In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
See all forum discussions about this credit »
Credit achievement rate
XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
LEEDuser expert
Brent Ehrlich
BuildingGreen
Products and materials specialist
LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
All adhesives and sealants used on the interior of the building (i.e., inside of the weatherproofing system and applied on-site) must comply with the following requirements as applicable to the project scope1:
- Adhesives, Sealants and Sealant Primers must comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1168. Volatile organic compound (VOC) limits listed in the table below correspond to an effective date of July 1, 2005 and rule amendment date of January 7, 2005.
Indoor carpet adhesives
50
PVC welding
510
Carpet pad adhesives
50
CPVC welding
490
Wood flooring adhesives
100
ABS welding
325
Rubber floor adhesives
60
Plastic cement welding
250
Subfloor adhesives
50
Adhesive primer for plastic
550
Ceramic tile adhesives
65
Contact adhesive
80
VCT and asphalt adhesives
50
Special purpose contact adhesive
250
Drywall and panel adhesives
50
Structural wood member adhesive
140
Cove base adhesives
50
Sheet applied rubber lining operations
850
Multipurpose construction adhesives
70
Top and trim adhesive
250
Structural glazing adhesives
100
Metal to metal
30
Architectural
250
Plastic foams
50
Roadway
250
Porous material (except wood)
50
Other
420
Wood
30
Fiberglass
80
Architectural, nonporous
250
Architectural, porous
775
Other
750
This table excludes adhesives and sealants integral to the water-proofing system or that are not building related.
- Aerosol Adhesives must comply with Green Seal Standard for Commercial Adhesives GS-36 requirements in
effect on October 19, 2000.
General purpose mist spray
65% VOCs by weight
General purpose web spray
55% VOCs by weight
Special purpose aerosol adhesives (all types)
70% VOCs by weight
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
Is there a shortcut to the VOC budget method if you have just one product that is used minimally on a project?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do products applied to the weather barrier need to comply with VOC thresholds?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
How do I determine what application my product falls under?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
How is VOC % less water determined for aerosol adhesives?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do grout and caulking need to be included, and if so, what is the application category?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Our project didn't use some common adhesive types, and our LEED reviewer asked about this. Are we supposed to justify not using certain adhesives in our documentation?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Addenda
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Replace the definition of "volatile organic compounds (VOC's)" with "a carbon compound that vaporizes (becomes a gas) at normal room temperatures. VOCs contribute to air pollution directly and through atmospheric photochemical reactions (excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides and carbonates, and ammonium carbonate) to produce secondary air pollutants, principally ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
12/2/2009 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
At the end of box, insert new text and table as indicated in the supplemental document.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add the following sentence to the end of "sealant" defintion, "Sealants are used on wood, fabric, paper, corrugated paperboard, plastic foam and other materials with tiny openings, often microscopic, that may absorb or discharge gas or fluid."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace text with the following:NC & SchoolsThis credit is not eligible for exemplary performance under the Innovation and Design section.CSProjects that require and enforce tenants to meet the requirements in IEQ Credit 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4) throughout the tenant space are eligible for exemplary performance under the Innovation in Design section.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add footnote number 2 at the end of the first bullet, "This table excludes adhesives and sealants integral to the roof waterproofing system or that are not building related.".
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
4/19/2004
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
HVAC duct work is generally installed once the building has walls and a roof, but before windows are installed. It is our project team\'s understanding that the building would not be considered to have indoor air at this time, but since this inquiry deals with the indoor air distribution system, we want to be certain that we will comply with the credit requirements. In climates with freezing temperatures over the winter months, water based duct sealants (which comply with VOC limits) are not acceptable for use due to the fact that they will crack when frozen. Oil-based sealants (which do not comply with VOC limits) are required in freezing weather until the building is enclosed and thermally controlled. It is not clear to this project team whether or not SSc4.1 would apply to sealing the duct work. When, during the construction process, does SSc4.1 start to apply, and does SSc4.1 apply to duct sealants?
