Indoor Environment Quality

environmental

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

The U.S. Green Building Council was originally formed in San Francisco, California in 1994 and has been largely instrumental in developing this Green Building Rating System™.   This system strives to measure building performance across many different metrics to include Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ).

Improving IEQ in any building starts with the design.  In this phase, Argus Environmental can provide our expertise to help designing architects and engineers in the selection of finish materials, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems, and interior design furnishings.  Additionally, we can offer guidance for the overall construction strategy that provides time tested techniques that enable the project to have IEQ as a focus item.  Once construction has been completed and the building has all interior finishes installed to include: millwork, doors, paint, carpet, flooring, and acoustic tile, a methodical air sampling is conducted.  Testing is typically performed prior to the installation of furniture, workstation components, and casework as these components are potential sources for contamination.  It is also wise to conduct an additional air sampling after the introduction of these components to the interior as it allocates a mechanism that can account for possible problems.  Argus’ involvement is instrumental in the certification process by our extensive knowledge of building systems that ensures conducting adequate testing of the building’s indoor air quality.  Air samples are collected and analyzed for the content of formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, 4-phenylcyclohexane (if necessary), particulates (PM10), and carbon monoxide.  Laboratory results are then analyzed by component for compliance with system parameters.  Once Argus completes our data analysis, each tested component is now categorized as either in or out of compliance with the standards.  For those situations that are considered to be non-compliant, Argus Environmental can provide a variety of corrective actions to help bring the building into compliance for certification as rapidly and cost effectively as possible.