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Guideline M.4: Health

Intent

To minimize potentially hazardous materials used in B3 projects.

Required Performance Criteria

Guideline M.4B is required for New Construction and Major Renovation projects that include fluorescent lamps. Guideline M.4A is required for New Construction and Major Renovation projects with 20,000 gsf or more of conditioned space.

  1. Demonstrate that the chemical inventories of at least ten permanently installed interior materials from at least five different manufacturers do not contain likely hazardous materials by one of the following screening methods:1
      1. GreenScreen List Translator: Qualifying materials must demonstrate, based on a full chemical inventory to 100 ppm, that they are free of List-Translator-1 (LT-1) or List-Translator Possible 1 chemicals (LT-P1) as defined by the most current version of GreenScreen.
      2. Full GreenScreen Assessment: Qualifying materials must demonstrate, based on a full chemical inventory to 100 ppm that they are free of Benchmark-1 (BM-1) chemicals as defined by the most current version of GreenScreen. A GreenScreen label indicating the product is free of BM-1 chemicals is sufficient for this method.
      3. Products certified under Cradle to Cradle v2 Gold or Platinum or Cradle to Cradle v3 Silver, Gold or Platinum.
      4. Products certified as meeting Declare Label Declaration Status of LBC Red List Free

    Qualifying materials that are among the ten most prevalent by area may be double-counted. If a project team is unable to find adequate available compliant materials, documentation of letters to manufacturers requesting GreenScreen BM-1, List Translator results for products not currently reporting GreenScreen hazard assessment will be accepted. The team may also document the request for materials that have identified BM-1 chemicals to remove these chemicals from the product. Each documented requests for product evaluation may contribute as one material under this guideline. Compliance is determined by identification and specification of compliant products. Manufacturers may report qualification under Part 1 or Part 2 above by inclusion in a Health Product Declaration (HPD).

  2. Mercury content in fluorescent lamps.
    The mercury content in straight fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps must comply with the limitations stated below.2

    1. Straight fluorescent lamps. Non-preheat straight, double-ended fluorescent lamps less than 70 inches (1800 mm) and greater than 21 inches (550 mm) in length and containing a medium bi-pin base or miniature bi-pin base must comply with the following:
      1. T-5 lamps with a rated lifetime of less than 25,00 hours at 3 hours per start must not contain more than an average of 3 milligrams of mercury per lamp.
      2. T-8 lamps with a rated lifetime less than 25,000 hours at 3 hours per start on an instant start ballast must not contain more than an average of 4 milligrams of mercury per lamp.
      3. All other T5 or T8 lamps must not contain more than an average of 5 milligrams of mercury per lamp.
    2. Compact fluorescent lamps.
      Single-ended pin- base and screw-base compact fluorescent lamps must not contain more than an average of 5 milligrams of mercury per lamp, and must be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 1993.
      Exception: mercury content is not limited for lighting integral to equipment or instrumentation and installed by the manufacturer, or for lamps with a high color-rendering index that is greater than or equal to 87.

[1] This section is aligned with in part on USGBC, “Materials and Resources Credit: Building product disclosure and optimization, Option 2: Material Ingredients,” LEED Building Design and Construction v.4, though with different required numbers of materials submitted for compliance and with different available methods of chemical inventory verification.

[2] This section is aligned with International Green Construction Code (IGCC) and ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Section “506.1 Mercury Content in Fluorescent Lamps.”

Recommended Performance Criteria

  1. Demonstrate that the chemical inventories of all permanently installed interior materials do not contain any Benchmark-1 chemicals as defined by the most current version of GreenScreen.
  2. Demonstrate that the chemical inventories of at least ten different permanently installed interior materials from at least five different manufacturers do not contain any Benchmark-2 chemicals as defined by the most current version of GreenScreen.

Implementation in the Design Process:

For M.4A, M.4C and M.4D:

In Predesign and early design, determine likely product categories that will contribute to compliance with this requirement. Early product research should be conducted to evaluate opportunities specific to project needs. This may be done by searching for approved products in databases or by contacting product reps and manufacturers. GreenScreen certification marks compliant with LEED v.4 are acceptable as documentation for B3 compliance. Health Product Declarations (HPDs) may also demonstrate GreenScreen results.

