supplies may impact indoor
air quality if not wisely chosen.
Resources SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Web Sites Credit 5
Janitorial Products Pollution
Prevention Project: A governmental
and nonprofit project that researches
issues and provides fact sheets, tools,
and links.
Site: http://www.wrppn.org/Janitorial/
jp4.cfm
EPA Environmentally Preferable
Product Information: This list
of tools includes links to cleaning
product information and a database of
environmental information on over 600
products, including janitorial and pest
control products.
Site: www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/tools/
toolsuite.htm
Indoor Air Quality. Health Canada.
This site provides a wide variety of air
quality documents, including ambient
air quality objectives for pollutants
related to human activity, building
materials and furnishings, and a
Technical Guide on indoor air quality in
office buildings:.
Site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/
air_quality/generalpubs.htm
CBD-110. Ventilation and Air
Quality. Canadian Building Digest.
Institute for Research in Construction.
National Research Council Canada.
This document provides basic principles
of ventilation to maintain an acceptable
level of air quality.
Site: http://www.nrc.ca/irc/cbd/
cbd110e.html
Using Ventilation to Control
Contaminant Build-up in Office
Buildings. Construction Innovation,
Vol. 3, Number 3, Spring 1998. Institute
for Research in Construction. National
Research Council Canada. This
document provides the principles for
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
the use of ventilation to flush out VOC
emissions from building materials,
Credit 5 furnishings and equipment in office
buildings.
Site: http://www.nrc.ca/irc/newsletter/
v3no3/ventilation_e.html

Maintaining Acceptable Air Quality in

Office Buildings through Ventilation.
Construction Technology Updates.
Institute for Research in Construction.
National Research Council Canada.
This document describes the role of a
flushing cycle to expel contaminants
especially off-gassed chemicals.
Site: http://www.nrc.ca/irc/ctus/3.html

Study of Workstation Emissions Offers

Insight into IndoorAir Quality.. Indoor
environment. Construction Innovation.
Vol. 2, Number 3, Winter 1997.
Institute for Research in Construction.
National Research Council Canada.
This document describes a study of
workstation emissions that is crucial to
efforts of improving indoor air quality.
Site: http://www.nrc.ca/irc/newsletter/
v2no3/workstation_emissions_e.html

Print Media
• Clean and Green: The Complete Guide
to Non-Toxic and Environmentally
Safe Housekeeping by Annie
Berthold-Bond, Ceres Press, 1994.

Regional Variations
The requirements of this Credit are
universally applicable across Canada.

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Controllability of Systems: Perimeter Spaces SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent
Credit 6.1
Provide a high level of thermal, ventilation and lighting system control by
individual occupants or specific groups in multi-occupant spaces (i.e. classrooms or
1 Point
conference areas) to promote the productivity, comfort and well-being of building
occupants.

Requirements
Provide at least an average of one operable window and one lighting control zone
per 18.5m2 (200 ft2) for all regularly occupied areas within 5 metres (15 feet) of
the perimeter wall.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, demonstrating and declaring that for regularly occupied perimeter
areas of the building, a minimum of one operable window and one lighting
control zone are provided per 18.5m2 (200 ft2) on average.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Controllability of Systems: Non-Perimeter Spaces
Credit 6.2 Intent
Provide a high level of thermal, ventilation and lighting system control by
1 Point individual occupants or specific groups in multi-occupant spaces (i.e. classrooms or
conference areas) to promote the productivity, comfort and well-being of building
occupants.

Requirements
Provide controls for each individual for airflow, temperature and lighting for at
least 50% of the occupants in non-perimeter, regularly occupied areas.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the architect or responsible
party, demonstrating and declaring that controls for individual airflow,
temperature and lighting are provided for at least 50% of the occupants in
non-perimeter, regularly occupied areas.

Summary of Referenced Standard

There is no standard referenced for this Credit.

Interpretations
• Circulation zones within open room arrangements should be considered as regularly
occupied spaces. In buildings designed with open floor plans, divide open areas into
two sub-areas of perimeter and non-perimeter. The actual floor areas of perimeter
within 4.5m, (~15 ft.) and non-perimeter areas should be used in the calculations and
not as one individual room.
• Regularly Occupied Spaces are areas and spaces where occupants would be expected
to be found in the course of their regular use, typically occupied for extended periods
in the course of regular use, e.g., work spaces, meeting areas, and cafeterias.
• Non-regularly occupied spaces include hallways, lobbies, support areas for copying,
mechanical equipment, laundry, and storage rooms, and restrooms.
• Residential multi-family projects can earn the EQc6.1 point by using operable win-
dows. Hard-wired lighting controls in residences are individually controlled and
would also meet this Credit’s intent.
• In general, the lighting controls required by this Credit are required for all hard-wired
lighting, including hardwired task controls, but not plug-in task lighting, unless it is
provided as part of the building design and construction contract..
• Rooms with baseboard heaters controlled by individual thermostats should ensure
that the thermostats will provide good control; Integral thermostats installed on many
inexpensive baseboard heaters are often inaccurate, lack space temperature indica-
tion, and thus provide poor occupant control or feedback—which would not meet the
intent of this Credit. The project’s LEED application should additionally document
appropriate location of remote thermostats; and include manufacturer’s submissions
that document the precision of temperature control, and how measured space tem-
perature is indicated to the occupants.

