IAQ Photos

Can you get photos of "no idling" signage or electric equipment used in place of gas? Or photos of HVAC startup that show finished space around the equipment?

I think we've discussed this before and the bigger question is why you're being asked to provide a photo of every single best practice in the SMACNA list, right? As a reviewer I was always told that each CATEGORY needed to be covered, EITHER with photos or in writing - so as to be comprehensive but not penalize projects where not every practice was applicable or that didn't happen to get photos of one specific activity. I don't think the intent of reviewing this credit was ever to determine that the project followed every best practice listed in the SMACNA standard - that would be a massive effort to document and review! But like the ESC plan prerequisite, there needed to be a plan, referencing the standard, and evidence that it was carried out. I haven't been getting comments asking for any truly above & beyond level of photo evidence, but if I'm remembering right you have gotten those requests...

Wow, I've never gotten a comment quite that detailed, nor have I ever provided photos of all of those things. I make sure the GC has all those things in their *plan* but I have never had a GC provide me with that level of detail of backup documentation, and it has yet to come up as an issue in review. (Honestly, I can't imagine asking any of my GC point-of-contacts to get photos of all of this, on top of all their other job duties!) Are you getting this comment frequently, or just a recent project? 

Wow - I would push back on GBCI via LEED Coach or by simply responding to your review notification email. There is no requirement to provide pictures of "dust guards" or "vaccuum cleaners". The requirements clearly state that you need to take date stamped photos, labled with location and strategy, during construction and preoccupancy, "for each IAQ measure". If you provided a few representative photos of each strategy type, date stamped to show that they cover the duration of the interior work, that should suffice. I know that GBCI struggles with consistency in the reviewer world and have always recieved my feedback with gratitude for the opportunity to refine their process.

Is there a minimum amount of photos that we need to upload that covers each IAQ measure?  Just to get this credit straightenend out, I feel like uploading one photo for each measure, but I'm not sure if the LEED reviewer will demand more.  What do you guys think?

Hi Edgar,

As long as the photo can show implementation of IAQ management plan that fulfil SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction, 2nd edition, 2007, ANSI/SMACNA 008–2008, Chapter 3 as requested by LEED, it is supposed to be Approved by LEED assessor as well.

Best regards - Afogreen Build Team