BACKGROUND This credit interpretation request is specific to interpretation of EQ Credit #3.2 "Construction IAQ Management Plan: Before Occupancy " under version 2.1. The intent of this credit is "to prevent indoor air quality problems resulting from the construction process in order to help sustain the comfort and well-being of construction workers and building occupants". We believe the approach described below will achieve that intent. The Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute Project is an expansion to the Walter C. MacKenzie Center, an existing active treatment hospital of approximately 2,000,000 square feet of occupied space. The Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute will connect to the Walter C. MacKenzie Center through several corridors that will be isolated from the main building until the Heart Institute is occupied. The heart institute is a multi-storey building of approximately 350,00 Square Feet of occupied space consisting of 8 occupied floors each with an interstitial floor above to house building systems. The interstitial floors are completely separated from the occupied floors. The ventilation systems serving the building are configured such that central air systems provide 100% outdoor air to all occupied floors from the 2nd floor to the 8th floor. The main and lower levels are served from air systems that re-circulate a portion of the building air. Each occupied floor and each interstitial floor are separated into a minimum of 3 Fire compartments. Supply and exhaust air for each fire compartment can be isolated by closing smoke dampers in the supply and exhaust ductwork serving the respective fire compartment. The construction and occupancy schedule for the project requires that the building be occupied in stages. These stages would be at a minimum fire compartment by fire compartment and more likely floor by floor. REQUEST We are requesting that the USGBC interpret Credit 3.2 to allow "Before Occupancy" flushing to be conducted on a fire zone by fire zone basis for the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. All unoccupied zones would be isolated from the occupied zones by closing the smoke dampers and taping off man doors serving unoccupied zones. The zones being flushed would utilize the main air systems to allow for the two-week building flush out period prescribed in the discussion for EQ Credit #3.2. The 2nd through 8th floors are served by air systems designed to provide 100% outdoor air. Therefore there will be no recirculation of the air from the occupied or flush-out spaces. For the lower and main floors served by a system that permits re-circulated air, these systems will be controlled so that 100% outdoor air is supplied through this system during the flush out period.
The CIR is inquiring if it is possible to conduct the two-week flush-out of a building in stages to allow for a staggered construction completion schedule. The inquiry indicates that the building floors and/or zones can be separated physically from adjacent spaces, to ensure no cross contamination from construction in the incomplete areas, while providing 100% outside air to accomplish the flush out. Previously posted CIR rulings, dated 10/17/2001 and 9/5/2006 approve the process for a staggered flush-out approach, provided that existing spaces are protected from construction-related contamination as well as prevention of cross-contamination between systems. Protection measures should follow the SMACNA Guidelines for Occupied Buildings and be outlined in the Construction IAQ Management Plan to ensure compliance.