VOC is the abbreviation for volatile organic compounds. Under normal conditions, these are gaseous and influence indoor air quality. When it comes to a healthy home, VOCs are a major focus of attention since they enter the body through respiration.
Interior design for a healthy home
Materials made from the renewable, sustainable and low-emission resource wood
Nobody likes polluted air, especially not indoors, where people spend 90 % of their time. That is why we are aware of the growing importance of indoor air quality: We check the emissions of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) of our products ourselves and also have them tested by independent institutes for their suitability for "healthy homes".
Everything you should know about emissions from wood-based materials can be found in our video.
Healthy homes with our products
The following products for furniture and interior design are certified according to the current award criteria of "TÜV PROFiCERT-product interior". This confirms that you are purchasing safe products that are suitable for "healthy homes". The certificate is monitored by an independent testing institute and the producing plants are regularly audited.
It means you are working with products that are both tested for harmful substances and comply with international emission requirements.
| Standard comply with the following international emission levels: |
|---|
| AgBB 2018 |
| Belgian VOC-regulation |
| ChemVerbotsV E1 DE 2020 |
| Èmissions dans l'air intérieur: A |
| BREEAM Exemplary Level |
| LEED v4 (outside North America) |
Example of certificate:
| Premium comply with the following international emission levels: |
|---|
| AgBB 2018 |
| BREEAM Exemplary Level |
| ChemVerbotsV E1 DE 2020 |
| Èmissions dans l'air intérieur: A+ |
| Finnish M1 Classification |
| The Austrian Ecolabel, Guideline UZ 07 |
| Belgian VOC-Verordnung |
| Annex 8 MVV TB (ABG) |
| CAM Italy |
| LEED v4 (outside North America) |
| DE-UZ 76 (Blue Angel) |
What do wood-based materials emit?
Terpenes are natural ingredients that are mainly found in coniferous trees. They form the typical smell of wood - for example the scent of pine or Swiss stone pine.
Aldehydes are formed during the natural air drying of wood. The drying and hot pressing of our boards intensifies this process. The typical smell after mowing the lawn is an example of natural aldehydes (hexanal).
Organic acids are, for example, acetic and hexanoic acid. Acetic acid occurs in the hardwood and spruce wood used. It is a food preservative and is included in the WHO list of essential medicines.
The most common emissions from wood and wood-based materials are terpenes, aldehydes and organic acids. Depending on the type of wood and processing, these occur in different proportions and concentrations.
The health impact of this mix of substances has been scientifically studied: For example, a study by the WKI Braunschweig with the University of Freiburg found that even a multiple of the VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) concentration measured in homes had no effect on health.*
*Prof. Dr. med. Volker Mersch-Sundermann/ Prof. Dr. Rainer Marutzky (2009): Evaluierung der gesundheitlichen Wirkung holz- bzw. holzwerkstoffspezifischer Emissionen. (Evaluation of the health effects of wood or wood-based material emissions)
Indoor air quality
Airtight construction methods are important measures for saving energy. The airtightness of the building ensures that heat, but also emissions, remain in rooms for longer.
Regardless of the construction method, a wide variety of factors influence the indoor air quality. Wood and wood-based materials are among the positively perceived influencing factors*. Ventilation conditions and user behavior subsequently determine the quality of indoor air. In all common rooms, other artificial emission sources also contribute to the indoor air quality in addition to natural ones. Therefore, the impact of interior fittings and related equipment should not be ignored.
*DBU HOMERA study of the Munich Technical University under Documentation at www.informationsdienst-holz.de/publikationen
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Natural and artificial emission sources contribute to indoor air quality
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Furniture, mineral wool, wallpaper and paints affect indoor air quality.
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Dry air from air-conditioning systems and possible germs can worsen indoor air quality.
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Consumer products such as cleaning agents and detergents, insect spray, tobacco smoke or the fragrances shown here affect indoor air.
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Allergens such as animal hair, house dust or mould also affect indoor air quality.
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Everything you need to know about VOC
What does VOC stand for?
Does new furniture sometimes smell strange because of VOCs?
Furniture emits volatile organic compounds. These could be natural VOCs from the woods or wood-based materials used, but also residues of solvents from paints, glues or sealants. These substances are responsible for the furniture odours. The emission of volatile organic compounds is subject to a decay curve: The emissions are relatively high at the beginning of the product life cycle, but they quickly flatten out. The beginning of the decay curve is often also perceived very positively, such as a typical new car smell or when peeling an orange.
Are VOCs from wood-based materials harmful?
VOCs from wood-based materials often have a bad reputation. In reality, emissions from wood-based materials are natural substances such as terpenes or aldehydes. Compared to natural wood, only the composition is changed by the drying process during production. The health impact has been scientifically studied: For example, a study by the Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut (WKI) together with the University Clinic of Freiburg found that even a multiple of the VOC concentration measured in homes has no effect on health.
Is formaldehyde a VOC?
Yes. It is the only substance in wood-based materials that emits not only from the wood but also from the glue used. Formaldehyde is a natural substance emitted from wood or fruit. Even humans breathe out formaldehyde. The formaldehyde emissions of our laminated Eurodekor boards are already approaching those of natural wood.
Full transparency for our products
We make public all ingredients that are used in our products. There are two different document formats for this: Externally verified EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations), which make the life cycle assessment of our products transparent, and EHDs (Environmental and Health Datasheets).
