Demand is growing for certified low-emission building products as consumers, regulators, Green Building Rating Systems (GBRS) and the EU Commission in LEVEL(s) place a strong emphasis on the health and comfort in buildings, said Vincent Briard, Sustainability & Product Regulatory Affairs Director told an international conference on Tuesday, January 30.
Speaking at a conference about Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) organized by certification organization Eurofins in Germany, Vincent said caring for indoor air quality provided a major opportunity for manufacturers.
“Air quality and building comfort are growing in importance around the world and our market is seeing stricter VOC regulatory requirements in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and Belgium as well as more emphasis on VOC by GBRS including BREEAM International, LEED and DGNB,” he said.
“Consumers and specifiers are also demanding more from their building products as they become increasingly aware of the importance of health and comfort in buildings. Manufacturers ignore this growing trend at their peril.”
Certified Indoor Air Comfort
Indoor Air Comfort Gold certification confirms that the product meets the most demanding product regulationsKnauf Insulation embraced this trend when it launched the first range of Mineral Wool to feature revolutionary bio-based binder ECOSE Technology® in 2009.
“Knauf Insulation was the first company to have its Mineral Wool with ECOSE Technology certified Indoor Air Comfort Gold,” Thomas Neuhaus, Head of Eurofins, writes in the sustainability report. “Synthetic VOCs can pose a serious health risk, especially to children. Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certification guarantees that a product has low emissions.”
Indoor Air Comfort Gold certification confirms that the product meets the most demanding product regulations available, Vincent told the seminar, and it is vital that manufacturers respond to demands from consumers, regulators, and GBRS and propose certified products, with tight specifications, that contribute to lower emissions and improved indoor comfort.
Importance Of Insulation
Insulation can contribute significantly to health and comfort in buildings and is a subject that we have covered extensively in the sustainability report. Insulation helps prevent illnesses and deaths caused by cold, reduces noise pollution, alleviates fuel poverty, and can reduce concentrations of external air pollutants.
