Indoor Air Quality Certification

SCS Indoor Advantage and Indoor Advantage Gold – Furniture

• Includes all types of interior office, healthcare, and classroom furniture

SCS Indoor Advantage Gold - Building Materials

• Includes interior building materials such as architectural coatings, paints, sealants, adhesives, wall coverings, floor coverings, ceiling tiles, and wall paneling used in public and commercial office buildings, schools, medical buildings, single-family residences, and other building types.

Indoor Advantage and Indoor Advantage Gold products must undergo an evaluation process, which includes a review of the product’s formulation and the manufacturing site’s document control system, and product’s emissions testing.

Indoor Advantage/Indoor Advantage Gold tests for 35 individual Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) specified by the California Standard Method for VOC Emissions Testing and Evaluation (Standard Method V1.2), otherwise known CA Section 01350.

In addition, furniture products are also assessed for compliance according to the ANSI/BIFMA Furniture Sustainability Standard, Credits (7.6.1, 7.6.2, and 7.6.3), which is a similar list to the CA Section 01350, with additional compounds such as 1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone.

The regulatory formaldehyde emissions requirements per the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM 93120) and the EPA Formaldehyde Rule applies solely to formaldehyde emissions from composite wood panel products (e.g. MDF, particleboard, hardwood plywood (veneer or composite core).

The voluntary green building indoor air quality certification of Indoor Advantage and Indoor Advantage Gold applies to finished furniture products and building materials tested for 35 individual VOC emissions (including formaldehyde).

The US EPA defines VOCs as “any compound of carbon, excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides or carbonates, and ammonium carbonate, which participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions." VOC gases are emitted from certain solids or liquids, and include a variety of organic chemicals, some of which may have short-term and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.

The Indoor Advantage/Indoor Advantage Gold standard is a VOC emission based standard for indoor air quality and does not include phthalates within its scope because it is not considered an emission source when manufactured in products like furniture. Primary exposure concerns for phthalates occur through ingestion, such as with toys or plastic bottles. Manufacturers may choose to have products tested for phthalate content at a qualified lab.

A client’s emissions results for products are confidential. SCS’ may not disclose or distribute confidential data on the client’s behalf. For specific emissions data requests, you may contact the manufacturer directly.

The SCS Green Products Guide has a complete and searchable list of all Indoor Advantage/Indoor Advantage Gold certified products.

The cost of Indoor Advantage/Indoor Advantage Gold certification is determined by the specific scope of products and operations to be assessed.

Yes, SCS will work with the distributors and the Indoor Advantage/Indoor Advantage Gold certified manufacturers to undergo private label certification. 

1. Encourage your manufacturer to become Indoor Advantage certified and then apply for a private label certification.
2. Pursue certification and use the OEM as your product manufacturing site.

SCS provides on-going program support, including staff assistance, marketing and promotional support, and information about new or revised requirements. Certified clients will receive information about the logo use guidelines for both packaging and marketing purposes.

As part of the certification package, our team provides marketing support and education to your sales team to help promote your successful certification.

Third-party certification assures customers that a product’s environmental claims have been validated by a qualified, independent, and objective organization. All products are measured against the same criteria, making product comparisons possible. Third-party certification encourages transparency and builds trust among consumers.

Yes. All results reported by the lab for certification are distributed to both SCS and the client.

SCS is a third-party certification body who partners with experts in the field of indoor air quality. As a chartered Benefit Corporation, SCS reflects its corporate commitment to creating a material positive impact on society and the environment, and takes into account the impact of its efforts on workers, the community, the environment, and shareholders.

SCS has formed relationships with its approved laboratories who are leaders in indoor air quality and product testing. Our laboratory partners include: Berkeley Analytical Associates, MAS, TUV Rheinland – Hong Kong, Eurofins, and Eco-INSTITUT.

SCS has strong industry networks with leading green building experts, such as BIFMA, RFCI, ILFI, Well Building Institute, and CHPS, who have provided feedback and review of SCS standards.