VOC Emissions Testing

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) consist of a broad range of carbon-based chemicals that vaporize at room temperature and, when in air, predominantly exist in the vapor phase. VOCs contained in products tend to diffuse to the surface and are emitted into the air over time. When these emissions occur indoors, building occupants are exposed via inhalation. VOCs of potential concern include:

  • Formaldehyde
  • Chronic systemic toxins such as toluene, styrene, phenol, and naphthalene
  • Carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the National Toxicology Program Report on Carcinogens, and CA Proposition 65
  • Sensory irritants
  • Odorants

Berkeley Analytical (BkA) specializes in VOC emission testing of building products and VOC emission testing of furniture using small-and large-scale environmental chambers. We are committed to meeting customers’ needs and can support your manufacturing operations with VOC testing programs for product development, quality control, supply chain management, and trouble-shooting such as odor investigations.

Our VOC emission testing services to standards such as, CDPH Standard Method V1.1, widely known as CA Section 01350, and to ANSI/BIFMA M7.1, provide the foundation for manufacturers’ self-declared claims and third-party certified claims for low-emitting building products and furnishings. These claims are used to earn credits in LEED, CHPS, and other building rating systems. Green building codes such as CALGreen, ASHRAE Standard 189.1, and the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) require the same standards and claims to define acceptable products for new construction and renovation. Additionally, BkA provides a variety of other VOC testing services. Please contact us to discuss your requirements and objectives for VOC emissions testing.

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Testing Building Products for VOC Emissions

CDPH Standard Method V1.1 (CA Section 01350) is the most widely used standard in North America for VOC testing and for evaluating VOC emissions from building products including flooring, suspended ceilings, insulation, wall panels, paints and coatings, and wall coverings. This standard is referenced in many green building rating systems and green construction codes. The standard requires:

  • Conditioning of test specimens for 10 days at 23±2oC and 50±10% RH immediately followed by a 96-hour small-scale chamber test at 23±1oC and 50±5% RH
  • Air sample collection for VOCs and aldehydes at 24, 48 and 96 hr during chamber test
  • Identification and quantitative analysis of VOCs emitted to air by the product with emphasis on VOCs of concern
  • Modeling of results to predict concentrations in a standard building scenario (office or school classroom)
  • Assessment of modeled concentrations relative to chronic health guidelines

BkA has been involved with CA Section 01350 from its inception and can answer your questions about this standard, as well as guide you through the requirements of other programs referencing the standard. For example, the test method used by a well-known Greenguard indoor air quality certification standard combines the same acceptance criteria with other guidance derived from industrial hygiene threshold limit values. 

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Testing Furniture for VOC Emissions

The ANSI/BIFMA Standard Method M7.1 is the predominant North American method used for testing commercial furniture for VOC emissions. This standard is referenced in LEED and and ASHRAE Standard 189.1, and is incorporated into CDPH Standard Method V1.1 for the testing of classroom and office furnishings. Our furniture testing services using M7.1 support the ANSI/BIFMA e3 sustainability standard and BIFMA’s level™ sustainability certification program. Seating, workstation components (work surface, storage, and panels), tables, and other furniture items are tested using our mid-scale chambers. Conformity assessment is conducted relative to ANSI/BIFMA X7.1; ANSI/BIFMA e3 Sections 7.6.1, 7.6.2, & 7.6.3; and the guidelines in CDPH Standard Method V1.1.

BkA is highly engaged with the furniture industry. We serve on BIFMA’s FES Subcommittee, are official observers on the BIFMA furniture sustainability standard, and participated with Syracuse University on BIFMA sponsored research in support of Standard M7.1. We can answer your technical questions and are well positioned to address all of your needs for furniture VOC emissions testing.

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Other VOC Emission Services

BkA also works with manufacturers to create specialized VOC testing programs that address other objectives, such as:

  • Investigating odor problems
  • Developing new products that will be compliant with VOC emission standards
  • Evaluating effects of changes in manufacturing processes on VOC emissions
  • Assuring the supply chain is meeting specifications
  • QC testing of production lots and shipments from suppliers
  • Screening of product families to identify worst-case, representative samples for compliance testing
  • Measurement of manufacturing viability among product samples and other QC testing in support of self-declared or certified product claims under standards, such as CDPH Standard Method V1.1, and certification schemes such as SCS Global Services Indoor Advantage programs and the Greenguard indoor air quality programs.

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