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.

Post Date: 02 Oct, 2017
Status: Approved

Global GreenTag has been approved as an acceptable equivalent to the requirements for Feature 04 Part 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Post Date: 21 Sep, 2017
Status: Approved

The Australian Carpet Classification Scheme (ACCS) has been accepted as an equivalent for CDPH Standard Method v1.1 of Feature 4 Part 1.
Post Date: 18 Sep, 2017
Status: Approved

IS 101.2.2.1986 and IS 101.2.1.1988 are acceptable equivalent testing method standards in order to measure in accordance with the VOC content threshold limits specified in SCAQMD Rule 1168 for Part 2a.
Post Date: 17 Sep, 2017
Status: Approved

IS 101.2.2.1986 and IS 101.2.1.1988 are acceptable equivalent testing method standards in order to measure in accordance with the VOC content threshold limits specified in SCAQMD Rule 1113 for Part 1a.
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: 9 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 9 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: 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: 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 9 µg/m³ at 28 days must be met for products using this label.