LEED (BD+C)- Indoor Environmental Quality Credit:  Low-Emitting Materials

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LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a globally recognized rating system that offers a framework for sustainable building design, construction, and operation. One of the credits required for certification is the Low Emitting Materials credit. The purpose of this credit is to reduce the concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment. The credit applies to various building types, including new construction, core and shell, schools, retail, data centers, warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality, and healthcare. The credit offers 1 to 3 points, depending on the type of building and the level of compliance.

To comply with the Low Emitting Materials credit, there are specific requirements that project teams must meet. The requirements cover volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions into indoor air and the VOC content of materials, as well as the testing methods by which indoor VOC emissions are determined. Different materials must meet different requirements to be considered compliant for this credit. The building interior and exterior are organized into seven categories, each with different thresholds of compliance. The building interior is defined as everything within the waterproofing membrane. The building exterior is defined as everything outside and inclusive of the primary and secondary weatherproofing system, such as waterproofing membranes and air- and water-resistive barrier materials.

CategoryThresholdEmissions and content requirements
Interior paints and coatings applied on siteAt least 90%, by volume, for emissions; 100% for VOC contentGeneral Emissions Evaluation for paints and coatings applied to walls, floors, and ceilings
VOC content requirements for wet applied products
Interior adhesives and sealants
applied on site (including flooring adhesive)
At least 90%, by volume, for
emissions; 100% for VOC content
General Emissions Evaluation
VOC content requirements for wet applied products
Flooring100%General emission evaluation
Composite wood100% not covered by other
categories
Composite Wood Evaluation
Ceilings, walls, thermal, and
acoustic insulation
100%General Emissions Evaluation
Healthcare, Schools only
Additional insulation requirements
Furniture (include in calculations if
part of scope of work)
At least 90%, by cost Furniture Evaluation
Healthcare and Schools Projects only: Exterior applied productsAt least 90%, by volume Exterior Applied Products
Table 1. Thresholds of compliance with emissions and content standards for 7 categories of materials

Option 1 for compliance is product category calculations. Project teams must achieve the threshold level of compliance with emissions and content standards for the number of product categories listed in Table 2. Compliance with emissions and content requirements for various categories of materials is shown in Table 1.

Compliant categoriesPoints
New construction, core and shell, retail, data centers, Warehouses and distribution centers, hospitality projects without furniture
21
42
53
New construction, core and shell, retail, data centres, Warehouses and distribution centres, hospitality projects with furniture
31
52
63
Schools, healthcare without furniture
31
52
63
Schools, healthcare with furniture
41
62
Table 2. Points for number of compliant categories of products

The number of compliant categories of products determines the points awarded. Table 2 shows the points awarded for the number of compliant categories of products.

Option 2 for compliance is the budget calculation method. If some products in a category do not meet the criteria, project teams may use the budget calculation method, as shown in Table 3.

Percentage of totalPoints
≥50% and<70%1
≥70% and<90%2
≥90%3
Table 3. Points for percentage compliance, under budget calculation method

The budget method organizes the building interior into six assemblies: flooring, ceilings, walls, thermal and acoustic insulation, furniture, and healthcare and schools (exterior applied products). Each layer of the assembly, including paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants, must be evaluated for compliance. Insulation is tracked separately.