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Green Building Concerns
Conventional buildings are sometimes
designed as sealed environments with
no occupant control over temperature
and ventilation and virtually no physical
connection to the building grounds
and neighboring areas. By providing
individual controls such as thermostats,
vents, operable windows and shading
devices, occupants can customize
the indoor environment to their own
preferences.
Environmental Issues
Individual control of building systems
can increase occupant comfort and save
energy by eliminating unwanted or
unnecessary space conditioning.
Economic Issues
The most frequent occupant complaint
involves thermal discomfort. Greater
thermal comfort may increase occupant
performance and attendance and, at
least, will reduce complaints. Since
workers are by far the largest expense
for most companies (according to the
Rocky Mountain Institute’s Green
Developments in Real Estate, office
worker salaries are estimated to be 72
times higher than energy costs, and
account for 92% of the life-cycle cost of
a building), this issue has a tremendous
effect on overall costs. Case studies
have shown productivity increases from
1% to 16%, and 7% to 11% reductions
in lost time, (Heerwagen, 2000; Berry,
2002) saving companies millions of
dollars per year.
Additional thermostats, operable
windows and lighting controls can
increase first costs for the building.
However, these costs are generally
offset by energy savings through
lower conditioned temperatures,
natural ventilation and less solar gain
through proper use of shading devices. SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Conversely, abuse of personal controls
such as setting thermostats too high Credit 6
or leaving windows open during
nonworking hours increases energy
costs. Therefore, it is important to Credit Synergies
educate occupants on the design and
function of system controls. EA Prerequisite 1
Fundamental Building
Sustems Commissioning
Community Issues
EA Prerequisite 2
Building occupants with more control Minimum Energy
over their environment tend to be more Performance
productive and healthier. This may lead EA Credit 1
to stabilized health insurance rates and Optimize Energy
decreased health care costs. Performance
EA Credit 3
Design Approach Best Practice
Commissioning
Strategies EA Credit 5
The Credit encourages the design to Measurement and
begin with the occupants in mind. Verification
Space planning, lighting schemes and MR Credit 1
HVAC design must be well integrated Buidling Reuse
early in the design.
MR Credit 8
Operable windows are perhaps the single Durable Building
most desired feature building occupants EQ Prerequisite 2
request in the programming phase Environmental Tobacco
of a project. The design team should Smoke (ETS) Control
be cautioned that the inclusion of this EQ Credit 1
feature raises a host of issues that need Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
to be resolved early in the project design Monitoring
stages. The first decision regarding the EQ Credit 2
window design is whether the opening Ventilation Effectiveness
provides a vision function, a daylighting
EQ Credit 7
function, or both. This decision will help
Thermal Comfort
determine the preferred size, orientation
and aspect ratio of the windows. Next, EQ Credit 8
Daylight & Views
the ventilation function of the operable
sash should be determined.
The ventilation characteristics of
a window that provides a modest
connection to the outdoors are different
from a window that can provide a
portion of the cooling requirements
for the interior space. Once all of these
parameters are established, the design
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
of the operable portion of the window
can be incorporated into the total
Credit 6 fenestration design.
In modern buildings, good engineering
practice leads to a positive ventilation
scheme for all regularly occupied
spaces. Mechanical HVAC systems
are often equipped with sensors and
controls that turn off or turn down
mechanical equipment to accommodate
natural ventilation strategies.
• A simple control interface might
include a light indicating when the
HVAC is operating and when closed
windows would provide the greatest
comfortand greatest energy savings.
• An intermediate system might only
allow economizer operation when
windows are closed.
• A more complex scheme would sense
if there were too many windows
open, signal the building energy
management system to close the
windows with actuators and signal
occupants to close windows, and then
start the HVAC system.
The lighting controls required in
the perimeter zone go beyond those
required by the ASHRAE 90.1–1999
requirements in terms of lighting zone
size, but simple on-off light switches will
satisfy the Credit’s control requirement.
However, more sophisticated occupancy
and dimming controls typically result
in increased productivity and energy
conservation.
Individual temperature and ventilation
controls may increase first costs when
implemented in the core of a building
plan, particularly for mechanically-
ventilated or mixed-mode systems. It is
difficult for traditional overhead supply
VAV systems to economically provide
the level of individual control required
by this Credit, with the cost of individual
Canada Green Building Council
400
VAV boxes and extra ductwork. VAV
systems for non-perimeter areas can
use a 1:1:2 terminal box to controller
to occupant ratio to capture this Credit.
Underfloor air distribution systems
using individually-controllable floor
registers may be a more economical
solution.
There are a number of new systems
that combine an underfloor air system
with individual controls at the desktop,
or small, individually-adjustable
floor diffusers. Desktop “Personal
Environmental Control” (PEC)
systems transfer a large portion of the
HVAC system control from the capital
improvement budget to the furnishing
budget. This can create challenges
or opportunities, depending on the
financial structure of the project.
Individual lighting control in core
locations of a floor plan is a relatively
straightforward installation. Further
control is then provided at the individual
level with task lighting. For example,
furniture systems can include built-in
task lighting. For finer control, larger
ambient lighting zones can be sub-
switched or controlled by occupancy
sensors to provide smaller lighting
zones.
Educate occupants on individual control
of their office space environment;
signage may be effective to remind
occupants of their responsibilities (e.g.,
turning down the thermostat at night
and closing windows). A DDC system
can be implemented to maintain proper
system performance monitoring and
operation.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Conventional HVAC systems have
a cost structure that drives building
design towards larger ventilation zones
with fewer controls. To successfully
integrate controllability of systems into
building design, the economic benefits of
user satisfaction and productivity should
be assessed as well as first costs.
Design of ventilation and lighting
schemes will affect the energy
performance of the building, and
may require commissioning and
measurement and verification attention.
Controllability of systems may be
difficult for occupants in existing
buildings being rehabilitated, especially
with regard to operable windows,
depending on the particular building
design; many older buildings were
intentionally well-designed for natural
ventilation. The degree of occupant
control will affect the performance
of the ventilation system; daylighting
and view strategies are affected by the
window design.
Calculations
The following calculation methodology
is used to support the Credit submittals
listed on the first pages of this Credit.
The methodology is separated into
perimeter calculations and non-
perimeter calculations for regularly
occupied spaces. Multi-occupant group
spaces, such as conference rooms and
classrooms, should be accounted for
separately in the calculations, following
the special requirements for these
spaces.
Identifying Perimeter & Non Perimeter
Areas
1. On a plan drawing of the building,
draw an offset line 4.5m from the
outer wall of the building. This
4.5m boundary represents the typical
ASHRAE 90.1 method of calculating
thermal loads in perimeter zones; it
is used in this Credit to distinguish
between the type of controls in
perimeter and non-perimeter spaces.
2. Perimeter areas of the building SS WE EA MR EQ ID
include all regularly occupied areas
that are 4.5m or less from a perimeter Credit 6
wall and share a physical connection
with the exterior of the building.
3. Non-perimeter areas of the building
are all regularly occupied areas
that are greater than 4.5m from a
perimeter wall.
4. For rooms that are intersected by the
4.5m line (offset from the perimeter
wall) and share a physical connection
with the building exterior, the area of
the entire room should be included
as perimeter if 75% or more of the
room is contained within the 4.5m
offset line. If less than 75% of the
room is contained within the 4.5m
offset line—e.g., in Figure 1, Room
1—then only the area within the 4.5m
boundary is considered perimeter
space (area 1A), and the remaining
area is factored into the non-perimeter
space calculation (area 1B).
5. For group multi-occupant spaces,
perimeter calculations are used if
75% or more of the floor area falls
within the 4.5m offset line and the
space shares a physical connection
with the building exterior. Non-
perimeter calculations are used if
less than 75% of the floor area falls
within the 4.5m offset line OR if the
space is not connected to the building
exterior. In an instance where less
than 75% of the floor area falls
within the 4.5m offset line but the
space shares a physical connection
to the building exterior, the space
must meet the requirements outlined
in non-perimeter calculations in
addition to providing an average of
one operable window per 18.5m2 of
perimeter floor area.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Perimeter Space Calculations for Credit
6.1
Credit 6 Occupant controls to consider in
perimeter areas include operable
windows and lighting.
1. Using the method described above,
identify all perimeter areas for the
building.
2. Identify the number of operable
windows and lighting controls in
each perimeter room. Task lighting
is applicable only if hardwired.
For group multi-occupant spaces,
meet the requirements for operable
windows according to Perimeter
Space Calculations and meet the
requirements for lighting controls
according to Group Multi-Occupant
Space Calculations.
3. The Credit requires one operable
window and one lighting control
on average for every 18.5m2 of
perimeter floor area.
Table 1 provides an example of the
LEED Letter Template’s perimeter cal-
culations for the partial office building
floor plan presented in Figure 1. The
table includes all perimeter rooms that
are regularly occupied.
Non-Perimeter Space Calculations for
Credit 6.2
Occupant controls to consider in non-
perimeter areas include airflow, tem-

Figure 1: A Sample Floor Plan Indicating Perimeter and Non-Perimeter Spaces

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Table 1: Sample Calculations for Space 1A and Rooms 2, 4, and 5
Perimeter Spaces
(where 75% or more of a room is within the 4.5 m offset line)
Perimeter Area Operable Windows
2]
[m [Qty]
120 10
perature and lighting.
1. Using the method described above,
determine the total non-perimeter
floor area of all regularly occupied
spaces.
2. Determine the total number of non-
perimeter occupants based on each
space’s usage type by referencing
the occupancy densities in ASHRAE
62–2001, Table 2. Exceptions to
standard occupancy loads (e.g.,
executive suites and office space used
partially for special purposes) must
be justified in a narrative attached to
the LEED Letter Template.
3. Identify the total numbers of airflow,
temperature and lighting controls for
this non-perimeter area. Task lighting
is applicable only if hardwired.
4. The Credit requires that the number
of airflow, temperature, and lighting
controls provided must each
represent 50% or more of the non-
perimeter occupants in aggregate.
These controls must be provided in
areas where corresponding occupants
regularly work. Controls in corridors
Table 2: Sample Calculations for Space 1B and Room 8
Non-Perimeter Spaces
(where less than 75% of a room is within the 4.5 m offset line)
Non-Perimeter
Area Occupants
[m2] [Qty]
95 3 3
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Credit 6
Lighting Controls
Pass? [Qty] Pass?
Yes 8 Yes
and other non-work areas are not
included in the calculations.
It is acceptable for thermal and
ventilation control to be provided
by a single device. For example, an
individual could have control of an
underfloor air diffuser that adjusts
the airflow and also the temperature
of his or her personal space.
5. For group multi-occupant spaces,
meet the requirements for airflow,
temperature and lighting controls
according to the Group Multi-
Occupant Space Calculations outlined
below.
Table 2 provides an example of the
LEED Letter Template’s non-perimeter
calculations for the partial office build-
ing floor plan presented in Figure 1.
Room 9 and the corridor are not
regularly occupied and are therefore
excluded from the calculation.
GroupMulti-OccupantSpaceCalculations
for Credits 6.1 and 6.2
For group multi-occupant spaces, meet
the requirements for operable windows
according to the Perimeter Space
Airflow Temperature Lighting
Controls Controls Controls
Pass? [Qty] Pass? [Qty] Pass?
Yes 3 Yes 6 Yes
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Calculations. Each perimeter and non-
perimeter group multi-occupant space
Credit 6 must meet the following lighting control
requirements.
Each non-perimeter group multi-oc-
cupant space must also satisfy the fol-
lowing airflow and temperature control
requirements.
1. For each space less than or equal to
930m2 (10,000 ft2) in floor area, pro-
vide at least three separate lighting
controls, one airflow control and one
temperature control each for every
230m2 (2,500 ft2).
2. For each space greater than 930m2
in floor area, provide at least three
separate lighting controls, one airflow
control and one temperature control
each for every 930m2.
The following lighting controls can
each be counted as two separate
controls: occupancy sensor, daylighting
control, dimming control and manual
on/automatic off switch. Other lighting
controls, such as an on/off switch, are
each counted as one separate control. For
example, for a room with one occupancy
sensor, one daylighting control and one
on/off switch, “5” would be entered
in the lighting control’s column of the
LEED Letter Template.
Airflow and temperature controls
must be devices that allow occupants
to actively control the space’s thermal
Table 3: Sample Calculations for Room 3
Group Multi-Occupant Perimeter Rooms
(where 75% or more of a room is within the 4.5 m offset line)
Number Total
of Rooms Area
[Qty] [m2]
1 46.5
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404
conditions. Control devices must be
easily adjustable (i.e., less than six feet
above the floor) and readily accessible
(i.e., not locked in an enclosure) by the
occupants.
Tables 3 and 4 provide examples of the
LEED Letter Template’s perimeter and
non-perimeter calculations for group
multi-occupant spaces in the partial
office building floor plan presented in
Figure 1. The spreadsheet in Table 3
is used for rooms that share a physical
connection with the building exterior
and 75% or more of the room is within
the 4.5m offset line. These rooms are
treated as 100% perimeter space.
The spreadsheet in Table 4 is used for
group multi-occupant rooms where
less than 75% of the space is within the
4.5m offset line—such as 100% non-
perimeter rooms and rooms that contain
both perimeter and non-perimeter
space.
The example in Table 4 indicates
that three rooms, each less than
250m2, account for a total of 123m2
perimeter area and 132m2 of non-
perimeter area. Based on the perimeter
area, seven operable windows are
required (123/18.5= 6.65, rounded
up). Ten operable windows are
provided, thus meeting this particular
Credit requirement for rooms 6 and 7.
According to the Group Multi-Occupant
Space Calculations, rooms that are less
Operable Lighting
Windows Controls
[Qty] Pass? [Qty] Pass?
4 Yes 3 Yes
than 230m2 must each have one airflow
control, one temperature control and
three separate lighting controls. The
example shows that these requirements
are met for all three rooms.
Resources
design, indoor air quality and thermal SS WE EA MR EQ ID
comfort, lighting and acoustics. Studies
include field and literature reviews, Credit 6
mock-up office experiments, and
simulations to investigate the many
elements of the open-plan office. (Some
reports are not yet available.)

