06. Environmental Policies & Procedures - Ambient Air Quality Protocol

Enhance ambient air quality

Rationale: Improving on-site ambient air quality through strategies such as reducing emissions and improving waste management can reduce air pollution, contributing to reduced rates of respiratory illness and perceived stress.

For the most accurate strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.

Requirements

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below for each building pursuing this strategy:

Option 1 - Five Ambient Air Quality Practices (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with the following requirement:

1. Implement an ambient air quality protocol that details a minimum of five of the following practices to enhance ambient air quality:
   – vehicular enhancement (such as electric and clean car infrastructure or low- and no-emissions fleets)
   – transportation enhancement (such as bicycle parking, a bicycle share program, or transit benefits)
   – energy efficiency (such as efficiency in buildings, alternative fuels, or clean energy sources)
   – emissions reduction (such as upgrading/exchanging programs of non-road diesel engines, programs to promote cleaner-burning heating fuels, home-energy efficiencies, or anti-idling enforcement)
   – community engagement (such as community tree plantings, air quality advisories, Clean Air Action Days, or clean air educational programming)
   – air quality testing or monitoring (such as conducting biannual testing or continual monitoring of ambient air quality)
   – sanitation and waste management improvement (such as adopting waste-reduction policies, contracting with vendors that adopt environmentally friendly practices, or improving sanitation)
   – operational policies (such as integrated pest management, a smoke-free policy, or contracting with local vendors)
   – greenspace preservation (such as non-paved natural surfaces, open green space, vegetative landscaping, green roofs, or parks).

Option 2 - Three Ambient Air Quality Practices (Partial Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with the following requirement:

1. Implement an ambient air quality protocol that details a minimum of three of the following practices to enhance ambient air quality:
   – vehicular enhancement (such as electric and clean car infrastructure and low- and no-emissions fleets)
   – transportation enhancement (such as bicycle parking, a bicycle share program, and transit benefits)
   – energy efficiency (such as efficiency in buildings, alternative fuels, and clean energy sources)
   – emissions reduction (such as upgrading/exchanging programs of non-road diesel engines, programs to promote cleaner-burning heating fuels, home-energy efficiencies, and anti-idling enforcement)
   – community engagement (such as community tree plantings, air quality advisories, Clean Air Action Days, and clean air educational programming)
   – air quality testing or monitoring (such as conducting biannual testing or continual monitoring of ambient air quality)
   – sanitation and waste management improvement (such as adopting waste-reduction policies, contracting with vendors that adopt environmentally friendly practices, and improving sanitation)
   – operational policies (such as integrated pest management, a smoke-free policy, and contracting with local vendors)
   – green space preservation (such as non-paved natural surfaces, open green space, vegetative landscaping, green roofs, and parks).

Compliance Documentation

Design Pathway

One document type may be used to demonstrate compliance with more than one requirement and documentation may be uploaded separately or as one file.

Provide the below to demonstrate compliance with each requirement:

Option 1 - Five Ambient Air Quality Practices - (Full Credit):

Requirement 1

• Checkboxes to select the below ambient air quality practices that will be implemented (five required):
  • Vehicular enhancement
  • Transportation Enhancement
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Emissions reduction
  • Community engagement
  • Air Quality Testing or Monitoring
  • Sanitation and Waste Management Improvement
  • Operational Policies
  • Greenspace Preservation

Option 2 - Three Ambient Air Quality Practices - (Partial Credit):

Requirement 1

• Checkboxes to select the below ambient air quality practices that will be implemented (three required):
  • Vehicular enhancement
  • Transportation Enhancement
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Emissions reduction
  • Community engagement
  • Air Quality Testing or Monitoring
  • Sanitation and Waste Management Improvement
  • Operational Policies
  • Greenspace Preservation

Built Pathway

One document type may be used to demonstrate compliance with more than one requirement and documentation may be uploaded separately or as one file.

Provide the below to demonstrate compliance with each requirement:

Option 1 - Five Ambient Air Quality Practices - (Full Credit):

Requirement 1

• Checkboxes to select the below ambient air quality practices that are implemented (five required):
  • Vehicular enhancement
  • Transportation Enhancement
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Emissions reduction
  • Community engagement
  • Air Quality Testing or Monitoring
  • Sanitation and Waste Management Improvement
  • Operational Policies
  • Greenspace Preservation
• Checkbox to certify that the implemented ambient air quality protocol detailing how each selected practice is implemented

Option 2 - Three Ambient Air Quality Practices - (Partial Credit):

Requirement 1

• Checkboxes to select the below ambient air quality practices that are implemented (three required):
  • Vehicular enhancement
  • Transportation Enhancement
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Emissions reduction
  • Community engagement
  • Air Quality Testing or Monitoring
  • Sanitation and Waste Management Improvement
  • Operational Policies
  • Greenspace Preservation
• Checkbox to certify that the implemented ambient air quality protocol detailing how each selected practice is implemented