Managing Indoor Air Quality During Construction

by Jonathan McGaha | August 31, 2016 12:00 am

The U.S. Green Building Council[1]‘s LEED 2009 rating system, still widely used by most project teams that have LEED certified projects in the works, has two credits that involve indoor environmental quality: IEQc3.1: Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan-During Construction and IEQc3.2: Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan-Before Occupancy. I’d like to take a moment to discuss the first of these, Indoor Environmental Quality IEQc3.1.

The intent of the Indoor Environmental Quality IEQc3.1 credit is to reduce indoor air quality problems resulting from construction or renovation, and promote the comfort and well-being of construction workers and building occupants. Many of these indoor air quality problems are a result of construction (or renovation) work. When we build things, we create dust. We use materials like glue and paints that can smell and/or contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To demonstrate compliance to this credit, a Construction Indoor Air Quality (CIAQ) plan must be created for the project. A CIAQ plan can help protect all of those who work on the construction of the building, as well as those who will occupy this building after the construction is complete.

A CIAQ plan focuses on five elements: controlling the source of dust and chemicals; pathway interruption, or keeping dirt and dust out of the building; housekeeping; scheduling deliveries of materials; and flushing the building with fresh air when work is complete. There are parts of any CIAQ plan that pertain to everyone working on a project site, and there are other items that affect the mechanical trades more than others. This column applies to anyone working on a project site that has incorporated a CIAQ plan. Having a CIAQ plan in place will help to minimize the negative effects from construction activities. The success of a plan relies on the willingness of each person working on-site to use and follow the plan that was created.

LEED 2009 states that a CIAQ plan must meet or exceed the requirements of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association[2] (SMACNA) IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction. There are five main topics that are a part of any CIAQ plan:

• Smoking: Smoking is not to be permitted inside of the building during construction.
• Protecting the ventilation system: When possible, the systems should not be run during the heaviest periods of construction. The system should be isolated to prevent introduction of pollutants. All return air components of the system are to be sealed with plastic. In the event the system must be operated during construction, temporary filters rated at MERV 8 or higher must be in place, and the mechanical areas cannot be used for break areas.
• Ventilating the building: This calls for one air change per hour during construction or a building flush-out with new filtration media at 100 percent outside air after construction ends.
• Housekeeping: Attention to site egress, staging areas and climatic conditions during fabrication and delivery of material to the site is needed.
• Site storage of material: Storage areas shall be clean and dry, and exposure to dust minimized.

While the activities of operating the ventilation equipment, changing filters and protecting HVAC equipment are the primary responsibility of the mechanical trades, everyone working on the project site is responsible for following the plan. The most effective means of pollution control is at the source.

A robust CIAQ plan will also include a low-emitting strategy used to achieve the Indoor Environmental Quality credits 4.1-4.4. Incorporating a low-VOC emitting strategy will help to obtain other LEED points. There are a number of other construction practices that can be used in conjunction with a low-emitting strategy and reduce the amount of pollutants effecting the building.

Some examples include:

• Restricting traffic volumes to reduce tailpipe emissions entering into the building
• Using alternative fuel sources to gasoline and diesel
• Using electric-powered tools instead of gas
• Establishing a “no idle” policy for all vehicles working on-site
• Using demolition techniques, which generate the least amount of dust, and implementing dust-control measures during housekeeping
• Utilizing localized exhaust
• Closing containers that hold wet materials after each use
• Containing cutting, grinding and other dustgenerating activities to designated areas
• Isolating areas of work, during construction, to prevent contamination of cleaned or occupied spaces
• Keeping all materials likely to absorb and retain moisture
  (drywall, wood, insulation, etc.) off the floor
• Sequencing the work to keep the building envelope intact
• Cleaning dust and debris out of the bottom track of a wall system before installing drywall.

The intent of the Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 3.1 (IEQc3.1): CIAQ During Construction is to protect everyone working on the job, as well as the occupants of the building once work is complete. Every person working on a project site needs to familiarize himself or herself with the plan before starting work inside of the building. After all, the CIAQ plan is designed to protect the well-being of the construction worker, as well as the final building occupant.

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Thomas Taylor, a 30-year veteran of the construction industry and noted expert on sustainability, is a principal and co-founder of St. Louis-based Vertegy. To learn more about Vertegy or Taylor, visit www.vertegyconsultants.com[3].

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/managing-indoor-air-quality-during-construction/

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