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- Odour evaluation (2)
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Emissions from building products can considerably impair the quality of indoor air. The AgBB scheme is employed to evaluate the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from building products. The hygienic evaluation according to the AgBB scheme requires product-specific measuring procedures.
These are available for a range of products. They have been validated in co-operation with several research and testing institutes and have been included in the criteria for awarding the Blue Angel ecolabel.
The evaluation is, however, stricter and generally has lower limits. VOC emissions and odours can cause health problems so testing using sensors is an important element in the evaluation of building products and has – for reasons of precaution – been set down in the AgBB scheme. The main goal of the project was to derive a method of evaluation using sensors and limits for awarding the Blue Angel and for the AgBB scheme. Based on the research conducted (see Chapter 5 Results and Discussion), perceived intensity and hedonics were suggested as a suitable Evaluation method. The derivation of limits for the evaluation using sensors on the 28th day was effected in the present study through the additional questioning of the test subjects on the reasonability of a sample.
For the Blue Angel, there could be different limits of perceived intensity and hedonics for each group of products. A preliminary suggestion for possible limits – for all product groups – is a perceived intensity of 7 pi (5 pi + 2 pi as confidence coefficient, Chapter 5.1.5) and -1 (0+/-0.8, rounded to -1) for the hedonic value.
Indoor air pollutants influence the health and comfort of building occupants and consequently the energy consumption of the building. The pollutants are emitted by various sources.
Among these sources, building products are of particular importance. To control the emission of pollutants from building materials, a few different voluntary labelling Systems have been introduced in Europe. In Germany also mandatory “Principles for the health assessment of construction products used in interiors” have been applied for the technical approval of floor coverings since 2004. This procedure is based on the assessment scheine of the Committee for Health-related
Evaluation of Building Products (AgBBScheme). The sensory-limit settings for building-material label Blue Angel offer consumer to differ not only low-emission but also low-odour Building materials from another building materials.
VOC emissions from building materials accompanying sensory tests for different evaluation schemes
(2011)
Within a follow up project of a former study (Horn et al. 2005) emissions and odor from different types of construction products were investigated (financed by the German Federal Environmental Agency - FKZ 37 07 62 300).
The tested materials were mainly those used for construction of floors indoors. For this type of materials in Germany several labeling procedures exist which are based on Emission chamber testing. Two important labeling procedures in Germany are based on the AgBBevaluation scheme (Däumling et al. 2005). For some applications (flooring material) it is the mandatory Ü-mark of DIBt (German Institute for Construction Technology). Furthermore for carpets, adhesives and many other products, like sealants, mattresses, furniture and so on the voluntary blue angel mark exist. Within this scheme the volatile organic compounds (VOC) compounds are measured with well established procedures and are evaluated with LCI-values which were derived from health information.
Beyond that many complaints according to building products are caused by odors. Therefore an evaluation procedure for the odor is very important and should be implemented into all of the mentioned labeling schemes.