Floor Coating that Exceeds VOC Limit

Interesting…I have never tried submitting a VOC budget for IEQc4.3. One would think that it would be acceptable, and clearly, the first review team agreed. However, while the Reference Guide clearly offers the VOC Budget option in the “Calculations” section of the IEQc4.1 & IEQc4.2 chapters, Chapter IEQc4.3 offers no such option. I suppose that you might put forward the points that IEQc4.3 cites the same VOC requirements as IEQc4.2 and that IEQc4.2 allows the VOC budget. Together, these points imply that the VOC budget is acceptable for IEQc4.3 too. However, before making this argument, verify that you have properly reported the epoxy’s VOC “as-mixed.” Most epoxies require mixing two components. Part A & Part B each may be high-VOC, but they catalyze, and the VOCs are consumed. The resulting coating is often much lower in VOC than either component. Epoxy product data usually lists three VOC level, one for Part A, another for Part B, and one for “A+B”. The last one is usually the lowest and the one that SCAQMD requires be reported. Finally, check the properties of the epoxy. Are you using it in an “industrial” application where it must resist exposure to chemicals or extremely harsh conditions? If so, it could qualify as an Industrial Maintenance Coating with a 250g/L VOC limit (rather than 100g/L as a regular floor coating).

Just for the record... Jon is awesome!