Our project is a Tenant fit-out, which will occupy almost 70% of a new 2.1 million sq. ft. urban office tower. The base building is separately pursuing LEED-CS certification and NY State Green Building Tax Credit (GBTC). We request recognition of credit equivalency for Option B "IAQ Test Procedure". We propose to take a comprehensive approach to meet the intent of the credit -- to "reduce indoor air quality problems resulting from the construction/renovation process, to sustain long-term worker and occupant comfort and wellbeing". Flush-out: To meet GBTC requirements, a one (1) week flush-out will be performed throughout the entire building (both Core & Shell AND Tenant spaces), with 100% outside air at 50% air flow rate, for 24 hours a day. Flush-out will occur after construction and immediately PRIOR to tenant occupancy on each floor. Continuous Air Monitoring: The building Owners have contracted to install the Aircuity OptiNet system, which provides 24/7 continuous monitoring and reporting of IAQ conditions, 365 days per year. Aircuity is a direct reading, multi-point system with the capability to continuously measure TVOC\'s, particulate matter (PM2.5, more stringent than LEED criteria), CO and CO2. The Owners will install the base Aircuity system with sensors in Core & Shell spaces, and provide infrastructure for all Tenants to install monitoring points and connect to the base system. Our Tenant fit-out project will install Aircuity sensors on all of its floors, to allow air sampling for each 3,000 sq. ft. of floor area. The Aircuity system will be operational during the latter stages of construction and will allow the Owners and Tenants to observe background levels of airborne contaminants, examine the decay progression for contaminant levels, and remediate as needed (e.g., increase ventilation) if signals or readings remain at elevated levels. Construction IAQ Management: All contractors for both Core & Shell and Tenant Fit-out projects are adhering to a Construction IAQ Management Plan, in accordance with LEED criteria. Compliance with Plan objectives is strictly monitored and enforced by on-site IAQ representatives. For both Core & Shell and Tenant Fit-out projects, this Plan includes source control strategies to reduce VOC\'s, formaldehyde and other emissions. Both projects are pursuing EQ credits 4.1 through 4.4 and installing low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpet and composite wood. The Tenant Fit-out has also specified all low-emitting systems furniture and seating to comply with LEED-CI EQ credit 4.5. In addition, the base building has prohibited both urea- and phenol-formaldehyde in all composite wood used for millwork, to meet GBTC requirements. The one-week flush-out, continuous air monitoring and construction IAQ management measures, as described above, will all be performed PRIOR to occupancy. Indoor Air Quality Testing: After occupancy of Tenant spaces, the Owners will perform IAQ testing to satisfy GBTC, which requires that testing occur within the first 30 days after occupancy in all Core & Shell AND Tenant spaces. Testing will encompass all contaminants required under LEED-CI: Formaldehyde, Particulates (PM10), Total VOC\'s and Carbon monoxide (testing for 4-PCH will not be required, since carpets do not contain SB latex backing). The Aircuity system will be used for IAQ testing of particulates and CO. For VOC\'s and formaldehyde, a laboratory analytical method will be employed. Summary: The above approach deviates from LEED-CI requirements in terms of the timing of IAQ testing (before vs. after occupancy). However, we believe the potential risks to occupants are reduced by several mitigating measures to be performed PRIOR to occupancy: (1) one-week flush-out, (2) continuous air monitoring and remediation, and (3) source control and IAQ management practices throughout construction. Please advise if the above comprehensive approach is acceptable to satisfy the intent of this credit.
The project team is requesting an alternative compliance path for EQc3.2. EQc3.2 requires either a building flush-out or IAQ testing before occupancy. The approach proposed by the project team does not qualify as an acceptable compliance path for two reasons. 1) The proposed building flush-out protocol does not ensure that the same volume of air will be circulated through the building as required by the credit. Credit requirements, per the LEED-CI Reference Guide, require that the building flush-out consist of either: Prior to Occupancy: Supplying 14,000 cu.ft. of outdoor air per sq.ft. of floor area while maintaining an internal temperature of at least 60 degrees F and relative humidity not higher than 60%, OR Occupancy Prior to completion of Flush-Out: Supplying a minimum of 3,500 cu.ft. of outdoor air per sq.ft. of floor area of the space. Once a space is occupied, it shall be ventilated at a minimum rate of 0.30 cfm/sq.ft. of outside air. These conditions shall be maintained until a total of 14,000 cu.ft./sq.ft. of outside air has been delivered to the space. 2) LEED requires that IAQ testing be completed after construction ends and before occupancy to ensure that occupants have healthy indoor air quality from the very first day of occupancy. The proposed protocol would not ensure this. Applicable Internationally.