This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.
   
  1. Air
  2. VOC reduction

VOC reduction

Features/Air/Feature 04

VOC reduction

Intent: 

To minimize the effect of VOCs in building materials on indoor air quality.

04: VOC reduction
    Post Date: 05 Oct, 2017
    Status: Approved

    Conformance to the ANSI/BIFMA e3 standard by an accredited third-party product certification body is an acceptable alternative for the requirements for Feature 4, Part 5.
    Post Date: 05 Oct, 2017
    Status: Approved

    EN 13964:2014 emission testing method has been accepted as an alternative for the requirements of Feature 4, Part 4 for suspended ceilings. Ceilings with heating or cooling properties and walls must meet limits set by the California Department of Public Health Standard Method v1.1-2010. Formaldehyde emission should be measured in accordance with EN 717-1:2004.
    Post Date: 21 Aug, 2017
    Status: Approved

    Indoor Air Comfort Gold has been approved for Feature 04 - Part 1, 2, 3 and 4. However, indoor air comfort is not an accepted label for meeting WELL Feature 04 Part 1, 2, 3 and 4.
    Post Date: 26 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    BREEAM-NL New Construction 2014, Hea 09 - Volatile Organic Compounds, is an approved alternative to BREEAM UK New Construction 2014 Hea 02 - Indoor Air Quality to meet WELL Feature 04 Parts 1-3.
    Post Date: 26 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    MAS Certified Green® has been accepted for Feature 04 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
    The MAS Certified Green® program integrates testing requirements of California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method V1.1, the BIFMAM7.1 Test Method and Formaldehyde emission testing requirements of the Cal EPA – ARB with chemical emission limits referenced by the USGBC LEED, CHPS and CARB organizations. The MAS Certified Green® program is ISO/TEC 17025 and 17065 compliant and recognized by LEED, CDPH, BIFMA and CHPS.

    MAS Certified Green® is also accepted for LEED v4 EQ Credit Low-Emitting Materials Third Party Certifications and Labels. It meets CDPH for emissions, CARB or SCAQMD for VOC content (wet-applied), and ANSI/BIFMA for furniture.
    Post Date: 26 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    GUT has been accepted for Feature 04 Part 3.

    The GUT standard was created by the European carpet industry, and aims ""to improve continuously all environmental and consumer protection aspects throughout the life cycle of a textile floor covering (from production to installation, to use phase and recycling"".

    This standard is only applicable to Part 3, and thresholds are as follows:

    Termination criteria 3 days after loading:
    TVOC: 250 µg/m³
    Formaldehyde: 10 µg/m³

    Desired values 28 days after loading:
    TVOC: 100 µg/m³
    Formaldehyde: 4 µg/m³
    Post Date: 26 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    VOC ETL class 2 and 3, VOC+ ETL Environmental and Formaldehyde-Free, has been accepted for Feature 04 Part 5.
    2nd class: VOC+ certificate states conformance to ANSI/ BIFMA e3 standard credits 7.6.1, 7.6.2 and / or credit 7.6.3 which includes California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.1 01350 (2010).
    3rd class: Formaldehyde-Free program includes compliance to the second class listed above, VOC+ ETL Environmental, and compliance to formaldehyde requirements for ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde (ULEF) and no added formaldehyde resins.
    Post Date: 26 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    Exemplary level emission criteria for BREEAM International New Construction 2016 scheme has been accepted as an equivalent standard to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard method v1.1-2010 as specified in Part 4a of this feature. The thresholds are as follows:
    Formaldehyde limit of 10 µg/m³
    TVOC limits of ≤ 0.3 mg/m³
    The insulation materials may be tested using one of the following methodologies:
    ISO 16000-9
    CEN/TS 16516
    CDPH Standard Method v1.1
    Post Date: 17 Jul, 2017
    Status: Approved

    eco-INSTITUT-Label (2015 version) has been deemed acceptable for Feature 04 Part 1 - 4 with the following requirement:
    The formaldehyde limit of 10 µg/m3 at 28 days must be met for products using this label.
    Post Date: 27 Apr, 2017
    Status: Approved

    Previously published as an AAP:
    Field and Laboratory Emission Cell (FLEC) emissions testing is approved as an emissions testing methodology only for furniture and furnishings that are made up of a uniform material and have flat testing surfaces on which the FLEC emissions testing methodology may be applied. For example, flat surfaced cabinetry that is made up of a uniform material may be tested using this methodology. However, chairs that are made from a variety of materials that lack flat surfaces may not be tested using this methodology. The emissions test must be administered by a third party investigator with no affiliation with the project. The associated costs are the responsibility of the project team. Additional tests performed in accordance with ISO 16000 methodology must be performed for total aldehydes and 4-Phenylcyclohexane and must meet the thresholds specified in the WELL Building Standard.