Indoor Air Quality & Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals found in many everyday products that can off-gas into the air, affecting indoor air quality and health. Exposure to VOCs can lead to health issues ranging from eye and throat irritation to more serious conditions. They are significant due to their impact on indoor air quality, as they can accumulate in indoor environments, and their environmental effects, such as contributing to smog and global warming. Reducing VOC exposure is important for health and environmental reasons, and can be managed by improving ventilation, choosing low-VOC products, and adhering to safety guidelines when using VOC-emitting products. 

At Shaw Contract, we are dedicated to material health and the well-being of the spaces where we work, learn, and collaborate. That is why all our products are certified as low VOC and meet the most stringent certifications. 

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Importance of Low VOC on Indoor Air Comfort 

✓ The presence of VOCs in interior materials and finishes can lead to exposure to a variety of chemicals, potentially harmful over time. 
 
✓ Adopting low VOC materials is crucial for enhancing indoor air comfort, as it leads to better air quality, fewer odours, and a welcoming atmosphere, thereby boosting occupant well-being and productivity. 
 
✓ Furthermore, incorporating low VOC products ensures that buildings comply with health and safety standards, providing a safer and more comfortable space for everyone. 
 
✓ According to the UK Building Engineering Services Association’s Guide to Good Practice for Indoor Air Quality for Health and Wellbeing, "Clean air is recognized as crucial for the health, well-being, and productivity of all building occupants. 
 
✓ Low emissions and VOCs show additional compliance of product emissions for sustainable building certifications, for example BREEAM, WELL Building and LEED.

Shaw Contract carpet tiles and LVT have no VOCs 

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Our floor coverings are certified to the most rigorous indoor emissions requirement that cover both individual VOCs and odours.  
 
Shaw Contract carpet tiles are Indoor Air Comfort Gold, independently certified by Eurofins, M1 certified and A+ certified.  
 
Our LVT products are Indoor Air Comfort Gold certified and Floorscore® certified, IAQ Certification and formulated without ortho-phthalates (Non-Ortho-Phthalates). 

WGBC Principle 1 of Health and Well Being Framework  

Shaw Contract is part of the WorldGBC Corporate Advisory - a select group of companies which serves to guide WorldGBC on its strategy and activities, and a framework development partner for the WorldGBC’s Health & Wellbeing Framework. The principle 1 of this framework describes the importance of Improving Indoor Air Quality and provide strategies across the lifecycle for tackling ambient air pollution. 

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Indoor Air Comfort Gold Certification  

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Administered by Eurofins, an international group of laboratories headquartered in Luxembourg, Eurofins "Indoor Air Comfort" (IAC) product certification is a well-established tool to show compliance of a product with low VOC emissions criteria set out in Europe.  
 
Certified GOLD products are those with the best-in-class low emissions, thus meeting stringent demands for good indoor air quality.  
 
From January 2024, the Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certification has been ISO 17065 accredited by the Danish independent accreditation body, DANAK. The Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certification is one of the first voluntary labels for product emissions to have achieved this accreditation.  

What does M1 certified mean? 

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The M1 certification was established by the Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (FiSIAQ).  
 
The M1 classification signifies that a product has met extremely stringent requirements for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances into indoor air.  
 
M1 also defines the acceptability of the odour associated with the material is assessed. It is highly regarded in the Nordic countries. 

What is A+ certification? 

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The A+ certification in indoor air quality is a French labelling system that rates the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from building materials, furnishings, and other products used within indoor spaces. This classification system ranges from A+ (very low emissions) to C (high emissions), with the A+ rating indicating the highest standard for indoor air quality regarding VOC emissions. 

Indoor Air Comfort Gold - Comfortworx
Indoor Air Comfort Gold - Ecoworx S
Indoor Air Comfort Gold - LVT
Indoor Air Comfort Gold - Taskworx
M1 Certificate - Comfortworx
M1 Certificate - EcoWorx S
M1 Certificate - Taskworx
M1 Certificate - Nordic 2.5 and Nordic 5.0