IEQ 4, Low-Emitting Materials – Group 2: Wall and Ceiling Finis

Bruce Maine

Sustainable Design Consultant

LEEDuser Basic Member

51 thumbs up

July 3, 2012

We have a master specification for an Acoustic Tile Restoration System. ProKote is the Base Manufacturer. Their products comply with VOC regs for coatings but I'm curious if in LEED for Healthcare, IEQ 4 - Group 2, would require existing acoustical tile systems to comply with the CDPH VOC protocol. The Reference Guide provided no information. Thanks for your help.

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Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 20:00

Assuming that this is the product that gets applied to existing ceiling tiles, I read it the same way you are, that this restoration system is a coating. I don't think it belongs in Group 2 because the ProKote is not the base products listed there. The ProKote isn't a ceiling tile all by itself; it needs the ceiling tile. Glad you found the HC forum and hope to have you contributing.

Bruce Maine

Sustainable Design Consultant

LEEDuser Basic Member

51 thumbs up

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 20:15

Thanks, Susan. The ProKote product complies with the VOC requirements for a coating but I'm curoious if the existing ceiling tiles still need to meet the California Department of Public Health Standard. As a general rule we've used the ProKote product for purely aesthetic reasons. Normally I'd think this is an easy credit to achieve unless the manufacturer resists testing an older product and the Owner balks at the cost of new ceiling tiles.

Susan Walter

HDR

LEEDuser Expert

894 thumbs up

Thu, 07/05/2012 - 20:18

Usually, the products left in place don't figure into the credits and I think this is the same here. If you can claim it in MRc1, it has probably off-gassed all it is going to off-gas and you shouldn't have to worry about the existing materials. You may have to know how old those materials are in a design review response.