Ruling:
Duct sealants must be included under this credit. The VOC limit requirements of EQc4.1 for adhesives and sealants apply to all phases of construction. The LEED-NC v2.1 Reference Guide states on page 276 that this credit applies to products and installation processes that have the ability to adversely affect indoor air quality on site: and those that are exposed in interior spaces accessible by occupants (meaning all space within the weatherproofing layer of the building envelope). The VOCs from this product will offgas long enough to effect the building\'s indoor air quality. In addition, installers are immediately exposed to the product\'s emissions. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/20/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
USGBC has previously stated that if a product is inside the exterior moisture protection, it is a controlled product (it must comply with the credit requirement). Our question concerns the adhesive used to adhere to the concrete the "stick pins" that hold up the insulation to the underside of the concrete slab that forms the garage ceiling. Technically, this area is inside the exterior moisture protection envelope, but garage is not a regularly occupied space, and the concrete slab provides an impenetrable barrier between the stick pins/adhesive and the occupied spaces above. The garage is below and adjacent to occupied space. At the adjacent condition, the garage is separated from the occupied space either by solid wall, intervening utility spaces or a vestibule. The garage has variable active ventilation by two exhaust shafts with fans that are controlled via CO2 detectors. These shafts are located in the southwest and northwest corners of the garage. Distribution fans are also located in opposite corners, etc to move air towards the exhaust fans. Fresh air is brought into the garage via numerous openings along the full length of the east wall and a centrally located fresh air shaft. The adhesive used for this purpose has a VOC content of 420 gm/L, and we have not been able to find an acceptable substitute with a VOC content within the maximum 250 g/L assigned to the "All Others" category of Table 1 of the LEED-NC version 2.1 Reference Guide. (No other category of Table 1 applies.) Given that the product will be used in a non-conditioned, non-regularly occupied space; that there is no acceptable alternative for this application; the presence of the impenetrable concrete stab, and the long duration between application and occupancy of this multi-story project, we request that this application/product be exempted from the requirements of EQ 4.1.
Ruling:
The project is inquiring if an adhesive used within the exterior moisture protection, but above an impenetrable concrete deck in an unconditioned, non-regularly occupied space, is exempt from EQc4.1. The project may exclude the adhesive in question since 1) the garage is open to the outdoors at all times and thus is not technically an interior space and 2) the occupied areas of the building are separated from the garage by solid, impenetrable walls. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
6/26/2009
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
How does a project team classify duct sealants for application under EQc4.1?
Ruling:
Project teams may classify duct sealants under "Other", as listed in the SCAQMD VOC Limits table. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
Checklists
Step by step to LEED certification
LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
Get the inside scoop
Our editors have written a detailed analysis of nearly every LEED credit, and LEEDuser premium members get full access. We’ll tell you whether the credit is easy to accomplish or better left alone, and we provide insider tips on how to document it successfully.
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
All adhesives and sealants used on the interior of the building (i.e., inside of the weatherproofing system and applied on-site) must comply with the following requirements as applicable to the project scope1:
- Adhesives, Sealants and Sealant Primers must comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1168. Volatile organic compound (VOC) limits listed in the table below correspond to an effective date of July 1, 2005 and rule amendment date of January 7, 2005.
Indoor carpet adhesives
50
PVC welding
510
Carpet pad adhesives
50
CPVC welding
490
Wood flooring adhesives
100
ABS welding
325
Rubber floor adhesives
60
Plastic cement welding
250
Subfloor adhesives
50
Adhesive primer for plastic
550
Ceramic tile adhesives
65
Contact adhesive
80
VCT and asphalt adhesives
50
Special purpose contact adhesive
250
Drywall and panel adhesives
50
Structural wood member adhesive
140
Cove base adhesives
50
Sheet applied rubber lining operations
850
Multipurpose construction adhesives
70
Top and trim adhesive
250
Structural glazing adhesives
100
Metal to metal
30
Architectural
250
Plastic foams
50
Roadway
250
Porous material (except wood)
50
Other
420
Wood
30
Fiberglass
80
Architectural, nonporous
250
Architectural, porous
775
Other
750
This table excludes adhesives and sealants integral to the water-proofing system or that are not building related.
- Aerosol Adhesives must comply with Green Seal Standard for Commercial Adhesives GS-36 requirements in
effect on October 19, 2000.
General purpose mist spray
65% VOCs by weight
General purpose web spray
55% VOCs by weight
Special purpose aerosol adhesives (all types)
70% VOCs by weight
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
Got the gist of IEQc4.1 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.
In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
- Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
- Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
- Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
- Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.
