855773644-LEED-v5-BD-C-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition - Page 536

Extracted Content

All testing and retesting must be completed before occupancy.

Retail Projects

• Retail projects may perform testing within 14 days of occupancy. This is to accommodate the unique compressed construction timeline for typical retail projects.

PATH 1. PARTICULATE MATTER AND INORGANIC GASES

Each location must be tested for all contaminants in Table 2.

Table 2 outlines the approved test methods for each contaminant. Teams can use laboratorybased testing or take measurements using direct-reading instruments. If using direct readings, all instruments must meet the minimum specifications of Table 2. Alternative methods may be used for Path 1 contaminants if the project team documents that the accuracy and resolution specifications in Table 2 are met.

PATH 2. VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

A screening test for total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and test for each individual VOC in Table 3 must be performed at each measurement location.

Because VOC testing and analysis is complex, it must be performed using specific methods by a laboratory that is accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 for the test method used.

TVOC screening is intended to serve as a general indicator of the VOC levels in the building and is used to capture situations where investigation of individual VOCs beyond those targeted via Table 3 may be needed. While projects are not required to meet a specific TVOC threshold, they are required to report TVOC results. If the TVOC concentration exceeds 500 ug/m3, the team must work with the laboratory to compare the individual VOC levels from the GC/MS results to associated cognizant health-based limits and perform corrective actions as necessary.

Option 2. Continuous Indoor Air Monitoring

During occupancy, airborne contaminants can enter a building from the outdoors or be introduced by indoor sources and activities such as cleaning, cooking, candles, 3D printers, or improperly vented heating appliances. Permanently installed continuous indoor air monitors enable the identification of potential issues and timely corrective actions to assure systems designed to maintain indoor air quality in the building continue to work as intended through the project’s operational phase.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Building Design and Construction, April 2025 Launch Edition 526