The M1 Cleanliness Classification is a unique Finnish innovation. Actually, it is globally the only Cleanliness Classification for ventilation products. The voluntary M1 Cleanliness Classification has been developed considering the Finnish perception of good indoor air. Good indoor air is clean and doesn't smell, so these things should also be demanded from the ventilation products.
Importers and manufacturers can apply for the M1 Cleanliness Classification for products covered by the classification:
Insulating materials, sealants, and other building materials belong in the scope of Emission Classification of Building Materials.
The Cleanliness Classification of Ventilation Products can only be granted by Rakennustieto. In addition to laboratory tests, an application for classification is always required. Further instructions on how to apply for M1 Classification can be found in the section Classification process.
All applications are submitted through the application portal. You log in to the application portal with your personal credentials, which are created the first time you log in. By submitting an application, the applicant agrees to pay Rakennustieto Oy the valid classification fee and any other fees related to the granting of the classification.
Applications must be submitted no later than four (4) working days before the classification meeting. Please do not combine several different products or product groups in one application. If the application requires supplementation or additional information, it will be requested from the contact person of the application before the classification meeting. If the application does not contain all the information necessary for processing, it will not be presented in the classification meeting until all the necessary information has been submitted.
All documents and information submitted will be treated confidentially. Dates of upcoming meetings can be found in the application portal. Normally, the decisions of the classification committee and the classification documents of approved applications are delivered to the e-mail address indicated in the application within two (2) weeks of the meeting.
The validity of the continuation and renewal periods of the classification continues from where the previous classification period ends. I.e., the applicant does not lose out by applying for a continuation or renewal of the classification before the end of the classification period, nor wins anything by applying for an extension late. Continuation and renewal applications can be submitted six (6) months before the classification expires.
Upcoming meeting dates can be found on the front page of the application portal.
If a product is not yet M1-classified, the manufacturer or importer may apply for an M1 Cleanliness Classification after successful testing in an approved testing laboratory. When applying for the classification, the test report shall not be older than one (1) year. The following information is attached to the new classification application:
If there have been no changes in the manufacturing method, composition, or other characteristics of the product during the first 3-year classification period, the validity of the classification can be extended by a continuation application for one 3-year period without retesting. The following information is attached to the classification continuation application:
Once the product has been M1-classified for a total of six (3+3) years, the product must be tested again and the classification renewed. When applying for the classification, the test report shall not be older than one (1) year. The following information is attached to the classification renewal application:
The name of a classified product can be changed both when applying for a classification and during an ongoing classification period. For those looking for M1-classified products to find the products in the M1 database, it is advisable update the product name as soon as possible after the change has entered into force or even before the change takes place (if necessary, both the new and the old names can be M1-classified at the same time). When changing the name of the product, the following documentation is attached to the application:
Changes can be made to the information of the classification holder both when applying for a classification and during an ongoing classification period. For those looking for M1-classified products to find the products in the M1 database, the details of the classification holder should be updated as soon as possible after the change has entered into force. When changing the details of the classification holder, the following documentation is attached to the application:
If changes are made to the composition or to the manufacturing process of the product that may have an impact on the Cleanliness Classification of the product, Building Information must be notified of these changes in advance. Based on the information provided, the classification committee assesses whether the product or product group needs to be retested or not. When submitting a notification of changes, the following documentation is attached to the application:
The holder of the classification may relinquish the Cleanliness Classification of a product during ongoing classification period, if for instance the product is discontinued. As a result, the product is removed from the M1 database and the right to use the classification label is cancelled. The removal notification shall include a list of product names to be removed.
The Cleanliness Classification of Ventilation Products can only be granted by Rakennustieto. In addition to laboratory tests, an application for classification is always required. The application must include both the test report and the requested information about the product(s).
Classification applications are submitted for processing through the application portal and are processed confidentially by an impartial classification committee. If the products to be classified are very similar in terms of use and physical and chemical properties, they may be classified as a product group. The product grouping should be done before the testing and classification application phase.
The different phases of the classification process are explained in more detail below and in section Testing and classification criteria.
Before applying for a Cleanliness Classification of Ventilation Products, the productshall be tested in a laboratory approved by Rakennustieto according to the testing protocol for ventilation products (currently available only in Finnish). All practical matters related to the testing are agreed between the applicant and the testing laboratory. The applicant is responsible for the costs related to the testing and pays them directly to the testing facility.
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 Cleanliness 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.
In the list below you will findall laboratories Rakennustieto has approved to carry out 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.
Sheet metal ventilation ducts and duct parts as well as closing, adjusting and fire dampers
University of Eastern Finland
Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Antti Väisänen
antti.vaisanen(at)uef.fi
+358 50 467 0622
Postal address: P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
Emission measurements (e.g. for polymer ducts, silencers, and textile terminal devices)
Eurofins Expert Services Oy
Hanna Kajander
MaterialEmissions(at)cpt.eurofinseu.com
+358 40 829 4627
Postal address: P.O. Box 47, 02151 Espoo, Finland
Visiting address: Kivimiehentie 4, 02150 Espoo, Finland
www.eurofins.fi/expertservices
Fibre measurements for silencers
Eurofins Expert Services Oy
Pekka Kettunen
PekkaKettunen(at)cpt.eurofinseu.com
+358 40 159 6471
Postal address: P.O. Box 47, 02151 Espoo, Finland
Visiting address: Tekniikantie 4B, 02150 Espoo, Finland
www.eurofins.fi/expertservices
Supports Healthy Indoor Air – M1-certified ventilation systems are designed to maintain and enhance indoor air quality.
No Harmful Emissions – The M1 classification helps to ensure the system does not release gases or particles that compromise air quality.
Odor-Free Performance – M1-certified products do not introduce unpleasant smells into your indoor environment.
Easy to Maintain – Designed for effortless cleaning, helping you keep the air fresh and healthy at all times.
The Cleanliness Classification of Ventilation Products is owned by Rakennustietosäätiö RTS sr and operated by Rakennustietosäätiö RTS’s subsidiary Rakennustieto Oy. The classification is overseen and developed by the principal committee Indoor Environment (PT 41) appointed by Rakennustietosäätiö RTS sr, in which representatives include construction products industry, developers, designers,and research institutes. Classification applications and matters related to classification decisions are handled confidentially by a separate impartial classification committee. The classification decisions are based on the document Classification of Indoor Environment 2018 (Sisäilmastoluokitus 2018), the general rules of the classification and the classification criteria.
The voluntary Cleanliness Classification of Ventilation Products is part of the broader Classification of Indoor Environment (Sisäilmastoluokitus) developed by the Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate and Rakennustietosäätiö RTS sr.
The Classification of Indoor Environment was published for the first time in 1995 and has since been updated in 2001, 2008 and 2018. The Classification of Indoor Environment is used by architects, designers, contractors, and manufacturers when building healthier and more comfortable buildings.