Is there a shortcut to the VOC budget method if you have just one product that is used minimally on a project?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do products applied to the weather barrier need to comply with VOC thresholds?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
How do I determine what application my product falls under?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
How is VOC % less water determined for aerosol adhesives?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do grout and caulking need to be included, and if so, what is the application category?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Our project didn't use some common adhesive types, and our LEED reviewer asked about this. Are we supposed to justify not using certain adhesives in our documentation?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Replace the definition of "volatile organic compounds (VOC's)" with "a carbon compound that vaporizes (becomes a gas) at normal room temperatures. VOCs contribute to air pollution directly and through atmospheric photochemical reactions (excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides and carbonates, and ammonium carbonate) to produce secondary air pollutants, principally ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
12/2/2009 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
At the end of box, insert new text and table as indicated in the supplemental document.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In the "Sealants" section, remove the items "Nonmembrane roof, 300" and "Single-ply roof membrane, 450"
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add the following sentence to the end of "sealant" defintion, "Sealants are used on wood, fabric, paper, corrugated paperboard, plastic foam and other materials with tiny openings, often microscopic, that may absorb or discharge gas or fluid."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
2/2/2011 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Replace text with the following:NC & SchoolsThis credit is not eligible for exemplary performance under the Innovation and Design section.CSProjects that require and enforce tenants to meet the requirements in IEQ Credit 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4) throughout the tenant space are eligible for exemplary performance under the Innovation in Design section.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/3/2010 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Add footnote number 2 at the end of the first bullet, "This table excludes adhesives and sealants integral to the roof waterproofing system or that are not building related.".
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
4/19/2004
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
HVAC duct work is generally installed once the building has walls and a roof, but before windows are installed. It is our project team\'s understanding that the building would not be considered to have indoor air at this time, but since this inquiry deals with the indoor air distribution system, we want to be certain that we will comply with the credit requirements. In climates with freezing temperatures over the winter months, water based duct sealants (which comply with VOC limits) are not acceptable for use due to the fact that they will crack when frozen. Oil-based sealants (which do not comply with VOC limits) are required in freezing weather until the building is enclosed and thermally controlled. It is not clear to this project team whether or not SSc4.1 would apply to sealing the duct work. When, during the construction process, does SSc4.1 start to apply, and does SSc4.1 apply to duct sealants?
Ruling:
Duct sealants must be included under this credit. The VOC limit requirements of EQc4.1 for adhesives and sealants apply to all phases of construction. The LEED-NC v2.1 Reference Guide states on page 276 that this credit applies to products and installation processes that have the ability to adversely affect indoor air quality on site: and those that are exposed in interior spaces accessible by occupants (meaning all space within the weatherproofing layer of the building envelope). The VOCs from this product will offgas long enough to effect the building\'s indoor air quality. In addition, installers are immediately exposed to the product\'s emissions. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/20/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
USGBC has previously stated that if a product is inside the exterior moisture protection, it is a controlled product (it must comply with the credit requirement). Our question concerns the adhesive used to adhere to the concrete the "stick pins" that hold up the insulation to the underside of the concrete slab that forms the garage ceiling. Technically, this area is inside the exterior moisture protection envelope, but garage is not a regularly occupied space, and the concrete slab provides an impenetrable barrier between the stick pins/adhesive and the occupied spaces above. The garage is below and adjacent to occupied space. At the adjacent condition, the garage is separated from the occupied space either by solid wall, intervening utility spaces or a vestibule. The garage has variable active ventilation by two exhaust shafts with fans that are controlled via CO2 detectors. These shafts are located in the southwest and northwest corners of the garage. Distribution fans are also located in opposite corners, etc to move air towards the exhaust fans. Fresh air is brought into the garage via numerous openings along the full length of the east wall and a centrally located fresh air shaft. The adhesive used for this purpose has a VOC content of 420 gm/L, and we have not been able to find an acceptable substitute with a VOC content within the maximum 250 g/L assigned to the "All Others" category of Table 1 of the LEED-NC version 2.1 Reference Guide. (No other category of Table 1 applies.) Given that the product will be used in a non-conditioned, non-regularly occupied space; that there is no acceptable alternative for this application; the presence of the impenetrable concrete stab, and the long duration between application and occupancy of this multi-story project, we request that this application/product be exempted from the requirements of EQ 4.1.
Ruling:
The project is inquiring if an adhesive used within the exterior moisture protection, but above an impenetrable concrete deck in an unconditioned, non-regularly occupied space, is exempt from EQc4.1. The project may exclude the adhesive in question since 1) the garage is open to the outdoors at all times and thus is not technically an interior space and 2) the occupied areas of the building are separated from the garage by solid, impenetrable walls. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
6/26/2009
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:
How does a project team classify duct sealants for application under EQc4.1?
Ruling:
Project teams may classify duct sealants under "Other", as listed in the SCAQMD VOC Limits table. Applicable Internationally.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
LEEDuser expert
Brent Ehrlich
BuildingGreen
Products and materials specialist
