Pollution Prevention
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3 |
Improves IAQ, protects occupant health and reduces maintenance costs |
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2 |
One to three months to develop plans; three to 12 months to make minor facility upgrades, such as relocating printers, sealing partitions, and adding entryway systems |
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1 |
Entryway mats or grates and ongoing maintenance; construction or modification of copy and print room partitions and exhaust systems; construction activity segregation |
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FAC, GEN, BPO |
Indoor pollution is generated by a variety of indoor and outdoor sources.
To be comprehensive, an approach to pollution prevention must include, at a minimum:
- Isolation of contaminant-generating tasks
- Use of no- or low-VOC containing materials
- Careful management of renovation activities
Contaminants brought indoors on shoes can soil or damage flooring and can become airborne and enter the building ventilation system. Capturing contaminants at building entrances with walk-off mats can reduce the cost and need for cleaning and maintenance throughout the building. Similarly, fresh HVAC filters can minimize pollution entering the ventilation system through outside air.
During operation, office printers and copier toners emit ozone, VOCs and particulates, which accumulate indoors and are human health hazards. Isolation of high-volume office printers and copiers supports IAQ and has become a standard best practice in buildings.
Many building products contain compounds that have a negative impact on IAQ and the earth’s atmosphere, such as VOCs and formaldehyde.
Levels of about a dozen VOCs average two to five times higher indoors than outdoors. VOCs can cause nausea, headaches, and other adverse human health effects.11
No- and low-emission building products include:
- Wet-applied finishes (adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings) that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) for New Construction (LEED®-NC) and LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED® EB:OM) VOC limits
- Flooring that complies with FloorScore®, or carpeting that complies with the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)’s Green Label Plus requirements
- Finishes and furnishings with GREENGUARD® or Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Indoor Advantage certification
- Plywood and particleboard that do not contain added urea-formaldehyde
U.S. Embassy Surabaya designated smoking area prevents tobacco smoke pollution from entering the building
Image Source: U.S. Embassy Surabaya
Construction activities within the building can generate dust and chemical off-gassing, so it is important that post has an IAQ management plan in place before undertaking any renovation projects.
The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning National Contractors Association (SMACNA) provides guidelines for IAQ protection during construction:
- Isolate and install construction dust barriers around work areas.
- Either seal affected registers, or protect the HVAC system by installing temporary filters with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 8 or higher on return registers during the construction process.
- Exhaust 100% of construction area air to the outside, and keep a slight negative pressure with respect to adjacent occupied areas.
- Protect materials from weather exposure and keep the construction area clean.
- Schedule activities with high pollutant emission potential during off-peak, unoccupied hours.
- Schedule installation of absorbent materials, such as carpet and ceiling tile, after any off-gassing from other materials has occurred.
- Conduct a flush-out after construction is complete and all furnishings and finishes have been installed, but prior to occupancy.