ALLERGY STANDARDS -
CERTIFYING PRODUCTS
FOR HEALTHIER INTERIORS
AN OVERVIEW OF THE asthma & allergy friendly™ CERTIFICATION FOR SPECIFIERS
How do product claims such as the asthma & allergy friendly ®
Certification Programs encourage innovation in the building
industry?
It is estimated that we spend up to 90% of our time indoors. The
asthma & allergy friendly ® Certification Program is built around
the concept of a “whole of building” approach to indoor air quality.
Every product or building material brought into your environment
can introduce Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or allergens. The
Certification Program challenges Industry to innovate and develop
products that contribute to a healthier indoor environment. Over
60% of asthma and allergy sufferers find it difficult to choose
appropriate products for their homes and work spaces. Our
Certification Mark helps specifiers to make informed buying
decisions on behalf for their customers, not only for those with
sensitive airways, but for anyone concerned about their indoor
environment.
How does the asthma & allergy friendly ® Certification Program
compare against other product claims in the building products
industry such as the GreenGuard Gold and FloorScore?
The asthma & allergy friendly ® Certification Program has a
chemical and VOC aspect to the testing similar to other programs,
however the program is mainly concerned with air-borne allergens
and irritants that may aggravate sensitive individuals. As such we
move beyond other industry certifications and assess the “in-use”
phase of a products life-cycle.
For example, our flooring standard examines how well allergens
can be cleaned from the flooring. If the flooring traps allergens,
then you may have a build up and get exposed to allergens even
when cleaning the floor regularly. Our insulation standard tests the
amount of fibre that is shed during the installation to ensure that
a high amount of fibre isn’t collected in the building during this
phase. We also carry out longer terms studies to determine the
ability of the insulation to support mold growth.
Can you talk us through the testing process; using flooring for
example.
After submitting your product for testing, we will review the details
of the product range and send it to one of our approved testing
partners situated world-wide. Testing can take 8-10 weeks to
complete and usually includes chemical, biological and physical
assessment.
Using the flooring standard as an example, it is broken into two main
parts, the chemical and the allergen testing. The chemical testing
is carried out in a small environmentally controlled chamber that
collects the VOCs emitted from the
product. The flooring is installed in
a test chamber using any adhesives
that are supplied or recommended
by the manufacturer. There is no
conditioning period and samples
are collected at 1-day, 2-days and
14-days after installation. The levels
of VOCs measured must be within
Dr Joey DeCourcey,
the certification limits to pass. We
Allergy Standards’ Senior
assess these time points as often
Scientific Officer
people move into their houses
immediately after installation of
flooring, and VOC can emit from a floor for an extended period
of time. High-quality flooring should be within the recommended
exposure limits for specific VOCs that can trigger symptoms in
sensitive individuals.
The second part of the testing assesses the potential for the
flooring to trap allergens and dust. The Flooring is installed in a
large environmental chamber and test dust is introduced into the
chamber and allowed to settle. The flooring is cleaned according
to the manufacturer’s instructions and the air is sampled during
the cleaning. After cleaning, the floor is tested to ensure that
allergens are effectively removed from the surface. Flooring that
can be cleaned well and does not trap dust and allergens reduces
the risk of exposure.
Once a product has met the strict criteria set out in the standard it
is then eligible to join the certification program.
How important is Research and Development to a company
seeking Certification and how do your scientists help them
achieve the asthma & allergy friendly ® Certification?
We challenge companies to innovate and create products that
contribute to a healthier indoor environment. This often requires
significant R&D efforts by the manufacturer. ASL offers services
to partner with manufacturers in the R&D phase to ensure that
products are suitable for those with sensitive airways. This is
becoming increasingly important as it is estimated that by 2025
more than 50% of all Europeans will suffer from allergies. We
partner with companies to provide landscape analysis, consultancy
on performance testing or formulations, and collaborate to
effectively market the health-based attributes of their product
and the certification program. We draw on our experience not just
in building materials, but also other industries such as consumer
electronics and textiles to help consumers to create the best
indoor air environment with the goal of avoiding any unnecessary
allergy triggers in the home.