Development
of a BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standard
- A project sponsored by Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA)
By
Dr. Jensen Zhang
151 Link Hall, MAME,
Tel. 315-443-1366; Fax 315-443-9099; Email: jszhang@syr.edu
July 15, 2004
The goal of the proposed project is:
The BIFMA FES will be developed based on a thorough and unbiased review of various existing and relevant test methods, standards, practices, guides, and certifications as well as the latest scientific research findings in the area of material emissions and their impacts on indoor air quality. Specific recommendations on various aspects of the standard will be made to the BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standard Sub-Committee for discussion and comment. Suggestions from the sub-committee members will be considered and incorporated in the standard development to ensure that the standard is practical to implement as well as based on good science.
Specific recommendations will be made for at least the following parameters[1]:
A. Test parameters (defined as test conditions, settings, or controls that affect the measured test results prior to any modeling or calculation of projected concentrations under room use conditions).
1. Test sample handling and conditioning – amount of time allowed to elapse before test sample is placed into test chamber relative to time of production, shipping, and unpackaging, also any allowed environmental conditions and timing prior to time in test chamber.
2. Chamber volume – allowable size of chamber for testing, required sizes may vary depending on sample size. The allowable sizes may be specified as loading ratios, e.g. ratios of test sample size (typically surface area) to chamber volume.
3. Test sample size – allowable range of dimensions used to control sample sizes, may vary depending on chamber size, and type of sample as follows:
a) material e.g. fabric, wood, fiberglass, etc.
b) component of assembly e.g. drawer front, chair cushion with fabric and foam, etc.
c) assembly e.g. office furniture panel, chair, file cabinet, casegood, etc.
d) office workstation, reference BIFMA white paper WP 7.1 for workstation variations.
4. Time in chamber – amount of time that test samples must remain in the test chamber during emissions sampling points, may vary for screening or monitoring tests versus full qualification tests.
5. Chamber air changes per hour – allowable range of air changes per hour in the test chamber.
6. Chamber environmental conditions – allowable ranges for temperature, relative humidity, background contaminant levels, etc.
7. Measurement point timing – allowed or recommended timing of emission concentration measurements in chamber, relative to time product is placed in chamber. and timing of measured emission concentration to be used as determination of compliance e.g. five, seven, or 14 days from “unpacking”.
B. Acceptance criteria (defined as parameters that affect the modeled or calculated emission concentrations under room use conditions).
1. Modeled office volume – allowable volume within building space to be used to estimate emission concentration, e.g. 32 m3, etc.
2. Modeled air changes per hour – allowable air changes per hour to be used to estimate emission concentration, e.g. 0.5, 0.8, etc.
3. Modeled furniture size – allowable size of furniture, typically expressed as surface area, to be used to estimate emission concentration in use conditions.
4. Comparison of emission concentration limits – allowable concentrations for each compound of interest in modeled environment under conditions specified e.g. 0.05 ppm formaldehyde for “x” m2 panel surface area at “y” ACH in “z” m3 environment, etc. The comparison should be based on a comprehensive review of existing limit data from a broad range of sources, e.g. IARC, ACGIH, World Health Organization, etc.
[1] Quoted from the BIFMA RFP except that “recommending concentration limit” to “comparing concentration limits” among existing standards.