Web Sites Reports include:

Center for the Built Environment:
This University of California, Berkeley
research center provides information on
underfloor air distribution technologies
and other topics. See the publications
page for articles such as “A Field Study of
PEM (Personal Environmental Module)
Performance in Bank of America’s San
Francisco Office Buildings.”
Site: www.cbe.berkeley.edu
• Environmental Satisfaction in Open-
Plan Environments: 2. Effects of
Workstation Size, Partition Height
and Windows
• Office Air Distribution Systems and
Environmental Satisfaction
• ALiterature Review on the Relationship
between Outdoor Ventilation Rates in
Offices and Occupant Satisfaction

Cost-Effective Open-Plan • Investigation of Air and Thermal

Environment (COPE) Research
Reports: Institute for Research in
Construction, National Research
Council and COPE Consortium. In-
depth studies of open-plan office design
variables and their effect on occupant
satisfaction, including workstation
Environments in a Mock-up Open
Plan Office: Measurements and CFD
Simulations
• The Effect of Office Design on
Workstation Lighting: Simulation
Results

Table 4: Sample Calculations for Room 6, 7 and 10

Group Multi-Occupant Perimeter and Non-Perimeter Spaces

(where less than 75% of a room is within the 4.5 m offset line)
Room Non-
Size Per. Per. Operable Airflow Temperature Lighting
Range # Area Area Windows Controls Controls Controls
[m2] [Qty] [m2] [m2] [Qty] Pass? [Qty] Pass? [Qty] Pass? [Qty] Pass?
<250 3 123 132 10 Yes 3 Yes 3 Yes 9 Yes
>=250
and
<500
>=500
and
<750
>=750
and
<=1000
>1000

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID • Effects of Office Design on the Annual
Daylight Availability
Credit 6 Site: irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/cope/02-4-
Reports.html#IAQ
Environmental Design + EQc6.2.
Construction: “Do Green Buildings
Enhance the Well Being of Workers?
Yes,” an article by Judith Heerwagen
in the July/August 2000 edition,
quantifies the effects of green building
environments on productivity.
Site: www.edcmag.com (see archives)
The Contribution of Restoration and
Effective Operation and Maintenance
Programs on Indoor Environmental
Quality and Educational Performance
in Schools, Berry, MA, Proceedings of
Indoor Air 2002.
Site: http://www.chps.net/info/iaq_
papers/PaperII.3.pdf
Daylighting in Schools: An Invest-
igation into the Relationship Between
Daylighting and Human Performance
- Detailed Report, Heschong Mahone
Group, 1999
Site: http://www.mcps.k12.
md.us/departments/facilities/
greenschoolsfocus/DaylightingShort.
pdf
Individual Multi-Occupant Space:
Typically an open office plan. These
spaces normally contain standard
workstations where each individual
must have comfort controls to earn
Non-Occupied Spaces: These include
all rooms used by maintenance personnel
and not open for use by most occupants.
Included are janitorial, storage and
equipment rooms, and closets.
Non-Regularly Occupied Spaces:
Spaces with limited occupancy for
brief and irregular periods of time, such
as corridors, hallways, lobbies, break
rooms, copy rooms, storage rooms,
kitchens, restrooms, stairwells, etc.
Regularly Occupied Spaces: Areas
and spaces where occupants would be
expected to be found in the course of
their regular use, typically occupied
for extended periods in the course of
regular use.
Regional Variations
The requirements of this sub-Credit are
universally applicable across Canada.

Print Media
• Boed, Viktor, Controls and Automation
for Facilities Managers: Applications
Engineering , CRC Press, 1998.

Definitions
Group Multi-Occupant Spaces:
Conference rooms, classrooms and
other indoor spaces used as a place of
congregation for presentations, trainings,
etc. Individuals using these spaces share
the lighting and temperature controls.

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 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 6

Case Study
Revenue Canada Taxation Data Centre
Surrey, British Columbia
Busby and Associates Architects, 1999

The H-shaped Revenue Canada Building is a five-story

office complex located in Surrey, BC. Air quality, light-
ing, and ventilation were all thoughtfully designed to Photo credit: Busby and Associates Architects
ensure a maximum level of occupancy control and com-
fort. The shallow 8.4m floor plan and 3m ceilings enable
extensive daylight penetration and cross-ventilation. This
results in 90% of employees having access to operable
windows, daylight, and exterior views. Daylighting is
supplemented by an overhead, indirect lighting system
controlled by photo-sensors. In conjunction with natural
ventilation, an underfloor air system provides displace-
ment ventilation, which eliminates overhead drafts and
hot/cold spots. Careful consideration was given to the lo-
cation of operable windows, outdoor air intakes, and air
and gas exhausts to maintain indoor air quality. All intake
and recirculated air is filtered and all major air-handling
systems are flushed for one hour prior to occupancy. CO2
sensors increase outdoor air settings when required and
each workstation is supplied with air diffusers, which al-
lows occupants to have personal control over airflow.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Thermal Comfort: Compliance with ASHRAE 55-2004
Credit 7.1 Intent
Provide a thermally comfortable environment that supports the productivity and
1 Point well-being of building occupants.

Requirements
Comply with ASHRAE Standard 55-2004, Thermal Comfort Conditions for
Human Occupancy.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the engineer or responsible
party, declaring that the project complies with ASHRAE Standard 55-2004.
Include documentation of compliance per the standard as described in Section
6.1.1-Documentation, including calculations of operative temperature for
radiantly conditioned spaces.

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Thermal Comfort: Monitoring SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent Credit 7.2

Provide a thermally comfortable environment that supports the productivity and
well-being of building occupants. 1 Point
in addition to
Requirements EQ 7.1
Provide a permanent monitoring system to ensure building performance to the
desired comfort criteria as determined by EQ Credit 7.1, Thermal Comfort -
Compliance.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template, signed by the engineer or responsible
party, that identifies the comfort criteria, strategy for ensuring performance
to the comfort criteria, description of the permanent monitoring system
implemented, and process for corrective action as may be appropriate.

Confirm that temperature, airflow and humidity controls (if applicable) were
(or will be) tested as part of the scope of work for Energy and Atmosphere
Prerequisite 1, Fundamental Building Systems Commissioning. Include
the document name and section number where the commissioning work is
listed.

Where humidity control equipment is not provided, provide the LEED
Letter Template, signed by the engineer or responsible party, declaring
that humidification / dehumidification equipment is neither required nor
installed.
If an audit is requested during the certification process:

Submit psychrometric analyses for indoor conditions under peak and typical
operating conditions should demonstrate that humidity control is unnecessary
for the desired comfort conditions.

Summary of Referenced Standards

ASHRAE 55–2004: Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
ASHRAE, www.ashrae.org, (800) 527-4723
This standard is a significant change to ASHRAE’s previous 1992 version, which
identified a range of design values for temperature, humidity and air movement that
provide satisfactory thermal comfort for a minimum of 80% of building occupants.
The new standard now refers to a “Predicted Mean Vote / Predicted Percentage
Dissatisfied” (PMV/PPD) criterion based on “operative temperature”, the mean
of air and mean radiant temperatures (for most occupancies). The Standard now
provides guidance for indoor thermal comfort conditions and design on the effects
of radiant temperatures, elevated air speed and drafts, radiant asymmetry, vertical
air temperature differences, floor surface temperatures and time variation of air
temperatures.

