Indoor Air Quality Management
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Washington, DC 20405
PBS 1000.8
October 3, 2016
GSA ORDER
SUBJECT: Indoor Air Quality Management
1. Purpose. This Order will establish national Public Building Service (PBS) requirements for management and oversight of indoor air quality (IAQ) for building occupants, contractors, and visitors.
2. Cancellations. Indoor Air Quality Technical Guide E301.0501.
3. Authority. The U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) general industry regulation, Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 1910, establishes occupational exposure limits for some IAQ components. In addition, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), American Conference for Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), and similar national organizations have established guidance or offered consensus standards for other IAQ components.
4. Background. IAQ is a combination of airborne gases, vapors, particles, and thermal conditions that affect the health, comfort, and productivity of building occupants. IAQ can include workplace conditions such as: lighting, furniture, and noise, wherein it is referred to as Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). There is an increasing recognition of the correlation between IAQ and a healthful, productive workplace. Initiatives, standards and programs have emerged that focus on elements affecting the quality and productivity of the built environment, including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), I-Beam, green purchasing standards, Green Building Initiative and other sustainability requirements. The extent to which these and related initiatives affect IAQ is often unclear. This Order is intended to clarify the association and impact of these programs on IAQ.
5. Scope and applicability. This Order and the companion desk guide apply to all real property management and operation activities for GSA controlled facilities, including buildings delegated to other Federal agencies by the Administrator of General Services. It is not intended for industrial, production or warehouse settings. This Order and companion guide differ from the former Indoor Air Quality Technical Guide (E301.0501) in that it extends coverage to leased and delegated facilities, revises mold and formaldehyde standards to reflect current industry practice, and establishes best practices for managing IAQ.
6. Effective date. This document is effective from the date of signature and remains in effect until cancelled.
7. Responsibilities. The Offices of Facilities Management, Design and Construction, and Real Property Asset Management; Facility Managers, and Lease Administration Managers are responsible for supporting and/or implementing this Order in conformance with the companion desk guide.
8. Guidance.
a. IAQ maintenance. The following standards, guides and processes shall be used to reduce the most common causes of IAQ problems.
(1) Green Purchase and Green Product Requirements for environmentally friendly, or “green,” products to minimize volatile organic compound levels and related IAQ problems.
(2) American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to maintain ventilation and thermal comfort standards for mechanical building systems in new construction and renovation as incorporated in the OFM Master-spec for Operations and Maintenance services.
(3) Equipment and Systems commissioning for continuous commissioning of building equipment and systems.
(4) GSA PBS P -100, Facilities Design Standards for the Public Buildings Service for design, renovation and new construction to promote IAQ and ensure post-construction commissioning is completed.
(5) GSA PBS Child Care Center Design Guide for design, renovation and construction of child care centers to promote IAQ and ensure operating conditions meet those standards.
(6) GSA PBS Lease Contract Requirements to ensure lAQ requirements in lease contracts are enforced.
(7) Periodic GSA PBS Building Audits, Inspections and Surveys to measure and maintain IAQ as identified during Management Analysis and Review System (MARS) reviews, recurring Operation and Maintenance and cleaning contract inspections, Building Engineering Reports (BER), Physical Condition Surveys (PCS), energy audits, and consolidated risk management surveys.
b. Response to incidents, complaints and emergencies. GSA must promptly investigate all IAQ complaints in GSA-controlled facilities. The investigation must include at a minimum:
(1) Investigate promptly any complaint, incident or emergency associated with or affecting IAQ to identify the nature and source of the suspected IAQ issue.
(2) The investigation may require confirming tests or measurements to confirm conditions.
(3) If the investigation determines there is an IAQ issue, initiate corrective action to remediate the source of the problem.
(4) IAQ testing or measurements may be required to confirm IAQ has been restored. The Desk Guide (Appendix A) specifies target values for the most commonly encountered IAQ parameters, to be used in interpreting such tests or measurements.
(5) All IAQ incidents, complaints, emergencies and resulting corrective action shall be recorded and maintained in the GSA PBS National Computerized Maintenance Management System (NCMMS).
9. Point of contact. Please direct any inquiries to the Office of Facilities Management, Facility Risk Management Division.
10.Attachment. Appendix A – “Desk Guide for Indoor Air Quality Management”
11.Signature.
/S/________________________
NORMAN DONG
Commissioner
Public Buildings Service
