This credit requires you to develop and implement an ongoing indoor air quality (IAQ) management program, with the intent of maintaining good IAQ and avoiding complaints and air quality hazards.

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.

I-BEAM is the basis of the credit

Central to the credit is the U.S. EPA Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM).

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.

Resolving IAQ issues

Once the audit is completed it’s time to develop a plan for addressing any IAQ issues uncovered during the audit. This plan should include a strategy and timeline for resolving each issue, whether it’s no-cost, low-cost, or requires some expenditure. For each no-cost issue that was resolved during your performance period, provide a description of the actions taken to remedy the issue along with the date of completion. This information can be included in your audit report.

Developing an IAQ management program

Teams must document an IAQ management program that is based on I-BEAM. The program can be a stand-alone document or incorporated into the current facilities requirements (CFR) and operations and management (O&M) plan developed for EAp1.

The IAQ management program must include components to address continued monitoring and evaluation of IAQ measures. The full list of required components is included in the Reference Guide.

Changes from LEED 2009

There are a few minor changes from LEED 2009. Teams no longer need to provide copies of IAQ protocols for this credit (e.g. indoor painting or indoor pest management plan). An IAQ management program based on the I-BEAM program must be developed instead. The I-BEAM audit must be conducted at least once every five years.

Readiness Review Questions

• Do you have the staff resources needed to perform this 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 I-BEAM education models, tailor the audit forms to the building, and prepare a report of the findings.
• If the answer to the first question is yes, who is best equipped to perform the audit? Note that this person should have enough knowledge of the building’s systems and operations to be able to understand the audit forms and be able to 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?