Environmental and health related criteria for buildings - ANEC

IBO - Environmental and Health related Criteria for Buildings
LEED for Homes rating system
VOC-content and emissions to indoor air
In LEED for Homes the restriction to VOC is part of the criterion “low emissions” which
together with the criteria “environmentally preferable products” and “local products” form the
criterion MR 2.2 Environmentally Preferable Products (0.5 points each, maximum 8 points)
(LEED Guide, January 2008, p 79ff).
Within this criterion LEED defines credit standard for low VOC-content in paints and
coatings, e.g. max. 50 g/l VOC-content in paints applied to interior walls in flats. References
for the prescribed standards are quoted (e.g. Green Seal Standard GS-11 for paints or South
Air Quality Management District Rule for adhesive and sealants).
Carpets get 0.5 points if they comply with Carpet&Rug Institute Green Label Plus program,
hard floorings automatically get 0.5 points for 100 % hard surface flooring and additional 0.5
points for using a product that is SCS Floor Score certified.
“Roof AND floor AND wall” get 0.5 points per component if they comply with California
“Practice for Testing of VOCs from Building Materials Using Small Chambers”.
We appreciate the crediting of low-emissions products. However, it is questionable if the
applicable standards of LEED actually meet the requirements of environmentally preferable
products or simply express the state of the technology in some countries (e.g. “< 850 g/l
sheet-applied rubber lining operations”, “< 550 g/l adhesive primer for plastic”, etc.).
Total Quality Building
HFC (hydrofluorocarbon)-free materials
Table 24: Ban of HFC in TQB, status 22.07.2010
Criterion
Points
E.1.1 HFC-free insulation materials. 10
E.1.1 HFC-free polyurethane foam. 5
It should be added that the use of fluorocarbons including HFC is forbidden in Austria
(HFKW-FKW-SF6-Verordnung, BGBl. II 447/2002). There are only some exemptions left,
e.g. for the use of HFC with a GWP < 300 CO 2 -eq in insulation panels > 8 cm.
Low-emissions products
In TQB credits are awarded for the use of specified low-emissions products (the scores are
also credited if no product of the specified product group is used.
Table 25: Credits for low emissions products in TQB, status 22.07.2010
Criterion
D 2.2.1 Low-emission adhesives for floors (Emicode EC1 standards)
D2.2.2 Low emissions floor covering (applicable standards for VOCemissions)
or uncovered hard floorings
Pre-certificate Certificate
8 5
12 7
Final Report 139 31 03 2011