Testing and classification criteria

Emission testing

Before applying for an Emission Classification of Building Materials, the product shall be tested in a laboratory approved by Rakennustieto according to the M1 testing protocol. All practical matters related to the testing, such as sampling, the required number of samples and the method of packaging and delivery of the product sample, are instructed by the laboratory.

The applicant is responsible for the costs related to the testing and pays them directly to the testing facility. The applicant shall document the sampling of the product sample using a sampling report from the laboratory and this sampling report shall accompany the product sample to the laboratory.

 

The emission testing required by the M1 Classification is based on the European harmonised test standard EN 16516 (Construction products: Assessment of release of dangerous substances. Determination of emissions into indoor air). More detailed instructions for the testing are given in the testing protocol, which defines, among other things, the sampling instructions, and the preparation of test specimens by product type.

If there is a conflict between standards and the testing protocol, the testing protocol has precedence. If the testing protocol does not cover the testing of a particular product type, the classification committee will decide how the product shall be tested. If the testing of a product type has not been addressed in the testing protocol or questions arise about the testing, the Product Manager of the Emission Classification shall be contacted before testing.

If the testing has not been carried out according to the classification committee’s decision and the testing protocol, the classification cannot be granted based on the testing and new testing is required.

Tested parameters

Emission testing for the M1 Emission Classification includes:

  • total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) emission
  • emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) with EU-LCI limit value
  • formaldehyde (HCOH) emission
  • ammonia (NH3) emission
  • emissions of carcinogenic compounds (category Carc. 1A or 1B in Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008)
  • acceptability of odour

Classification criteria

The M1 Classification focuses on emissions from building materials and furniture to indoor air. The only compositional requirement for building products is that screed-type products (e.g. mortars, screeds and putties) shall be casein-free. The upholstery of office- and auditorium chairs shall not contain fungicides.

The limit values of the M1 Emission Classification are based on (area) specific emission rate (SER). These classification criteria are presented in Table 1. In certain cases, determining the area used as the basis for the SER calculation is challenging, in which case instead of the area-based surface emission rate [mg/m²h], it is possible to determine the surface emission rate per piece [mg/pc*h].

In this case, the comparison with the criteria of the M1 Classification is done using the reference room concentration [µg/m³] and the limit values shown in Table 2. The conversion of SER values to reference room concentrations is carried out using the formulae in standard EN 16516 and the loading factors (L) presented in the testing protocol.

Table 1. SER-based limit values of the M Classification for building materials and furniture.

 1) excluding formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, 2) result of the sensory evaluation ≥ 0.0

For analytical reasons, it is more practical to compare the emissions of small (L = 0.05 m²/m³) and very small (L = 0.007 m²/m³) surface products to the M1 Classification limit values using reference room concentrations [µg/m3] instead of SER values [mg/m²h], see Table 2. Small surfaces include e.g. wooden beams, doors, windows and grouts, and very small surfaces e.g. sealants.

Table 2.  Reference room concentration-based limit values of the M1 Classification for building materials and furniture.

1) excluding formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, 2) result of the sensory evaluation ≥ 0.0

The emissions of upholstered office chairs are compared with the limit values of the M1 Classification using the reference room concentrations [µg/m³], see Table 3.

Table 3. Reference room concentration-based limit values of the M1 Classification for upholstered office chairs.

1) excluding formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, 2) result of the sensory evaluation ≥ 0.0

Authorised testing laboratories

In the list below you will find, in order of country, all laboratories Rakennustieto has approved to carry out emission tests for the M1 Classification. Please note that testing alone does not entitle a company to market a product as M1-classified. Only Rakennustieto can grant a product the M1 Classification.

Finland

Eurofins Expert Services Oy
Hanna Kajander
MaterialEmissions(at)eurofins.fi
+358 40 829 4627

P.O. Box 47, 02151 Espoo, Finland
Sample delivery address: Kivimiehentie 4, 02150 Espoo, Finland
www.eurofins.fi/expertservices

Belgium

Normec Product Testing
Dr. Marc Lor
marc.lor(at)normecgroup.com
+32 492 155 529

Honderdweg 13, 9230 Wetteren, Belgium
https://normecservaco.com/en/dienst/normec-product-testing

Italy 

CATAS S.p.A.
Dr. Daniele Bergamasco
bergamasco(at)catas.com
+39 0432 747 249

Via Antica 24, 33048 San Giovanni al Natisone (UD), Italy
www.catas.com

Austria

OETI – Institut für Okologie, Technik und Innovation GmbH
Dipl.-Ing. Rolanda Ratkic
rolanda.ratkic(at)oeti.biz
+43 1 544 2543 73

Siebenhirtenstrasse 12A, Objekt 8, 1230 Vienna, Austria
www.oeti.at

Sweden

Research Institutes of Sweden
Maria Rådemar
maria.rademar(at)ri.se
+46 10 516 5165

Ulrika Johansson
ulrika.johansson(at)ri.se
+46 10 516 5322

P.O. Box 857, 501 15 Borås, Sweden
Brinellgatan 4, 504 62 Borås, Sweden
www.ri.se/

Germany

eco-INSTITUT
Daniel Tigges
Daniel.Tigges(at)eco-institut.de
+49 221 931 245 30

Schanzenstrasse 6-20, Carlswerk 1.19, 51063 Cologne, Germany
www.eco-institut.de

Entwicklungs- und Prüflabor Holztechnologie GmbH
Anne Kuban
Anne.Kuban(at)ihd-dresden.de
+49 351 4662 0

Zellescher Weg 24, 01217 Dresden, Germany
www.eph-dresden.de

TFI Aachen GmbH
Diana Mertens
d.mertens(at)tfi-aachen.de
+49 241 9679 128

Charlottenburger Allee 41, 52068 Aachen, Germany
www.tfi-online.de

TÜV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH
Dr. Jelena Galinkina
jelena.galinkina(at)de.tuv.com
+49 911 655 5614

Tillystr. 2, 90431 Nürnberg, Germany
www.tuv.com/safety

Denmark

Danish Technological Institute
Jakob Thaysen Rørbech
e-lab(at)dti.dk
+45 72 20 24 87

Gregersensvej, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark
www.dti.dk

Eurofins Product Testing A/S
Kenn Ravnmose Jørgensen
KennRavnmoseJorgensen(at)eurofins.dk
+45 20 82 59 03

Smedeskovvej 38, 8464 Galten, Denmark
www.eurofins.com

United States

Berkeley Analytical Associates, LLC
Alfred T. Hodgson
ahodgson(at)berkeleyanalytical.com
+1 510 236 2325

815 Harbour Way South, Unit 6, 94804 Richmond, CA, USA
www.berkeleyanalytical.com