855773667-LEED-v5-O-M-Reference-Guide-Launch-Edition-1 - Page 256
Extracted Content
Indoor Environmental Quality Credit
AIR FILTRATION
EQc5
1 point
INTENT
REQUIREMENTS
| Achievement pathways | Points |
|---|---|
Existing Buildings | 1 |
Air Filters | 1 |
Each ventilation system used to meet the ASHRAE ventilation rate procedure that supplies outdoor air and/or recirculated air to regularly occupied spaces must meet one of the following:
-
Minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 or higher, in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2017
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Equivalent filtration media class of ePM1 50% or higher, as defined by ISO 16890-2016, “Particulate Air Filters for General Ventilation — Determination of the Filtration Performance
NOTE: Spaces listed in ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2022, Exception to 6.1.4, may be excluded from this requirement.
Filtration media must be maintained and replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommended interval.
REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED
This credit rewards the projects for using improved system-level filtration as a component of their indoor air quality management. MERV 13 filtration (and ePM1 50%) is becoming standard practice as this level of filtration more effectively captures smaller particles, and many HVAC systems already have been or can be upgraded to accommodate this level of filtration. For this credit, the MERV 13 filtration (and ePM1 50%) requirement applies to each ventilation system used to meet the ASHRAE ventilation rate procedure that supplies outdoor air, recirculated air, or outdoor and recirculated air to regularly-occupied spaces. These are sometimes called central HVAC systems. Existing filtration levels are identified during the
U.S. Green Building Council LEED v5 Reference Guide for Operations and Maintenance, April 2025 Launch Edition 246