Assessment of LEED Indoor
Assessment of LEED Indoor
Assessment of LEED Indoor
Energy Engineering
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6 Energy Engineering Vol. 110, No. 3 2013
ABSTRACT
monoxide concentrations were 0.40 ppb and 0.26 ppm, respectively. The
results of this study suggest that building materials used and installed
at the church had low emissions and met or exceeded the LEED IEQ
3.2 certification requirements. The results also provide some practical
solutions for obtaining LEED credit points for post-construction indoor
environmental quality assessment at the church building. The impact of
LEED certification on the health and productivity of the occupants, as
well as the overall return on investment from integrating LEED prin-
ciples of green building and smart growth, cannot be overemphasized.
INTRODUCTION
Clean air is a basic necessity of life, and the quality of indoor air is
a strong determinant of a healthy life and well-being. The indoor envi-
ronment (including built, non-industrial structures such as workplaces,
schools, offices, houses, and apartment buildings) presents a unique set
of problems (Surgeon General’s Workshop on Healthy Indoor Environ-
ment, 2005). Consequently, our natural environment, economy, health,
and productivity are profoundly impacted by the built environment. On
average, Americans spend 85-95% of their time in indoor environments.
Winston Churchill noted, and rightly so, that “we shape our build-
ings and, in time, our buildings shape us.” The relationship between
the indoor environment and health is a complex one, as it encompasses
a broad range of chemical, physical, and biological agents; interactive
factors; individual susceptibilities; and health endpoints (Surgeon Gen-
eral’s Workshop, 2005).
8 Energy Engineering Vol. 110, No. 3 2013
certification for new designs will ensure healthier provision of indoor en-
vironmental quality for occupants as well as reduced energy and water
consumption and lower utility bills. Furthermore, there are direct eco-
nomic and quality-of-life benefits for consumers from the implementation
of water and energy efficient technologies. This will generally ensure a
more efficient use of infrastructure in urban areas, where water, sewer,
and electric grid systems would likely be overtaxed (USGBC, 2008).
The LEED Green Building Rating System™ was launched in 2000
as a guide for green and sustainable design, with a view to improving
the environmental and economic performance of commercial buildings,
using established or advanced industry principles, practices, materi-
als, and standards (USGBC 2004). The goal is to evaluate buildings and
award points in six key areas: sustainable site planning, safeguarding
water and water efficiency, energy efficiency and renewable energy,
conservation of materials and resources, indoor environmental quality
(IEQ), and innovation and design process. This rating system involves
a comprehensive and often rigorous process that provides measurable
performance criteria in a set of standards. Suffice it to note that LEED
IEQ-certified buildings must demonstrate that selected air contaminant
concentrations are below certain target levels (IEQ 3.2: Indoor Air Qual-
ity Management Plan After Construction). The USGBC awards 15 points
for IEQ certification (22% of total LEED new construction). Table 1 sum-
marizes the LEED IEQ prerequisite in 10 credit-required areas and/or
points (USGBC, 2004). Not surprisingly, in an effort to meet LEED IEQ
3.2 certification requirements, building designers have adopted the re-
quirements of the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards titled “Ventilation for Ac-
ceptable Indoor Air Quality” (ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007) and “En-
ergy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-rise Residential Buildings”
(ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007). ASHRAE has also established guidelines
and acceptable levels of “Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Oc-
10 Energy Engineering Vol. 110, No. 3 2013
METHODS
areas of a building). The IAQ Plus™ has options for differential pressure
testing or pollutant pathway determination that provides measurement
and documentation for maintaining positive pressure in occupied areas
and an assessment of a number of specific gases (e.g., ozone, ammonia,
and hydrogen sulfide) that may be present in indoor air. Total volatile
organic compounds (TVOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO) measurements
were made using the WolfPack IAQ Plus™. (See Figure 1.) Particulate
matter (PM10) was measured with the PM-205KIT attached to the Wolf-
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Pack IAQ Plus™, while formaldehyde (HCHO) was measured using the
GrayWolf RK-FP30, a direct-reading, handheld optical meter. (See Figure
2.) In accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions stated in the test
kit, HCHO measurement was conducted over a period of 30 minutes.
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Table 3. Air Sampling Results for TVOCs, PM10, HCHO and CO for LEED IEQ Credit 3.2
Energy Engineering
Vol. 110, No. 3
2013
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Table 4. Air Sampling Results for Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Relative Humidity
15
16 Energy Engineering Vol. 110, No. 3 2013
monoxide were low in all the locations tested (0.0 – 0.40 ppb and 0.0 –
0.26 ppm, respectively). The results obtained for these LEED chemical
contaminants suggest that the building emission levels were very low
and/or that low chemical-emitting materials have been installed. It must
be noted that when present above recommended levels, these chemicals
could potentially impact the productivity and long-term health of the
occupants.
Temperature readings ranged from 61.8°C to 74.1°C. In addition,
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CONCLUSION
pancy, with all interior furnishings installed and the ventilation system
operating at set levels (per LEED Reference Guide for Green Building
Design and Construction, 2009). The IEQ results from this assessment
showed that all four chemicals tested were well below their respective
target maximum levels.
In addition, the levels of other IEQ parameters, including tempera-
ture, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide were reported. Carbon diox-
ide and temperature levels were within acceptable IEQ levels. However,
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author wishes to thank Dr. Chris M. Nagy for providing the
initial information and contact. Special thanks are due to the building
architect and anonymous church officials for their assistance during pri-
mary data collection and analysis.
18 Energy Engineering Vol. 110, No. 3 2013
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Emmanuel A. Iyiegbuniwe is an Associate Professor and Di-
rector of Environmental Health Science in the Department of Public
Health at Western Kentucky University. He received his MS and PhD
degrees in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences from the
University of Illinois at Chicago. He has over 25 years of professional
experience in academia, government, consulting, and industry, includ-
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