Compliance for the prerequisite is not based on the ability to meet the policy goals or sustainability criteria 100% of the time. However, teams should make every effort to follow the policy as much as possible and to modify current practices that clearly contradict with the intent of the green cleaning policy.

The policy is required to meet the prerequisite and clearly establishes high-level goals and sustainability criteria for the green cleaning program. The green cleaning program carries out the goals and strategies of the policy by establishing guidelines for cleaning procedures. Although the two components are distinct for the LEED prerequisite and credit, teams often meet both the prerequisite and the credit requirements with the same document.

Not necessarily. The requirements for this credit are based on the wood product containing no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF). While a NAUF product may comply with European standards, you can't assume that a product complying with European standards is NAUF—you need to check the binder.

LEEDuser hasn't seen an official ruling on this, but our expert consensus is no. (And keep in mind that laminating adhesives are part of the credit requirements, too.)

As stated in the credit language, architectural paints and coatings applied to interior walls and ceilings are subject to GS-11.

If a project registered after the 4/14/10 addendum, then primers must use the 50 g/L and 150 g/L VOC limits for flat and non-flat paints, respectively. The only exception would be when it can be demonstrated, based on the purpose of the primer and supporting manufacturer data, that the product meets the definition of specialty primers per SCAQMD Rule 1113.

Handheld aerosol spray paints are not covered by Green Seal GS-11 or SCAQMD Rule 1113, the relevant standards under this credit. A CIR under LEED-NC v2.2 was issued that excluded spray paints from this credit, and there have been no rulings reversing this for LEED 2009 projects, although there is not officially a ruling one way or another that applies to LEED 2009. See LEED Interpretation #2486 2/10/2009.

Projects should comply with the editions in the reference guide or applicable LEED addenda issued before the project's registration date.

Graphic Arts (Sign) Coating is found in SCAQMD 1113, Table 1 - VOC Limits, with 500 g/l as the current limit.

SCAQMD Rule 1168 includes definitions of categories that can be helpful in determining where and how your product should be categorized to determine corresponding VOC thresholds.


Any applied products that have the potential to communicate their emissions to the indoor air would need to be considered for IEQc4.1, but if they have little or no potential they can be excluded. This leaves room for interpretation, so projects are encouraged to take an inclusive view of what they include. For more detail, reference LEED Interpretations 809, 811, 3716, and 5955. These are not explicitly applicable to all LEED projects and credits, but nonetheless offer the most specific guidance LEEDuser has found on this issue.