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LEED Testing

Green building offers significant benefits on health, economy and environment and is known as a sustainable or high performance building. The U.S. Green Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a program that rates buildings for air quality, sustainability and efficiency to promote healthier and safer buildings for their occupant and communities. The new LEED rating system (Version 4) was unveiled by USGBC un November 2013. Starting in November 2016, new projects are required to registered for LEED V4 rather than LEED 2009. Both offer certification levels in five green design categories including sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ).

The IAQ testing should start after the completion of construction and before occupancy, but under ventilation conditions typical for occupancy. The testing methods are now well‐defined using methods listed in Table 1 for all occupied spaces. Laboratories that conduct the tests for chemical analysis of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds must be accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 for the test methods they use. Retail projects may conduct the testing within 14 days of occupancy. The methods of choices are ASTM standard methods, EPA compendium methods, or ISO methods, as indicated below:

Table 1. Maximum Concentration Levels, by Contaminant and Testing Method

ContaminantMaximum
Concentration
Maximum
Concentration
(Healthcare Only)
ASTM and US EPA
Methods
ISO
Method
Formaldehyde27 ppb16.3 ppbASTM D5197; EPA TO-
11 or EPA Compendium
Method IP-6
ISO 16000-3
Particulates
(PM10 for all buildings;
PM2.5 for buildings in EPA
nonattainment areas, or local equivalent)
PM10: 50 micrograms
per cubic meter
PM2.5: 15 micrograms
per cubic meter
20 micrograms per
cubic meter
EPA Compendium
Method IP-10
ISO 7708
Ozone
(for buildings in EPA
nonattainment areas)
0.075 ppm0.075 ppmASTM D5149 - 02ISO 13964
Total Volatile Organic
Compounds (TVOC)
500 micrograms
per cubic meter
200 micrograms
per cubic meter
EPA TO-1, TO-15, TO-
17, or EPA Compendium
Method IP-1
ISO 16000-6
Target Chemicals listed in
CDPH Standard Method
v1.1, table 4-1, except
Formaldehyde
CDPH Standard
Method v1.1–2010,
Allowable Concentrations,
Table 4-1
CDPH Standard
Method v1.1–2010,
Allowable Concentrations,
Table 4-1
ASTM D5197; EPA TO-
1, TO-15, TO-17
ISO 16000-3,
16000-6
Carbon Monoxide (CO)9 ppm; no more than 2
ppm above outdoor
levels
9 ppm; no more than
2 ppm above outdoor
levels
EPA Compendium
Method IP-3
ISO 4224

CASSEN Testing Laboratories have provided LEED air quality testing since 2010 and conducted numerous IEQ analyses for large LEED projects with accurate, high quality data and fast turnaround time that complies with the stringent requirements of the above LEED certification. All testing scope and parameters are accredited under ISO17025.

In addition to analysis, CASSEN provides calibrated sampling pumps, supplies and media for a hassle‐free sample collection experience. Free consultation is provided for the planning and completion of the analytical phase of the project. If required, consultation of the materials that cause exceedance of the required contaminant levels can be provided, which will aid in rectifying the air quality problem efficiently. Furthermore, bulk analysis can be conducted in order to assist LEED consultants in achieving credits in section 4.4, for low emitting materials– systems furniture and seating. For all analytical needs, CASSEN is the right choice.

LEED Version 4 VOC List

Compounds required to be monitored in Version 4 and CASSEN’s Method Detection Limits are presented below:

RankAnalyteMRL (ng/sample)
1Benzene5
2Carbon disulfide10
3Carbon tetrachloride5
4Chlorobenzene5
5Chloroform5
61,4‐Dichlorobenzene5
71,1‐Dichloroethylene5
8N,N‐Dimethylformamide5
91,4‐Dioxane5
10Epichlorohydrin5
11Ethylbenzene5
12Ethylene glycol50
13Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether10
14Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate10
15Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether10
16Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate10
17n‐Hexane5
18Isophorone5
19Isopropanol5
20Methyl chloroform5
21Methylene chloride5
22Methyl t‐butyl ether5
23Naphthalene5
24Phenol5
25Propylene glycol monomethyl ether10
26Styrene5
27Tetrachloroethylene5
28Toluene5
29Trichloroethylene5
30Vinyl acetate5
31m‐Xylene + p‐Xylene5
32o‐Xylene5
33Acetaldehyde5