Indoor air quality (IAQ) or indoor environmental quality
During and following construction, there are many ways to improve the air quality for the health of occupants. These include:
- Exterior grilles or fixed mats at building entrances
- Framing – Less than 19 percent moisture content before drywall
- HVAC
- Supply registers covered during construction
- Equipment properly sized and commissioned per ACCA Manual S
- Minimum efficiency of 90 percent
- Duct work sealed with mastic
- Installed in the conditioned space
- Heat recovery ventilator (HRV) for fresh air intake
- Air filter ≥ MERV 8 with verification that system can accommodate the greater pressure drop
- Ductless heat pump or ground source heat pump
- Spot ventilation vented to outdoors
- Bathrooms
- Clothes dryers
- Kitchen exhaust units/range hoods
- Reduced VOC emissions levels in accordance with CDPH 01350
- Hard surface flooring
- Wall coverings
- Insulation formaldehyde
- Adhesives and sealants
- Site applied architectural coatings
- Cabinets – No added formaldehyde and zero to low-VOC finishes
- Carpeting, including padding and adhesives, has reduced VOC emission levels as certified by a third party, such as the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus Indoor Air Quality Program
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Central vacuum system
- Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) pressure test
- Radon control systems
- Active for EPA Zone 1
- Passive for EPA Zone 2
- Garage – detached if possible or tightly sealed and gasketed
For more information:
EPA’s Indoor airPlus
PlanetClark
