GYM FLOOR PAINTS

I am asking around but so far have come up empty. One option to consider, however, is using the VOC budget method to calculate credit compliance (discussed in more detail above in the Bird's Eye View and Checklists tabs). If you are under the VOC limits in other areas, you could go over the VOC limits here. Since the quantities for gym floor lines are relatively small, this may be fairly workable.

Christian, see the important subsection in the "Bird's Eye View" above under the subheading "Schools have a tighter requirement." (This might be past the preview portion and thus only visible to subscribers. Is it worth subscribing for this kind of must-have information? Yes.)I'm so glad you found the webinar helpful. The recorded version of "LEED for Schools Certification – A Crash Course" is now posted here, by the way.

We are following the rep’s recommendations as well and submitting gym line paint under the “graphic arts coatings” in the SCAQMD Rule 113. We have two projects that are getting ready for their LEED review so we have not had an official approval by the GBCI but I think we will be fine. And, as Tristan said, if for some reason they reject it…you can always do the VOC budget method. Also, Schools projects can follow the NC requirements for EQc4.1 and EQc4.2 There is a link above to the errata that allows this. Shannon

Shannon, I would like to hear your results with submitting the gym line paint per the SCAQMD Rule 113. Was that acceptable, or did you have to do the VOC budget method?

Renee, I was successful in having gym line paint classified as a Graphic arts coating (sign) on a recently certified LEED Gold school project. Since then USGBC released a revised Table 1 with Addenda dated 4/14/2010 and updated 11/3/2010, and this category is no longer. Any thoughts on this? Also, I am curious if anyone has used Graphic arts coating (sign) classification for dry erase paint.

John, I cannot find the Addenda that replaces Table 1. Do you think Chalkboard paint could be classified as a Graphic Arts Coating?

Rebecca, Please remember that the actual LEED for Schools EQ 4.2 requirement is that the product be low-emitting (and not simply low VOC content), if the chalkboard paint shows compliance to the CA 01350 requirements it can qualify for this credit. So look for chalkboard paint that has proven it is low-emitting as most of the ones that I have encountered are high in VOC content.

Josh, Thank you for your response. We are pursuing the Alternative Compliance Path and will be substituting LEED 2009 for New Construction IEQc4.2 in place of LEED 2009 for Schools IEQc4.2. In the August 2011 Addenda we found the link to the new table of Applicable VOC Limits. Benjamin Moore has a low VOC chalkboard paint (20g/L). We are going to classify it as an Interior Flat Coating or Primer. The VOC limit for that category is 50g/L, so we should comply. Does this make sense to you? Thanks, Rebecca

Rebecca, Certainly. It should help you get the point, but remember because you are focusing on the content of the wet products and not what actually emits from the products, you may not get the indoor air quality that you were hoping for. I would suggest striving to get EQc 3.2 with a building clearance test to make sure that before children occupy the school it doesn't have potentially harmful levels of chemicals in the air. Good luck with the project - we need better, more sustainable schools for our children to learn in.