|
|
 |
Founded in 2001, GEI is a third-party, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD
Certification ProgramSM including GREENGUARD Children & Schools. The Institute’s mission is to
improve human health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. GREENGUARD
Certified products must meet stringent standards for low chemical emissions based on established
health criteria from key public health agencies. Products also undergo rigorous testing and verification
processes on a regular basis. More than 80,000 products produced by over 100 manufacturers are represented
under the GREENGUARD Children & Schools Program.
GREENGUARD Certification Standards for Low-Emitting Products
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has established performance based standards to define goods
with low chemical and particle emissions for use indoors, primarily building materials, interior furnishings,
furniture, cleaning and maintenance products, electronic equipment, and personal care products. The standard
establishes certification procedures including test methods, allowable emissions levels, product sample
collection and handling, testing type and frequency, and program application processes and acceptance.
GREENGUARD Allowable Emission Levels
All products are tested in dynamic environmental chambers following the GREENGUARD test method, “Method
for Measuring Various Chemical Emissions using Dynamic Environmental Chambers,” as posted on GreenGuard's website.
The method follows the guidance of ASTM standards D-5116-06 and D-6670-01, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's testing protocol for furniture, the State of Washington's protocol for interior furnishings and
construction materials, and California’s Department of Health Services (CDHS) standard practice for the
Special Environmental Requirements, Specification Section 01350. Products are measured for emission levels,
which must meet the following indoor air concentrations within seven (7) days of unpackaging.
Air concentrations are based on the product being in a room 32 m3 in volume with outdoor air ventilation
based on ASHRAE 62.1-2007 or the USEPA’s recommended exposure factors. Maximum allowable emission levels
are those required by the State of Washington's indoor air quality program for new construction, the US
Environmental Protection Agency's procurements specifications, the recommendations from the World Health
Organization, Germany's Blue Angel Program for electronic equipment, LEED for New Construction, and LEED
for Commercial Interiors. Office furniture products meeting these allowable emission levels also meet the
requirements of LEED 2009 - CI - credit 4.5 and the BIFMA X7.1 Conformance standard. When multiple emission
values are recommended, the lesser, or more stringent, is used as the acceptable emission value for GREENGUARD
Certification.
|
|
|
 |
|
