418 Energy Project Financing: Resources and Strategies for Success
professionals usually do not have sufficient information to eliminate
health symptoms in individuals with MCS.
4.8 STANDARDS, CODES AND GUIDELINES FOR
VENTILATION AND INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
A variety of standards, codes, or guidelines for minimum accept-
able ventilation rates, lighting, thermal conditions, pollutant concen-
trations, tobacco smoking restrictions, pollutant sources, and building
characteristics that influence IEQ have been adopted by national, state,
regional, or municipal governments. Professional organizations also
write voluntary or model standards or guidelines that are sometimes
adopted, in whole or part, by code-making organizations. Some of
these standards or codes constrain building and HVAC designs but
do not strictly apply for building operation. A limitation of building
design standards, applied at the time of new construction, is that these
standards often fail to stimulate adjustments in building operation as
building characteristics and building occupancy vary over time. How-
ever, failure to operate buildings in a manner that meets minimum
design code requirements is considered poor practice and is likely to
be a consideration in the event of IEQ-related litigation.
Thermal and lighting standards generally specify acceptable ranges
for thermal and lighting conditions. Ventilation standards may specify
minimum acceptable rates of outside air supply. Maximum pollutant
concentrations are specified in some standards for a small number of
air pollutants; however, at present there are no maximum concentration
limits specified in standards for many of the pollutants present in indoor
air.
IEQ-related codes and standards vary qualitatively and in their
quantitative specifications. This document does not recommend specific
standards to the exclusion of others because standards must reflect
the regional climate, economic situation, and culture. This document
does recommend that building professionals be familiar with all ap-
plicable standards and that the requirements in applicable standards
be considered minimum requirements. In many situations, exceeding
the minimum requirements is desirable. Examples of prominent codes
or standards are listed and briefly described in Table 1.
4.9 RELATIONSHIP OF IEQ TO PRODUCTIVITY
Improvements in IEQ have the potential to improve worker pro-