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 Table 1: Operative Temperature
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Temperature Optimum
Credit 7.2 Room Range Temperature
[°C] [°C]
1 Point Winter 20 - 23 21
in addition to Summer 22 - 26 24
EQ 7.1
The previous 1992 Standard was focused largely in mechanical HVAC systems
using air as the distribution medium; and its Table 1 identified a range of design
values for temperature, humidity and air movement that provide satisfactory thermal
comfort for a minimum of 80% of building occupants, for people performing light,
primarily sedentary activities, at 50% relative humidity and a mean air speed of
0.15m/s (30 fpm).
The new Standard provides helpful guidance for radiant space temperature and
natural ventilation designs, recognizing the wider range of factors affecting comfort,
including the effects of adaptive behavior and personal control. It also removes the
previous Standard’s minimum humidity comfort requirements, which have been
found to be unnecessary in some temperate climates, such as those found in coastal
regions for much of the year.

Interpretations
• While this Sub-Credit requires installation of humidity monitoring that provides
feedback to occupants and building operators, and allows adjustments to HVAC
systems to maintain comfort criteria, installation of active humidification or
dehumidification equipment is not, if
a) the building HVAC systems can provide comfort without them, using automatic
or manual controls, and
b) a narrative and psychrometric analyses or a building energy modelling report
that demonstrate that acceptable comfort conditions are provided for 98% of
occupied periods throughout the year, with the climate and operating conditions
experienced by the building, are submitted with the certification application.
• Humidity monitoring equipment should be installed serving areas of the building
with the largest number of occupants that experience the greatest potential
humidity fluctuations and demand for occupant comfort.
• In residential occupancies, humidity monitoring equipment should be installed in
each individual dwelling unit.

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Green Building Concerns consequently reduced fuel consumption SS WE EA MR EQ ID
while providing greater thermal
A green building provides the desired comfort. Designers generally select Credit 7
indoor climate while reducing the one set of thermal conditioning criteria
amount of energy required to maintain for the entire year. ASHRAE 55–2004
indoor comfort conditions. The building recommends that designers adjust Credit Synergies
envelope must be designed to manage thermal conditions to address seasonal
the flow of air, moisture and heat. clothing levels of occupants. This SS Credit 7
Heat Island Effect
Temperature and humidity are not strategy typically reduces energy used
the only important parameters in for summer cooling and winter heating. WE Credit 1
Water Efficient
maintaining optimal environmental The most frequent occupant complaint Landscaping
conditions for occupant comfort, but involves lack of thermal comfort. EA Prerequisite 1
have traditionally been the primary (often Greater thermal comfort may increase Fundamental Building
only) considerations in mainstream occupant performance and attendance Sustems Commissioning
mechanical system and building design. and, at least, will reduce complaints.
Optimal comfort ranges also depend EA Prerequisite 2
Since workers are by far the largest Minimum Energy
on occupant activity levels, clothing, expense for most companies (according Performance
air speed and particularly radiant to the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Green
temperatures of surrounding surfaces. EA Credit 1
Developments in Real Estate, office
Optimize Energy
worker salaries are estimated to be 72 Performance
Environmental Issues times higher than energy costs, and they
account for 92% of the life-cycle cost of EA Credit 3
Mechanical HVAC systems use fuel Best Practice
and electricity to provide an indoor a building), this issue has a tremendous
Commissioning
climate more comfortable than the effect on overall costs. Case studies
have shown productivity increases from EA Credit 5
outdoors, and in doing so contributes to
1% to 16%, saving companies millions Measurement and
the environmental impacts of producing Verification
and distributing these resources. In of dollars per year.
MR Credit 1
fragile climates, such as those with
Buidling Reuse
permafrost, conditioning buildings Community Issues
may damage the local environment. Optimal building operation creates a MR Credit 8
Conversely, comfortable and healthy Durable Building
positive spaces for building occupants,
indoor environments have been found resulting in higher satisfaction, EQ Prerequisite 1
to increase occupant satisfaction, productivity and lower absenteeism and Minimum IAQ
productivity and reduce illnesses and illness. Performance
absenteeism. EQ Credit 1
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Economic Issues
Design Approach Monitoring

Providing the thermal conditions set Strategies EQ Credit 2

forth in ASHRAE 55–2004 may increase
or decrease the cost of designing,
constructing and operating the building.
Designing the envelope, building form
and mechanical systems in an iterative
process that includes occupant needs,
desires and activities can result in
lower loads, smaller conditioning
and distribution equipment, and
Ventilation Effectiveness
The environmental parameters that
combined create human thermal comfort EQ Credit 6
include air temperature, air velocity, Controllability of Systems
humidity, clothing, activity and the
radiant temperature of surrounding
materials. The referenced standard
provides ranges of expected values
for these various parameters that in
combination provide a comfortable

