LEED AP Building Design and Construction (BD+C) Practice Exam

At what percentage must an outdoor air delivery monitoring system generate an alarm for insufficient airflow?

1. 5% variation

2. 10% variation

3. 15% variation

4. 20% variation

The correct answer is: 10% variation

An outdoor air delivery monitoring system is designed to ensure that the amount of outdoor air provided to a building's ventilation system meets the required standards for healthy indoor air quality. According to guidelines set forth in standards such as ASHRAE 62.1, a common threshold for triggering an alarm for insufficient airflow is set at a variation of 10%. This means that if the actual delivery of outdoor air is 10% less than the amount specified by the ventilation design or standards, the system will generate an alarm to indicate a potential issue. Setting this threshold at 10% serves a critical function in maintaining indoor environmental quality and the health of building occupants. It allows for a timely response to ventilation issues before they can result in significant indoor air quality problems. Maintaining air quality is essential for occupant health, productivity, and overall comfort, which is a foundational principle in sustainable and high-performance building design.