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An Introduction to

Indoor Air Quality Certification

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Objectives

SECTION #1 | Defining Product Sustainability

A brief review of sustainability

SECTION #2 | The Value of 3rd Party Environmental Certification

Defining the importance of a certification

SECTION #3 | Introducing Indoor Air Quality

The importance of evaluating indoor air quality

SECTION #4 | Specifying a Certified Product

Helping your customers choose products that meet their indoor air quality requirements

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For nearly 11 years, now, we have been on

this mission; we call it “climbing Mt.

Sustainability,” a mountain higher than

Everest, to meet at that point at the top

that symbolizes zero footprint –zero

environmental impact. Sustainable: taking

nothing, doing no harm.

… Ray Anderson

Founder, Interface, Inc.

SECTION #1

Defining Product

Sustainability

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The Triple Bottom Line

In a sustainable world, society's demand on nature is in balance with nature's

capacity to meet that demand.

When resources are consumed faster than they are produced or renewed, the resource is depleted and eventually used up.

The Triple Bottom Line refers to sustainability in

terms of increasing profits, improving the planet and improving people’s lives.

Gross Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold = Net Profit

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People - Planet - Profit -

CUSTOMER

IMPACT

PERFORMANCE

Does it keep coffee

hot, hands cool, with

a good lid?

BUSINESS

IMPACT

Cost

How would it affect

franchises?

ENVIRONMENTAL

IMPACT

ENVIRONMENT

Is it greener than the

cup we have today?

Coffee Cup

PRODUCTS

What is the Missing “P” in the

Sustainability Equation?

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What Makes a Product Green?

� Avoids Hazardous Ingredients

� Low-Emitting

� BioBased - Natural Materials

� Responsibly Sourced - Locally Sourced

� Responsible Corporate Practices for Manufacturers

� Information Transparency

� Recyclability - Reusability

� Durability - Long Product Life Cycle

� Easily Maintained - Chemical Free

� Low Environmental Impact Installation Method -

Adhesives | Sealers

3RD Party

Verified?

According to Environmental Building News: Building Materials: What Makes a

Product Green?

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SECTION #2

The Value of 3rd Party

Certification

Truth never damages a cause that is just.

… Mahatma Ghandi

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Why is 3rd Party Certification Important?

� Provides independent verification of clearly defined claims

� Encourages transparency

� Makes product comparisons possible

because everyone is being measured to the same criteria

� Provides assurance to customers about

the verified attributes of a given product

� Builds trust

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Consumer Trust in 3rd Party Certified Eco-Labels10 Country Survey

July, 2012: Survey conducted late spring by Albemarle Marketing Research (AMR)

� 54% of respondents believe eco-labels

are effective in “helping bringing changes

to environmental/social problems”

� 59% agree that “a product that carries

an ecolabel has less impact on the

environment” (up from 52% in 2010)

� 44% of consumers reported a higher

level of trust for brands that use third-

party certified eco-labels (up from 40% in

2010)

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Single Attribute

Multiple Attribute

Life Cycle

Assessment

Tiers of Certifications

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Claims are simple, straightforward, and certified by a recognized third-party.

What is a Single-Attribute Environmental Claim?

“Our products comply with the indoor

air quality requirements of California

Section 01350.”

“Our product has 50% post-consumer

recycled content.”

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Goal: Recognize products that score well across a comprehensive list of

environmental, health, and social measures.

Credibility: Consensus based standard (e.g., ISO, ANSI).

Typical

attributes:

� Recycled Content

� Low VOC

� Energy Consumption

� Carbon Footprint

� Chemicals of Concern

� Waste Stream

� Social Responsibility

What is a Multi-Attribute Sustainability

Certification?

Kimball | FIT Chair | level 3 Certified

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What is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

� Assesses entire scope of impacts

associated with a product,

process, or service.

� Sometimes referred to as a

“cradle-to-grave” assessment.

� LCA is the next generation of

product sustainability.

