Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

by the WBDG Sustainable Committee

Last updated: 08-20-2009

Within This Page

Overview

In the struggle to build cost-effective buildings, it is easy to forget that the ultimate success or failure of a project rests on its indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Healthy, comfortable employees are invariably more satisfied and productive. Unfortunately, this simple, compelling truth is often lost, for it is simpler to focus on the first-cost of a project than it is to determine the value of increased user productivity and health. Facilities should be constructed with an appreciation of the importance of providing high-quality, interior environments for all users.

During the facility/renovation design and development process, federal projects must have a comprehensive, integrated perspective that seeks to:

Photo of Thoreau Institute of Sustainability, San Francisco

The Thoreau Institute of Sustainability at the Presidio—San Francisco, California

Facilitate quality IEQ through good design, construction, and operating and maintenance practices;
Value aesthetic decisions, such as the importance of views and the integration of natural and man-made elements;
Provide thermal comfort with a maximum degree of personal control over temperature and airflow;
Supply adequate levels of ventilation and outside air to ensure indoor air quality;
Prevent airborne bacteria, mold, and other fungi through heating, ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) system designs that are effective at controlling indoor humidity, and building envelope design that prevents the intrusion of moisture;
Avoid the use of materials high in pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or toxins;
Assure acoustic privacy and comfort through the use of sound absorbing material and equipment isolation;
Control disturbing odors through contaminant isolation and careful selection of cleaning products;
Create a high performance luminous environment through the careful integration of natural and artificial light sources; and
Provide quality water.

Note: IEQ encompasses indoor air quality (IAQ), which focuses on airborne contaminants, as well as other health, safety, and comfort issues such as aesthetics, potable water surveillance, ergonomics, acoustics, lighting, and electromagnetic frequency levels. IEQ improvements to an existing building can occur at any point during the use of a building.

Recommendations

Facilitate Quality IEQ through Good Design, Construction, and O&M Practices

Acceptable IEQ is often easiest to achieve if "source control" is practiced, not only during building construction, but also over the life of the building. For example, the designer may select building products that do not produce noxious or irritating odors; and design exterior entrances with permanent entryway systems to catch and hold dirt particles.
Refer to the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB) for scientific information about the effects of IAQ on people's health or work performance. The IAQ-SFRB is being developed by the Indoor Environment Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Operations & Maintenance (O&M) and cleaning staff can also avoid creating IEQ problems by choosing less noxious materials during repair and cleaning activities. While HVAC systems may be designed to isolate operations (kitchens, dry cleaners, etc.) from other occupancies, the O&M staff ensures that pressure differentials are maintained to avoid the undesirable flow of contaminants from one space to another. See also WBDG Sustainable O&M Practices.

Value Aesthetic Decisions

Appreciate the importance of providing windows in all occupied spaces for view and natural ventilation. See also WBDG Aesthetics and Productive—Promote Health and Well-Being.
Design spaces around basic human needs, ancient preferences, and connections to the patterns of nature and the mind. See also WBDG Psychosocial Value of Space.
Demand that individual buildings or facilities are consciously integrated into their natural and man-made context. See also WBDG Sustainable—Optimize Site Potential.

Provide Thermal Comfort

Use ASHRAE Standard 55—Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy as the basis for thermal comfort. See also WBDG Productive—Provide Comfortable Environments.
Evaluate the use of access floors with displacement ventilation for flexibility, personal comfort control, and energy savings.
Understand moisture dynamics as a key criteria in the selection of wall and roof assemblies. See also WBDG Air Barrier Systems in Buildings.
Evaluate the benefit of specifying high-performance windows to increase mean radiant temperature (MRT).

Supply Adequate Levels of Ventilation and Outside Air

Design the ventilation system to exceed ASHRAE Standard 62: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.
Implement a construction management program that ensures key ventilation components are protected from contamination during construction.
Commission HVAC systems to ensure they operate and perform as designed. This will ensure that adequate ventilation rates have been achieved prior to initial occupancy. HVAC system should be installed with filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 7.
Investigate the use of separate outside air and conditioned air distribution systems. A good description of various types of heating and ventilation systems can be found at: WBDG High-Performance HVAC and Natural Ventilation.
Ensure fresh air intakes are located away from loading areas, exhaust fans, and other contamination points.
Ensure parking lot/garage usage cannot generate pollutants that affect fresh air intake or pedestrian traffic. Prevent vehicles idling near the facility during normal operations.
Consider installing loading dock purge fans.
Investigate the use of a permanent air quality monitoring system. ASHRAE acceptable level of carbon dioxide (CO₂) for an indoor office environment is 1000 ppm ("normal" CO₂ outside level is about 300 to 400 ppm). Carbon monoxide (CO) levels in office environments should be below 2 ppm. OSHA regulates levels of CO for industrial locations.
Coordinate ventilation and air filtration with chemical, biological, and radiological concerns and locate outside air intakes so they do not conflict with physical security requirements. See also WBDG Air Decontamination.
During operation, replace filters on periodic basis.

