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The beta version of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification v5 was announced at Greenbuild 2023 and has been undergoing active revisions since. Among the significant updates in the new rating system is an emphasis on improved air quality, verified through various testing methods.
This overview highlights the changes and introduces a comprehensive tool for continuous air monitoring in commercial buildings for the indoor air quality (IAQ) industry, LEED APs, and sustainability consultants.
In previous versions of LEED, projects could choose between flush-out before and during occupancy or air testing before occupancy.
In LEED v5 O+M Beta, a new approach is being implemented to incentivize continuous indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring, focusing on awareness and improvement — the IEQ Credit: Indoor Air Quality Performance. The intent is to promote occupant comfort, well-being, and productivity while identifying opportunities for energy savings.
During the first public comment period for LEED v5, the draft version of the O+M rating system was revised. Feedback from commenters emphasized the need to clearly distinguish between strategies and performance. As a result, the updated draft of the IEQ credit places greater emphasis on a performance-based approach.
The second public comment period ran from late September to the end of October 2024, and the results are yet to be released.
Here’s what has been proposed in the second draft for the Indoor Air Quality Performance feature.
Option 1. Continuous Indoor Air Monitoring (1 – 10 points).
Indoor air parameters should be continuously measured for at least three months, with readings taken every hour (or every 15 minutes for carbon dioxide) at any time within the 12-month reporting period. Monitors used should be of building-grade quality or higher.
The data requirements for each parameter are as follows:
AND/OR
Option 2. Targeted One-Time Air Testing (1 – 3 points)
Parameters listed in the following table should be tested at least once within the 12-month reporting period, along with simultaneous outdoor ambient air quality measurements within the project boundary for reference comparison.
For every two contaminants from the table tested and meeting the minimum IAQ limits, one point can be earned, with a maximum of three points available.
If you both measure TVOC with a continuous monitoring system and do one-time testing, the additional point might not be earned.
The credit also highlights the difference in target limits for PM2.5 between attainment and nonattainment areas. The latter refers to areas with high ambient levels of PM2.5, as classified by the EPA.
Option 3. Targeted One-Time VOC Testing (2 points)
The projects need to test for all volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at least once during the 12-month reporting period: TVOC, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, hexane, naphthalene, phenol, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, vinyl acetate, dichlorobenzene, and xylenes-total.
For target measurements, please consult the LEED v5’s Indoor Air Quality Performance page.
The beta version of the LEED v5 rating system specifies that to meet the standards for continuous monitoring, an indoor air quality monitor must be of a building-grade quality or higher, meeting requirements akin to those set by RESET Air Grade B Accreditation Standards or UL2905 sensors.
Atmocube is one of the RESET Air Accredited Grade B monitors that provide continuous real-time parameter readings.
The Atmocube IAQ monitor measures the parameters listed for Option 1:
Atmocube also meets the accuracy requirements for measuring instruments used for Option 2.
Please check Atmocube’s sensor accuracy and technical specifications here.
