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NC-v4 EQc2:Low emitting materials

Wet Applied Products Volume

The calculator USGBC provides for this credit make it appear that the volume is required for ALL products, regardless of if you are doing a budget or if projects all meet VOC limits. Otherwise the calculator does not show you achieving the credits. Has anyone gotten clarification on if the Volume is indeed required for every product, regardless of compliance?

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Fri, 08/21/2015 - 21:57

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.

Sat, 08/22/2015 - 10:11

Thanks Michelle, that was my thought exactly. However, the spreadsheet/calculator must have a glitch - I'm starting from a blank v3 calculator downloaded from USGBC, and right now it will not show compliance unless entering a volume in column X

Sat, 08/22/2015 - 16:28

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.

Sat, 08/22/2015 - 17:36

Sorry, was confusing terminology. It is a LEED v4 project, using the v4_Low-Emitting Materials Calculator_v03 (third version of that calculator) available at http://www.usgbc.org/resources/low-emitting-materials-calculator that is not showing products as compliant until a quantity is entered. Just didn't know if that was a bug in their spreadsheet calculator (there are others, especially in the materials calculator) or if they are actually requiring the quantity. The reference guide is vague, though it does mention it once (saying to create a budget even if not using the budget). Text is from the step by step guidance on the reference guide online: For wet-applied product categories, 90% of products must meet emissions criteria and 100% must meet VOC content criteria. To demonstrate the project’s overall attainment of 100% of the VOC content criteria, compare the baseline case and the design case in a VOC content budget. If the design (or actual) level is less than the baseline, the credit requirement is satisfied. The values used in the comparison calculation are the g/L of VOCs contained in the product. To determine the budget, multiply the volume of the product used by the threshold VOC level for the baseline case from the appropriate referenced standard; use the actual product VOC level for the design case. If a product with high VOC levels is applied unintentionally, use the VOC budget approach to determine whether compliance can nevertheless be attained.

Sat, 08/22/2015 - 19:41

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.

Thu, 09/17/2015 - 20:34

Hi Michelle Just curious if you've been able to get any feedback from the TAG on the volume requirements? Thanks!

Mon, 09/21/2015 - 16:47

Not yet. I sent another request.

Mon, 02/01/2016 - 17:05

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
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Robin Dukelow
Sustainability Consultant; Project Manager
Henderson Engineers and Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC
LEEDuser Basic Member
9 thumbs up

Wed, 02/03/2016 - 22:46

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!

Thu, 02/04/2016 - 06:13

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.

Wed, 04/12/2017 - 21:25

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.
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Tiombe Parrish
Sustainability and Resilient Design Practice Director
Jacobs
LEEDuser Premium Member
15 thumbs up

Thu, 07/13/2017 - 19:39

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?
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Nick Semon
Senior PM, Sustainability Consultant
Re:Vision Architecture
LEEDuser Basic Member
28 thumbs up

Wed, 01/03/2018 - 20:29

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]

Wed, 01/03/2018 - 21:31

There's no reference in that statement to the Emissions part of the requirement. So do 100% of your products comply with emissions also?
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Nick Semon
Senior PM, Sustainability Consultant
Re:Vision Architecture
LEEDuser Basic Member
28 thumbs up

Wed, 01/03/2018 - 21:42

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.

Wed, 01/03/2018 - 21:49

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

Thu, 01/18/2018 - 00:18

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.

Thu, 01/18/2018 - 17:38

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. 
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Debra a. Lombard
Construction Administrator/ LEED AP
Bywater Woodworks, Inc.
LEEDuser Basic Member
42 thumbs up

Thu, 01/18/2018 - 18:06

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    

Thu, 01/18/2018 - 19:48

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 

Wed, 02/07/2018 - 16:27

Following.  In the same situation.  
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Erin Holdenried
Sustainable Design Director
Bell Architects
LEEDuser Premium Member
40 thumbs up

Tue, 04/10/2018 - 00:04

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.

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