Best Practices

A no-smoking policy for construction workers is not required for this prerequisite, but is a good practice, especially after the

Involve an experienced blower-door testing agent in visual inspections before drywall is installed in any of the units. This will ensure that problem areas are addressed while they are still easily accessible. Also bring the blower-door expert in for early testing, once the drywall is installed, but before painting, finish materials, and appliances are installed. This will point out penetrations that need to be sealed between units and allow contractors to address those penetrations in the remaining units to ensure that all units meet the standard.

Ask a blower-door or air-barrier expert to review construction documents and shop drawings prior to the actual testing to ensure that problem areas, including deck to deck partitions, are likely to be sealed according to specifications.

Identify potential air leakage points in design and construction plans early. Common examples of areas where leakage occur include electrical boxes, air registers, window frames, and where walls meet the floor.

Designate the location of outdoor smoking areas, if any, on design drawings. Ensure that these areas are appropriately removed from building windows, ventilation opens, and entrances, and entrance paths.

Banning smoking on private balconies is necessary if they are within 25 feet of a neighbor’s operable window or another building opening, even if smoking is allowed inside the unit. Multifamily tenants may be unhappy with these rules, so owners should carefully consider their policies, the needs and habits of their tenants, and the design and location of balconies and openings.

Air sealing between units is recommended for several reasons, even if smoking is banned.  In multifamily buildings and hotels it is common for occupants to smoke inside their units despite nonsmoking policies. Without air sealing between units, other occupants may be exposed to secondhand smoke and odors. Air sealing between units also improves energy performance, particularly in high rises subject to the stack effect, in which warm, buoyant air rises upward, leading to thermal losses and ventilation problems.

A nonsmoking policy during construction is not required for this prerequisite, but it is a good idea for the contractor to adopt and enforce such a policy, particularly after the

If relying on natural infiltration in landscaped areas, keep the plants in those areas healthy and avoid soil compaction from vehicle use.

Compacted soil from high vehicle traffic prior to or during construction can severely limit natural infiltration of stormwater.