Abstract
Labeling and certification for low-emission building materials and furniture is an effective source control strategy for reducing indoor air pollution. The labeling and certification programs rely on the results from standardized environmental chamber tests to measure the emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and assess their impact on indoor air quality (IAQ). In this chapter, we first introduce the fundamental principles, methods, and procedures of environmental chamber testing of VOC emissions and then discuss how the chamber test results are applied in various labeling and certification programs including the process, criteria, and the corresponding standard environmental chamber testing methods. Examples are drawn from widely used material emission testing and labeling programs. Sufficient details on the emission test methods and procedures are provided for readers to develop practical applications as well as a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the principles and processes of material emission testing and labeling. For detailed implementation, readers are referred to product-specific testing methods and labeling programs that match their interests and needs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ANSES (2016) Labelling of building and decoration products with respect to VOC emissions. https://www.anses.fr/en/content/labelling-building-and-decoration-products-respect-voc-emissions. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ASHRAE (1995) ASHRAE handbook: HVAC applications, Chapter 15. In. ASHRAE, 1791 Tullie Circle, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30329
ASHRAE (2007) ASHRAE standard 62.1: ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality. https://www.ashrae.org/technical-resources/standards-and-guidelines/standards-interpretations/interpretations-for-standard-62-1-2007. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ASTM International (2016) ASTM D5197, test method for determination of formaldehyde and other carbonyl compounds in air (active sampler methodology). https://compass.astm.org/EDIT/html_annot.cgi?D5197+16. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ASTM International (2017) ASTM D5116, standard guide for small scale environmental chamber determinations of organic emissions from indoor materials/products. https://compass.astm.org/EDIT/html_annot.cgi?D5116+17. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ASTM International (2018a) ASTM D6670, standard practice for full-scale chamber determinations of volatile organic emissions from indoor materials/products. https://compass.astm.org/EDIT/html_annot.cgi?D6670+18. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ASTM International (2018b) ASTM D7339, standard test method for determination of volatile organic compounds emitted from carpet using a specific sorbent tube and thermal desorption/gas chromatography. https://compass.astm.org/EDIT/html_annot.cgi?D7339+18. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
BIFMA International (2011a) ANSI/BIFMA M7.1, standard test method for determining VOC emissions from office furniture systems, components and seating
BIFMA International (2011b) ANSI/BIFMA X7.1, standard for formaldehyde & TVOC emissions of low-emitting office furniture and seating.
BIFMA International (2019) ANSI/BIFMA e3 furniture sustainability standard
CARB (2007) Suggested control measure for architectural coatings. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/coatings/architectural-coatings/suggested-control-measure. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
CARB (2008) Final regulation order: airborne toxic control measure to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. https://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2007/compwood07/fro-atcmfin.pdf. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
Carter RD, Zhang JSS (2007) Definition of standard office environments for evaluating the impact of office furniture emissions on indoor VOC concentrations. ASHRAE Trans 113:466–477
CDPH (2017) Standard method for the testing and evaluation of volatile organic chemical emissions from indoor sources using environmental chambers. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/EHLB/IAQ/Pages/VOC.aspx. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
CDPH (2019) List of certifications and programs that use CDPH standard method v1.2. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/EHLB/IAQ/Pages/VOC.aspx. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Chang JCS, Guo ZS (1992a) Characterization of organic emissions from a wood finishing product – wood stain. Indoor Air 2:146–153
Chang JCS, Guo ZS (1992b) Modeling of the fast organic emissions from a wood-finishing product – floor wax. Atmos Environ 26(13):2365–2370. https://doi.org/10.1016/0960-1686(92)90366-S
China Quality Certification Center (2018) CQC 5109, environmental friendly certification technical specification for furniture.
