855773667-LEED-v5-O-M-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 219

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Ventilation system operations and minimum requirements are also addressed in IPp4: Current Facilities Requirements and O+M Plan . Update the current facilities requirements (CFR) and operations and maintenance (O+M) plan provided in that prerequisite as necessary to include these preventative maintenance details and the results from the outdoor air quality investigation, filtration information, and ventilation verification.

INVESTIGATE REGIONAL AND LOCAL AIR QUALITY

Indoor air quality is significantly influenced by outdoor air quality, which can be highly localized varying over time, season, and throughout the project site.

To understand outdoor air quality for the project, regional air quality and local air quality must be investigated, with consideration given to seasonal variations. ASHRAE 62.1 provides a template for documenting this investigation (see Informative Appendix I in the ASHRAE document). [94]

In many regions, spring months have higher pollen levels from flowering plants and trees. Summer months in some dry, hot regions have higher levels of PM2.5 due to wildfires and ozone from photochemical smog. Air quality for the project’s location will likely change over time, therefore an investigation of the local air quality at the time of certification allows projects to implement appropriate ventilation and strategies for the current or future conditions. For example, periods with higher pollen levels and wildfires may have increased or intensified since the ventilation system was originally designed. Information collected during the IP Prerequisite: Climate Resilience Assessment should be included in this investigation.

REGIONAL AIR QUALITY

Regional air quality is partially determined by reviewing compliance with national ambient air quality standards. In the U.S. air quality monitoring data is available to determine the region’s status relative to acceptable levels for six regional outdoor air quality pollutants (particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, lead, sulfur dioxide).

LOCAL AIR QUALITY

Local air quality is typically determined through observations by walking around the project site and reviewing the neighborhood context. Examples of items to survey include facilities on site and on adjacent properties, description of sources of vehicle exhaust on site and adjacent properties, identification of potential contaminant sources on the site and from adjoining properties, outdoor air intake and building exhaust and equipment locations. Most of this information will be gathered in the IPp2: Human Impact Assessment .

94 “ASHRAE 62.1-2022: Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality”, ASHRAE.

U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Operations and Maintenance, April 2025 Launch Edition 209