Indoor Environment

Quality

SUMIT KUMAR JHA

BARCH/15006/14
What is Indoor Environment
Quality

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ)

refers to the quality of a building's
environment in relation to the health and
well being of those who occupy space
within it. IEQ is determined by many
factors, including
lighting,
air quality
damp conditions
Factors effecting IEQ
Importance of Indoor Air
 Indoor Air Quality

IEQ encompasses indoor air quality (IAQ),

which focuses on airborne contaminants, as
well as other health, safety, and comfort
issues such as aesthetics, potable water
surveillance, ergonomics, acoustics, lighting,
and electromagnetic frequency levels.
IEQ improvements to an existing building can
occur at any point during the use of a
building.
 Importance of air quality
Value aesthetic decisions, such as the importance of
views and the integration of natural and man-made
elements;
Provide thermal comfort with a maximum degree of
personal control over temperature and airflow;
Supply adequate levels and quality of ventilation and
outside air for acceptable indoor air quality;
Prevent airborne bacteria, through building envelope
design that properly manages moisture sources from
outside and inside the building, and with heating,
ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) system designs that
are effective at controlling indoor humidity.
Assure acoustic privacy and comfort through the use of
sound absorbing material and equipment isolation;
Control disturbing odors through contaminant isolation
and removal.
Create a high-performance luminous environment through
the careful integration of natural and artificial light
sources.
# Smoking and unwanted habit control inside the
habitable region..
 Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring

Outdoor air delivery monitoring ensures that the ventilation

system, whether natural or mechanical, provides enough fresh
air to occupants.
The credit requires carbon dioxide (CO2) and outdoor airflow
monitors that signal when fresh air is needed according to
minimum set points defined by ASHRAE 62.1-2004.
Typical ventilation design (without monitors) tends to
encourage increased ventilation that may result in increased
energy use and added cost for conditioning increased amounts
of outside air.
However, the addition of sensors and monitors allows
ventilation to be delivered on demand only when required,
potentially saving a lot of energy during unoccupied hours in
spaces with varying occupancy.
 For buildings with varying
occupancy rates and centralized
mechanical systems, like offices
and schools, the added cost
should be minimal, and the
systems will probably reduce
energy bills, offering good return
on investment.
High-density areas like
conference rooms, theaters, and
congregation spaces are a
particularly good match for this
credit.
In multifamily or hotel projects,
or any building with numerous
isolated mechanical systems or
natural ventilation, more sensors
will be needed, making this credit
relatively expensive to pursue.
 Construction Indoor Air Quality
Management Plans (during constr.)
What is a Construction Indoor Air Quality
Management Plan?
Plan to reduce indoor air quality (IAQ) problems resulting from
construction
Promotes the comfort and well being of building occupants and
construction workers
Document that defines construction scope! Included scope, Excluded
scope
Construction IAQ Management Plan During
Construction
Develop and Implement an IAQ Management Plan for the
construction and preoccupancy phases of the building as follows:
Meet or exceed the recommended control measures of the SMACNA
IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction
Protect stored on-site and installed absorptive materials from
moisture damage
If permanently installed air handlers are used during construction,
filtration media with a MERV of 8 must be used at each return air grill.
 Meet or exceed the recommended control measures of the SMACNA IAQ
Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction HVAC Protection Source
Control Pathway Interruption Housekeeping Scheduling
HVAC Protection
Avoid using permanently installed HVAC systems during construction if possible
Protect all HVAC equipment from both dust and odors and seal all duct and
equipment openings with plastic
Source Control
Recover, isolate, and ventilate containers housing toxic materials.
Exhaust fumes from idling vehicles and gasoline and diesel fueled tools.
Pathway Interruption
Isolate areas of work to prevent contamination of clean or occupied spaces
Provide temporary barriers
Maintain negative pressure relative to other spaces
Protect stored on-site and installed absorptive materials from moisture
damage
If permanently installed air handlers are used during construction, filtration
media with a MERV of 8 must be used at each return air grill.
 Construction IAQ Management
Plan Before Occupancy
Option 1 - Flush-Out
Path 1 Completed pre-occupancy
OR
Path 2 Completed post-occupancy
Option 2 Air Testing

Option 1 - Flush-Out Path 1

After construction ends, prior to occupancy and with all interior
finishes installed, install new filtration media and perform a
building flush-out by supplying a total air volume of 14,000 cubic
feet of outdoor air per square foot of floor area while maintaining
an internal temperature of at least 60F and relative humidity no
higher than 60%.
Option 1 - Flush-Out Path 2
If occupancy is desired prior to completion of the flushout, the
space may be occupied following delivery of a minimum of 3,500
cubic feet of outdoor air per square foot of floor area. Once the
space is occupied, it must be ventilated at a minimum rate of 0.30
cubic feet per minute per square foot of outside air or the design
minimum outside air rate, whichever is greater. During each day of
the flush-out period ventilation must begin a minimum of 3 hours
prior to occupancy and continue during occupancy. These
conditions must be maintained until a total of 14,000 cubic feet of
outdoor air per square foot of floor area has been delivered to the
space.
Option 2 Air Testing
Conduct baseline IAQ testing after construction ends and prior to
occupancy. Demonstrate that maximum allowable concentrations
of contaminants are not exceeded.
 Low emitting materials
Intent
To reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage
air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment
Requirements
- This credit includes requirements for product manufacturing as
well as project teams. It covers volatile organic compound (VOC)
emissions into indoor air and the VOC content of materials, as well as
the testing methods by which indoor VOC emissions are determined.
- Different materials must meet different requirements to be
considered compliant for this credit.
The building interior and exterior are organized in seven categories,
each with different thresholds of compliance.
- The building interior is defined as everything within the
waterproofing membrane. - The building exterior is defined as
everything outside and inclusive of the primary and secondary
weatherproofing system, such as waterproofing membranes and air-
and water-resistive barrier materials.
Paints & Coatings
Our first priority should be to specify only paints and
coatings that comply with the credits VOC limits, and enforce
those specifications on the jobsite. Research low-VOC paints
and coatings before construction begins and provide lists of
acceptable materials to contractors to help ensure that the
right products are used.
Major manufacturers offer paints and coatings that are just
as durable and perform just as well as their higher-VOC
counterparts. Performance of low-VOC products has
sometimes been an issue in the past, but the market has
largely moved beyond this point.
Low-VOC acrylic paint is readily available. While it may be
more difficult, it is not impossible to find low-VOC oil-
based and high-gloss paints.
Darker shades of paints also tend to have higher VOC
levels. Rust proofing coatings also tend to have higher VOC
content, but several name brand providers have low-VOC
alternatives.
Flooring Systems

Use either inert or certified flooring

Resilient flooring, rubber flooring, and
prefinished wood flooring all must be
FloorScore or Greenguard Gold
certified. Carpeting and carpet cushion need
to be CRI Green Label Plus or Green Label
certified (respectively)
 Adhesives and sealants

Research low-VOC adhesives and sealants before

construction begins and provide lists of acceptable
materials to contractors to help ensure that the
right products are used.
Making sure that VOC limits are observed demands
proactive communication between the designer,
contractor, and all subcontractors who do work
inside the building.
Subcontractors have to be educated about the
requirements, and their contracts should require
that they document their compliance.
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SUMIT KUMAR
JHA