� Environmental Product

Declarations (EPDs) are a

summary report used as a

marketing tool for communication

� Environmentally Preferable

Products (EPP) compares a

product to a baseline. It must

perform better overall, with no

tradeoffs in any impact category.

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Health Product Declaration

� Government agencies, customers, and NGOs are pressing for “safer, more

sustainable” products and substitutes for “chemicals of concern,” and are

calling for greater transparency.

� Current HPDs are a starting point, but are insufficient

� Current HPDs communicate potential hazards only

� Complete disclosure is necessary for the LEED v4 MRc4 credit

� Enhanced HPD approach puts potential hazards into a safety context by using a

risk-based approach

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SECTION #3

Introducing Indoor Air Quality:

Environmental Quality in the Built

Environment

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can

cast a stone across the waters to create many

ripples.”

… Mother Teresa

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Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions: Why the Concern?

Most people spend 90% of time indoors. Air pollution can be 2 - 5 times higher than

that found outdoors. Poor indoor air quality is caused by inadequate ventilation,

poor cleaning, and/or excessive emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

US EPA studies report - Chronic inhalation exposures to VOCs commonly found in

office buildings and classrooms lead to:

�Heart, liver, kidney damage

�Central Nervous System damage

�Cancer

�Asthma

California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (CA OEHHA) Chronic

Reference Exposure List (CREL) includes:

Formaldehyde, Decane, Butoxyethanol, Isopentane, Limonene, Styrene,

Xylenes, Perchloroethylene, Methylene Chloride, Toluene, Vinyl chloride

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Indoor Advantage Gold™ and FloorScore®

Certification

+ =

The Indoor Advantage Gold™ and FloorScore® standards were developed to test and

certify building products and flooring products for compliance with VOC criteria

adopted in California:

�address chronic inhalation exposure to VOCs

�based on the CDPH Standard Method for VOC Emissions Testing and Evaluation

(Standard Method V1.1), aka CA Section 01350.

=+

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International Certification SchemesExample: EMICODE®

� EMICODE® is a German label for low VOC emissions from adhesives,

sealants, parquet varnishes and other construction products used indoors.

� There are three achievable classes are:

� EMICODE® EC 1 Plus – very low emissions PLUS

� EMICODE® EC 1 – very low emissions

� EMICODE® EC 2 – low emissions

� The following products can be labeled with an EMICODE®

� Adhesives for flooring installation, solvent free

� Screeds, solvent- free

� Related primers, solvent- free

� Underlays

� Joint sealants, solvent-free

� Sealings, foam, foils, tapes

� Parquet varnishes, water-based and low VOC

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Eligible Product Categories for Indoor

Advantage Gold™ and FloorScore ®

FloorScore®

� Vinyl Sheet Flooring

� Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)

� Solid Vinyl Tile (SVT)

� Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

� Linoleum

� Rubber Flooring

� Cork Flooring

� Hardwood

� Engineered and Bamboo Flooring

� Laminate Flooring

� Polymeric Flooring

� Wall base and related products

� Flooring Adhesives

Indoor Advantage Gold™

�Adhesives and Sealants

�Paints and Coatings

�Wallcovering and Textiles

�Furniture and Furnishings

�Windows and Doors

�Insulation

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Compliance is determined by screening for VOCs:

�Sample undergoes chamber testing at a lab.

�Total of 14 days in the chamber; emissions tested

24, 48, and 96 hours after the 10th day.

�Lab looks for compounds on the California OEHHA

CREL list.

�The 10 most abundant compounds detected from

the sample chamber are required to be called out in

the report.

�Any chemicals detected that are on the Prop 65 and

ARB Toxic Air Contaminants lists must also be noted

separately in the report.

