Building re-entry resources

• The Safety First: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Space credit requires facilities to create a policy and implement procedures that follow green cleaning best practices that support a healthy indoor environment and worker safety. In addition to product considerations, the credit also requires procedures and training for cleaning personnel, occupant education and other services that are within the management team’s control.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Re-enter Your Workspace credit is a tool to assess and plan for re-entry as well as to measure progress once the space is occupied. It identifies sustainable requirements in building operations and human behavior that take precautions against the spread of COVID-19. It aligns with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Re-occupancy Assessment Tool and requires transparent reporting and evaluation of decisions to encourage continuous improvement.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Building Water System Recommissioning credit helps building teams reduce the risk that occupants are exposed to degraded water quality. Building and business closures over weeks or months reduce water usage, which can potentially lead to stagnant water or water that is unsafe to drink or use. The credit integrates recommendations from industry organizations and experts, including the U.S. EPA and the Centers for Disease Control. It requires buildings to develop and implement a water management plan, coordinate with local water and public health authorities, communicate water system activities and associated risks to building occupants, and take steps to address water quality from the community supply, as well as the building.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Managing Indoor Air Quality During COVID-19 credit builds on existing indoor air quality requirements and credits in LEED. Building teams should ensure indoor air quality systems are operating as designed and determine temporary adjustments to ventilation that may minimize the spread of disease. Requirements are based on ASHRAE core recommendations around ventilation, air filtration, inspection and maintenance, as well as on the following measures outlined in public health and industry resources. 
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Design for Indoor Air Quality and Infection Control credit promotes consideration of the prevention of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air and/or other airborne diseases during the HVAC system design. Specific attention is given to ventilation and filtration.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Maintenance of HVAC Systems During COVID-19 credit was designed to maintain the well-being of occupants by addressing indoor air quality issues that may influence the spread of the coronavirus. This credit supports the ongoing inspection and maintenance of commercial HVAC systems based on guidance in ASHRAE Standard 180 or Table 8.2 of ASHRAE 62.1-2016 or equivalent. Guidance also addresses providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for building operators and maintenance technicians as appropriate.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• The Safety First: Pandemic Planning credit is intended to help cities and communities prepare for, control and mitigate the spread of disease during a pandemic that poses a high risk to people. The plan must include a task force representing diverse backgrounds that is responsible for evaluating possible impacts and advising decision makers on short- and long-term challenges. It must also identify risks and vulnerabilities to health by outlining historical, geographical, epidemiological and other factors, and assess preparedness. The plan evaluates healthcare system readiness, domestic response, incident management and other existing policies and procedures. Education and training for community partners and other stakeholders must also be included.
  • Available for LEED for Cities and Communities projects

• The Safety First: Social Equity in Pandemic Planning credit systematically considers equity implications across all phases of the pandemic preparedness, planning and response process. The local government or development authority must have a local equity officer in place and responsible for building equity into the structure of the emergency command and response system. The plan must also convene a Pandemic Community Advisory Group to gather input on an on-going basis and the group must reflect the demographic and socio-economic diversity of the city or community. Public communications, outreach and educational campaigns must also be included in order to share relevant information about the pandemic, public health and health care facilities available. Project teams are also encouraged to demonstrate how policy, procedures, infrastructure and facilities impact low income, vulnerable or at-risk groups.
  • Available for LEED for Cities and Communities projects

• The Safety First: Arc Re-Entry credit helps facility teams manage the risk of infectious disease transmission of COVID-19 supports the use of a comprehensive, integrated process—covering infection control policies and procedures, documentation of alignment with relevant public health authorities, repeated occupant feedback, and measurement of indoor air quality.
  • Available for LEED 2009, LEED v4 and LEED v4.1

• USGBC Pilot Credit Safety First: Re-enter Your Workspace utilizing the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Re-occupancy Assessment Tool
• View the recording for the July 14, 2020, Ask the Experts: LEED Safety First Pilot Credits: Re-Entering, Cleaning & Disinfecting Buildings session. The session addressed two of the new Safety First Pilot Credits: Re-Entering Your Workspace and Cleaning & Disinfecting Your Space, under LEED v4.1 BD+C, ID+C and O+M.
• Arc Re-Entry: provides tools to benchmark infection-control policies and procedures, collect occupant experiences, and track indoor air quality
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 Employer Information for Office Buildings

Explore guidance from HVAC organizations or examples of items to consider, but keep in mind buildings vary widely, use engineering best judgement to ensure a recommendation is appropriate for the specific building, location, and season.

