The LEED guide states the following: “Building products must be tested and determined compliant in accordance with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.1–2010, using the applicable exposure scenario. The default scenario is the private office scenario. The manufacturer’s or third-party certification must state the exposure scenario used to determine compliance.” My question is - does this mean that we can only purchase products that have been tested under the scenario that meets our project type? e.g. if we are certifying a school we can only use products that have been tested under a school scenario?
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Joanna Switzer
Sustainability Project ManagerAtkins
59 thumbs up
March 29, 2017 - 12:51 pm
Hi Mercedes,
You are safe using products tested under the private office scenario for any space type, including classrooms. This just means the product was tested under smaller room conditions (equivalent air volume of small space) as a more stringent evaluation of its VOC emissions/IAQ impact to occupants. Products meeting this small office scenario would be acceptable /pose no greater IAQ risk for larger spaces. Make sense?
Reinhard Oppl
Independent consultant on VOC issuesformerly with Eurofins Product Testing A/S
329 thumbs up
March 29, 2017 - 6:43 pm
Yes, this makes sense. Testing under the private office scenario implicates the sharpest requirements. If a product passes under those conditions then it will also pass under the classrooms conditions. It is only the other way around: If a product is used only in classrooms, then it is deemed good enough if it passes the test under those conditions, even if it fails under the most stringent conditions (the private office scenario).