Introduce the M&V program into the design early in the process, because it can affect the design of the mechanical and electrical systems as well as the BMS. There is also inherent value in having the design teams think about how the building will be operated.

Talk to the facility operations staff about the financial benefits and operational requirements of the M&V plan. Any energy savings achieved through M&V will depend on their participation.

Discuss as a team whether M&V will contribute to your project’s goals for energy reduction and system monitoring. Consider your project’s size, its complexity, your tenants’ needs, and whether or not to run a whole-building energy model. Also think about how the building will be operated. If the M&V program is not likely to be fully utilized by the owner, it may not be an appropriate investment.

Periodic IAQ testing during occupancy is not required, but can be used to help ensure a healthy indoor environment. If pursuing LEED-EBOM certification several credits will help ensure good air quality during occupancy, such as IEQc1.1: Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices—Indoor Air Quality Management Program. 

The strategies required by IEQc5: Indoor Chemical Pollutant Source Control are intended to help buildings minimize sources of indoor air contamination during continued building operation. Pursuing IEQc5 can help enhance the effects of building flushout or testing. 

Record information on IAQ testing, including:

a description of the IAQ testing process, test dates, and scope; 
sampling locations with respect to floor area, size, and ventilation system; 
and any corrective measures implemented to achieve credit compliance. 

Provide all finalized testing reports from your testing agency as documentation of credit compliance, along with a narrative outlining the testing procedure.

Some projects fail the first round of testing, and have difficulty scheduling or budgeting for the required flush-out and re-testing. Those projects are, unfortunately, forced to give up on this credit.

If IAQ test samples exceed any of the maximum concentration levels, the space must be flushed out with an increased rate of outside air, as recommended by the testing agency, and re-sampled to confirm compliance before allowing occupants to move in. 

Samples should be collected in the breathing zone—three to six feet above the floor—during hours when the building will normally be occupied. Record the exact locations in which samples are taken in case follow-up samples are required. 

IAQ testing must occur prior to occupancy, but conditions should be as similar as possible to the air that occupants will breathe. Tests should be performed during normal operation of the building’s HVAC system, including normal daily start times.