Advice provided by: Sarah Gudeman, LEED AP, EIT, Morrissey Engineering, Inc.

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Kurt asks: If Powder Coated paint is used on an aluminum curtain wall, I understand that a LEED ID credit can be earned. What about if the powder coated paint application is warranteed for 20 years? Can an additional credit be earned?

Answer: Kurt, I’m always wary of assuming that strategies can be applicable for ID credits. This is due to the fact that the LEED Reference Guides are so detailed they have many items that might seem applicable for Innovation credits at first glance already covered. Common examples are products that use drastically less energy than their traditional counterparts, products with exceptional level of recycled materials, or ultra low-flow fixtures. All of these items fit into other categories of the rating system (Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere and Materials & Resources) so are traditionally not approved by USGBC or GBCI as Innovation credits. It’s sometimes hard to sort out what can really be applicable for an Innovation credit from a manufacturer’s printed data when it comes to LEED and credits that a project can earn.

All that being said, I did a quick search through the Innovation in Design credit catalog for powder coated curtain walls since, although I have a feeling that this might fit in with low-emitting materials credits (IEQc4) unless there are other items included. It’s worth pointing out that this document is by no means all inclusive of all ID credits – it was compiled prior to Summer of 2007 – and is located at http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3569. I found there was a credit approved for “Furniture – GreenGuard certified and Environmentally friendly” that included no VOC power coat paint finish on steel casework.

That credit was the only mention of powder coating, which confirms my leaning that to be eligible for an Innovation credit, your project would have to incorporate other strategies to provide exemplary Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) through reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) below levels described in the IEQ credit requirements. For example, the furniture credit listed above included low formaldehyde in MDF wood products, no VOC expanded polystyrene insulation, no voc content in the epoxy adhesives used for countertops and tabletops in addition to power coat finishes for casework to contribute to an overall improvement in the building’s furniture for enhanced IAQ.

So to sum up, your powder coat paint may be eligible for an Innovation credit, but I don’t feel 100% certain of that fact without additional improvements. And if it were, I don’t think a warranty in and of itself would necessitate an additional credit. Hope that helps!