This credit requires you to develop and implement an ongoing indoor air quality (IAQ) management program, with the intent of maintaining good IAQ and preventing problems. The credit should be no- or low-cost to implement, and is non-technical in nature. Any project team would do well to consider attempting it.

Using I-BEAM

Central to the credit is the EPA Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM), which forms the basis of the credit.

EPA created I-BEAM as a comprehensive tool to help building operators learn about indoor air quality, identify air quality issues in their facilities, and improve the indoor air quality in their buildings. For this credit, the two key components of I-BEAM are as follows.

1. Educational tools, called “education modules,” that instruct the IAQ manager—someone from the operations staff—on common IAQ issues, such as sick building syndrome.
2. I-BEAM forms that support the IAQ audit.

By accessing I-BEAM and using the educational modules prior to conducting an audit, teams can develop a good understanding of what the tool is and how to use it to bolster their efforts.

An I-BEAM IAQ audit contains both technical assessment of equipment and non-technical walkthrough assessments. Though EAp1 and IEQp1 do not refer to I-BEAM or make use of these forms, the technical aspects of the I-BEAM forms are already covered in the work you have to do for those prerequisites. That leaves the non-technical pieces as the only added efforts to earn this credit.

Implementing IAQ protocols

Following the training and audit, the credit requires implementation of IAQ protocols. These protocols are basic strategies that help the project building maintain high indoor air quality. The protocols overlap with the following LEED credits:

• MRc3: Sustainable Purchasing—Facility Alterations and Additions
• IEQc1.5: Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices—Indoor Air Quality Management for Facility Alterations and Additions
• IEQc3.6: Green Cleaning—Indoor Integrated Pest Management.

For teams that are pursuing those credits, documentation of the protocols for IEQc1.1 will be streamlined. If you’re not planning to pursue at least two of those credits, you can still earn IEQc1.1 but the documentation will be a little more work.

Consider these questions when approaching this credit

• Provided that this is a nontechnical audit, does your organization have the staff time to perform the audit in-house? (In most buildings, a half-day or less should be adequate for performing the walkthrough. Additional time will be needed to review the IBEAM education models, tailor the audit forms to the project building, and prepare a report of the findings.)
• If the answer to the first question is yes, who on the operations staff is best equipped to perform the audit? Note: this person should have enough knowledge of the building’s systems and operations to be able to understand the audit forms and identify such things as odd noises or vibrations, pooling water, mold growth, and clogged air returns.
• Is the person capable of compiling findings in a simple report and addressing all of the no-cost issues by the end of the performance period?
• Is the team pursuing any of these credits: SSc3: Integrated Pest Management, Erosion Control, and Landscape Management Plan; IEQc3.6: Green Cleaning—Indoor Integrated Pest Management; MRc3: Sustainable Purchasing—Facility Alterations and Additions; IEQc1.5: Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices—Indoor Air Quality Management for Facility Alterations and Additions? If so, the documentation for these credits can form the basis of the IAQ protocols.