Sustainable Building Technical Manual - Etn-presco.net

☛ SUGGESTED PRACTICES AND CHECKLISTI❑ Review emission levels from building products at the following stages:– I n s t a l l a t i o n. To prevent exposure among tradespeople and building occupantsduring construction or renovation. Information on potential hazards during theinstallation period is documented in manufacturers’ Material Safety Data Sheets(MSDSs). These sheets are a requirement by law for any material that may havehealth risks; however, they typically do not disclose a full list of contents.Additional information is available from the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA).– Building occupancy. To prevent exposure of building occupants to emissions frommaterials during building use. Information on risks of occupant exposures (typicallythose risks extending more than a few weeks after construction) is difficult todetermine, because emissions data are difficult to obtain or unavailable from manufacturers.This information will become more available in the next few years asstandards are developed for accurately measuring and interpreting such data.– Maintenance and removal. To prevent exposure of building occupants and tradespeopleduring maintenance procedures and removal or demolition. Maintenanceand removal risks are reasonably well known for many conventional materials.❑ Consider these additional materials issues and effects:– Sink effect. Rough and porous materials may contain microscopic planes and cavitiesthat can adsorb airborne molecules. These molecules, which may be pollutants,can be released (“desorbed”) from the material after several hours or days. This“sink” effect of materials can be quite significant when pollutant molecules areadsorbed. Hard, smooth, and nonporous surfaces typically have a low sink effect.– Moisture and temperature. Moisture and heat in materials increase their deteriorationand increase emissions of pollutants. Moisture also supports microbial growth.– Soiling and cleaning. Improper cleaning practices may disturb soil and introduceexposure to chemicals in cleaning products. Soft floor coverings such as carpetare susceptible to this improper practice. Nonporous flooring with minimal seamsand low-maintenance coatings are less prone to this occurrence.– Natural materials. There is a common perception that “natural materials” are betterenvironmental choices and less of a health risk than man-made “syntheticmaterials.” Toxicity and emissions testing of products should help clarify which isthe better choice with regard to health risk; however, predicting all potentialhealth effects is not always possible.Survey of Materials★ S I G N I F I CA N C E .To adhere to sustainable principles, the material selection process needs to incorporatelife-cycle assessment elements and the more conventional criteria such as cost, aesthetics,performance, availability, code, and manufacturer warranty. This section uses two lifecycleassessment criteria—minimizing natural resource use (resource efficiency options)and creating a healthy, comfortable, nonhazardous space for building occupants (healthand pollution issues)—to discuss materials in eight of the 16 standard organizational formatdivisions used by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). CSI provides leadershipfor its membership and the building industry through its standard productorganizational format and its work in development and advancement of specifications.Incorporating environmental elements into product review and specification has madethe process even more challenging. Since the scope of “traditional practice” is currentlybeing expanded to include these new elements, it will take time to achieve industry consensuswith regard to environmentally sound material selections.