Forgive my ignorance here, but how does LEED v4 handle sealant tapes? In this case I'm asking about duct sealant tapes, but it could apply to any other tape used in construction. It seems clear that an adhesive tape falls into the category of "interior adhesives and sealants." Where I'm getting confused is when we have to report the "Wet-Applied Products Volume Used" in the calculator. Would that be zero for a tape, since it's not "wet-applied"? Or do we somehow have to come up with a number for the volume of wet adhesive per linear foot of tape? Any help would be appreciated.
You rely on LEEDuser. Can we rely on you?
LEEDuser is supported by our premium members, not by advertisers.
Go premium for
Stephanie Graham
Sustainability ManagerBurns & McDonnell
26 thumbs up
November 9, 2018 - 11:52 am
In previous versions of LEED, I never considered sealant tapes as wet-applied products needing to meet VOC requirements for sealants or adhesives. So far, for v4 I have used that same assumption, but would like to hear others' experiences on this, as well.
Gregor Braugman
Sustainability Specialist7 thumbs up
June 7, 2019 - 11:47 am
I'm grappling with a similar problem relating to the use of DM 440 Gasket Tape. If they use 1500 ft, then how many liters is that equivalent to?
Martha Norbeck
PresidentC-Wise Design and Consulting
71 thumbs up
June 7, 2019 - 12:12 pm
The standards apply to Wet-Applied-Products. There's no standard for tapes. I've never submitted paperwork for these items. I would also suggest looking into the LEED v4.1 option for this credit. Tracking quantities for adhesives and sealants takes a lot of time. I've gotten major push back from subs. We specify low emitting adhesives and sealants, check for them in submittals, but there's just not enough brands with compliant CDPH testing results to get 100% General Emissions compliance (thereby bypassing the quantity calculations). With the LEED v4.1 approach, it is possible to achieve 3 points for this credit without chasing down the # of caulk containers.
Sherman Aronson
Sr. AssociateBLT Architects
4 thumbs up
August 29, 2019 - 5:03 pm
We understand that the team can choose to use the LEED v4.1 criteria for just the EQ Low VOC credit, is that correct? Is there a way to do that within LEED Online templates? Also, the project team is working to comply with all limits, per Option 1. Our goal is to avoid the Option 2 Budget Method. As noted in a question above, in v4, does Option 1 require calculating the volume and quantity of each material used on site? That would be the same as Option 2.
Elizabeth Kertesz
PresidentResilient Oak Consulting, LLC
9 thumbs up
August 29, 2019 - 5:41 pm
My understanding is that tapes are excluded because they are not wet applied.