Prevent Airborne Bacteria, Mold, and Other Fungi

Prevention of mold and fungi is dependent upon effective HVAC and building envelope design and construction. The HVAC system must be able to control interior humidity conditions over a wide range of outdoor conditions. The system must be designed to have the capacity to dehumidify at the 1% Humidity Ratio and mean coincident dry bulb temperature, and control interior humidity at both extreme and low load conditions. The building envelope must be carefully designed to prevent intrusion of water and to dry if intrusion should occur. It must also incorporate barriers that control vapor and air infiltration.

Carefully consider the envelope of the building to prevent moisture infiltration.
Investigate immediately when there is a moisture condition, either from a leak or flood.
Ensure the number of spores in the indoor air is less than the outdoor air. It is recommended that there should be less than 700 spores in a cubic meter of air.

Limit Spread of Pathogens

For health care facilities:

Implement proper maintenance procedures to prevent nosocomial infections.
Consider removing restroom doors to reduce the chance of acquiring infections.

Avoid the Use of Materials High in Pollutants

Limit the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in such products as cleaners, paints, sealants, coatings, and adhesives. See also WBDG Evaluating and Selecting Green Products.
Avoid products containing formaldehyde, i.e., carpet, wall panels, cabinetry.
Remove asbestos-containing material or contain it in a manner that precludes the possibility of future exposure.
In areas where it is prevalent, include measures to control and mitigate radon buildup.
Create safe, convenient, and secure storage spaces for housekeeping chemicals. See also WBDG Sustainable O&M Practices.
If an area in an occupied building is being renovated, consider isolating and negatively pressurizing the construction area if work is being performed that would result in dust, fumes, or odors. If conditioned air is required due to high end finishing work, the air should be directly exhausted to the exterior environment and not returned to the fan.
Ensure office equipment installed emit minimal odors or pollutants.

Assure Acoustic Privacy and Comfort

Minimize noise through the use of sound-absorbing materials, high sound transmission loss walls, floors, and ceilings, and equipment sound isolation. See Architectural Graphic Standards, 11th Edition, section on Acoustical Design for more information. See also WBDG Productive—Provide Comfortable Environments and Acoustic Comfort.
Consider sound masking systems. These systems introduce an unobtrusive background sound that reduces interference from distracting office noise. Note that some level of HVAC "noise" can serve as a background white noise source, eliminating the need for sound masking systems.
Avoid the use of small diameter ducts with high velocity airflow.

Control Disturbing Odors through Contaminant Isolation and Product Selection

Directly exhaust copying and housekeeping areas, and provide added return air grills in these areas. This will help limit lower atmosphere ozone generation, commonly associated with duplicating and printing processes. Ozone acts as a power oxidant. It can attack surfaces of certain elastomers, plastics, paints, and pigments; and aid in sulfide and chloride corrosion of metals. Possible health hazards caused by ozone include eye and mucous membrane irritation as well as chronic respiratory disease.
Minimize disturbing odors through contaminant isolation and careful selection of cleaning products.
Ensure maintenance procedures are in place to remove all trash and recyclables from the building on a regular basis rather than storing them within the building for prolonged periods of time.
Prohibit smoking in all areas of the building. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is a known carcinogen.
In special cases where smoking is permitted, e.g., federal judge's private chambers, ensure that the spaces:
- Have lower pressure than adjacent areas;
- Comply with ASHRAE Standard 62 for proper ventilation;
- Are isolated from the return air system of surrounding areas to prevent pollutants from spreading to other areas.

Create a High—Performance Luminous Environment

Use daylighting for ambient lighting wherever feasible.
Supplement natural light with integrated, high-performance ballasts, lamps, fixtures, and controls.
Substitute magnetic fluorescent lamps with high-frequency electronic ballasts to reduce flickering.
Reduce direct glare from both natural and man-made sources in the field of view—particularly in spaces with highly reflective surfaces, such as visual display terminals (VDTs).
Use task/ambient systems that provide reduced levels of diffuse, general illumination, and supplement with task lighting. Most people do not need lighting in excess of 300 lux (a unit of illumination).
Use light color on walls and locate windows properly.

