ANSI/BIFMA Releases Revised Low VOC-Emitting Office Furniture and Seating Standards
The American National Standards Institute and the Building and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (ANSI/BIFMA) has released its revised versions of M7.1-2011 Standard Test Method for Determining VOC Emissions from Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating, and X7.1-2011 Standard for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-Emitting Office Furniture and Seating. The revisions to the Standard Test Method (M7.1) include two separate procedures to determine conformance with the compliance criteria: the concentration approach, and the emissions factor approach. The revised method also allows for direct scaling to determine compliance. Direct scaling is the testing of small samples of component assemblies that can be scaled to predict emission factors or building concentrations of a full-size product. Additionally, direct scaling allows the testing of complete component assemblies in combination to predict emission factors or building concentrations of full-sized products. In conjunction with these changes to the M7.1 method, the revised Standard (X7.1) establishes maximum emission factors that workstation or individual furniture components must meet to comply with ANSI/BIFMA acceptance criteria. The MAS Certified Green® Program can test your products for ANSI/BIFMA compliance. For more information, contact MAS.