VOC reduction

Intent:

To minimize the effect of VOCs in building materials on indoor air quality.

BACKGROUND

Indoor air quality can be degraded significantly by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that off-gas from paints, finishes and other coatings, and also result from the use of cleaning products, air fresheners, personal care products and other materials brought into the building. VOCs include benzene (classified by the EPA as a known human carcinogen), formaldehyde and other chemical compounds, which at high concentrations can lead to irritation of the nose and pharynx, and have been associated with leukemia, childhood asthma and other respiratory disorders. VOC levels can be 5 times higher indoors than outdoors.

Endocrine

Cardiovascular

Integumentary

Nervous

Respiratory

Immune

	Core & Shell	New & Existing Buildings	New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Interior Paints and Coatings	P	P	P
Part 2: Interior Adhesives and Sealants	P	P	P
Part 3: Flooring	P	P	P
Part 4: Insulation	P	P	P
Part 5: Furniture and Furnishings	P	P	P

	Commercial Kitchen	Education	Multifamily Residential	Restaurant	Retail
Part 1: Interior Paints and Coatings	P	P	P	P	P
Part 2: Interior Adhesives and Sealants	P	P	P	P	P
Part 3: Flooring	P	P	P	P	P
Part 4: Insulation	P	P	P	P	P
Part 5: Furniture and Furnishings	P	P	-	P	P

Verification Methods Matrix

	Letters of Assurance	Annotated Documents	On-Site Assessment
Part 1: Interior Paints and Coatings	Architect & Contractor
Part 2: Interior Adhesives and Sealants	Architect & Contractor
Part 3: Flooring	Architect & Contractor
Part 4: Insulation	Architect & Contractor
Part 5: Furniture and Furnishings	Architect & Owner

Standard Citations

1

U.S. Green Building Council. LEED v4: Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction. Washington D.C.: U.S. Green Building Council; 2013: 37, 43-44, 541-552, 567, 605, 623, 645-53, 658-61, 682-3, 685-6, 723-4.
04.1.b	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires that 90%, by volume, for emissions of paints and coatings applied to walls, floors and ceilings are tested and determined compliant with CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010.
04.1.a	Adherence to CARB SCM for Architectural Coatings or SCAQMD Rule 1113 satisfies the requirements for VOC content but not the emissions requirement of USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials for wet-applied products.
04.1.c	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low Emitting Materials suggests projects outside the U.S. meet applicable national VOC control regulations or conduct testing of VOC content in accordance with ASTM D2369-10; ISO 11890, part 1; ASTM D6886-03; or ISO 11890-2.
04.2.a	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires that adhesives and sealants wet-applied on site meet the applicable VOC limits of the SCAQMD Rule 1168, in addition to emissions requirements.
04.2.c	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low Emitting Materials suggests projects outside the U.S. meet applicable national VOC control regulations or conduct testing of VOC content in accordance with ASTM D2369-10; ISO 11890, part 1; ASTM D6886-03; or ISO 11890-2.
04.2.b	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires that 90% of interior adhesives and sealants, for emissions, applied on site are tested and determined compliant with CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010.
04.3.a	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires flooring ofollow the test method and meet the emissions criteria of CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010.
04.4.a	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires insulation follow the test method and meet the emissions criteria of CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010.
04.5.a	USGBC's LEED v4 EQ Credit: Low-Emitting Materials requires furniture and furnishings to comply with ANSI/BIFMA e3-2011 Furniture Sustainability Standard sections 7.6.1 and 7.6.2, and be tested in accordance with ANSI/BIFMA Standard Method M7.1-2011.