Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Removal Hazardous vehicle exhaust emissions in the fire house are a firefighter\'s most significant cancer health risk and perceived liability. New technologies have been developed in response to this issue, but it has not yet become a regulated city, state or federal requirement for all fire stations. The Los Angeles Fire Bond Program, designing and building 21 fire stations applying for LEED verification, will use the PlymoVent technology to improve the indoor air quality of the fire station apparatus bays. PlymoVent technology is an automatically controlled pneumatic 100% Source Capture exhaust extraction system, specially designed for fire and rescue vehicles in long apparatus bays or multiple vehicles in line with side or rear low exhaust pipes. The system is used to remove the hazardous exhaust direct at the emission source, the exhaust pipe, and meets or exceed all local, state and national codes and regulations. Is the use of this technology worthy of an innovation credit?
Exhaust of idling vehicles would be covered under EQp1 per ASHRAE 62-1999, Table 2 (code interpretations are common that when in the station, fire trucks require an exhaust hook-up). Some jurisdictions enforce the use of a similar system for when trucks are in the station. Other similar codes, such as IMC 502.11, are also used in some areas of the country. The use of the proposed system only provides exhaust above and beyond the minimum code as the vehicle leaves the station and the doors are open. It is ineffective when the truck returns until the engine is shut off inside of the building. Basic ventilation standards and engineering practice, even without the use of the source control, would be required to keep fumes from an engine, running indoors only for a very short period, from moving to other areas and/or creating hazardous conditions in the garage area. The use of the PlymoVent (or similar products) is fairly common in most new fire stations (particularly in larger urban settings) and does not present an exemplary strategy or merit the award of an innovation credit.