Provide Quality Water

Comply with EPA Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for the levels of various metals and bacteria in potable water systems.
For newly installed or temporarily suspended domestic water systems, follow "start-up" procedures by flushing all down stream outlets.
Conduct periodic 'maintenance flushing' to proactively control drinking water issues.
Control domestic water temperature to avoid temperature ranges where legionellae grow: keep domestic water temperatures above 140°F (60°C) in tanks and 122°F (50°C) at all taps (faucets and showers).
Design cooling tower and building air intake placement so air discharged from the cooling tower or evaporative condenser is not directly brought into the facility's air intake.
Consider a closed loop system instead of an open system to reduce the potential of exposure at the cooling tower.

Be Aware of Exposure to Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF)

Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are generated by forces associated with electric charges in motion, and by microwaves, radio waves, electrical currents, and transformers. EMF are thought to cause cancer, however there is insufficient evidence to prove this. There are no federal standards limiting occupational or residential exposure to EMF at this time, only various U.S. and International voluntary occupational exposure guidelines. Nevertheless, facility designers and managers should consult the following resources to find out the latest scientific research and recommendations on dealing with EMF exposure:

EMF RAPID—Electric and Magnetic Fields Research and Public Information Dissemination Program
World Health Organization (WHO), Electromagnetic fields (EMF) website

Balance IEQ Strategies with Security Requirements

Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, building owners and occupants have placed greater emphasis on facility security and safety. However, security and safety measures must be considered within a total project context, including the project's environmental goals. Several indoor environmental quality strategies, such as dedicated ventilation systems and tight building envelopes, can be employed to help designers achieve an integrated, high performance facility. See also WBDG Balancing Security/Safety and Sustainability Objectives.

Relevant Codes and Standards

ASHRAE Guideline 1—Guideline for the Commissioning of HVAC Systems
ASHRAE Standard 52—Method of Testing Air-Cleaning Devices Used in General Ventilation for Removing Particular Matter
ASHRAE Standard 55—Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
ASHRAE Standard 62—Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality—Sets the minimum acceptable ventilation requirements.
ASHRAE Standard 90.1—Energy Efficient Design of New Buildings
Department of Defense:
UFC 4-010-01, DoD Minimum Anti-Terrorism Standards for Buildings
Air Force: Air Force Engineering Technical Letter ETL 04-3 Design Criteria for Prevention of Mold in Air Force Facilities.
U.S. General Services Administration:
P100 Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service, 2005

Major Resources

WBDG

Facilitate Quality IEQ through Good Design and O&M Practices

Federal Agencies and Laboratories

Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Indoor Air Quality website
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), Indoor Environment Department website
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):
OSHA, Indoor Air Quality website

Organizations and Associations

Design and Analysis Tools

IAQ Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM) Computer Software—I-BEAM is computer software for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings. I-BEAM updates and expands EPA's existing Building Air Quality guidance and is designed to be comprehensive state-of-the-art guidance for managing IAQ in commercial buildings. I-BEAM contains text, animation/visual, and interactive/calculation components that can be used to perform a number of diverse tasks.
Multizone Modeling website, NIST—Contains software tools for performing multi-zone analysis (e.g. CONTAMW), information on the applications of multi-zone modeling, multi-zone modeling case studies, and references to multi-zone modeling publications.

Others

Aerias—Online resource dedicated to promoting better human health and better business through IAQ awareness.
"Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers" by U.S. EPA and National Institute for Safety and Health.
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) Section 01350 Special Environmental Requirements for testing emissions of products
FedCenter.gov—FedCenter, the Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship and Compliance Assistance Center, is a collaborative effort between the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, and the U.S. EPA Federal Facilities Enforcement Office. FedCenter replaces the previous FedSite as a one-stop source of environmental stewardship and compliance assistance information focused solely on the needs of federal government facilities.
GSA LEED® Applications Guide
GSA LEED® Cost Study
High Performance Building Guidelines (PDF 2.2 MB, 146 pgs) by New York City Department of Design and Construction. April 1999.
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
Direct inquiries: Phone (800) 438-4318; Fax: (703) 356-5386; e-mail: iaqinfo@aol.com.
Lessons Learned: High Performance Buildings. "Indoor Environmental Quality" by John J. Leitner and William Esposito, Jr., CIH, Ambient Group, Inc. New York, NY: Earth Day New York, 2000.
Sustainable Building Technical Manual (DOE/EPA)

Value Aesthetic Decisions

WBDG: Aesthetics, Productive

Provide Thermal Comfort

WBDG: Productive—Provide Comfortable Environments
MOIST 3 software—Computer software that predicts the one-dimensional transfer of heat and moisture, allowing users to investigate the effects of various parameters on the moisture accumulation within layers of the construction. MOIST can also be used to generate guidelines and practices for controlling moisture.