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
environment. To narrow the parameters
for a particular building design, it is
Credit 7 necessary to make a realistic assessment
of the clothing and activity level of
occupants. If these parameters can be
fixed, or at least limited to a narrow
range, the remaining parameters can be
manipulated to create design comfort
levels.
To provide thermal comfort while
avoiding increased energy use, the
building envelope must first be designed
so that:
• it is airtight enough to prevent the
comfort, condensation and excessive
energy use problems caused by
unplanned and undesired airflows.
Return air and supply plenums must
be particularly well detailed;
• it uses shading, insulation and thermal
mass to manage interior surface
temperatures of walls, ceilings, floors
and windows;
• it manages the flow of water vapor by
combining the thermal conductivity,
vapor resistance and vapor storage
capacity properties of materials
well enough to prevent uncontrolled
humidification of interior spaces and
condensation within the building
shell.
In a mechanically-conditioned building,
equipment must be able to efficiently
heat, cool, humidify and dehumidify
the spaces in a building as necessary.
Using envelope design to reduce loads
is an important design strategy that
not only conserves energy, but also
improves the surface temperatures
of the inner envelope surfaces and is
resource-efficient in that it reduces the
amount of material that is needed for the
equipment and distribution systems.
An important consideration in envelope
design is internal heat and moisture
Canada Green Building Council
412
gains. For example, as the insulating
value of the envelope increases and air
leakage decreases, internal heat gains
from lights, plug loads, and occupants
begin to increase cooling loads.
If the gains are not well understood and
accounted for, thermal comfort may be
difficult to maintain, especially in interior
rooms and perimeter rooms without
operable windows. For example, if the
cooling system for a conference room is
designed for a maximum of 20 people
seated at a table, and yet the occupants
add an outer circle of 25 more chairs, the
room will overheat and likely become
too humid.
Use of dehumidification and
humidification must be considered
carefully, informed by psychrometric
analysis under extreme as well as
typical operating conditions. While
the new Standard removes its previous
minimum humidity requirement, in
many areas it is crucial to minimize
accidental outdoor airflows in buildings
and to dehumidify indoor air when
the temperature is maintained below
the outdoor air dewpoint to avoid
condensation problems. To address this
problem, mechanical systems must be
designed to deal with part-load cooling
conditions in ways that maintain
dehumidification. Dehumidification
can be enhanced using split-face staged
cooling coils and desiccant systems—
with or without energy and latent
recovery.
As outdoor air temperature drops below
the indoor setpoints, the ventilating
air begins to dehumidify and cool a
building. At times, this is a particularly
energy-efficient way to provide thermal
comfort. Without proper controls, air-
side economizers become the source
of comfort problems by bringing in too
much humidity. With low outdoor air
temperatures, the ventilating air may
dehumidify the building to the point
of discomfort for occupants in some
climates, especially for those with dry
skin problems like eczema, and or those
acclimated to higher humidity levels.
People from humid climates have a great
deal of trouble in dry climates until they
physically acclimate to a new moisture
regime, while natives experience few
such problems.
Active humidification systems used
to maintain humidity levels per
ASHRAE Standard 55 can contribute
to condensation problems in buildings.
The problems may occur in the
building envelope or in the mixing and
distribution system. Psychrometric
analysis should be used to provide a
basis for decisions to active humidity
control in a building.
Natural ventilation offers the opportunity
to provide comfort and occupant control,
with greatly reduced cooling and
ventilation energy for many climates and
building programs; but requires careful
analysis and design - and an early start.
Complex combinations of envelope and
mechanical system strategies can be
now be evaluated by a new generation of
computer simulation tools. Inter-zonal
network airflow modeling tools such as
TAS, Energy Plus, ESP-r and LoopDA
provide performance information
for all hours of a typical year; a wide
variety of computational fluid dynamics
software can provide a “snapshot” for
a particular set of conditions. Natural
ventilation design, to be effective, must
begin very early in the process, typically
with discussions with building owners
and occupants on expected comfort
conditions.
The new Standard allows greater
latitude in defining thermally
acceptable conditions for naturally
ventilated buildings. For conditions to
not just be acceptable, but preferable,
the occupant must have control over SS WE EA MR EQ ID
them—by adjusting the extent of
cool breezes, warm air and, in some Credit 7
climates, humidity level. Accordingly,
an operable window is a design feature
that helps provide this control.
For best performance, naturally-
ventilated building forms are
intentionally designed to take best
advantage of local wind, sun and
temperatures Natural ventilation
designs often feature:
• operable windows, usually
controllable by occupants
• narrow floor plates for effective cross-
or single-sided ventilation
• highly articulated plans that expose
interior zones to two or more
exposures and wind pressure regimes
• atria or wind tower designed to draw
from or introduce air into the building,
regardless of wind direction;
• trickle ventilators to provide minimum
ventilation under extreme hot or cold
conditions.
• building controls that ensure
comfortable airflow under all or most
climatic conditions.
These are critical aspects of the building
form and envelope, and have typically
been the focus of architects alone,
with minor input from mechanical
consultants. However, natural
ventilation designs require close, early
and frequent collaboration between
architects, modelers and mechanical
engineers for satisfactory results.
In many cases, natural ventilation is
unlikely to provide comfort and energy
savings under peak operating conditions,
but can do so for significant portions of
a typical year. “Mixed-mode” designs,
combining natural ventilation and
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
mechanical systems are often used in
these cases, to provide occupant control
Credit 7 and energy savings benefits as much as
possible. These designs require careful
coordination between architects and
mechanical engineers, and attention to
controls for both natural and mechanical
ventilation system operations modes.
The Monitoring portion of the Credit
can be earned with installation of
monitoring-only systems; active
humidity control equipment is not
always required. Monitoring systems
may be incorporated into central DDC
systems, or may be stand-alone, such
as individual humidistats controlling
exhaust fans in individual dwelling
units. EQc7.1 must be achieved before
EQc7.2 can be attempted.
Technologies
A wide variety of temperature and
humidity control devices are available.
These devices can be stand-alone units
or may be integrated into building
control systems to automatically
control temperature and when
required humidity levels. Seasonally
programmable thermostats can be set to
automatically adjust winter and summer
temperature conditions to respond
to ASHRAE Standard 55’s seasonal
clothing levels. Humidity monitors can
also be used to alert building operations
personnel to unusual moisture
conditions within a building, which, if
left uncontrolled, could lead to mold
growth or moisture problems or cause
an active dehumidification system to
run unnecessarily and waste energy.
Radiant space conditioning systems
offer the potential for increased comfort
and reduced energy consumption,
particularly when combined with
design of the building for natural
ventilation. However, since comfort
with these systems relies on control of
Canada Green Building Council
414
indoor surface temperatures, globe-type
operative temperature sensors should
be used to control mechanical systems
rather than conventional air temperature
sensors.
ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 provides
designer guidance for comfort
provided by increased airspeed. In
some situations, use of fans within the
space may be an effective strategy to
provide comfort, eliminating the cost
of refrigerant-based air conditioning
systems and reducing HVAC energy
consumption.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
The interdependence of a mechanical
system (size, type and distribution) with
building and envelope characteristics
(for moisture, heat and air flow control)
can be used to:
• make better use of renewable energy
sources; and
• maximize the effectiveness of
mechanical systems;
• minimize energy use.
The design of the project site impacts the
thermal comfort of building interiors.
Sites that minimize heat islands and
have landscaping that shades building
surfaces tend to reduce temperature
peaks. Addition of temperature and
humidity monitoring equipment can
affect the energy performance of the
building and requires commissioning and
measurement & verification attention.
Buildings that are reused may not be as
amenable to temperature and humidity
monitoring and control because the
building systems are already in place.
Thermal and humidity measures can be
integrated with CO2 sensors, ventilation
systems and occupant controls.
Resources
Web Sites
Advanced Desiccant Cooling &
Dehumidification Program: A research
and development program of the U.S.
Department of Energy that works with
industry to realize the potential of
desiccant systems for reducing energy
consumption and improving indoor air
quality and comfort.
Site: www.nrel.gov/desiccantcool
Cost-Effective Open-Plan Environ-
ment (COPE) Research Reports:
Institute for Research in Construction,
National Research Council and COPE
Consortium. In-depth studies of
open-plan office design variables and
their effect on occupant satisfaction,
including workstation design, indoor
air quality and thermal comfort,
lighting and acoustics. Studies include
field and literature reviews, mock-up
office experiments, and simulations to
investigate the many elements of the
open-plan office. (Some reports are not
yet available.)
Reports include:
• Environmental Satisfaction in Open-
Plan Environments: 2. Effects of
Workstation Size, Partition Height
and Windows
• Office Air Distribution Systems and
Environmental Satisfaction
• A Literature Review on the
Relationship between Outdoor
Ventilation Rates in Offices and
Occupant Satisfaction
• Investigation of Air and Thermal
Environments in a Mock-up Open
Plan Office: Measurements and CFD
Simulations
• The Effect of Office Design on
Workstation Lighting: Simulation
Results
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
• Effects of Office Design on the Annual
Daylight Availability Credit 7
Site: irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ie/cope/02-4-
Reports.html#IAQ
ESP-r: An integrated modeling tool
for the simulation of the thermal, visual
and acoustic performance of buildings
and the assessment of the energy use
and gaseous emissions associated with
the environmental control systems and
constructional materials. In undertaking
its assessments, the system is equipped
to model heat, air, moisture and
electrical power flows at user determined
resolution. The system is designed
for the Unix operating system, with
supported implementations for Solaris
and Linux, and is made available at no
cost under an Open Source license. ESP-
r has a variety of possible applications
including consultancy, research and
teaching.”
Site: http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/
Programs/ESP-r.htm
EnergyPlus: A building energy
simulation program for modeling
building heating, cooling, lighting,
ventilating, and other energy flows.
It builds on the most popular features
and capabilities of BLAST and DOE-
2 but also includes many innovative
simulation capabilities such as time steps
of less than an hour, modular systems
and plant integrated with heat balance-
based zone simulation, multizone air
flow, thermal comfort, and photovoltaic
systems.”
Site: http://www.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/energyplus/
TAS: A “suite of software products,
which simulate the dynamic thermal
performance of buildings and their
systems. The main module is TAS
Building Designer, which performs
dynamic building simulation with
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
integrated natural and forced airflow. It
has 3D graphics based geometry input
Credit 7 that includes a CAD link. TAS Systems
is a HVAC systems/controls simulator,
which may be directly coupled with
the building simulator. It performs
automatic airflow and plant sizing and
total energy demand. The third module,
TAS Ambiens, is a robust and simple to
use 2D CFD package which produces a
cross section of micro climate variation
in a space.”
Site: http://212.23.11.237/default.htm
The Collaborative for High
Performance Schools (CHPS) Best
Practices Manual, Appendix C–A
Field Based Thermal Comfort Standard
for Naturally Ventilated Buildings: The
result of research funded by ASHRAE,
this standard provides an updated
approach to thermal comfort using an
adaptive model.. Occupants of naturally
ventilated buildings were found to
prefer a wider range of temperatures
that extend beyond the comfort zones
defined in ASHRAE Standard 55–
1992. Refer to the CHPS Best Practices
Manual’s Appendix C for an in-depth
description.
Site: www.chps.net/manual/index.htm
NIST Multizone Modeling Software:
The National Institute of Standards and
Technology provides software such as
CONTAMW, a multizone indoor air
quality and ventilation analysis computer
program designed to predict airflows
and contaminant concentrations
Site: www.bfrl.nist.gov/IAQanalysis/
Software.htm
The Whole Building Design Guide:
The Indoor Environmental Quality
section provides a wealth of resources
including definitions, fundamentals,
materials and tools.
Site: www.wbdg.org
Canada Green Building Council
416
Print Media
• ASHRAE Guideline 1–1989:
Guideline for the Commissioning of
HVAC Systems, ASHRAE, 1989.
• ASHRAE Standard 52–76: Method of
Testing Air-Cleaning Devices Used
in General Ventilation for Removing
Particulate Matter, ASTM, 1976.
• ASHRAE Standard 62–2001:
Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air
Quality, ASHRAE, 1989.
• ASHRAE Standard 111–1988:
Practices for Measurement, Testing,
Adjusting and Balancing of Building
Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning
and Refrigeration Systems, ASHRAE,
1988.
• Dehumidification Enhancements
for 100-Percent-Outside-Air AHUs:
Parts I, II and III by Donald Gatley,
Heating Piping and Air Conditioning
Magazine, September, October and
November, 2000 (available as fee-
based downloads at HPAC.com)
• Health Canada Exposure Guidelines
for Residential Indoor Air Quality
(revised 1989) http://www.hc-sc.gc.
ca/hecs-sesc/air_quality/pdf/tr-156.
pdf
• Humidity Control Design Guide by
L. Harriman, G.W. Brundett and R.
Kittler, ASHRAE, 2000.
• The Impact of Part-Load Air-
Conditioner Operation on
Dehumidification Performance:
Validating a Latent Capacity
Degradation Model by Hugh
Henderson, Conference Proceedings
IAQ and Energy 98, ASHRAE, 1998.
•“The New Comfort Equation For
Indoor Air Quality” by P.O. Fanger,
ASHRAE Journal, October, pp. 33-
38, 1989.
• Selecting HVAC Systems for Schools
by Arthur Wheeler and Walter Kunz,
Jr., Maryland State Department of
Education, 1994.
• Thermal Comfort, by P.O. Fanger,
McGraw Hill, 1973.
• “Unplanned Airflows and Moisture
Problems” by T. Brennan, J.
Cummings and J. Lstiburek, ASHRAE
Journal, November, 2000
• UK CIBSE Application Manuals
<www.cibse.org>
- AM10, “Natural Ventilation in Non-
domestic Buildings”
- AM 11, “Building Energy &
Environmental Modeling”
- AM13, “Mixed Mode Ventilation”
• “Wind Towers: Detail in Building”,
Battle McCarthy Consulting
Engineers, 1999, Wiley & Sons. ISBN
0-471-98087-0
• “Climate Considerations in Building
& Urban Design”, Baruch Givoni,
1998, Wiley & Sons,. ISBN 0-471-
29177-3
• “Passive & Low Energy Cooling in
Buildings”, Baruch Givoni, 1994,
Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-28473-4
• “The Technology of Ecological
Building”, K. Daniels, 1996,
Birkhauser Verlag. ISBN 3-7643-
5461-5
Definitions
Natural Ventilation: The provision
of acceptable air-change effectiveness
and thermal comfort without the use
of mechanical heating and cooling
equipment. The natural effect of
wind, stack effect and interior/exterior
temperature differentials induce air
circulation and replacement. Airflow is
fan-assisted only when necessary.
Occupied Zone: the region normally SS WE EA MR EQ ID
occupied by people within a space,
generally considered to be between Credit 7
the floor and 1.8m (6 ft) above the
floor and more than 1.0m (3.3 ft)
from outside walls/windows or fixed
heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning
equipment and 0.3m (1 ft) from internal
walls.
Predicted Mean Vote (PMV): an index
that predicts value of the votes of a large
group of persons on seven point thermal
sensation scale.
Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied
(PPD): an index establishes a
quantitative prediction of the percentage
thermally dissatisfied people determined
from PMV.
Relative Humidity: The ratio of partial
density of water vapor in the air to the
saturation density of water vapor at the
same temperature.
Temperature, Mean Radiant (tr):
the uniform surface temperature of an
imaginary black enclosure in which
an occupant would exchange the same
amount of radiant heat as in the actual
non-uniform space.
Temperature, Operative (to): the
uniform temperature of an imaginary
black enclosure in which an occupant
would exchange the same amount of
heat by radiation plus convection as in
the actual non-uniform environment.
For most HVAC applications, the
average of the air dry bulb temperature
and the mean radiant temperature of
room surfaces.
Thermal Comfort: a condition of mind
experienced by building occupants
expressing satisfaction with the thermal
environment.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Regional Variations
ASHRAE Standard 55-1992: Addenda
Credit 7 1995, is applicable generally to Canada
and HVAC consultants are familiar with
its requirements.