Through the design process refine contributing product list and look for opportunities to add contributing products as the design changes. A product may contribute toward M.4A, M.4C or M.4D if that product has been evaluated as defined in GreenScreen v1.2 Benchmark, has received a Cradle to Cradle (C2C) v2 Gold or Platinum or Cradle to Cradle v3 Silver, Gold or Platinum certification, or are certified as meeting Declare Label Declaration Status of LBC Red List Free.

Under GreenScreen products that have fully inventoried chemical ingredients to 100 ppm that have no LT-1, LT-P1 or BM-1 (Benchmark 1) hazards are:

  • Any materials that have all its ingredients assessed with the GreenScreen List Translator and have been found to be free of LT-1 chemicals.
  • Any materials for which all ingredients have undergone a full GreenScreen Assessment and have been found to be free of BM-1 chemicals.
  • Any materials referenced in the Pharos or Portico databases and vetted for use in B3 Guidelines documenting either no LT-1 or no BM-1 chemicals.

For M.4B:

As in early design, evaluate opportunities for reduction in fluorescent fixtures to reduce the need for low-mercury bulbs. In construction documents specify any fluorescent lamps that fall under this guideline meet the limits specified above.

Design:

  • M.4A, M.4C, and M.4D: Submit list of identified product types anticipated to comply with this guideline.
  • M.4B: Submit list of fluorescent lighting fixtures or systems expected to fall under this guideline.

Final Design:

  • M.4A, M4C, and M4D: Submit specified materials list compliant with this guideline, including documentation of: GreenScreen compliance at one of the listed allowable levels or documentation of product manufacturer requests.
  • M.4B: Submit list of fluorescent lighting fixtures or systems falling under this guideline and compliant specifications.

Closeout:

  • M.4A, M.4C, and M.4D: Submit documentation of final product selection and any received responses from product manufacturers in response to requests for information.
  • M.4B: Submit documentation that relevant lighting fixtures comply with this guideline.

How to Use GreenScreen for LEED v.4: http://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/practice/leed

Full GreenScreen Chemical Hazard Assessment Procedure: http://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/learn/full-greenscreen-method

GreenScreen Hazard Assessment Guidance: https://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/static/ee_images/uploads/resources/GreenScreen_Guidance_v1.3(2e)_Feb_2017_final.pdf

GreenScreen Information Sources :https://chemicalprofiler.wiki.zoho.com/List-of-Lists.html

GreenScreen List Translator: http://www.greenscreenchemicals.org/method/greenscreen-list-translator

HomeFree from the Healthy Building Network: https://homefree.healthybuilding.net/

HPD Public Repository: https://www.hpd-collaborative.org/hpd-public-repository/

Declare Product Database: https://declare.living-future.org/

Understanding GreenScreen and List Translator Benchmarks: https://www.buildinggreen.com/primer/understanding-greenscreen-and-list-translator-benchmarks

GreenScreen Store: https://store.greenscreenchemicals.org/

Perkins and Will Material Transparency Database: https://transparency.perkinswill.com/lists/precautionary-list

Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Registry: http://www.c2ccertified.org/products/registry

Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse: http://www.theic2.org/hazard-assessment

Declare Label: https://living-future.org/declare/declare-about/

Interior Materials

Interior materials are defined as all materials interior to the enclosure’s least vapor-permeable and continually air-sealed barrier system. For most enclosure systems, this definition will encompass all materials interior and exclusive of the vapor barrier. For some assemblies with several systems providing vapor impermeability, a further determination will need to be made.

Continually Air-Sealed Barrier System

A set of air-sealed building materials that is intended to prevent air-flow through a wall assembly. This may take the form of a continually sealed vapor barrier or a set of materials that when combined provide the least vapor-permeable system. Note that some materials have low vapor permeability but may not be part of a continually sealed system and would not be considered to be the boundary of the building’s interior.

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