• Scientific American Article: How Coronavirus Spreads Through the Air What We know so far.
• American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): COVID-19 Preparedness Resources
• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE): COVID-19 and HVAC systems
• Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) COVID-19 Guidance
• India Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE): HVAC Guidelines During COVID-19
• ASDWA: COVID 19 resources for building water systems
• EPA: Indoor Air and COVID-19 Key References and Publications

• USGBC Pilot Credit Safety First: Managing Indoor Air Quality During COVID-19 which builds on existing indoor air quality requirements and credits in LEED
• National Air Filtration Association: COVID-19 and air filtration FAQs
• Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Guidance on germicidal ultraviolet disinfection:
• American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Coronavirus Outbreak Resource Center

• USGBC Pilot Credit Safety First: Building Water System Recommissioning integrates recommendations from industry organizations and experts
• Purdue University resources and guidance for water systems
• ASHRAE Standard 188
• ASHRAE Guideline 12

• Track and manage your project data in the Arc sustainability performance platform

• USGBC Pilot Credit Safety First: Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Space credit
• View the recording for the July 14, 2020, Ask the Experts: LEED Safety First Pilot Credits: Re-Entering, Cleaning & Disinfecting Buildings session. The session addressed two of the new Safety First Pilot Credits: Re-Entering Your Workspace and Cleaning & Disinfecting Your Space, under LEED v4.1 BD+C, ID+C and O+M.
• Green Seal COVID-19 resources
• Thomas Shortman Training Fund: Cleaning for COVID-19 & other Infectious Diseases
• Building Skills Partnership: Infectious Disease Certification Program
• Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI): COVID-19 Disinfection & Safety Course

• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International’s Coronavirus Resource Center
• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Canada’s Pandemic Guide

• 5 Ways to Optimize Buildings for COVID-19 Prevention from the Center for Active Design
• Resources roundup: Indoor environmental quality
• New guides share case studies on collaboration for healthy communities
• First responder buildings become leaders in sustainable design across the United States
• Arc for state and local governments: New tools for performance-based green building practice
• Tips and Strategies to Work from Home Successfully

• World Health Organization’s Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) technical guidance: Guidance for Schools, Workplaces & Institutions
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes
• Occupation Safety and Health Administration: COVID-19 Resources
• ISO freely available ISO standards
• COVID-19 response, guidelines and resources from Verdani Partners
• USGBC's Women in the Workplace report: Learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the professional careers and home life of women in the green building community
• COVID-19 resources from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

• COVID-specific resources from APPA

Safely opening up PreK-12 schools will be vital to getting the U.S. economy running at full speed, and federal agencies and NGOs are working on guidance to help school leaders understand how to plan for re-opening school facilities. Each set of guidelines reflects the expertise and perspective of the authoring organization, so below we summarize major elements of those that focus on the intersection of facilities and health.

• CDC Guidance and Tools for Reopening: Foundational guidance for schools and school districts upon which most other guidance is built. The tools include a checklist for school administrators who may be planning for in-person instruction, including how to plan for if someone gets sick or shows symptoms at school. Also consult the guidance on cleaning and disinfecting schools from the EPA and CDC.
• Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemicfrom the National Academies of Science: A review of the scientific consensus related to aspects of opening school buildings. A notable resource in the appendix is a summary table of mitigation strategies, their role, and considerations for implementing them.
• Reopening of Schools & Universities from ASHRAE: Series of detailed checklists for school operations staff to use to design and operate HVAC systems to best protect occupant health.
• Schools for Health: Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Comprehensive guidance that covers various considerations for reopening school buildings from an infection control perspective. A notable addition beyond other organizations' guidance is a section on healthy activities, including tips for maintaining recess, enrichment classes, and free time.
• National Action Plan from the Coalition for Healthier Schools: Recommendations for safely operating schools during the pandemic, with an occupational health and safety lens. The guidance includes a sample School Infection Prevention and Control Plan along with green cleaning guidance and other gathered resources.
• Planning for the Next Normal at School playbook: A collection of recommendations, co-authored by Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Action for Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools Campaign, and SHAPE America. Among other considerations, the playbook gives concrete recommendations for addressing mental health and well-being not found in many other planning documents.
• COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Reentry from American Academy of Pediatrics: Focused on childhood health, this guidance pushes for school reopening for the sake of students' overall health and well-being. The document has proven controversial with those who consider the community impacts of COVID-19 to be more of a threat to children's health than the Academy believes them to be.
• Planning Tools for States and Schools from National Council on School Facilities: This resource page includes links to state-by-state guidance, as well as planning documents for school systems to download and use to assess their needs and plan for reopening.