Case Study
Semiahmoo Library and RCMP Facility
Surrey, BC
Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership, 2003
LEED Silver Certified

The Semiahmoo Library & RCMP District Office de-

veloped by the City of Surrey was designed to combine Photo credit: Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership
cost effectiveness, green building objectives, and func-
tional efficiency for two distinctly different community
services. Environmental features include the reduction of
water use by 30%; the diversion of 88% of construction
waste, 41% locally manufactured materials, and 54% of
materials containing recycled content. Light pollution
is reduced using indirect luminaires that have no direct
beam light projecting beyond the property line. The elec-
trical consultant tested an electronic model that plotted
light levels on and around the site.To create a more com-
fortable interior environment for employees and patrons,
temperature, humidity, lighting and CO2 monitoring con-
trol equipment were installed. Indoor air quality is also
improved through the use of low-emitting materials, in-
cluding paint, carpet, and composite wood.

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Daylight and Views: Daylight 75% of Spaces SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Intent
Credit 8.1
Provide for the building occupants a connection between indoor spaces and the
outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied
1 Point
areas of the building.

Requirements
Achieve a minimum Daylight Factor of 2% (excluding all direct sunlight
penetration) or achieve at least 250 Lux (25 footcandles) in 75% of all regularly
occupied areas, with the aid of a computer simulation model. Exceptions for areas
where tasks would be hindered by the use of daylight will be considered on their
merit.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template signed by the architect or responsible
party. Provide area calculations that define the daylight zones and provide a
summary of daylight factor prediction calculations through manual methods
or a summary of computer simulations illustrating that the footcandle levels
have been achieved.
If an audit of this Credit is requested during the certification process:

drawings and a narrative highlighting critical visual task areas and typical
room sections highlighting shading devices for direct sun control

glazing cut sheets highlighting Tvis values and area calculations defining the
daylight zone and daylight predictions calculations or daylight simulation
results demonstrating a minimum Daylight Factor of 2% in these areas.

Summary of Referenced Standard

There is no standard referenced for this Credit.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Daylight and Views: Views for 90% of Space
Credit 8.2 Intent
Provide for the building occupants a connection between indoor spaces and the
1 Point outdoors through the introduction of daylight and views into the regularly occupied
areas of the building.

Requirements
• Achieve direct line of sight to vision glazing for building occupants in 90% of all
regularly occupied areas.
• Areas directly connected to perimeter windows must have a glazing-to-floor area
ratio of at least 0.07.
• Parts of the floor area with horizontal view angles of less than 10 degrees at
1.27m (50 inches) above the floor can not be included in this calculation.
• Areas not directly connected to perimeter windows must have a horizontal view
angle of at least 10 degrees at 1.27m (50 inches) above the floor involving 50%
or more of the floor area. If a room meets these requirements then the entire
room area is considered to meet the view requirement.
• Exceptions will be considered on their merits.

Submittals

Provide the LEED Letter Template declaring that the building occupants in
90% of regularly occupied areas will have direct lines of site to perimeter
glazing, with calculations that note actual glazing-to-floor area ratios for
perimeter windows. Provide floor plan drawings highlighting the direct line
of sight zones and horizontal view angles.

Interpretations
• Projects applying for EQc8.1 and EQc8.2 whose scope excludes areas intended for
future interior tenant improvements should address these Credits’ requirements
for finished interior spaces within their scope, and ensure that future tenant
improvements will also meet them. This can be documented by including a
commitment from the owner to use a set of LEED based tenant improvement
guidelines; these guidelines should be provided with the projects’ application
for certification. For example in the daylighting calculations, model the spaces
that are actually going to be built-out in the current project; and for the future
build-out areas, provide a narrative of what steps must be taken in the rest of the
shell that would lead to similar performance (i.e., glazing and window area is
consistent with built-out areas, and likely future use is as a similar layout.) Note
that the project scope used must be consistent for all LEED Credits pursued.
• EQc8.1 and EQc8.2 apply only to the hard construction of a project, and
determining if it affords views to the end user. Furniture systems brought in
by occupants, including mobile modular partitions are not considered when
completing the graphic inspection that must be submitted for certification.
However, full height demountable walls installed as part of the original shell
scope of work should be considered in calculations for these Credits.

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• Skylights, roof monitors and vision glazing that are part of an atrium design do SS WE EA MR EQ ID
not qualify for views to the outdoors under EQ Credit 8, unless they can be seen
at an angle of 10 degrees or less from the horizontal from a plane 1.27m above Credit 8.2
the finished floor level. Views to atrium glazing should be assessed in the same
way as other vision glazing. 1 Point