CA 01350 Specification:

Testing and Reporting Highlights

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Indoor Air Quality Certification for Furniture

� Conforms to ANSI/BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standards (M 7.1/ X 7.1 – 2011)

for Office Furniture Systems and Components emission criteria

� Conforms to ANSI / BIFMA e3-2011e (Credits 7.6.1 and 7.6.2) for Office

Furniture Systems and Components emission criteria

� ANSI/ BIFMA X7.1 Standard is for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-

emitting Office Furniture and Seating

� ANSI/ BIFMA M7.1 Standard Test Method is for Determining VOC Emissions

Form Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating

� Annex C is for Individual Volatile Organic (VOC) Concentration Limits

� Meets credits 7.6.1, 7.6.2 and 7.6.3 of ANSI/ BIMFA e3 level Sustainable

Furniture Standard

� Conforms to LEED 2009 IEQ Credit 4.5 and LEED V.4 EQ Credit 2

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ANSI/BIFMA M 7.1

and X 7.1Testing and Reporting Highlights

Compliance is determined by screening

for VOCs:

�Sample undergoes chamber testing at

a lab

�Total of 7 days in the chamber;

emissions tested 72 and 168 hours after

the 10th day.

�Lab looks for compounds listed in

ANSI/BIFMA M 7.1 and X 7.1

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Modeling: Meeting CA 01350 Limits

VOC emission concentrations calculated from the building model

scenarios must comply with CA 01350 listed emission limits.

Two Scenarios:�School Classroom

�Private Office

Private Office scenario is

the most stringent:

smallest space, lowest

ventilation rate

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1. Documentation Review �Product data, formulation, manufacturing process

�Written Quality Control Plan – includes supply chain

management requirements

2. On-Site Audits�Sample selection and review of documented control

system

3. Chemical Emissions Testing �Compliance of VOC emission concentration limits

specified by CA 01350

4. Annual Re-evaluation of VOC emissions�Product re-testing

�Surveillance desk audit

Overview of the Certification Process

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Rating Systems

Low-emitting Products Are Recognized and Referenced

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The world is but a canvas to the

imagination.

… Henry David Thoreau

SECTION #4

Specifying a Certified Product

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“Indoor Advantage Gold”

Language

Certified Products are

Easy to Specify

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09 65 66 Architectural Specifications for Indoor Resilient Athletic Surfacing

Certified Products are Easy to Specify

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What Does an Indoor Advantage Gold™

Certificate Communicate?

Claim

Accredited By

Products

Certified

Conformance

Date Valid /

Reg #

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What Does an Indoor Advantage Gold™Certificate Communicate?

Products

Certified

Conformance

Date Valid /

Reg #

Claim

Accredited By

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What Does a FloorScore® Certificate

Communicate?

Claim

Conformanc

e

Products Certified

Accredited By

Date Valid /

Reg #

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Find the Indoor Advantage Gold™ mark on

Products, in Ads, and on Company Websites

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Look for the FloorScore® Mark on

Products, Websites, and Ads

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Value of Indoor Air Quality Certification

� Qualifies for leading industry credits (e.g., LEED,

BIFMA, CHPS, ASHRAE, NAHB)

� Ensures that the product is low-emitting, meets

stringent standards, and has been rigorously

tested by an independent 3rd party

� Ensures the honesty and accuracy of

manufacturer’s claims

� Provides safer, healthier work and home

environments

� Identifies continuous improvement opportunities

� Drives supply chain innovation to transform the

industry

� Independent testing, certification, and auditing –

ensures transparency in the marketplace

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Summary

SECTION #1 | Defining Product Sustainability

� People | Planet | Profit + Product = Triple Bottom Line for success

� Dedication to and communication of your achievements is important

SECTION #2 | The Value of 3rd Party Environmental Certification

� Credible 3rd party certification brings transparency and trust

SECTION #3 | Introducing Indoor Air Quality

• Indoor air quality for building products and resilient flooring

• Goal is to reduce chronic inhalation exposure to harmful VOCs

SECTION #4 | Specifying a Certified Product

• Start specifying certified products today…

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Setting the Pace through 3 rd Party Certification

Additional Resources:

RFCI www.rfci.com

SCS Global Services: www.scsglobalservices.com/certified-indoor-air-quality

www.scsglobalservices.com/floorscore

Contact: Vikas Ahuja, MBA LEED AP | Sales and Marketing ManagerEnvironmental Certification Services, SCS Global Services vahuja@scsglobalservices.comPH | 309-750-9093