Air Background & Requirements

Question 1

Air pollution is the number one cause of?

Answer 1

Premature mortality

Question 2

How many annual deaths in the US and internationally are caused by air pollution?

Answer 2

50,000 and 7M

Question 3

What are some of the leading causes of poor air

quality?

Answer 3

Agricultural Activity, Construction, Combustion sources, Particulate Matter, and Pollution

Memory Clue: ACCPP

Question 4

How many liters of air do we breathe daily?

Answer 4

15,000 liters

Question 5

What are some of the causes of poor indoor air quality?

Answer 5

Airborne bacteria on surfaces
Indoor combustion sources
Off-gassing from building materials
Outdoor sources
Poor ventilation conditions (VOCs + PAHs)

Question 6

What are some of the ways that poor indoor air quality can impact bodily function?

Answer 6

Asthma, allergies, upper respiratory illnesses, diminish productivity.

Sick building syndrome symptoms (SBSs): eye, nose, and throat irritation, fatigue, and headache.

Question 7

What are the most effective ways of treating poor indoor air quality?

Answer 7

Air filtration
Pollution sources avoidance
Proper ventilation

Question 8

What is the air quality standard set by the EPA?

Answer 8

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

Question 9

What are the 6 major air pollutants?

Answer 9

Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen Dioxide
Sulfur Dioxide
Lead
Ozone
Particulate Matter

Memory Clue: CM, ND, SD, L, O, PM

Question 10

What bodily reactions can VOCs trigger?

Answer 10

Allergies
Asthma
Nausea
Headaches
Respiratory Irritation

Memory Clue: AANHRi

Question 11

What are the standards for Volatile Substances?

Answer 11

a. Formaldehyde levels < 27 ppb.

b. Total volatile organic compounds < 500 μg/m³

Question 12

What are the standards for Particulate Matter and Inorganic Gases?

Answer 12

a. Carbon monoxide < 9 ppm.
b. PM₂.₅ < 15 μg/m³.
c. PM₁₀ < 50 μg/m³.
d. Ozone < 51 ppb.

Question 13

What is the standard for Radon?

Answer 13

Radon < 0.148 Bq/L [4 pCi/L] in the lowest occupied level of the project

Question 14

How many smokers are there in the US? Internationally?

Answer 14

US: 42M
International: 1 B

Question 15

How many premature deaths per year are attributed to smoking?

Answer 15

400,000

Question 16

How much does smoking decrease the average life vs a non-smoker?

Answer 16

10 years

Question 17

How many ingredients are in cigarettes?

How many compounds are created when burned? How many are carcinogenic?

Answer 17

600
7,000
69

Question 18

What does indoor smoking ban relate to?

Answer 18

Building policy or local code reflects the following: Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited inside the project.

Question 19

What does outdoor smoking ban relate to?

Answer 19

A smoking ban within 7.5 m [25 ft] (or the maximum extent allowable by local codes) of all
entrances, operable windows and building air intakes.

a. A smoking ban on all decks, patios, balconies, rooftops and other regularly occupied exterior
building spaces.

b. The hazards of smoking, in all areas beyond 7.5 m of the building entrances (if smoking is
permitted in this areas). These signs are to be placed along all walkways with a distance of not
more than 30 m [100 ft] between signs.

Question 20

What activities can degrade indoor air quality?

Answer 20

Cooking
Cleaning
Building operations and maintenance
Presence of occupants

Question 21

What does Ventilation Design represent?

Answer 21

One of the following requirements is met for all spaces:

a. Ventilation rates comply with all requirements set in ASHRAE 62.1-2013 (Ventilation Rate Procedure
or IAQ Procedure).

b. Projects comply with all requirements set in any procedure in ASHRAE 62.1-2013 (including the Natural Ventilation Procedure) and demonstrate that ambient air quality within 1.6 km [1 mi] of the building is compliant with either the U.S. EPA’s NAAQS or passes the Air Quality Standards feature in the WELL Building Standard for at least 95% of all hours in the previous year.

Question 22

What does demand controlled ventilation represent?

Answer 22

For all spaces 46.5 m² [500 ft²] or larger with an actual or expected occupant density greater than 25 people per 93 m² [1,000 ft²], one of the following requirements is met:

a. A demand controlled ventilation system regulates the ventilation rate of outdoor air to keep carbon dioxide levels in the space below 800 ppm (measured at 1.2-1.8 m [4-6 ft] above the floor).

b. Projects that have met the Operable windows feature demonstrate that natural ventilation is
sufficient to keep carbon dioxide levels below 800 ppm at maximum intended occupancies (measured at 1.2-1.8 m [4-6 ft] above the floor).

Question 23

What does system balancing represent?

Answer 23

After the HVAC system is installed, the following requirement is met:

a. After substantial completion and prior to occupancy, the HVAC system has (within the last 5 years),
or is scheduled to, undergo testing and balancing.

Question 24

In what ways can indoor air quality be degraded by volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?

Answer 24

Off-gassing:

• paints
• finishes
• other coatings
• use of cleaning products
• air fresheners
• personal care products
• other materials brought into the building.

Question 25

What are some VOCs?

Answer 25

• Benzene (classified by the EPA as a known human carcinogen)
• Formaldehyde and other chemical compounds, which at high concentrations can lead to irritation of the nose and pharynx, and have been associated with leukemia, childhood asthma and other respiratory disorders

Question 26

VOC levels can be ___ higher

indoors than outdoors.

Answer 26

5 times