Committee for Health-related Evaluation of Building Products (2018) AgBB, evaluation procedure for VOC emissions from building products. https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/document/agbb-evaluation-scheme-2018-1. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Dols W, Polidoro B (2015) CONTAM user guide and program documentation: version 3.2. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1887.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
European Collaborative Action (2018) EN 16516, construction products: assessment of release of dangerous substances – determination of emissions into indoor air
Federal Ministry for the Environment NCaNS (2021) Low-emission furniture and slatted frames made of wood and wood-based materials (Version 7). https://produktinfo.blauer-engel.de/uploads/criteriafile/en/DE-UZ%20038-201301-en-Criteria-V1-7.pdf. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
Guo ZS, Sparks LE, Tichenor BA, Chang JCS (1998) Predicting the emissions of individual VOCs from petroleum-based indoor coatings. Atmos Environ 32(2):231–237
Herrmann TJ, Zhang JS, Zhang Z, Smith J, Gao X, Li H, Chen W, Wang S (2003) Performance test results for an innovative full-scale indoor environmental quality and climate simulator. ASHRAE Trans 110(2)
Hodgson AT, Zhang JS, Guo B, Xu J (2009) Development and validation of a scaling method for environmental chamber determination of VOC emissions from office furniture. In: Santanam S, Bogucz EA, Peters C, Benson T (eds) Proceedings of the 9th international healthy buildings conference and exhibition. Syracuse
Hu HP, Zhang YP, Wang XK, Little JC (2007) An analytical mass transfer model for predicting VOC emissions from multi-layered building materials with convective surfaces on both sides. Int J Heat Mass Tran 50(11–12):2069–2077
International WELL Building Institute (2020) WELL building standard – WELL v2. https://v2.wellcertified.com/. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ISO (2012) ISO/IEC 17065, conformity assessment – requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services. International Organization for Standardization. https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso-iec:17065:ed-1:v1:en. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ISO (2016) ISO 14021, environmental labels and declarations – self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling). https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:14021:ed-2:v1:en. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
ISO (2017) ISO/IEC 17025, general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. International Organization for Standardization. https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso-iec:17025:ed-3:v1:en. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Japan Environmental Association (2019) Eco Mark label No. 130 Furniture Version 2.4. https://www.ecomark.jp/nintei/130.html. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Japanese Standards Association (2015) JIS A 1901, determination of the emission of volatile organic compounds and aldehydes by building products – small chamber method. https://webdesk.jsa.or.jp/books/W11M0090/index/?bunsyo_id=JIS+A+1901%3A2015. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
Japanese Standards Association (2021) JIS A 1460, determination of the emission of formaldehyde from building boards – desiccator method. https://webdesk.jsa.or.jp/books/W11M0090/index/?bunsyo_id=JIS+A+1460%3A2021. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
Kephalopoulos S, Koistinen K, Kotzias D (2005) Harmonisation of indoor material emissions labelling systems in EU: inventory of existing schemes. European Collaborative Action Report No. 24. Athens University, Athens
Kephalopoulos S, Geiss O, Annys E (2013) Harmonisation framework for health based evaluation of indoor emissions from construction products in the European Union using the EU-LCI concept. European Collaborative Action Report No. 29. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. https://doi.org/10.2788/016992
Levin H (2010) National programs to assess IEQ effects of building materials and products. Indoor Environment Division Office of Radiation and Indoor Air UEPA, USA
Little JC, Hodgson AT, Gadgil AJ (1994) Modeling emissions of volatile organic-compounds from new carpets. Atmos Environ 28(2):227–234
Liu WW, Zhang YP, Yao Y (2013) Labeling of volatile organic compounds emissions from Chinese furniture: consideration and practice. Chin Sci Bull 58(28-29):3499–3506
Liu ZL, Nicolai A, Abadie M, Qin MH, Grunewald J, Zhang JS (2021) Development of a procedure for estimating the parameters of mechanistic VOC emission source models from chamber testing data. Build Simul-China 14(2):269–282
McArthur JJ, Powell C (2020) Health and wellness in commercial buildings: systematic review of sustainable building rating systems and alignment with contemporary research. Build Environ 171:106635
Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (2010) HJ 571, technical requirement for environmental labeling products – wood based panels and finishing products. http://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/bz/bzwb/other/hjbz/201005/W020130204567628160066.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (2016) HJ 2547, technical requirement for environmental labeling products – furniture. Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China. http://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/bz/bzwb/other/hjbz/201701/W020170123561883132984.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Ministry of Environment of Korea (2017) Eco-label 172, Korea Eco-label certification standard – furniture. http://el.keiti.re.kr/enservice/enpage.do?mMenu=2&sMenu=1. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China (2018) JGJ/T 436, technical standard for interior decoration pollution control of residential buildings
National Health Commission of China (2002) GB/T 18883, indoor air quality standard. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=59392CE8FD4422912D711459014EA4A7. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Risholm-Sundman M, Larsen A, Vestin E, Weibull A (2007) Formaldehyde emission – comparison of different standard methods. Atmos Environ 41(15):3193–3202
Rode C, Abadie M, Qin M, Grunewald J, Kolarik J, Laverge J (2019) Key findings of IEA EBC Annex 68-indoor air quality design and control in low energy residential buildings. Paper presented at the IOP conference series: materials science and engineering
SCAQMD (2016) Rule 1113 for architectural coatings. http://www.aqmd.gov/home/rules-compliance/compliance/vocs/architectural-coatings. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