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID Green Building Concerns
Credit 8 Daylighting improves the indoor
environment of buildings by exposing
occupants to natural light. Studies
Credit Synergies have demonstrated that productivity
increases dramatically for those building
SS Credit 1 occupants working in daylit areas.
Site Selection In addition, daylighting can reduce
SS Credit 2 energy costs for buildings by providing
Development Density natural lighting. A well-designed daylit
SS Credit 5
building is estimated to reduce lighting
Reduced Site Disturbance energy use by 50% to 80% (Sustainable
Building Technical Manual, page IV.7).
WE Credit 1
Water Efficient Daylighting design involves a careful
Landscaping balance of heat gain and loss, variations
in daylight availability and glare
EA Prerequisite 1
Fundamental Building
control. Shading devices, light shelves,
Sustems Commissioning courtyards, atriums and window glazing
are all strategies employed in daylighting
EA Prerequisite 2
design. Important considerations include
Minimum Energy
Performance
building orientation, window size and
spacing, glass selection, reflectance of
EA Credit 1
interior finishes and locations of interior
Optimize Energy
walls, and both direct and contrast glare
Performance
control.
EA Credit 2
Renewable Energy A growing body of research indicates
that views to the outdoors are
EA Credit 3
Best Practice
an important factor in occupant
Commissioning satisfaction, productivity and health.
Studies show that windows are highly
EA Credit 5
valued in the workplace. One survey of
Measurement and
Verification
office workers found that for 35% of
employees, their biggest complaint with
MR Credit 1
their workspaces was lack of windows.
Buidling Reuse
For computer workers, the lack of
MR Credit 8 distant views has been found to increase
Durable Building eyestrain and complaints. Eyestrain
EQ Credit 6 is diminished with window landscape
Controllability of Systems views because the combination of short-
and long-range views allows the eye to
refocus. Views to natural vegetation
from workspaces have been found to
reduce stress and increase attentional
focus.
Window views to the outdoors are
also important to occupants’ circadian
rhythms, particularly for people suffering
from depression or Alzheimer’s disease.
Windows provide health-care patients
with a view of light and weather changes
and helps establish a time of day and
year. Intensive care unit studies have
shown that windows can reduce post-
operative delirium and depression; gall-
bladder surgery patients were found to
have fewer negative evaluations, took
fewer pain relievers, and had fewer post-
surgical complications when provided
with landscaped outdoor views. Patients
with a tree view were found to have
better post-surgical recoveries, while
patients in the same hospital with a
view of a brick wall stayed longer, took
more narcotic analgesics, and had more
post-surgical complications.
The evidence is that both daylighting and
views to the outdoors are beneficial to
building occupants; and both should be
central considerations in building design.
Environmental Issues
Daylighting reduces the need for
electric lighting of building interiors,
resulting in decreased energy use.
This conserves natural resources and
reduces air pollution impacts due to
energy production and consumption.
Daylit spaces also increase occupant
productivity and reduce absenteeism
and illness.
Views to the outdoors increase
occupants’ awareness of local weather,
light and ecosystems; lack of windows
tends to disconnect occupants from
their natural surroundings.
Economic Issues
Specialized glazing can increase
initial costs for a project and can lead
to excessive heat gain if not designed
properly. Glazing provides less thermal
insulation compared to standard walls

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and requires additional maintenance.
However, offices with sufficient natural
daylight have proven to increase
occupant productivity and comfort.
In most cases, occupant salaries
significantly outweigh first costs of
incorporating daylighting measures into
a building design. Studies of schools
and stores have shown that daylighting
can improve student performance and
retail sales (see the Resources section).
Daylighting can significantly reduce
artificial lighting energy costs in many
commercial and industrial buildings,
as well as schools, libraries and
hospitals. Daylighting, combined with
energy-efficient lighting and electronic
ballasts, can reduce the lighting energy
in buildings by up to 30% or more.
The number, size and configuration of
vision windows are building features
with an immediate impact on the
marketability of building. Prospective
buyers and lessors instinctively favour
bright, well-lit spaces lit from two or
more sides; buildings with poor visual
access to the outdoors tend to take
longer to sell or lease, and command
lower prices and rents.
Community Issues
Daylighting and outdoor views provide
a connection with the building site
and adjacent sites, creating a more
integrated neighborhood; strategically-
placed vision windows can help
promote neighborhood security by
providing “eyes on the street”. Daylit
spaces increase occupant productivity
and reduce illness and absenteeism.
Design Approach
Strategies
Determine if daylighting and direct
line of sight to the outdoors is feasible
and appropriate for the building and its SS WE EA MR EQ ID
program. Some specialized building
uses cannot utilize natural daylighting Credit 8
or provide vision windows that allow
sunlight penetration. However, these
uses are the exception, rather than the
rule.
For most uses, orient the building on
the project site to maximize daylighting
options and adopt a building design
with shallow floor plates to maximize
daylit areas. Courtyards, atriums,
clerestory windows, skylights, interior
light shelves, exterior fins, louvers
and adjustable blinds used alone or in
combination are effective strategies
to achieve deep daylight penetration.
Figure 1 illustrates various daylighting
strategies.
The desired amount of daylight will
differ depending on the visual tasks
occurring in a space. Daylit buildings
often have several daylight zones with
differing target light levels. In addition
to light levels, daylighting strategies
should consider interior color schemes,
direct beam penetration and integration
with the electric lighting system.
Glare control is perhaps the most
common failure in daylighting strategies.
Glare is defined as any excessively
bright source of light within the visual
field that creates discomfort or loss in
visibility. Large window areas provide
generous amounts of daylight to the
task area; but if not controlled properly,
this daylight can produce unwanted
glare. Measures to control glare include
light shelves, louvers, blinds, fins and
shades.
Technologies
Computer modeling software can be
used to simulate daylighting conditions.
Daylighting software produces
continuous illuminance contours to
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 Figure 1: An Illustration of Various Daylighting Strategies
SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Credit 8
simulate daylighting conditions of
interior spaces and to account for
combined effects of multiple windows
within a daylit space.
Photo-responsive controls for electric
lighting can be incorporated into
daylighting strategies to maintain
consistent light levels and to minimize
occupant perception of the transition
from natural light to artificial light.
These controls result in energy savings
by reducing electric lighting in high
daylight conditions while preserving
illuminance levels on the task surface.
However, experience has shown that
use of “step-change” lighting controls
that abruptly change artificial lighting
levels as natural light decreases can be
distracting and disruptive to occupants,
who may disable the systems in extreme
cases. Controls and lighting equipment
that allow continuous-dimming control,
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while more expensive than simple
switching systems, are typically better
accepted by most occupants.
Synergies and Trade-Offs
Project site selection and building
orientation and form have a significant
effect on the success of daylighting
strategies. Vertical site elements such as
neighboring buildings and trees may
reduce the potential for daylighting.
Reused buildings may have limited
daylighting potential due to their
orientation, number and size of
building openings and floor plate
dimensions. Finally, light sensors
and automatic controls will affect the
energy performance of the building
and will require commissioning and
measurement & verification attention.
Calculations
The following calculation methodology
is used to support the Credit submittals
listed on the first page of this Credit. The
calculation methodology is divided into
two sections: daylighting and views.
The daylighting calculation methodology
below can be applied to approximate
the daylight factor for each regularly
occupied room in the building. The
Daylight Factor (DF) is the ratio
of exterior illumination to interior
illumination and is expressed as a
percentage. The variables used to
determine the daylight factor include
the floor area, window area, window
geometry, visible transmittance (Tvis )
and window height. This calculation
method aims to provide a minimum 2%
DF at the back of a space.
Areas to include in the daylighting
calculations include all regularly
occupied spaces such as office spaces,
meeting areas and cafeterias. Areas
that should not be considered include
support areas for copying, storage,
mechanical equipment, laundry and
restrooms/bathrooms.
The daylighting calculations for this
Credit may be determined by either
using daylighting simulation software or
by following the methodology outlined
in the following paragraphs:
1. Create a spreadsheet and identify all
regularly occupied rooms. Determine
the floor area of each applicable room
using construction documents.
2. For each room identified, calculate
the window area and use Table 1 to
indicate the acceptable window types.
Note that window areas above 2.3m
(7’6”) are considered to be daylight
glazing. Glazing at this height is
the most effective at distributing
daylight deep into the interior space.
Window areas from 0.75m to 2.3m SS WE EA MR EQ ID
to (2’6” to 7’6”) are considered to be
vision glazing. These window areas Credit 8
are primarily used for viewing and
lighting interior spaces close to the
building perimeter. Window areas
below 0.75m (2’6”) do not contribute
to daylighting of interior spaces and
are excluded from the calculations.
3. For each window type, insert the ap-
propriate geometry and height fac-
tors as listed in Table 1. The geom-
etry factor indicates the effectiveness
of a particular aperture to distribute
daylight relative to window location.
The height factor accounts for where
light is introduced to the space.
4. For each window type, indicate the
visible transmittance (Tvis), a variable
number that differs for each prod-
uct. Tvis is the recommended level of
transmittance for selected glazing.
5. Calculate the Daylight Factor for each
window type using Equation 1. For
rooms with more than one window
type, sum all window types to obtain
a total Daylight Factor for the room.
6. If the total daylight factor for a room
is 2% or greater, then the square foot-
age of the room is applicable to the
Credit.
7. Sum the square footage of all appli-
cable rooms and divide by the total
square footage of all regularly oc-
cupied spaces. If this percentage is
greater than 75%, then the building
qualifies for the first point of this
Credit.
8. Note that glare control is also required
for each window. Table 1 provides
best-practice glare control measures
for different window types. Create a
second spreadsheet that identifies the
type of glare control applied to each
window type.
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Table 2 provides an example of
daylighting calculations for an office
Credit 8 building. All of the offices are considered
to be regularly occupied spaces, while
support areas such as hallways, foyers,
storage areas, mechanical rooms and
restrooms are not considered to be
regularly occupied.
the minimum square footage for daylit
area and includes glare control on all
windows in daylit rooms.
Views are required for at least 90% of
all regularly occupied rooms in order
to achieve EQc8.2. Use the following
steps to perform view calculations.

