All Exceptions require additional documentation. See I-10 Exception Documentation Summary Table.
HH-002 CDPH Testing In Progress
Products that have not completed testing to document compliance with CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010, or international equivalent, may be counted toward the 90% of CDPH-compliant products requirement of this Imperative, provided the manufacturer has submitted the product to an approved testing facility and is in the process of verifying compliance with CDPH at the time of product purchase.
The team must provide documents demonstrating that CDPH or international equivalent testing is in progress for the material in question.
HH-003 General CDPH Compliance
If a project team is unable to achieve 90% CDPH-compliance of interior products, they may use the following Exception: If a project team is not able to source a CDPH-compliant product after communicating with at least three manufacturers (a minimum of two attempts and some direct conversation are expected), the project team may use a product that cannot demonstrate CDPH compliance. The project team must advocate to the selected manufacturer for compliance with CDPH Standard Method v1.1-2010 or international equivalent.
The project team must document their effort to find compliant products in the form of correspondence, research results, etc., and must provide a product list and calculations demonstrating the percent of total products that use this Exception.
HH-004 Particulate Matter in Single-Family Homes
In single-family homes where lifestyle decisions (i.e., pet ownership, farm work, etc.) influence the amount of particulate matter in the air, the project is allowed to surpass the required PM10 thresholds in the Indoor Air Quality tests. Thresholds for all other pollutants must be met. Though not required by the Institute, continuous monitoring may assist occupants in making informed decisions based on real-time conditions.
As documentation, the project owner must explain the likely causes for higher than allowed PM10 readings and their efforts to monitor or mitigate issues that might arise from those levels in the home.
HH-005 Product Air Quality Testing in Oceania
Products manufactured in, having a final point of assembly in, and distributed within the Oceania region, defined as Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, may demonstrate compliance with the CDPH requirement of the Healthy Interior Environment Imperative by testing to ISO 16000, ISO 10580, or ASTM D5116. Products must demonstrate they are low emitting by providing a testing report from an approved certified lab that demonstrates the emission factor is equal to or less than:
- tVOCs= 450 μg/m³
- Formaldehyde =60 μg/m³
Projects may use products tested and certified under a program that conforms to the standards listed above such as:
- Emicode (Edition 18.04.2018)
- Blue Angel (Version 1.6, January 2018)
This exception applies only to registered project teams in the Oceania region, and projects must document the following:
- Demonstrate compliance with required testing above
- Proof of advocacy to the manufacturer to offer CDPH or AgBB chamber testing for selected products to help build demand for these testing schemes.
HH-006 Refuge in Extremely Cold Climates
Residential projects providing refuge in extremely cold climates do not need to have operable windows in all spaces, but must still provide occupants with control over their connection to the outdoors and fresh air.
Project teams must make a case, which receives prior approval through a Request for Ruling, that alternatives to operable windows are not generally viable due to the extremely cold conditions of the site, that a direct connection to the outdoors is provided through views and at least one exterior gathering space, and that regular occupants are able to control their access to fresh air and the outdoors when conditions permit.
