Small Laundry Rooms and Exhaust

Thank you both for the thoughts. It appears that the intent is to exhaust chemical use/storage areas 24/7 in order to prevent gas build-up, although I can't find anything that explicitly says that. I read in one of the LEED interpretations that intermittent exhaust based on occupancy doesn't meet the intent of the credit if the room is indeed a chemical area. There is another LEED interpretation that doesn't require single laundry rooms within an apartment to be exhausted. This implies that size and application matters when deeming whether a laundry area is a chemical use/storage area. Obviously people might be keeping bleach in this type of laundry room, so it doesn't appear to be a major concern. Thanks again.

Dylan, below are excerpts from the LEED Interpretations that I referred to (they are both very old), although I misspoke about the laundry rooms. The interpretation refers to common laundry areas in an apartment, not an individual laundry room in a unit. But the take away for me is largely the same. I'm not positive what our strategy will be regarding the exhaust. If I come across any enlightening info, I'll try to remember to update this comment. ID#5607 MADE ON 04/18/2005 Inquiry: "3. If any of the above applies, can the exhaust rate of 0.5 cfm be reduced during unoccupied periods, such as night and week ends in order to minimize energy usage? If so, should the higher level of exhaust be tied to occupancy sensors, on a timed cycle, or manually operated?" Ruling: "3. All areas where chemical usage occurs must be maintained at the 0.5 cfm/ft2 exhaust rate at all times to exclude the possibility of any potential chemical fumes build up. The intent of this credit is to provide a safe and healthy indoor environment for all users, and maintaining this exhaust rate will contribute to achieving this goal. The energy penalty incurred is minimal when compared to the health benefits it affords." ID#6055 MADE ON 11/04/2003 Ruling: "A distinction needs to be made between the chemicals used in residential and commercial projects and the exposure to the occupants, especially in regards to laundry rooms. For example, if a laundry room is anticipated/expected to provide a dual purpose of providing the residents a space for them to do their laundry and possibly an area for custodians or building personnel to clean equipment, e.g. mops, brushes, etc., then as stated in the CIR ruling 7/22/03, the space would have to meet the chemical use requirements under LEED v2.1. Typical residential common laundry rooms do not fall under the category of rooms "where chemical mixing occurs."