The example qualifies for the first 1. Note if it is possible to view vision
point of this Credit because it exceeds glazing in each regularly occupied

Equation 1

Daylight Window Area [m2 ] Window Actual Tvis Window

= × × ×
Factor 2
Floor Area [m ] Geometry Minimum Tvis Height Factor

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 SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 8
Table 1: Daylight Design Criteria

Geometry Minimum Height Best Practice Glare

Window Type
Factor Tvis Factor Control

Adjustable blinds
Interior light shelves
0.1 0.7 1.4 Fixed translucent exterior
shading devices
sidelight
daylight glazing

Adjustable blinds
Exterior shading devices
0.1 0.4 0.8
sidelighting
vision glazing

Fixed interior
Adjustable exterior blinds
0.2 0.4 1.0
toplighting
vertical monitor

Fixed interior
Exterior louvers
0.33 0.4 1.0
toplighting
sawtooth monitor

Interior fins
Exterior fins
0.5 0.4 1.0 Louvers

toplighting
horizontal skylights

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 8
Table 2: Sample Daylighting Calculations

Floor Glazing Window Transmittance Window Daylight Daylit Glare

Room Area Area Geometry (Tvis) Height Factor Area Control

[m2] [m2] Type Factor Actual Minimum Factor Each Room [m2]

A 75 11 vision 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.8 2.6% 3.3% 75 2

4 daylight 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.4 0.7% 3

B 40 7 vision 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.8 3.3% 4.1% 40 2

2 daylight 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.4 0.9% 3

C 11 3 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 2.4% 2.4% 11 2

D 9 2 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 2.1% 2.1% 9 2

E 40 7 vision 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.8 3.3% 4.1% 40 2

2 daylight 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.4 0.9% 3

F 75 7 vision 0.1 0.9 0.4 0.8 1.6% 2.1% 75 2

2 daylight 0.1 0.7 0.7 1.4 0.4% 3

G 55 3 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.5% 0.5% 0 2

H 11 3 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 2.4% 2.4% 11 6

I 9 3 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 2.7% 2.7% 9 6

J 9 3 vision 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.8 2.7% 2.7% 9 1

K 40 3 sawtooth 0.33 0.4 0.4 1.0 2.9% 2.9% 40 4

TOTAL 374 319

Percentage of Daylit Area 85%

Glare Control Chart

Type Description

1 Fixed Exterior Shading Devices

2 Light shelf, exterior
3 Light Shelf, interior
4 Interior Blinds
5 Pull-down shades
6 Fritted glazing
7 Drapes
8 Electronic black-out glazing

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 room. Windows below 0.75m (2’6”)
and windows above 2.3m (7’6”)
(including daylight glazing, skylights
and roof monitors) do not qualify for
the Credit. For best results use a copy
of the floor plans and highlight areas
of regularly occupied rooms that have
a direct line of sight. Construct line
of sight geometries at each window
to identify non-view areas in each
room (see Figure 2 for guidance);
non-view areas include those where
the horizontal view angle is less
than ten degrees. Remember to
take into account the wall thickness
when determining oblique angles
of sight through windows. Visually
inspect each room and compare areas
with access to views against areas
without access. If the view area is
greater than or equal to 90% of the
Figure 2: An Illustration Showing Access to Views
room area, then the square footage of SS WE EA MR EQ ID
the entire room is applicable to the
Credit. In cases where it is difficult Credit 8
to determine the percentage visually,
measure the actual square footage on
the plans more precisely.
2. Sum the square footage of all
applicable rooms and divide by the
total square footage of all regularly
occupied spaces. If this percentage
is greater than 90%, then the building
qualifies for the second point of this
Credit.
Resources
Web Sites
A Literature Review of the Effects of
Natural Light on Building Occupants:
NREL/TP-550-30769, July 2002, L. Ed-
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SS WE EA MR EQ ID
wards and P. Torcellini. A wide-ranging
compilation of international research
Credit 8 on benefits of daylighting and outdoor
views, covering offices, schools, retail
and health-care facilities.
Site: http://www.ornl.gov/sci/
hybridlighting/pdfs/NREL_TP_550_
30769.pdf
CIBSE Application Manual -
Daylighting and Window Design:
Brief yet thorough guide for daylighting
and window design, produced by the
UK Chartered Institute of Building
Services Engineers.
Site: http://www.cibse.org/
index.cfm?go=publications.
view&PubID=67&L1=164
City of Santa Monica: Green Building
Design & Construction Guidelines:
City of Santa Monica, CA, April 1999:
Comprehensive guidelines for green
building design and construction.
Site:http://greenbuildings.santa-
monica.org
The Sustainable Building Technical
Manual: Green Building Design,
Construction, and Operations: This
manual produced jointly by the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) and Public
Technology, Inc. (PTI) is one of the
most comprehensive publications now
available to help architects, developers,
building owners, government officials,
and others implement sustainable
development practices. It contains more
than 300 pages of practical, step-by-step
advice on sustainable buildings written
by some of the foremost experts in the
field.
Site: http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/
freshstart/articles/ptipub.htm
New Buildings Institute’s Productivity
and Building Science Program:
Provides links to case studies and
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430
reports on the benefits of daylighting.
Site: www.newbuildings.org/pier
Psychosocial Value of Space: Judith
Heerwagen provides an excellent
summary of the scientific research on the
impact of building environments on the
way people work and live, particularly
benefits of daylight, access to natural
views and personal environmental
control.
Site: http://www.wbdg.org/design/res-
print.php?rp=181
Radiance Software: Free daylighting
simulation software from the Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory
Site: radsite.lbl.gov
Tips for Daylighting with Windows:
A comprehensive guide to daylighting
from Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory
Site: eande.lbl.gov/BTP/pub/
designguide/download.html
The Whole Building Design Guide:
The Daylighting and Lighting Control
section provides a wealth of resources
including definitions, fundamentals,
materials and tools.
Site: www.wbdg.org
Print Media
• Ander, G., (1995). Daylighting
Performance and Design. Wiley, New
York, NY.
• American Institute of Architects.
(1992). Architect’s Handbook of
Energy Practice: Daylighting,
Washington, DC.
• Evans, B., “Daylighting Design”,
in Time-Saver Standards for
Architectural Design Data, McGraw-
Hill, Inc., 1997.
• Guzowski, Mary, Daylighting for
 Sustainable Design, McGraw-Hill,
Inc., 1999.
• Stein, B., and J. Reynolds, Mechanical
and Electrical Equipment for
Buildings, 9th Edition, John Wiley &
Sons, 1999
• The Art of Daylighting: This
Environmental Design & Construction
article provides a solid introduction to
daylighting. Site: www.edcmag.com
(see Jan/Feb 1998 archive)
Definitions SS WE EA MR EQ ID
Daylight Factor: The ratio of the Credit 8
amount of daylight falling on a
horizontal surface within a building
interior compared to that falling on an
unobstructed horizontal surface outside.
Direct sunlight is excluded from the
definition of daylight factor. LEED
uses a simplified approach for its Credit
compliance calculations.

Case Study
APEGBC Headquarters
Burnaby, British Columbia
Busby + Associates, 1995

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscien-

tist of BC Headquarters is a simple two-storey 1,860m2
structural steel building that employs an innovative light- Photo credit: Busby + Associates
ing strategy to reduce energy demand while allowing
daylight into all areas of the building. External fritted
glass sunshades on the east and south facades which in
combination with the low-Emissivity glazing used in the
window assemblies, reduce solar gain by 60%. These ele-
ments enhance the performance of daylighting and reduce
glare yet still allow light to penetrate into work areas. In
addition, the low voltage lighting system is complement-
ed by ceiling mounted fabric “sails” which reflect both
natural and artificial light.

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SS WE EA MR EQ ID

Credit 8

Case Study
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Oshawa, Ontario
Diamond + Schmitt Architects, Inc, 2004

At the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, each

building is designed to be predominantly daylit. Offices,
teaching spaces, lounges, and all other regularly occu- Photo credit: Elizabeth Gyde
pied areas are situated at the perimeter of the building.
The high-performance, Low-E, Krypton gas-filled sealed
units chosen allow good daylight transmission and colour
rendition while an additional heat mirror film rejects solar
energy. Glazing configurations vary by orientation and
are complemented by roller blinds to control glare. Floor
plates are relatively narrow, and each building features an
interior top lit atrium. To effectively exploit the capabil-
ity of daylit, exterior solar shades are selectively fitted on
the buildings to further limit heat gain and glare. Strate-
gies employed have been purposely selected to improve
the quality of the interior spaces while yielding the added
benefit of energy conservation.

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