IEQ R8: Minimum Requirements for Indoor Materials

Requirement

PURPOSE

Minimize building occupant exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mold growth and improve indoor air quality with proper material selections.

CRITERIA

Projects are to follow the following minimum indoor material requirements:

• No vapor impermeable wall coverings
• Low VOC paints and finishes

Include maximum VOC emission limits for paints, stains and sealer products in Construction Documents and ensure that site-applied products do not exceed the below specified maximum VOC limits (as referenced by SCAQMD Rule 1168).

Product Type	VOC Limit
Primers	50 g/L
Flat Topcoat Paint	50 g/L
Non-flat Topcoat Paint	50 g/L
Anti-corrosive Paints & Primers	100 g/L
Stains	100 g/L
Sealer	100 g/L
Waterproof Sealer	100 g/L

Note: VOC thresholds for paints, stains and sealers apply only those used on the interior of the building.

Low-VOC adhesives (less than 100 g/L)

Carpet adhesive, carpet pad adhesive, wood flooring adhesive, rubber floor adhesive, subfloor adhesive, duct mastic, fireproofing mastic, ceramic tile adhesive, Vinyl composition tile (VCT) adhesive, drywall and panel adhesive, cove base adhesive, and multipurpose construction adhesive

Mold Resistant Materials (wet areas only)

Specify mold resistant gypsum board for all “wet walls” (any wall that contains structural plumbing) in all wet areas. 

• For example, paperless gypsum products, PURPLE® drywall 
• Not compliant: water resistant “greenboard”

VERIFICATION 

• Construction documents must indicate material selections 
• Provide Safety Data Sheets(s) (SDS) for site-applied paints, stains and sealers as well as site applied adhesives

RESOURCES

Green Seal, GS-11 Standard for Paints and Coatings (Third Edition) and GS-47 Standard for Stains and Finishes www.greenseal.org

South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), Rule 1168 Adhesive and Sealant Applications (Amended January 7, 2005) www.aqmd.gov