Furniture Installation vs. Occupancy

Michelle, the credit language seems quite specific that flushout must occur after furniture installation.

Tristan, agree that the language is specific that flushout must occur after furniture installation but what about furniture that is reused (i.e. is over 1 year old and is being relocated with the tenant occupants)?

This has sometimes been a gray area in LEED—there have always been specific requirements that don't really make sense to apply to existing materials/furniture, but do.... or it least it appears that they do, but do they really?

In this case, I don't see anything in the credit language or a LEED Interpretation that would allow for an exception. I think you'd have to submit a CIR, or at least ask GBCI.

Summer, is this a case where you could do the Option 1 Path 2 approach? Does the furniture timeline fit within that timeframe? 

I agree with Tristan; I would email LEEDCoach and ask about the existing furniture. Hopefully they'd be logical and approach it like they do for the Energy Star equipment, where the requirements only apply to items 1yr old or newer at the time of move-in (which is also not explicitly stated in v4 like it was in v3...I had to email to be certain).

Thanks Emily and Tristan. Our LEED Coach was unable to review credit strategies for compliance outside of the formal review process so we have submitted a CIR.

Following up - our project specific ruling came back as follows: "The project is requesting that existing furniture (more than two years old) from an alternate location be exempt from the requirement in LEED ID+C v4 EQc Indoor Air Quality Assessment that all furnishings be installed before the preconstruction flush-out or testing, for this project. Yes, this is acceptable." 

Great feedback, thanks for sharing!