SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

Asset Classes

Focus Area

Indoor Air Quality and Hazards

Topic

Baseline Practices

Question #

I4.0 – IAQ Management in Construction

Question

Is a plan in place to minimize indoor air quality impacts during renovation and construction?

Applicability

All asset classes
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building

Answer & Scoring

  • Yes – this is a baseline requirement

Requirements

    1. Reference SMACNA IAQ Guidelines
    2. Develop the building-specific Construction IAQ Control Plan, covering the following:
      • Hazardous materials management
      • Dust control
      • Isolation of HVAC zones and/or enhanced ventilation
      • HVAC filter replacement
      • VOC emission/absorption and odor management
      • Noise, vibration control monitoring
      • De-pressurization of construction zones as needed (e.g., in medical offices, hospitals and long-term care facilities)

SMACNA guidelines cover the following:

  • HVAC Protection: Protect HVAC equipment from construction debris that may enter ductwork or spaces, such as isolating the return air side of the system and installing temporary filters
  • Source Control: Use low-emission alternatives when selecting paints, sealants, adhesives, carpeting, cleaning products etc.
  • Pathway Interruption: Prevent airborne contaminants from construction to circulate through the rest of the building. Strategies include the installation of physical barriers between construction and occupied spaces and ventilating with 100% outside air
  • Housekeeping: Keep the construction sites clean and promptly clean spills to prevent the potential for growth of microbial contaminants
  • Scheduling: Consider the sequence in which materials are installed. Some materials absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by other materials, so those should ideally be installed after

Documentation

Suggested Lead

In-house: Project Manager (oversees new builds)/Policy Makers
Third-party: Architectural or engineering consultant (needs to be familiar with construction practices)

Value

  • Construction and renovation projects can introduce extra particulates and contaminants into the air. This can negatively affect indoor air quality (IAQ). Extra precautions should be taken to preserve a healthy and safe indoor environment for building occupants
  • Develop a construction IAQ control plan to manage negative IAQ effects from construction activities. Include specific control measures to eliminate or reduce hazardous materials, dust, chemical emissions, noise, and vibration
  • Consider isolating HVAC zones effected by construction and renovation and replacing filters after construction activities conclude to maintain the cleanliness of HVAC systems and prevent contaminants from spreading outside of the construction zone

RELATED Questions:

Description

During renovation or construction activities, elevated airborne particulate can be generated through the disturbance of various building materials (e.g., concrete, plaster, drywall, ductwork, flooring and insulation), dust originating from products used in the construction and by equipment that may emit combustion products. Additionally, building furnishings and finishes typically emit volatile organic compounds. Strategies to mitigate the impact of construction-generated contaminants in adjacent spaces should be developed and implemented.

Specific guidelines must be in place for base-building or tenant renovations and construction projects to ensure that contaminants are not released into the surrounding interior environment and building indoor air quality (IAQ) is maintained.

References

Adapted BB 3.0 Question

Question 03.01.03 — Is a plan in place to control construction-generated contaminants prior to base-building or tenant renovations?