Whole Building Design Guide

Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers

This is a guidance document with sample specification language intended to be inserted into project
specifications on this subject as appropriate to the agency's environmental goals. Certain provisions, where
indicated, are required for U.S. federal agency projects. Sample specification language is numbered to
clearly distinguish it from advisory or discussion material. Each sample is preceded by identification of the
TM
of the
typical location in a specification section where it would appear using the SectionFormat
Construction Specifications Institute.

SECTION 15800 AIR DISTRIBUTION

SPECIFIER NOTE:

resource management: Refer to Section 15700 HVAC Equipment.

toxicity/IEQ: Locate outside air intakes away from potential sources of contamination (e.g.
sources of motor vehicle emissions, building HVAC system exhausts). Exhaust directly outdoors
the air in rooms where contaminants are generated (e.g. Iabs, copying areas).
ASHRAE
Standard 62 calls for delivery of ventilation air to occupant breathing zone. Amount is contingent
upon carbon dioxide levels; other contaminants must be considered separately.
Harvard University, Duke University and the University of Nevada have conducted studies of
typical airstream materials, which demonstrate that all typical materials used in ducts can
experience microbial growth when the proper conditions exist. Microbial growth can occur on any
duct material if the proper moisture levels, temperature and nutrients are present. Refer to the
North
American
Insulation
Manufacturers
Association
(NAIMA)
website,
http://www.naima.org/pages/resources/library/index/ah.html.
Metal surfaces and cut liner with durable surfaces may be cleaned more easily without fear of
damaging the surface material. NAIMA has a guide on cleaning fibrous glass or lined sheet metal
ducts at http://www.naima.org/pages/resources/library/html/AH112.HTML.
Fibrous glass insulation materials may contain formaldehyde based resin binder materials.
VOCs may be emitted from duct sealant during the curing process. However, all fiber glass duct
work is assembled using UL 181 approved duct tape, which is applied to the exterior of the duct
board and is not exposed to the air steam. These tapes have little or no VOCs.
performance: Properly sizing and sealing ductwork can improve energy efficiency.
Duct insulation can promote energy savings by helping to prevent conditioned air from escaping.
Evaluate natural ventilation for appropriate spaces, and design air distribution systems to operate
in the same direction as natural ventilation to reduce energy cost of pumping outdoor air.

PART 1
1.1

1.2

GENERAL
SUMMARY
A.

Section Includes:
1.
Ductwork.
2.
Filters.

B.

Related Sections:
1.
Section 01352 IAQ Management.
2.
Section 01810 Commissioning.
3.
Section 15700 HVAC Equipment.

SUBMITTALS

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A.

Product data. Unless otherwise indicated, submit the following for each type of
product provided under work of this Section:

SPECIFIER NOTE:
Green building rating systems often include credit for materials of recycled content. USGBCLEED v2.2, for example, includes credit for materials with recycled content, calculated on the
basis of pre-consumer and post-consumer percentage content, and it includes credit for use of
salvaged/recovered materials.
Green Globes US also provides points for reused building materials and components and for
building materials with recycled content.
1.
Recycled Content:
a.
Indicate recycled content; indicate percentage of pre-consumer
and post-consumer recycled content per unit of product.
b.
Indicate relative dollar value of recycled content product to total
dollar value of product included in project.
c.
If recycled content product is part of an assembly, indicate the
percentage of recycled content product in the assembly by
weight.
d.
If recycled content product is part of an assembly, indicate
relative dollar value of recycled content product to total dollar
value of assembly.
SPECIFIER NOTE:
Specifying local materials may help minimize transportation impacts; however it may not have a
significant impact on reducing the overall embodied energy of a building material because of
efficiencies of scale in some modes of transportation.
Green building rating systems frequently include credit for local materials. Transportation impacts
include: fossil fuel consumption, air pollution, and labor.
USGBC-LEED v2.2 includes credits for materials extracted/harvested and manufactured within
a 500 mile radius from the project site. Green Globes US also provides points for materials that
are locally manufactured.
2.
Local/Regional Materials:
a.
Sourcing location(s): Indicate location of extraction, harvesting,
and recovery; indicate distance between extraction, harvesting,
and recovery and the project site.
b.
Manufacturing location(s): Indicate location of manufacturing
facility; indicate distance between manufacturing facility and the
project site.
c.
Product Value: Indicate dollar value of product containing
local/regional materials; include materials cost only.
d.
Product Component(s) Value: Where product components are
sourced or manufactured in separate locations, provide location
information for each component. Indicate the percentage by
weight of each component per unit of product.
SPECIFIER NOTE:
The 2002 Farm Bill - Section 9002, Federal Procurement Of Biobased Products, requires each
Federal Agency to develop a procurement program which will assure that items composed of
biobased products will be purchased to the maximum extent practicable and which is consistent
with applicable provisions of Federal procurement law.
USGBC-LEED v2.2 includes credits for use of rapidly renewable materials, which USGBC
describes as plants harvested within a ten-year cycle. Green Globes US, provides credit for
integration of materials from renewable sources that have been selected based on life-cycle
assessment.

