Wet Applied Products Volume

You don't need volume unless you are using a budget. However wet applied products need to comply with g/L content limits, similar to LEED 2009, in addition to meeting the general emissions standard. It's possible you've made an incorrect selection somewhere in the spreadsheet.

You said v3 calculator. Isn't this project v4? There is a v4 calculator. The v3 requirements are all content limits. It should just compare allowable g/l to actual for compliance.

I looked at the calculator and see what you are talking about. Even if you look at the summary page for Option 1 there is a row for volume, so it doesn't appear to be a mistake. However when we were developing this credit I don't think volume was a factor for option 1, and I don't see a reason why is should be. It's interesting how it fills in the option 2 budget columns on the product sheet when you enter a volume. This is a question for current the IEQ TAG. I'll ask, but you can too.

Not yet. I sent another request.

Tommy,

I believe that I solved this mystery. For wet-applied product, volume is still required to meet the general emissions evaluation. They credit states that 90% BY VOLUME of paints and coatings must meet the general emissions evaluation under Option 1. The confusion arises when the calculator automatically populates the VOC budget cells after you enter that value.

Michelle

Michelle & Tommy, I have read your correspondence above and have the very same questions about the new calculator. I want to chime in here so that you know more people are eager to learn about the resolution to this issue; which will hopefully be resolved by modifying the calculator.

Additionally, in the calculator when I select "interior adhesives and sealants" the next pull-down indicates that they are required to meet "general emissions evaluation (CDPH) and VOC (SCAQMD) content" requirements. However, most product data does not cite a "general emissions evaluation" or CDPH method for interior adhesives and sealants or paints and coatings applied wet. Is this an additional test/criteria that all of the low-VOC product manufacturers must document? thank you!

Yes. VOC-content is an additional requirement for wet-applied materials. The general emissions evaluations is the basic requirement. This credit was developed to account for emissions of VOCs as the primary health effect for indoor environments.

As far as I can tell, the calculator does what it needs to do to correctly assess compliance with the credit, even if it is a little confusing.

Michelle,

You mentioned that for emissions criteria that volumes are required because the credit states "that 90% BY VOLUME of paints and coatings must meet the general emissions evaluation under Option 1".

If 100% of my products meet the general emissions evaluation, why do we still have to track the volumes of the products? Seems like additional work that isn't required since we know we are 100% compliant. Am I missing something? Tommy is correct in that the v4 spreadsheet won't indicate compliance until a volume is entered.

This seems to be a 2 year old discussion without any clear resolution on the Volumes issue yet. This is the Volume Used column under VOC Content when using Option 1. Has anyone found a work-around? I agree with Dalton that if all of my products comply with the VOC limitations, why am I burdening the subcontractor by asking them to track how much primer (just an example) is used on the job?

I'll share some info that our team got through correspondence with USGBC.  We asked if we could take a shortcut if 100% of products were compliant, and here's what we got for a reply:

"Yes, if 100% of wet-applied products comply with the VOC Content requirements, then the team may enter "1" as the Wet-Applied Products Volume Used for each product."

I'll add the caveat that we haven't submitted that project for review yet.  But I think it's a reasonable approach, along with a note in the Special Circumstances box indicating why you're doing it.

[edited for spelling]

There's no reference in that statement to the Emissions part of the requirement. So do 100% of your products comply with emissions also?

Michelle -- Good catch.  Our original question to USGBC was:

"It's our understanding that if 100% of wet applied products comply with all low-emitting requirements in LEED v4, then we do not need to collect the volume of each applied product. In this case, how should we complete the calculator? May we enter a volume of 1 for all products and include a note that 100% of products comply?"

For completeness, their response (per my above post) was:

"Yes, if 100% of wet-applied products comply with the VOC Content requirements, then the team may enter "1" as the Wet-Applied Products Volume Used for each product."

I agree with you that their mention of "VOC Content" might muddle things a bit, but ultimately, we view it as an approval of the "enter 1 if you have all compliant products" rationale.  As I mentioned, we haven't submitted for review yet, so caveat lector and all that.

Thanks, Nick. That would certainly be a reasonable and welcome response.

Hi everyone.  To add on, we have received the same response from GBCI but, like Nick, haven't put that project through for review yet.  We are documenting 100% compliance and putting '1' in the Volume column.   We'll update this post after it goes through.  Would love to know if anyone else gets an official thumbs up before then.

Thanks everyone for the conversation. Yes, that approach is acceptable. We are working on an update and clarification for the calculator but in the meantime you can use that work-around. 

Larissa,

Please confirm you are indicating that for v4 project, if 100% of all wet site applied products meet VOC limits in g/l then no VOC emissions testing data is needed? And for the volume of each wet site applied product enter 1" for volume if it meets max VOCs. 

Thanks,

Debra

Hi Debra, sorry for not being more clear. No that wasn't what I meant.  

 The work-around is only applicable to VOC content requirements, and the "volume used" column in the calculator.  The wet-applied products must still meet the VOC emissions requirements and compliance information should be completed in the calculator. 

thanks for confirming,

Larissa 

Following.  In the same situation.  

For Option 2, it appears you have to input the volumes of paints and coatings in order for it to be counted as compliant.  Is this a glitch in the calculator?  Seems redundant as Option 2 is calculated by area.