1. Architectural Coatings, or the South Coast Air Quality
Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1113. Manufacturers
are responsible for disclosing VOC content based on testing
methods that are specified in the applicable regulation.
The low-emitting credit also applies to coatings applied on
site to the exterior of healthcare and school projects only.
To qualify, exterior-applied coatings must meet the VOC
limits of CARB and SCAQMD Rule 1113.
The emissions evaluation of interior paint, coatings and
adhesives, as well as flooring, ceiling and wall systems
and insulation, is a new LEED requirement for achieving
the credit for low-emitting materials. Testing protocols for
these materials are covered in the California Department of
Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method for the Testing and
Evaluation of VOC Emissions from Indoor Sources Using
Environmental Chambers Version 1.1.
At present, Tnemec has nearly 20 products that have been
emissions tested in accordance with CDPH Standard
Method v1.1, explained Jennifer Gleisberg, CDT, LEED
Green Associate, Market Manager – Architectural.
“We will continue to test products which we will use in
the architectural market for environmental projects going
forward,” Gleisberg shared. “At Tnemec, we are well
When the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Version 2009 rating system expires on October
31, 2016, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will
complete the transition to its more rigorous LEED Version 4
(v4), which was launched in November 2013.
The same deadline applies to the Canadian market where
LEED project registrations are administered by the Canada
Green Building Council (CaGBC).
In an article for Green Building News, USGBC president,
CEO and founding chair, Rick Fedrizzi, described LEED v4
as “a quantum leap for LEED.”
“LEED v4 moves the market in a whole new direction,”
Fedrizzi shared. “LEED v4 is the LEED of the future, where
we challenge the marketplace to go further, to make the
next great leap toward better, cleaner, healthier buildings
where people live and work.”
Buildings can earn credit toward LEED certification by using
certain products, including architectural coatings, which
meet the rating system’s Indoor Environmental Quality
(EQ) requirements for low-emitting materials.
According to LEED v4, the intention of the low-emitting
materials credit is “to reduce concentrations of chemical
contaminants that can damage air quality, human health,
productivity, and the environment.”
The low-emitting materials credit covers volatile organic
compound (VOC) content of materials, VOC emissions
into indoor air, testing methods used to evaluate emission
levels, and exterior-applied coatings for healthcare and
school projects only.
Under LEED v4, paints and coatings must meet applicable
VOC content limits of the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) 2007 Suggested Control Measure (SCM) for
BUILDING INDUSTRY STEPS UP
TO ‘A QUANTUM LEAP FOR LEED’
TNEME-NEWS
QUARTER TWO 2016

2. prepared for LEED v4 becoming mandatory in October.”
Among the LEED v4 complaint coatings are several
frequently specified products including Series 94-H20
Hydro-Zinc, Series 394 PerimePrime, Series 27WB Typoxy,
Series 156 Enviro-Crete, Series 971 Aerolon Acrylic, Series
1028 and 1029 Enduratone, Series 1080 and 1081 Endura-
Shield, Series 256 Excellathane, Series 297 Environ-Glaze,
Series 1224 Epoxoline WB, Series 115 Uni-Bond DF and
Series 1070V and 1071V Fluoronar.
Each product was emissions tested by UL Environmental, a
leading safety and certification company. Testing measured
the emission rates of VOCs from product samples in tightly
controlled environmental chambers over a period of 14 days
(336 hours). A model was used to predict the concentrations
of pollutants on inside air.
“By working with suppliers to source the most
environmentally preferable materials for its coatings,
Tnemec has reduced the amount of solvent in its
formulations,” Gleisberg confirmed. “The result is lower
emissions without compromising the quality, durability and
performance customers rely on.”
More than 90 products that have VOC content of less than
100 grams per liter are available from Tnemec, representing
more than half of the company’s product line. These low-
VOC coatings maintain their performance while complying
with CARB and SCAQMD regulatory requirements.
Points toward certification are also available for Health
Product Declarations (HPDs), which are part of the Materials
and Resources (MR) credits in LEED v4. HDP credits can
be achieved by using 20 different permanently installed
products from at least five different manufacturers.
The intention of HPDs, as stated in LEED v4, is “to reward
project teams for selecting products for which the chemical
ingredients in the product are inventoried using an accepted
methodology and for selecting products verified to minimize
the use and generation of harmful substances.”
Gleisberg reported that Tnemec is actively working to
incorporate the detailed product information required in
HDPs with the intention of publishing declarations for a
select grouping of products.
“Due to the number of raw materials Tnemec uses in
finished products, this is a lengthy process which takes
time to develop,” Gleisberg acknowledged.
Meanwhile, Tnemec coating consultants continue to
drive change in the construction community with up-to-
date knowledge of environmental regulations and green
initiatives.
“Tnemec’s nationwide network of coating consultants is
extremely knowledgeable when it comes to environmental
issues,” Gleisberg asserted. “The company often assists
customers in using the latest coating technologies aimed
at reducing environmental impact, providing education on
applicable regulatory requirements, and making specific
product recommendations to help maximize a project’s
sustainability.”
“Tnemec has always strived to offer high performance
coating systems that meet the air quality management
district requirements,” Gleisberg added. “We have been
proactive throughout the evolution of indoor air quality
standards, including the lead-up to LEED v4.”
Tnemec Company, Inc. 6800 Corporate Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64120-1372 1-800-TNEMEC1 Fax:1-816-483-3969 www.tnemec.com