LEED v2009
Retail – Commercial Interiors
Indoor Environmental Quality
Low-emitting materials - furniture

Retail-CI-v2009 IEQc4.5: Low-emitting materials - furniture

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Credit language

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Custom-manufactured furniture components of furniture and their assembly must meet the requirements of IEQ Credit 4.1, Low-Emitting Materials—Adhesives and Sealants; IEQ Credit 4.2, Low-Emitting Materials—Paints and Coatings; and IEQ Credit 4.4, Low-Emitting Materials—Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products. Please note that built-in casework and built-in millwork items are considered part of the base building. AND All systems furniture1 and seating2 introduced into the project space that have been manufactured, refurbished, or refinished within 1 year prior3 to occupancy must meet 1 of the requirements below.

OPTION 1
Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified

OR

OPTION 2
Calculated indoor air concentrations that are less than or equal to those listed in Table 1 for furniture systems and seating determined by a procedure based on the EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Large Chamber Test Protocol for Measuring Emissions of VOCs and Aldehydes (September 1999) testing protocol conducted in an independent air quality testing laboratory.

OR

Option 3
Calculated indoor air concentrations that are less than or equal to those listed in Table 1 for furniture systems and seating determined by a procedure based on ANSI/BIFMA M7.1–2007 and ANSI/BIFMA X7.1–2007 testing protocol conducted in an independent third-party air quality testing laboratory. The requirement in ANSI/BIFMA X7.1–2007, Section 5, is waived for LEED purposes. Section 5 requires that laboratories used to perform the emissions testing and/or provide analytical results must be independently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.”

Chemical Contaminant

Emission Limits Systems Furniture

Emission Limits Seating

TVOC

0.5 mg/m3

0.25 mg/m3

Formaldehyde

50 parts per billion

25 parts per billion

Total Aldehydes

100 parts per billion

50 parts per billion

4 – Phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH)

0.0065 mg/m3

0.00325 mg/m3

1 Systems furniture is defined as either a panel-based workstation comprised of modular interconnecting panels, hang-on components and drawer/filing components, or a freestanding grouping of furniture items and their components that have been designed to work in concert. Furniture other than systems furniture and task and guest chairs used with systems furniture is defined as occasional furniture and is excluded from the credit requirements. 2 Seating is defined as task and guest chairs used with systems furniture 3 Salvaged and used furniture that is more than 1-year-old at time of occupancy is excluded from the credit requirements.
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Addenda

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LEEDuser overview

Frank advice from LEED experts

LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now

Credit language

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Custom-manufactured furniture components of furniture and their assembly must meet the requirements of IEQ Credit 4.1, Low-Emitting Materials—Adhesives and Sealants; IEQ Credit 4.2, Low-Emitting Materials—Paints and Coatings; and IEQ Credit 4.4, Low-Emitting Materials—Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products. Please note that built-in casework and built-in millwork items are considered part of the base building. AND All systems furniture1 and seating2 introduced into the project space that have been manufactured, refurbished, or refinished within 1 year prior3 to occupancy must meet 1 of the requirements below.

OPTION 1
Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified

OR

OPTION 2
Calculated indoor air concentrations that are less than or equal to those listed in Table 1 for furniture systems and seating determined by a procedure based on the EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Large Chamber Test Protocol for Measuring Emissions of VOCs and Aldehydes (September 1999) testing protocol conducted in an independent air quality testing laboratory.

OR

Option 3
Calculated indoor air concentrations that are less than or equal to those listed in Table 1 for furniture systems and seating determined by a procedure based on ANSI/BIFMA M7.1–2007 and ANSI/BIFMA X7.1–2007 testing protocol conducted in an independent third-party air quality testing laboratory. The requirement in ANSI/BIFMA X7.1–2007, Section 5, is waived for LEED purposes. Section 5 requires that laboratories used to perform the emissions testing and/or provide analytical results must be independently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.”

Chemical Contaminant

Emission Limits Systems Furniture

Emission Limits Seating

TVOC

0.5 mg/m3

0.25 mg/m3

Formaldehyde

50 parts per billion

25 parts per billion

Total Aldehydes

100 parts per billion

50 parts per billion

4 – Phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH)

0.0065 mg/m3

0.00325 mg/m3

1 Systems furniture is defined as either a panel-based workstation comprised of modular interconnecting panels, hang-on components and drawer/filing components, or a freestanding grouping of furniture items and their components that have been designed to work in concert. Furniture other than systems furniture and task and guest chairs used with systems furniture is defined as occasional furniture and is excluded from the credit requirements. 2 Seating is defined as task and guest chairs used with systems furniture 3 Salvaged and used furniture that is more than 1-year-old at time of occupancy is excluded from the credit requirements.
See all forum discussions about this credit »