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3.

1.3

Biobased materials:
a.
Indicate type of biobased material in product.
b.
Indicate the percentage of biobased content per unit of product.
c.
Indicate relative dollar value of biobased content product to total
dollar value of product included in project.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
A.
B.

PART 2
2.1

Energy Efficiency: Meet or exceed ASHRAE 90.1.

Indoor Environmental Quality:
1.
Ventilation: Meet or exceed ASHRAE 62 and all published addenda.
2.
Filtration: Meet or exceed filter media efficiency as tested in accordance
with ASHRAE 52.2
1999 (or most recent version).
3.
Thermal Comfort: Meet or exceed ASHRAE 55.
4.
Maintain positive pressure within the building.
PRODUCTS

MATERIALS

A.
Ductwork:
SPECIFIER NOTE:
Green building rating systems often include credit for materials of recycled content and may
distinguish allowable credit for post-consumer and post-industrial (or pre-consumer) recycled
content. USGBC-LEED v2.2, for example, factors 100 percent of post-consumer recycled
content but only 50 percent of pre-consumer (post-industrial) recycled content into calculations for
its recycled content materials credit. LEED v2.2 grants one credit to a project for using materials
with recycled content such that the sum of post-consumer recycled content plus one-half of the
post-industrial content constitutes at least 10 percent of the total value of the materials in the
project; 10% (post-consumer + 1/2 post-industrial). It grants an additional point for 20% (postconsumer + 1/2 post-industrial).
Green Globes US also provides points for reused building materials and components and for
building materials with recycled content.
Recycled content is typically determined by calculating the weight of the recycled material divided
by the total weight of the product and expressed as a percentage by weight. (The recycled
content value of a product as assessed under LEED is determined by multiplying the recycled
content percentage and the cost of the product.)
Verify with manufacturer for product availability and recycled content.
1.
Recycled Content: Minimum [5] [10] [xxxx] percent post-consumer
recycled content, or minimum [20] [40] [xxxx] percent pre-consumer
recycled content at contractors option.
2.
Toxicity/IEQ:
a.
Mold/mildew growth management: [Unfaced fiberglass and
mineral fiber insulation will not be permitted in contact with
airstream.] [Duct liner will not be permitted.] [Provide duct
liner with durable surface in contact with airstream.]
b.
Acoustical performance: Provide [one-third] [full] octave bands
of airflow generated noise for each rate and direction of airflow of
design performance in accordance with [ASTM E477] [ARI 260
(ducted equipment) [ ARI 300 (terminal equipment)]. Indicate
pressure drop across the silencing element for each airflow rate.
B.
Filters:
SPECIFIER NOTE:

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USGBC-LEED v2.2 includes credit for an IAQ Management plan consistent with SMACNA IAQ
Guidelines and including the use of MERV 8 filtration media.
MERV 13 filters are typically at least 6 inches deep with 0.8 wg pressure drop or higher, making
them only feasible in applied, belt-driven central station air handling units. Terminal equipment or
smaller packaged rooftop equipment cannot achieve this level of filtration or generate the static
pressure needed to deliver proper airflow when using this high efficiency filtration. Typically
MERV 6 or 8 is the highest efficiency filter that can be applied for that equipment.
1.
Toxicity/IEQ:
Provide filtration media with a Minimum Efficiency
Reporting Value (MERV) of [6] [8] [13] as determined by ASHRAE 52.2.
SPECIFIER NOTE:
According to the June 7, 2002 Draft of the USDA Biobased Products Definitions and
Descriptions, minimum biobased content per item category might be defined as follows:
construction materials: 85 percent;
composite board: 70 percent;
landscaping materials: 100 percent;
compost: 100 percent;
adhesives: 80 percent;
furniture: can be designated as biobased products if 90 percent of all of the adhesives used in
the production are biobased adhesives.
For current designations under the Federal Biobased Products Preferred Procurement Program
(FB4P), refer to www.biobased.oce.usda.gov. As of March 16, 2006, the Federal Register
includes the final rule designating the first six items, which are generic groupings of biobased
products. The items are: mobile equipment hydraulic fluids; biobased roof coatings; water tank
coatings; diesel fuel additives; penetrating lubricants, and; bedding, bed linens and towels. Refer
to 7 CFR Part 2902, Designation of Biobased Items for Federal Procurement; Final Rule. The
requirements for purchasing biobased items apply to those items directly purchased by the
federal agency. Under a construction contract, the contractor's use of hydraulic fluid in its
bulldozers and backhoes is incidental to the purpose of its contract, so the contractor is not
required to use biobased hydraulic fluids. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive
(OFEE) recommends that agencies encourage the use of these items, however.
This is the first of a series of rules that will be issued designating biobased items. The USDA
currently has identified about 150 items for which it is collecting test data needed for the
additional designations of items that will extend preferred procurement status to include all
qualifying biobased products. .
2.
Biobased Content: Minimum [85] [95] [xxxx] percent biobased material.
PART 3 - EXECUTION
3.X

SITE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCEDURES

A.

Commissioning: The project will have selected building systems commissioned.

Coordinate with commissioning as specified in Section 01810.

B.

Indoor Air Quality:

1.
Temporary ventilation:
SPECIFIER NOTE:
HVAC
components
can
affect
the
IAQ
for
the
building.
Refer
to
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schooldesign/hvac.html EPA IAQ Design Tools for Schools for additional
information.
The sheet steel used to make ducts has a thin petroleum or fish oil coating primarily intended to
inhibit corrosion during transportation and storage of the steel. This coating may trap dirt
particles, some people find the odor objectionable, and there are concerns that the emissions
from the coating could affect individuals with asthma or allergies. One solution is to remove the

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coating from the duct using a mild cleaning agent, such as a household dishwashing liquid, in
conjunction with a heated high-pressure sprayer.
In addition to significant energy losses, air leakage from HVAC ducts and air handling units can
cause significant IAQ problems due to unexpected airflow between indoors and outdoors, and
between areas within the school. Air leakage from supply or return duct work contributes to the
condensation of humid air in building cavities and/or on the neighboring surfaces. Air leakage
can be especially problematic for ducts or AHUs that are located outside the conditioned spaces.
a.
Degrease sheet metal air ducts.
b.
Seal air ducts to prevent HVAC system air leakage.
c.
Install duct insulation so that unfaced fiberglass and mineral fiber
insulation are not in contact with airstream.
d.
Clean ductwork in accordance with manufacturers
recommendations [and the NAIMA Guide on Cleaning Fibrous
Glass Insulated Air Duct Systems].
C.

Resource Management:
1.
Energy Efficiency: Verify equipment is properly installed, connected, and
adjusted. Verify that equipment is operating as specified.

END OF SECTION

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