Projects

Service: LEED Pre-Occupancy Air Quality Sampling
Facility Type: Pharmacy/Retail Store

Description:

This air sampling was performed to meet the requirements of the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) Credit 3.2 Construction IAQ Management Plan – Before Occupancy for Commercial Interiors v2.0 (CI).

The Subject Location was recently built out and furnishings were moved into the space prior to the sampling event. Furnishings in place were typical for a retail building with pharmacy and customer service areas and include new walls and ceiling, paint, flooring materials and furniture.

In order to determine if the subject area meets the EQ requirements of the LEED certification, ACC performed the following work:

1. Obtained basic air quality measurements with an emphasis for carbon monoxide (CO),
2. Obtained air samples for total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) including 4-Phenylcyclohexane (4-PCH),
3. Obtained air samples for formaldehyde, and
4. Collected continuous measurements for dust particulate.

Samples were collected in the three major HVAC zones (with a total of six HVAC units) generally corresponding to the following areas: Beauty – Customer Counter, Photo – Customer Counter, and Pharmacy – Customer Counter. All measurements and samples were obtained for a minimum of four hours. In accordance with the LEED CI v2.0 EQ Credit 3.2 protocols, air samples and measurements were collected following the installation of all furnishings but prior to full occupancy of the subject area. The newly installed mechanical system was operating normally.

Based on air samples and measurements collected within the subject area, the criteria for LEED EQ outlined in the Green Building Rating System for Commercial Interiors has been met.