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Materials & Environmental Impact Required from Certified Existing buildings only Sustainable Materials

Asbestos Mitigation

Mitigate any asbestos found, or document that none is present.

Spec

Mitigate any asbestos found, or document that none is present.

Applies uniformly from Certified upward.

Scope

Asbestos-containing materials in existing dwellings, typically built before the U.S. asbestos phase-out (1989-current, depending on product).

Requirements

  1. 01.

    For pre-1990 dwellings (and any later construction with suspect materials): a certified asbestos inspector must assess for ACM (asbestos-containing materials) in vinyl floor tiles, popcorn ceilings, pipe insulation, HVAC tape, roofing, and exterior siding.

  2. 02.

    Any ACM that is friable (crumbling) or being disturbed by the project must be abated by a licensed asbestos abatement contractor.

  3. 03.

    Stable, non-friable ACM that is not being disturbed may be left in place (encapsulated) — the certification standard is no exposure, not necessarily no asbestos.

  4. 04.

    Project team must document the abatement and provide air-clearance test results post-abatement.

Documentation

Evidence the inspector / Institute will need.

  1. 01.

    Certified asbestos inspector report identifying all sampled materials, with lab test results (PLM or TEM analysis).

  2. 02.

    For abatement: contractor license + waste manifest showing proper disposal at a licensed facility.

  3. 03.

    Post-abatement air-clearance test results (< 0.01 fibers/cc).

Guidance

Why "no exposure" is the actual goal

Asbestos becomes a health risk when its fibers become airborne. Asbestos floor tiles in good condition under a layer of laminate are not a hazard. The same tiles being scraped up by a contractor without proper containment can release millions of fibers and cause mesothelioma exposure decades later. The standard requires that any ACM disturbance be done by licensed professionals.

Note

Suspect materials commonly missed: HVAC duct tape (especially silver cloth-backed tape from the 1960s-80s), Linoleum backing in 9x9 vinyl tile installations, transite siding (asbestos cement board) on mid-century homes, popcorn ceilings sprayed before 1980.

Resources