Supply Adequate Levels of Ventilation and Outside Air

WBDG: Productive—Promote Health and Well-Being
EPA Document #402-K-93-007, April 1995.
EPA National Center for Environmental Research
Fact Sheet: Ventilation and Air Quality in Offices by EPA Office of Air and Radiation (6607J). EPA Document #402-F-94-003, revised July 1990.
Guidance for Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks by Department of Health and Human Services. May 2002.
Guidance for Filtration and Air-Cleaning Systems to Protect Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. April 2003.
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality by EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6604J) and United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
NAVFAC White Paper on Carbon Monoxide
UFC 4-010-01, DoD Minimum Anti-Terrorism Standards for Buildings

Prevent Airborne Bacteria, Mold, and Fungi

Air Force: Air Force Engineering Technical Letter ETL 04-3 Design Criteria for Prevention of Mold in Air Force Facilities.
Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO)—IESO is a non-profit organization that provides a national forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for the assessment of indoor environments. IESO also offers certification programs to promote awareness and compliance to the established standards. The IESO Standards of Practice, Volume 1 for the assessment of indoor air quality includes seven standards on two topics: Mold Sampling and Assessment of Mold Contamination.
OSHA, Molds & Fungi website

Limit Spread of Pathogens

WBDG: Health Care Facilities

Avoid the Use of Materials High in Pollutants

Assure Acoustic Privacy and Comfort

WBDG: Productive—Provide Comfortable Environments, Acoustic Comfort
Architectural Graphic Standards, 11th Edition

Create a High—Performance Luminous Environment

WBDG: Productive—Promote Health and Well-Being, Productive—Provide Comfortable Environments
IESNA RP-5 Recommended Practice of Daylighting
Windows and Daylighting Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Provide Quality Water

Balance IEQ Strategies with Security Requirements

WBDG: Secure / Safe—Provide Security for Building Occupants and Assets
Guidance for Filtration and Air-Cleaning Systems to Protect Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks
Guidance for Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks by Department of Health and Human Services. May 2002.

Publications

How IEQ Affects Health, Productivity (PDF 220 KB, 3 pgs) by William J. Fisk, P.E., Member ASHRAE. ASHRAE Journal, May 2002.
HVAC Characteristics and Occupant Health (PDF 430 KB, 4 pgs) by W.K. Sieber, M.R. Petersen, L.T. Stayner, R. Malkin, M.J. Mendell, K.M. Wallingford, T.G. Wilcox, M.S. Crandall, and L. Reed. ASHRAE Journal, September 2002.
IEQ and the Impact on Building Occupants (PDF 105 KB, 3 pgs) by Satish Kumar, Ph.D., Member ASHRAE and William J. Fisk, P.E., Member ASHRAE. ASHRAE Journal, April 2002.
IEQ and the Impact on Employee Sick Leave (PDF 105 KB, 3 pgs) by Satish Kumar, Ph.D., Member ASHRAE and William J. Fisk, P.E., Member ASHRAE. ASHRAE Journal, July 2002.
Ventilation Rates and Health (PDF 115 KB, 5 pgs) by Olli Seppänen, Fellow ASHRAE, William J. Fisk, P.E., Member ASHRAE, and Mark J. Mendell, Ph.D. ASHRAE Journal, August 2002.

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Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)

Within This Page

Overview

Recommendations

Facilitate Quality IEQ through Good Design, Construction, and O&M Practices

Value Aesthetic Decisions

Provide Thermal Comfort

Supply Adequate Levels of Ventilation and Outside Air

Prevent Airborne Bacteria, Mold, and Other Fungi

Limit Spread of Pathogens

Avoid the Use of Materials High in Pollutants

Assure Acoustic Privacy and Comfort

Control Disturbing Odors through Contaminant Isolation and Product Selection

Create a High—Performance Luminous Environment

Provide Quality Water

Be Aware of Exposure to Electric and Magnetic Fields (EMF)

Balance IEQ Strategies with Security Requirements

Relevant Codes and Standards

Major Resources

WBDG

Building / Space Types

Design Objectives

Products and Systems

Project Management

Tools

Facilitate Quality IEQ through Good Design and O&M Practices

Federal Agencies and Laboratories

Organizations and Associations

Design and Analysis Tools

Others

Value Aesthetic Decisions

Provide Thermal Comfort

Supply Adequate Levels of Ventilation and Outside Air

Prevent Airborne Bacteria, Mold, and Fungi

Limit Spread of Pathogens

Avoid the Use of Materials High in Pollutants

Assure Acoustic Privacy and Comfort

Create a High—Performance Luminous Environment

Provide Quality Water

Balance IEQ Strategies with Security Requirements

Publications