EQ Credit 5: Indoor Chemical & Pollutant Source Control
1 Point
Intent
Minimize exposure of building occupants to potentially hazardous
particulates and chemical pollutants.
Requirements
Design to minimize and control pollutant entry into buildings and
later cross-contamination of regularly occupied
areas:
- Employ permanent entryway systems at least six feet long in the
primary direction of travel to capture dirt
and particulates from entering the building at all entryways that
are directly connected to the outdoors.
Acceptable entryway systems include permanently installed grates,
grilles, or slotted systems that allow for
cleaning underneath. Roll-out mats are only acceptable when
maintained on a weekly basis by a contracted
service organization. Qualifying entryways are those that serve as
regular entry points for building users.
- Where hazardous gases or chemicals may be present or used
(including garages, housekeeping/laundry areas
and copying/printing rooms), exhaust each space sufficiently to
create negative pressure with respect to
adjacent spaces with the doors to the room closed. For each of these
spaces, provide self-closing doors and
deck to deck partitions or a hard lid ceiling. The exhaust rate
shall be at least 0.50 cfm/sq.ft., with no air recirculation.
The pressure differential with the surrounding spaces shall be at
least 5 Pa (0.02 inches of water
gauge) on average and 1 Pa (0.004 inches of water) at a minimum when
the doors to the rooms are closed.
- In mechanically ventilated buildings, provide regularly occupied
areas of the building with air filtration media
prior to occupancy that provides a Minimum Efficiency Reporting
Value (MERV) of 13 or better. Filtration
should be applied to process both return and outside air that is to
be delivered as supply air.
Potential Technologies & Strategies
Design facility cleaning and maintenance areas with isolated exhaust
systems for contaminants. Maintain physical
isolation from the rest of the regularly occupied areas of the
building. Install permanent architectural entryway
systems such as grills or grates to prevent occupant-borne
contaminants from entering the building. Install highlevel
filtration systems in air handling units processing both return air
and outside supply air. Ensure that air
handling units can accommodate required filter sizes and pressure
drops. |
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