BP06: Air Quality Audit & Planning

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Official language

Purpose

To protect indoor air quality and occupant health while saving energy during the normal operations of the business.

 

Objective

At least once a year, perform an indoor air quality audit to help understand the air quality within the building or tenant-controlled space and discover opportunities for improvement.

Submittal Requirements

BIT Building:

  • An indoor air quality report for the project that, at minimum, addresses the information outlined in the BIT Building Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality Guidelines.
  • Documentation or summary of implementing any short-term (one year or less) and/or long-term (more than one year) IAQ initiatives (this may be an excerpt from the annual sustainability planning meeting).

 

BIT for Tenants:

  • An indoor air quality report for areas within tenant space and/or under tenant control that, at minimum, addresses the information outlined in the BIT Building Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality Guidelines.
  • Documentation or summary of implementing any short-term (one year or less) and/or long-term (more than one year) IAQ initiatives (this may be an excerpt from the annual sustainability planning meeting).

 

Implementation Guidance

Each year perform an IAQ audit to help understand the air quality within the project space and use this audit as an evaluation of your project’s current IAQ systems and goals. IAQ audits can be performed by internal staff or a contracted third party.

The IAQ audit should align with the best practice guidelines outlined in the US EPA’s I-BEAM or another comparable auditing system. The audit should:

  • Assess indoor spaces, exterior spaces, and HVAC systems for signs of air quality issues.
  • Log the findings of the assessment.
  • Provide details for corrective action, if necessary.
  • Identify opportunities for improving indoor air quality for building occupants.

Conducting an IAQ audit:

  1. Assess indoor spaces, exterior spaces, and HVAC systems for signs of air quality issues.
    1. Assign a person with sufficient knowledge about the project space to perform the audit.
    2. Gather the necessary information for the audit including:
      • Drawings or blueprints
      • Service contracts for HVAC, janitorial services, and IPM services.
      • Preventative maintenance plans and schedules
      • Renovation guidelines.
    3. Conduct an IAQ audit using the I-BEAM forms (or a similar type of audit) as a guide to assist in assessing the basic conditions of the project.
  2. Log the findings of the assessment including items for corrective action.
  3. Provide follow-up action, where needed, including sourcing any adverse pollutants and correcting IAQ issues. General indoor pollutant sources are:
    • Fuel-burning combustion appliances.
    • Plumbing leaks.
    • Smoking.
    • Chemical off-gassing from building materials and furnishings like insulation, flooring, upholstery, and furnishings made of certain types of wood.
    • Moisture transfer through floors and walls.
    • Air leaks from doors and windows.
    • Cleaning products and practices.
    • Pest control products and practices.
    • HVAC and humidification systems.
    • Radon and outdoor air pollution.
  4. Identify opportunities for improving IAQ for building occupants including creating guidelines to help:
    • Guide occupant behavior including education and communication.
    • Guide renovation or remodeling activities including procurement and occupant notification.
    • Enhance green cleaning practices.
    • Enhance integrated pest management practices.
    • Enhance preventative maintenance practices including HVAC systems.
    • Promote occupant feedback.
    • Provide ongoing monitoring and response.
    • Guide budgeting for future capital improvements.
  5. Implement practices and procedures for improving IAQ levels.
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BIT User’s viewpoint

Frequently asked questions

Online resources

Implementation toolkit

Purpose

To protect indoor air quality and occupant health while saving energy during the normal operations of the business.

 

Objective

At least once a year, perform an indoor air quality audit to help understand the air quality within the building or tenant-controlled space and discover opportunities for improvement.

Implementation Requirements

Each year perform an IAQ audit to help understand the air quality within the project space and use this audit as an evaluation of your project’s current IAQ systems and goals. IAQ audits can be performed by internal staff or a contracted third party.

The IAQ audit should align with the best practice guidelines outlined in the US EPA’s I-BEAM or another comparable auditing system. The audit should:

  • Assess indoor spaces, exterior spaces, and HVAC systems for signs of air quality issues.
  • Log the findings of the assessment.
  • Provide details for corrective action, if necessary.
  • Identify opportunities for improving indoor air quality for building occupants.

Conducting an IAQ audit:

  1. Assess indoor spaces, exterior spaces, and HVAC systems for signs of air quality issues.
    1. Assign a person with sufficient knowledge about the project space to perform the audit.
    2. Gather the necessary information for the audit including:
      • Drawings or blueprints
      • Service contracts for HVAC, janitorial services, and IPM services.
      • Preventative maintenance plans and schedules
      • Renovation guidelines.
    3. Conduct an IAQ audit using the I-BEAM forms (or a similar type of audit) as a guide to assist in assessing the basic conditions of the project.
  2. Log the findings of the assessment including items for corrective action.
  3. Provide follow-up action, where needed, including sourcing any adverse pollutants and correcting IAQ issues. General indoor pollutant sources are:
    • Fuel-burning combustion appliances.
    • Plumbing leaks.
    • Smoking.
    • Chemical off-gassing from building materials and furnishings like insulation, flooring, upholstery, and furnishings made of certain types of wood.
    • Moisture transfer through floors and walls.
    • Air leaks from doors and windows.
    • Cleaning products and practices.
    • Pest control products and practices.
    • HVAC and humidification systems.
    • Radon and outdoor air pollution.
  4. Identify opportunities for improving IAQ for building occupants including creating guidelines to help:
    • Guide occupant behavior including education and communication.
    • Guide renovation or remodeling activities including procurement and occupant notification.
    • Enhance green cleaning practices.
    • Enhance integrated pest management practices.
    • Enhance preventative maintenance practices including HVAC systems.
    • Promote occupant feedback.
    • Provide ongoing monitoring and response.
    • Guide budgeting for future capital improvements.
  5. Implement practices and procedures for improving IAQ levels.

Submittal Requirements

BIT Building:

  • An indoor air quality report for the project that, at minimum, addresses the information outlined in the BIT Building Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality Guidelines.
  • Documentation or summary of implementing any short-term (one year or less) and/or long-term (more than one year) IAQ initiatives (this may be an excerpt from the annual sustainability planning meeting).

 

BIT for Tenants:

  • An indoor air quality report for areas within tenant space and/or under tenant control that, at minimum, addresses the information outlined in the BIT Building Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality Guidelines.
  • Documentation or summary of implementing any short-term (one year or less) and/or long-term (more than one year) IAQ initiatives (this may be an excerpt from the annual sustainability planning meeting).

 

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