BREEAM Approves SCS Indoor Advantage Gold Certification Program for Indoor Air Quality Credits
BREEAM, the internationally recognized environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings, has approved certification under the SCS Indoor Advantage Gold program as eligible for credits under BREEAM’s indoor air quality requirements. Indoor Advantage Gold certification is sought by manufacturers of office furniture and building materials, including paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, insulation, wall coverings, furnishings and other interior products. In addition to BREEAM requirements, certification assures that products meet the emissions requirements of CA 01350 and the open, industry ANSI/BIFMA M7.1/X7.1 standards.
SCS Global Services (SCS) – a leader in third-party sustainability certification, auditing, testing and standards development – developed the Indoor Advantage Gold program with multi-stakeholder input. Product testing is conducted in accordance with the rigorous BIFMA FES test method by strategically located independent partner laboratories. A list of Indoor Advantage Gold-certified products is available in the Certified Green Products Guide at scsglobalservices.com.
“Recognition of SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certification by BREEAM enables our customers to meet industry-leading indoor air quality standards, in support of improved indoor air quality,” said Stanley Mathuram, Managing Director of Environmental Certification Services. “This recognition complements BREEAM’s simultaneous approval of another leading SCS indoor air quality standard, FloorScore®, a certification for flooring products developed for the Resilient Floor Coverings Institute (RFCI),” he added.
BREEAM has certified 425,000 buildings around the world since its launch in 1990. BREEAM addresses a wide-range of environmental and sustainability issues from energy to ecology, and encourages developers, designers and building managers to think about low carbon and low impact design.
In addition to BREEAM, several U.S. Green Building Council LEED systems cite Indoor Advantage Gold as an indicator of indoor air quality, including New Construction (NC), Commercial Interiors (CI), Core and Shell (CS), Healthcare (HC), and LEED for Homes. Indoor Advantage Gold is also included in important environmental rating systems such as the BIFMA level® Furniture Sustainability Standard, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), and Green Guide for Health Care.
For information on SCS Indoor Advantage Gold, visit www.scsglobalservices.com/indoor-air-quality-certification
About BREEAM
BREEAM is the internationally recognized measure of sustainability for buildings and communities. More than 425,000 certificates have been issued under BREEAM on more than 24,000 projects around the world, and 1.9 million buildings and communities are registered for certification. BREEAM is used in more than 70 countries. More information at www.breeam.com
About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for more than three decades. Programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, and more. SCS is a Benefit Corporation, reflecting its corporate commitment to creating a material positive impact on society and the environment. For information, visit www.scsglobalservices.com.