855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 298
Extracted Content
Balanced Ventilation
Design the ventilation and exhaust airflows within 10% of each other and include a test, adjusting, and balance (TAB) report demonstrating balanced ventilation in the commissioning scope. This requirement does not apply to Core and Shell projects.
AND
Infiltration
Use an air leakage test to demonstrate a measured air leakage of the building envelope less than or equal to Table 1 below. Buildings smaller than 25,000 square feet (2,322 square meters) must use a whole-building air leakage test.
- Complete air leakage testing using ASTM _E779_, _ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380_, _ASTM_
E3158, ASTM E1827, or equivalent.
- For buildings greater than 5,000 sq. ft. (465 sq. m.), maximum air leakage is
determined per sq. ft. or sq. m. of building envelope area (including exterior walls, roofs, and base floor/slab).
- For projects that include both new construction and major renovation, use the
weighted average maximum air leakage.
Table 1. Caps on air leakage rates
| Building conditioned floor area (CFA) | Pressure test conditions across the building envelope | Maximum air leakage1 | Col4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building conditioned floor area (CFA) | Pressure test conditions across the building envelope | New construction | Major renovation |
| ≥ 5,000 sq. ft. (465 sq. m.) | At pressure difference of 50 Pascals (0.2 in H2O) | 0.13 cfm/sq. ft. (0.65 L/s*sq. m.) 1 | 0.20 cfm/sq. ft. (1.0 L/s*sq. m.) 1 |
| ≥ 5,000 sq. ft. (465 sq. m.) | At pressure difference of 75 Pascals (0.3 in H2O) | 0.18 cfm/sq. ft. (0.90 L/s*sq. m.) 1 | 0.27 cfm/sq. ft. (1.35 L/s*sq. m.) 1 |
| < 5,000 sq. ft. (465 sq. m.) | At 50 Pascals (0.2 in in H2O) | 1 ACH | 1.5 ACH |
| < 5,000 sq. ft. (465 sq. m.) | At 75 Pascals (0.3 in H2O) | 1.35 ACH | 2 ACH |
OR
Residential
- Compartmentalize each residential dwelling unit to minimize leakage between units. Perform a blower door test of residential dwelling units, following the procedures in ANSI/RESNET/ICC 380 or equivalent. For each unit tested, demonstrate a maximum leakage of enclosure area that is no more than 1.5 times the thresholds identified in Table 1 (enclosure area refers to all surfaces enclosing the dwelling unit, including exterior and party walls, floors, and ceilings). Demonstrate a weighted average leakage of the enclosure area for the building, including dwelling units, that complies with the caps in the limits identified in Table 1.
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 288