LEED (BD+C)- Indoor Environmental Quality Credit: Construction indoor air Quality Management Plan
Construction projects can have a significant impact on indoor air quality, which can affect the well-being of construction workers and future occupants of the building. The LEED Credit for Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan aims to minimize indoor air quality problems associated with construction and renovation by developing and implementing an indoor air quality (IAQ) management plan for the construction and preoccupancy phases of the building.
The intent of this credit is to promote the well-being of construction workers and building occupants by addressing the following:
- Meeting or exceeding all applicable recommended control measures of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA) IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction, 2nd edition, 2007, ANSI/SMACNA 008–2008, Chapter 3.
- Protecting absorptive materials stored on-site and installed from moisture damage.
- Not operating permanently installed air-handling equipment during construction unless filtration media with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 8, as determined by ASHRAE 52.2–2007, with errata (or equivalent filtration media class of F5 or higher, as defined by CEN Standard EN 779–2002, Particulate Air Filters for General Ventilation, Determination of the Filtration Performance), are installed at each return air grille and return or transfer duct inlet opening such that there is no bypass around the filtration media.
- Immediately before occupancy, replacing all filtration media with the final design filtration media, installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
To comply with this credit, project teams must develop and implement an IAQ management plan or a detailed checklist that highlights the nonsmoking policy. The plan or checklist should address all of the credit requirements mentioned above. For healthcare projects, an EQMP (Environmental Quality Management Plan) or a detailed checklist highlighting the nonsmoking policy must be developed.
Documentation requirements include a narrative describing protection measures for absorbent materials, annotated photographs of indoor air and environmental quality measures, and a record of filtration media. The following table summarizes the compliance steps for this credit:
| Compliance Step | Description |
| 1 | Develop and implement an IAQ management plan or a detailed checklist that highlights the nonsmoking policy. |
| 2 | Address all credit requirements, including meeting or exceeding all applicable recommended control measures, protecting absorptive materials from moisture damage, installing appropriate filtration media, and replacing all filtration media before occupancy. |
| 3 | Document the IAQ management plan or detailed checklist, the protection measures for absorbent materials, annotated photographs of indoor air and environmental quality measures, and a record of filtration media. |
The Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan LEED Credit aims to promote the well-being of construction workers and building occupants by minimizing indoor air quality problems associated with construction and renovation. Compliance with this credit requires developing and implementing an IAQ management plan or a detailed checklist, addressing all credit requirements, and documenting the plan and measures taken. By following these steps, project teams can ensure that indoor air quality is adequately managed during the construction and preoccupancy phases of the building.