VOC content requirements for adhesives and sealants

Hi Craig! The general emissions requirements apply to all products (CDPH). Wet-applied must meet the additional VOC content requirements. But yes as far as SCAQMD it is only the VOC content requirements that apply.

I'm looking at the table on the first page of the online reference guide (credit language) and the Excel documentation calculator. For both adhesives and sealants, and paints and coatings, it states to meet general emissions and VOC content requirements. Yet another requirement is listed in a bullet: "All adhesives and sealants wet-applied on site must meet the applicable chemical content requirements of SCAQMD Rule 1168, July 1, 2005."

Craig—Perhaps you ARE being too literal. SCAQMD-1168 states, “The purpose of this rule is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and to eliminate emissions of chloroform, ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene from the application of adhesives, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, sealants, sealant primers, or any other primers.” The rule limits VOCs and bans the other chemicals outright. This Credit’s language states, “Additional VOC content requirements for wet-applied products. In addition to meeting the general requirements for VOC emissions (above), on-site wet-applied products must not contain excessive levels of VOCs….All adhesives and sealants wet-applied on site must meet the applicable chemical content requirements of SCAQMD Rule 1168….” VOCs are chemicals too. Perhaps, the use of the terms “applicable chemical content requirements” acknowledges that 1168 regulates BOTH VOCs AND the other listed chemicals. However, as Michelle points out, the Reference Guide and documentation tools only address only VOCs, so the Credit’s intent does not appear to be to control the other compounds. This interpretation would be consistent with all previous LEED versions.

Jon Michelle and Craig - I am having issue finding the SCAQMD Rule 1168 which v4 references (1 July 2005); per the SCAQMD link here (http://www.aqmd.gov/docs/default-source/rule-book/reg-xi/rule-1168.pdf) the last updated version is January 7, 2005. Have you been able to find the version referenced by the USGBC? Any help would be great, thanks! Sarah

Look at page 11 of the PDF. The columns on the chart are headed with effective dates. One of the columns is 7/1/2005

Thanks much, Michelle, I was looking for an overall update like those cited on the first page.

I have a silicone sealant which is classify as "all other architectural sealants". So which VOC content limit (g/L) should I follow? Is it the current 250g/L or 1/1/2009 (50g/L)? We would like to aim LEED v4.1 compliance for this seilicone sealant. We plan to have the CDPH v1.2 (VOC emmision test) at third party lab. So if the CDPH v1.2 (VOC emission test) passed but the VOC content limit not passed, therefore LEED v4.1 not compliance, am I correct?