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Minimum indoor air quality performance

EQp1 | Required

Intent
To contribute to the comfort and well-being of building occupants by es tablis hing
minimum s tandards for indoor air quality (IAQ).

Requirements
Meet the requirements for both ventilation and monitoring.
V entilation
Mechanically ventilated spaces

For mechanically ventilated s paces (and for mixed-mode s ys tems when the mechanical
ventilation is activated), determine the minimum outdoor air intake flow for mechanical
ventilation s ys tems us ing the ventilation rate procedure from ASHRAE 62.12010 or a
local equivalent, whichever is more s tringent.
Option 1. A SHRA E Standard 62.12010

Meet the minimum requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.12010, Sections 47,

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality (with errata), or a local equivalent,
whichever is more s tringent.
Option 2. CEN Standards EN 152512007 and EN 137792007

Projects outs ide the United States may ins tead meet the minimum requirements of
Annex B of Comit Europen de Normalis ation (CEN) Standard EN 152512007, Indoor
environmental input parameters for des ign and as s es s ment of energy performance of
buildings addres s ing indoor air quality, thermal environment, lighting and acous tics ;
and the requirements of CEN Standard EN 137792007, Ventilation for nonres idential
buildings , Performance requirements for ventilation and room conditioning s ys tems ,
excluding Section 7.3, Thermal environment; 7.6, Acous tic environment; A.16; and A.17.
Naturally ventilated spaces

For naturally ventilated s paces (and for mixed-mode s ys tems when the mechanical
ventilation is inactivated), determine the minimum outdoor air opening and s pace
configuration requirements us ing the natural ventilation procedure from ASHRAE
Standard 62.12010 or a local equivalent, whichever is more s tringent. Confirm that
natural ventilation is an effective s trategy for the project by following the flow diagram
in the Chartered Ins titution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Applications Manual
AM10, March 2005, Natural Ventilation in Nondomes tic Buildings , Figure 2.8, and meet
the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62.12010, Section 4, or a local equivalent,
whichever is more s tringent.
A ll spaces

The indoor air quality procedure defined in ASHRAE Standard 62.12010 may not be
us ed to comply with this prerequis ite.
Monitoring
Mechanically ventilated spaces

For mechanically ventilated s paces (and for mixed-mode s ys tems when the mechanical
ventilation is activated), monitor outdoor air intake flow as follows :
For variable air volume systems, provide a direc t outdoor airflow measurement devic e c apable of
measuring the minimum outdoor air intake flow. This devic e must measure the minimum outdoor air
intake flow with an ac c urac y of +/10% of the design minimum outdoor airflow rate, as defined by the
ventilation requirements above. An alarm must indic ate when the outdoor airflow value varies by 15%
or more from the outdoor airflow setpoint.
For c onstant-volume systems, balanc e outdoor airflow to the design minimum outdoor airflow rate
defined by AS HRAE S tandard 62.12010 (with errata but without addenda2), or higher. Install a
c urrent transduc er on the supply fan, an airflow switc h, or similar monitoring devic e.

Naturally ventilated spaces

For naturally ventilated s paces (and for mixed-mode s ys tems when the mechanical
ventilation is inactivated), comply with at leas t one of the following s trategies .
Provide a direc t exhaust airflow measurement devic e c apable of measuring the exhaust airflow. This
devic e must measure the exhaust airflow with an ac c urac y of +/10% of the design minimum exhaust
airflow rate. An alarm must indic ate when airflow values vary by 15% or more from the exhaust airflow
setpoint.
Provide automatic indic ation devic es on all natural ventilation openings intended to meet the
minimum opening requirements. An alarm must indic ate when any one of the openings is c losed
during oc c upied hours.
Monitor c arbon dioxide (CO2) c onc entrations within eac h thermal z one. CO2 monitors must be
between 3 and 6 feet (90 and 180 c entimeters) above the floor and within the thermal z one. CO2
monitors must have an audible or visual indic ator or alert the building automation system if the
sensed CO2 c onc entration exc eeds the setpoint by more than 10%. Calc ulate appropriate CO2
setpoints using the methods in AS HRAE 62.12010, Appendix C.

Mechanical ventilation s ys tems ins talled during core and s hell cons truction mus t be
capable of meeting projected ventilation levels and monitoring bas ed on the
requirements of anticipated future tenants .
Residential only

In addition to the requirements above, if the project building contains res idential units ,
each dwelling unit mus t meet all of the following requirements .
Unvented c ombustion applianc es (e.g., dec orative logs) are not allowed.
Carbon monoxide monitors must be installed on eac h floor of eac h unit.
All indoor fireplac es and woodstoves must have solid glass enc losures or doors that seal when
c losed.
Any indoor fireplac es and woodstoves that are not c losed c ombustion or power-vented must pass a
bac kdraft potential test to ensure that depressuriz ation of the c ombustion applianc e z one is less
than 5 Pa.
S pac e- and water-heating equipment that involves c ombustion must be designed and installed with
c losed c ombustion (i.e., sealed supply air and exhaust duc ting) or with power-vented exhaust, or
loc ated in a detac hed utility building or open-air fac ility.
For projec ts in high-risk areas for radon, EPA Radon Zone 1 (or loc al equivalent for projec t outside
the United S tates), design and c onstruc t any dwelling unit on levels one through four above grade
with radon-resistant c onstruc tion tec hniques. Follow the tec hniques presc ribed in EPA Building
Radon Out; NFPA 5000, Chapter 49; International Residential Code, Appendix F; CABO, Appendix F;
AS TM E1465; or a loc al equivalent, whic hever is most stringent.