Dear All,
Are concrete form release oil VOC limits included in the credit "Low-emitting Materials"?
Concrete Form Release Oil VOC limits are included under "Rule 1113; June 3, 2011" but are do not seem to be refereed to in the table "Table 1. Thresholds of compliance with emissions and content standards for 7 categories of materials" unless they are included in "coatings applied on site".
If there are included what is the limit for a European project? (Rule 1113; the current limit of 250 g/L and then 1/1/14 it drops to 100 g/L).
thank-you,
Ian
David Gibney
Technical Director for Sustainable DesignM+W Group
23 thumbs up
June 12, 2014 - 10:51 am
Hi Ian, it appears most team do not consider form release oil pertinent to this credit. See comments here: http://www.leeduser.com/credit/nc-2009/IEQc4.2?page=1&ip_login_no_cache=....
Still, if you feel safer attempting to meet a specific threshold, BuildingGreen has listed several low VOC products here: http://www2.buildinggreen.com/category/builder-categories/structural-sys...
David
Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
323 thumbs up
June 15, 2014 - 10:05 am
Play it safe…
The LEEDuser comment thread referenced above is for LEED-2009. The 2004 SCAQMD Rule cited in LEED-2009 did not include a VOC limit for Form Release Compound. Under LEED-2009, it might have made sense to ignore Form Release. However, the newer SCAQMD Rule & CARB measures used in LEEDv4 DO regulate Form Release VOCs.
Furthermore, the thread argued that Form Release Compounds were usually temporary coatings, applied early and likely to off-gas before the building has been enclosed.
However, since I am not a chemist, I cannot be certain how much time to allow for off-gassing. Even then, I have been on several projects where some interior concrete work continues even once the building is weather-tight. To be safe, treat any coating, adhesive, or sealant applied within what eventually becomes enclosed space as an “interior” product, even if application occurs while the building is still open. This protects the health of workers applying the product and preserves indoor air quality.
Finally, as David notes above, low-VOC products are readily available, so there is no reason not to require SCAQMD-compliant products regardless of when they are used.
Also note that LEEDv4 for Schools & Healthcare require the same VOC limits for both interior & exterior products.
Janika McFeely
Associate, Sustainability SpecialistEHDD Architecture
110 thumbs up
August 12, 2014 - 8:22 pm
Can anyone clarify what's required for exterior products? Does this just mean meeting VOC limits for wet applied exterior products or does it also require CDPH evaluation of say exterior insulation? Thanks
Jon Clifford
LEED-AP BD+CGREENSQUARE
LEEDuser Expert
323 thumbs up
August 12, 2014 - 8:59 pm
Only LEEDv4 for Schools & Healthcare limit emissions of exterior products. Go to the "Credit Language" tab on the LEED-NCv4 for Schools EQc2 page to see exterior requirements:
http://www.leeduser.com/credit/Schools%E2%80%93NC-v4/EQc2#lang-tab
The Schools credit language tab includes a few extra paragraphs & bits of text that you won't find on the NC credit language tab above.
Janika McFeely
Associate, Sustainability SpecialistEHDD Architecture
110 thumbs up
August 12, 2014 - 8:53 pm
Ah thanks. Don't know how I missed it! It'd be easier to catch if it was in the table...
Jolene McLaughlin
4 thumbs up
December 6, 2018 - 9:50 am
The second link from Jon Cliffords post, with low VOC products is not working, anyone have the updated location?
Kimberly Lombardozzi
Sustainability ManagerW. R. Meadows, Inc.
7 thumbs up
July 10, 2023 - 3:26 pm
Per GBCI: Form-release compounds should be included in the paints and coatings category if the product is used within the building. Note, being permanently installed is not something that is explicitly addressed in the EQ section. If the team is attempting the paints and coatings category, per SCAQMD Rule 1113, effective June 3, 2011, form-release compounds have a permissible VOC limit of 250 g/L. Also, they will be subject to VOC emissions evaluation.
My Note: LEED4.1 references South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113, effective February 5, 2016 and the VOC content limit is 100 g/L.