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Guideline I.1: Low Emitting Materials
Intent
To minimize occupant exposure to volatile organic compounds.
Required Performance Criteria
Guidelines I.1A and I.1B are required for New Construction and for Major Renovation projects. Guidelines I.1C and I.1D are required only for New Construction projects that include 20,000 gsf or more of conditioned space and for Major Renovation projects that include 20,000 gsf or more of conditioned space and include construction, replacement, or alteration of relevant systems or assemblies.
- All newly installed interior materials must comply with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.1–2010 or v1.2-2017. Interior materials are defined as all materials and finishes interior to the enclosure’s least vapor-permeable and continually air-sealed barrier system. This includes but is not limited to flooring adhesives, sealants, carpets, resilient flooring, paints, acoustical insulation products, gypsum board, acoustical ceilings, acoustic wall panels, casework, composite wood subflooring, and furnishings.1 Projects that include less than 20,000 gsf of conditioned space are required only to document that the five most prevalent interior materials by surface area (that are not subject to a listed exception) meet this requirement.
- Exceptions:
- Inherently non-emitting sources: Products that are inherently non-emitting sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (stone, ceramic, powder-coated metals, plated or anodized metal, glass, concrete, clay brick, and unfinished or untreated solid wood flooring) are considered fully compliant without any VOC emissions testing if they do not include integral organic-based surface coatings, binders, or sealants.
- Salvaged and reused architectural millwork more than one year old at the time of occupancy is considered compliant, provided it meets the requirements for any site-applied paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants. Newly installed finishes and components are not exempt from I.1A or I.1B.
- Product types with two or fewer compliant manufacturers available from the combination of all databases listed below at the point of product selection are exempt from this requirement.2
- Structural building products as excluded from CDPH Standard Method v1.1 under part 1.1.4.
- Composite wood products covered under Guideline I.1C.
- Furnishings covered under Guideline I.1D. Onsite applied furniture coatings are not exempt from the requirements of I.1A.
- Approved databases of materials recognized as compliant with the most current CDHP standard:
- Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Low Emitting Materials (which includes several of the other third-party certifications below).
- Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus™ Certification (for carpet, cushion, and adhesive products).
- Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage Gold™ Certification.
- Resilient Flooring Institute (RFI) FloorScore™ Certification.
- Underwriters Laboratory (UL) GREENGUARD Gold™.
- Intertek ETL Environmental™ VOC+.
- Materials Analytical Services, LLC (MAS) Certified Green™ (for Building Materials).
- NSF/ANSI 332 (for Resilient Floor Coverings).
- Berkeley Analytical Associates ClearChem (for Interior Building Products).
- Coatings Research Group, Incorporated (CRGI) Green Wise Gold (for Paints).
- Exceptions:
- Wet-applied materials: All onsite wet-applied materials must meet the applicable requirements below. Interior onsite wet-applied materials also must meet the general requirements for VOC emissions under I2A.
- All paints and coatings wet-applied onsite must meet the applicable VOC limits of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2007, Suggested Control Measure (SCM) for Architectural Coatings, or the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113, effective June 3, 2011.
- All adhesives and sealants wet-applied onsite must meet the applicable chemical content requirements of SCAQMD Rule 1168, July 1, 2005, Adhesive and Sealant Applications, as analyzed by the methods specified in Rule 1168.
- Paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants wet-applied onsite may not include any intentionally added methylene chloride or perchloroethylene.
- Composite Wood Products: Newly installed composite wood must meet the California Air Resources Board ATCM for formaldehyde requirements for ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde (ULEF) resins or no added formaldehyde resins.
- New furniture and furnishing items not tested under I.2A must be tested in accordance with ANSI/BIFMA Standard Method M7.1–2014. Comply with ANSI/BIFMA e3-2014 Furniture Sustainability Standard, Section 7.6.1 or 7.6.2
- Furniture listed in the following databases or providing the following certifications are considered compliant with this guideline:2
- Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage (furniture)
- Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage Gold (furniture)
- Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Greenguard Certified
- Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Greenguard Gold Certified
- Intertek ETL Environmental VOC (furniture)
- Intertek ETL Environmental VOC+ (furniture)
- Materials Analytical Services, LLC (MAS) Certified Green
- Furniture listed in the following databases or providing the following certifications are considered compliant with this guideline:2
[1] This guideline is aligned with the USGBC, “Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Low-Emitting Materials,” LEED Building Design and Construction v.4, though with a different definition of interior materials and a different threshold for compliance.
[2] Allowable exclusions differs from LEED v.4.
[3] Allowed furnishings differ from LEED v.4.
Recommended Performance Criteria
- After construction and before occupancy, conduct air-testing to ensure that the contaminant levels listed in the USGBC document “Maximum Concentration Levels, by Contaminant and Testing Method” are not exceeded using the test methods listed in that document. If excessive levels of contaminants are found in the building, develop a mitigation plan to reduce these and retest until acceptable thresholds are reached. Conduct testing in spaces representing typical airflow conditions and interior finishes.