Hello all,
We are working on a project in Europe and trying to achieve the EQ Low-emitting material credit.
Regarding some materials we have some doubts about the limits to consider the COVs:
We have concrete slabs for the floors of the building, according to LEED concrete is a inherently non-emitting material if it does not include integral organic-based surface coatings, binders, or sealants.
According to that, our concrete is an non-emitting material because it does not include surface coatings, binders, or sealants. However, the concrete includes some admixtures to alter its properties when it is prepared (water, aggregates, cement, admixtures...). What about those admixtures? Is it necessary to include them in the calculations? We thought that maybe the credit is more focused on final materials than on material ingredients, which is hard work to achieve.
Besides, regarding the fluid admixtures, we only could find them (Concrete curing compounds or Concrete surface retarders) regulated by the CDPH Standard Method and the Rule 1113 standard, nothing in EU regulations which are of application in this project.
Any help on this?
Thank you all in advance.
Regards.
- The concrete itself is not flooring...it is s structure, which is not a subfloor or flooring as we have come to understand it. Therefore it does not need to be included.
- If it is being coated with a concrete sealer, that would go under Paints & Coatings. Note, this can be confusing because they call it a concrete "sealant" but from a SCAQMD perspective, that would go under coatings, not sealants.
- Yes, we have been including the curing compounds under paints and coatings.
Please don't take all of that at gospel...we have projects still working through reviews right now, so will learn more along the way, but that is what we think is the case right now.