Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold Certifications

Remember the term “sick building syndrome” or SBS? SBS occurs when building occupants experience acute health effects due to time spent in a building. Many times, these negative health effects go undiagnosed because they dissipate when the occupant leaves the building, but they reoccur when the occupant returns.

Symptoms can include difficulty with concentration, dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, dry cough, eye, nose & throat irritation, dry itchy skin, and sensitivity to odors.

Some of the most common causes of SBS are:

• Biological contaminants – bacteria, mold, pollen, and viruses
• Poor ventilation
• Contaminants from indoor sources – adhesives, sealants, carpeting, manufactured wood products, furniture, cleaning agents, copy machines
• Contaminants from outdoor sources – air pollution

Since 1984 when the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 30% of buildings worldwide were subject to indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, the building industry has come a long way. 

To specifically address chemical contaminants from indoor sources, building owners, architects, engineers, building products manufacturers, internationally recognized test labs and green building rating systems have implemented certifications and processes to ensure that specified building products are independently certified to possess low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s); VOC emissions from building materials are a primary source for SBS.

A critical component for building mechanical systems, such as HVAC and plumbing, is mechanical insulation for piping, ductwork, and equipment. Most mechanical insulation manufacturers now offer 3rd-party certification that their products comply with low-VOC emission requirements of green building rating systems such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^®).

One of the most recognized VOC emission certification programs are SCS Global Services' Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold Certification. SCS Global Services' Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold Certification is a more rigorous VOC emission certification program because it addresses the following criteria:

• Health-based certification for schools and healthcare facilities
• Limits emissions of over 360 VOC’s and chemicals 
• Requires lower total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emission levels

Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold insulation can contribute to the following sustainable rating systems:

• International Green Construction Code^® (iGCC^®)
• California Department of Public Health (CDPH), California Specification 01350, v1.2
• BREEAM
• CALGreen
• Fitwel Standard
• Green Globes
• GSA
• LEED EQ Credit 1 – Enhanced Indoor Air Quality Strategies, Option 2 Additional IAQ Strategies (D)
• LEED EQ Credit 4 – Indoor Air Quality Assessment, Option 2 Air Testing
• LEED EQ – Low-Emitting Materials
• Living Building Challenge, Imperative 10
• WELL Building Standard

By specifying Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold insulation, design professionals are contributing to healthy indoor environments and potential owner project requirements (OPR’s). 

For a product to achieve certification, insulation manufacturers must submit product samples to SCS Global Services VOC emissions testing and compliance on an annual basis in order to renew their Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold insulation product certifications. Building owners and consulting mechanical engineers can rest assured that Aeroflex USA’s AEROFLEX^® brand of EPDM closed-cell elastomeric Indoor Advantage[TM] Gold insulation and most system accessories are certified by SCS Global Services for low chemical emissions.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/epa_recommendations_of_specs_standards_and_ecolabels_pdf_1.26.21.pdf?VersionId=qPZmGLYGS99lx4o8nRUOmVAtqlgJWhKH

https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/indoor-air-quality-certification