The credit interpretation ruling of June 25, 2002 stipulates "Products used at outside manufacturing facilities would not be subject to these limits (ref:adhesive limits)" while the credit interpretation ruling of May 14, 1999 stipulates " the prefabricated casework (or any product installed in the interior spaces) must be considered and meet the requirements of this credit". Which ruling is to be used? Are doors and any other product (including casework) manufactured off site clearly excluded from the adhesive limits? Are the limits intended to include adhesive and sealants used in mechanical components? What is an example of a sealant used as a filler and how is this different from a sealant used to coat a product or seal a floor. Under which heading if any are caulking compounds to be considered if at all?
The project team should refer to EQ Credit 4.1 CIR ruling 6/25/2002. Only those adhesives and sealants used in the interior of the building during the construction phase must meet the VOC thresholds referenced in the credit. Adhesives and sealants applied to casework, doors or other interior prefabricated components manufactured off-site are not subject to the VOC requirements. However, if all materials fabricated off-site use adhesives and sealants that meet the VOC requirements of EQc4, it may be possible to submit for an innovation credit. According to the referenced South Coast AQMD standard, http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/html/r1168.html: (67) SEALANT is any material with adhesive properties that is formulated primarily to fill, seal, or waterproof gaps or joints between two surfaces. Sealants include sealant primers and caulks. (68) SEALANT PRIMER is any product applied to a substrate, prior to the application of a sealant, to enhance the bonding surface. A material used to coat a product or seal a floor (e.g., concrete sealer) is considered an architectural coating. Architectural coatings such as these are currently not covered by the LEED rating system. Refer to the LEED Reference Guide for a summary of adhesive and sealant VOC requirements per the referenced standards. Applicable internationally.