SCAQMD (2017) Rule 1168 for adhesive and sealant applications. https://www.aqmd.gov/home/rules-compliance/compliance/vocs/adhesive-and-sealants. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
Singapore Environment Council (2013) Singapore green labelling scheme certification guide, home furniture & fittings
Standardization Administration of China (2001) GB 18584, indoor decorating and refurbishing materials – limit of harmful substances of wood based furniture. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=E88676C207C5B252708CAE16A182BF7E. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Standardization Administration of China (2017a) GB 18580, indoor decorating and refurbishing materials – limit of formaldehyde emission of wood-based panels and finishing products. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=3345334EB620CE121DCDEEB82C603349. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Standardization Administration of China (2017b) GB/T 35601, green product assessment – wood-based panels and wooden flooring. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=A6213DFC946CE2BC9A29EEC667F0002C. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Standardization Administration of China (2017c) GB/T 35607, green product assessment – furniture. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=CE5011CE8A9A5AAB7407980015332201. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Standardization Administration of China (2020) GB/T 38723, determination of emission rate of volatile organic compounds from wooden furniture – concentration history method. http://c.gb688.cn/bzgk/gb/showGb?type=online&hcno=57AF6CF9DC7BD209E2321EF1FA520BC9. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
The Building Information Foundation RTS (1996) M1-emission classification of building materials. https://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/core/media/media.nl?id=411494&c=772072&h=d447753ebd140a0896b3&_xt=.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
U. S. EPA (1995a) Compendium method TO-15, determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air collected in specially-prepared canisters and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). US Environmental Protection Agency, USA
U. S. EPA (1995b) Compendium of methods for the determination of toxic organic compounds in ambient air: TO-1, TO-11, and TO-17. US Environmental Protection Agency, USA
U. S. EPA (2001) EPA QA/R-5, EPA requirements for quality assurance project plans. United States Environmental Protection Agency OoEI, Washington, DC 20460
U. S. EPA (2016) Formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products. https://www.epa.gov/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-emission-standards-composite-wood-products. Accessed 29 Apr 2021
U. S. Green Building Council (2020) LEED v4.1 interior design and construction rating system. https://www.usgbc.org/leed/v41. Accessed 20 Apr 2021
Willem H, Singer BC (2010) Chemical emissions of residential materials and products: review of available information. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley
Xiong JY, Yao Y, Zhang YP (2011) C-history method: rapid measurement of the initial emittable concentration, diffusion and partition coefficients for formaldehyde and VOCs in building materials. Environ Sci Technol 45(8):3584–3590
Xu Y, Zhang YP (2003) An improved mass transfer based model for analyzing VOC emissions from building materials. Atmos Environ 37(18):2497–2505
Yang X, Chen Q, Zeng J, Zhang JS, Shaw CY (2001a) A mass transfer model for simulating volatile organic compound emissions from ‘wet’ coating materials applied to absorptive substrates. Int J Heat Mass Tran 44(9):1803–1815
Yang X, Chen Q, Zhang JS, Magee R, Zeng J, Shaw CY (2001b) Numerical simulation of VOC emissions from dry materials. Build Environ 36(10):1099–1107
Zhang J, Shaw CY, Kanabus-Kaminska J, MacDonald R, Magee R, Lustyk E, Weichert H (1996) Study of air velocity and turbulence effects on organic compound emissions from building materials/furnishings using a new small test chamber. In: Characterizing sources of indoor air pollution and related sink effects. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, pp 184–199. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP15621S
Zhang JS, Wang J, Shaw CY (1997) Theoretical examination of a simplified procedure for data analysis in small chamber testing of material emissions. Internal Report No. IRC-733. National Research Council, Canada
Zhang JS, Shaw CY, Sander D, Zhu JP, Huang Y (1999a) MEDB-IAQ: a material emission database and single-zone IAQ simulation program – a tool for building designers, engineers and managers. CMEIAQ Report 4.2. National Research Council, Canada
Zhang JS, Shaw CY, Zhu JP, Mason M, Howard B, Brown S (1999b) A standard guide for full-scale chamber determination of VOC emissions from indoor materials/products. CMEIAQ Report 2.1. National Research Council, Canada
Zhang JS, Zhu JP, Shaw CY, Plett E, Bodalal A, Chen Q, Yang X (1999c) Models for predicting volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from building materials. CMEIAQ Report 3.1. National Research Council, Canada
Zhang JS, Li H, Mason M, Zhang Z, Salonvaara M (2006) On the power-law model for predicting the VOC emissions from office workstation systems. In: Proceedings of international specialty conference: indoor environmental quality – problems, research and solutions. Durham
Zhang JS, Mason M, Hodgson AT, Guo B, Krebs K, Barry A, Peters B (2009) An inter-laboratory comparison study of the ANSI/BIFMA standard test method M7.1 for furniture. In: Santanam S, Bogucz EA, Peters C, Benson T (eds) Proceedings of the 9th international healthy buildings conference and exhibition. Syracuse
Zhang X, Cao JP, Wei JY, Zhang YP (2018) Improved C-history method for rapidly and accurately measuring the characteristic parameters of formaldehyde/VOCs emitted from building materials. Build Environ 143:570–578
Zhang JS, Liu Z, Guo B (2019) Model-based testing and evaluation of VOC emission sources and sinks in the indoor environment: theory and applications. In: Proceedings of IAQVEC2019 – 10th international conference on indoor air quality, ventilation and energy conservation in buildings. Bari
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this entry
Cite this entry
Zhang, J.J., Chen, W., Liu, N., Guo, B.B., Zhang, Y. (2022). Testing and Reducing VOC Emissions from Building Materials and Furniture. In: Zhang, Y., Hopke, P.K., Mandin, C. (eds) Handbook of Indoor Air Quality. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7680-2_53
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7680-2_53
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-16-7679-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-16-7680-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences