I have been in conversations with a carpet supplier that indicates that their carpet meets the CRI Green label plus, and will thus meet the requirements for IEQc4.3. Also, I have seen some documentation to back up this claim. However, the project team and I like to avoid the use of PVC as much as practicable. (I am sure that many people here are aware of the Living Building Challenge "Red List" - PVC is on this list). As such, it does not "feel" right to be using carpet with PVC in it. It is nice to make sure you are meet the broad based "intents" of LEED, even when your simply being paid to meet the credit specifcs. Has anyone else here been in a similar quandary, and how did you handle it? Maybe there is a loophole in this credit, or maybe I have an unreasonable bias against PVC. What is the experience of others here? Has anyone been "burned" by a carpet that they thought would keep them in compliance for this credit but did not work out?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
January 26, 2011 - 2:23 pm
Walter, this is a complex issue to say the least. In terms of LEED, it's very straightforward: carpet has to be CRI Green Label Plus certified, and carpet containing PVC can meet that threshold. Given that things are very clear-cut in this way, I haven't heard about people being burned by it. On the contrary, I have heard complaints about the performance of non-PVC carpet tile, since its performance attributes can be lacking in some respects (like laying down flat).Going beyond LEED through efforts like the LBC red list is definitely possible with a lot of products out there, and I'd love to hear from people like yourself about how that's going.
Reinhard Oppl
Independent consultant on VOC issuesformerly with Eurofins Product Testing A/S
332 thumbs up
January 26, 2011 - 6:07 pm
Just one additional remark. Certification by CRI for Green Label Plus is not the main compliance path in EQ c4 in LEED for Schools 2009. No specific certification program is required, the product just must meet the testing and product requirements of CDPH Section 01350.