EMICODE is a trademark-protected seal for product classification for modern, solvent-free and low-emission laying materials and construction products. These include adhesives, leveling compounds, joint seals and sealing materials, underlays,
adhesive strips and parquet lacquers. The inspection symbol for environmental and interior hygiene has been awarded since 1997 by the GEV (German Registered Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation) to products of manufacturers who subject themselves to strict quality controls and regular inspections. With regard to consumer and environmental protection, EMICODE provides an orientation aid for the assessment and selection of chemical construction products. The classification system is aimed at planners, consumers and tradesmen, is company-independent and competitively neutral.

The EMICODE breaks down into 3 emission classes, based on the strictly defined GEV test method (emissions test chamber) and the GEV classification criteria.

Especially important is the best emission class, EMICODE EC1 PLUS. 

The TVOC thresholds for this class after 28 days are defined as follows:
EMICODE EC1 PLUS for primers, for leveling compounds and for adhesives as well as subfloors ≤ 60 μg / m3.

Many Wakol line products correspond to the best emission class, EMICODE EC1 PLUS. They are subjected to especially strict controls according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, from the raw material stage to manufacture, with respect to their emission characteristics as well as their superb, technical functionality.

FloorScore, developed by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) in conjunction with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), tests and certifies hard surface flooring and flooring adhesive products for compliance with rigorous indoor air quality emissions requirements. Individual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are evaluated using health-based specifications. Flooring and adhesives that earn FloorScore certification earn a legitimately enhanced market position, distinguished by the FloorScore certification label.

Under the FloorScore program, manufacturers must submit a written quality control plan, which includes strict requirements for supply chain management. This process strongly encourages the identification of chemical sources, helping manufacturers to develop materials specifications. By purchasing input materials with low concentrations of the target VOCs, manufacturers gain increasing confidence that their products will meet criteria for certification.

For details please see: https://rfci.com/floorscore/

Air Quality Seal complying products meet the indoor air emissions criteria of

• California Section 01350 Specification
• Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
• Indoor Advantage Gold™ certification
• FloorScore label for low emission resilient and hard floorings

California Section 01350 Specification
The Department of Health Services expanded several sub-sections of the indoor air quality part of Section 01350 through the development of a Standard Practice. Emission chamber tests are performed for VOCs and aldehydes after a 10 days Shelf life period, after (in total) 11, 12 and 14 days. The resulting air concentrations then are rated against the Chronic Reference Exposure Levels (CRELs ) concentrations published by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and procedures developed by the US EPA. Assuming that other products in an office or classroom may be sources of VOCs, CA Section 01350 compliance requires any products not to exceed one-half the allowable concentration limits.
For details please see: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/GREENBUILDING/Specs/Section01350

Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Criteria includes a credit for low-emitting materials. Schools projects that specify and install products that meet Section 01350 can claim up to 4 points towards CHPS certification.
For details please see: www.chps.net

Indoor Advantage Gold™ certification
Building materials such as adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, textiles and wall coverings, and composite wood, as well as classroom and office furniture systems, components and seating that earn this SCS certification meet the indoor air emission criteria of California 01350, the California Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Specifications For Open Panel Office Furniture, and LEED EQ 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, and 4.5.
For details please see: http://product-testing.eurofins.com

FloorScore®
FloorScore® IAQ certified flooring products meet the indoor air quality (IAQ) requirements of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI).
For details please see: https://rfci.com/floorscore/

Indoor Environmental Quality specifications by LEED®, IEQ credit 4.1

There are VOC requirements for adhesives and sealants in the LEED® 2009 specifications for

• Commercial Interior
• New Construction
• Core and Shell
• Existing Buildings (in credit MR3)

These go for VOC content determination, where all volatiles are determined by weight loss after drying at 110 °C during 1h. Besides VOC, also water evaporates then. Therefore a water determination is added and all water is subtracted. Furthermore, all VOCs that are not relevant for ozone generation in ground-level atmosphere ("exempt compounds") are subtracted. Limit values are different per product group and application.

Some examples of limit values (Volatiles minus water minus exempt compounds):

• Flooring adhesives 50 g / l
• Rubber floor adhesives 60 g / l
• Wood floor adhesives 100 g / l
• Indoor sealants 250 g / l

For details please see: www.usgbc.org

The Californian South Coast Air Quality Management District, (SCAQMD) is based in Diamond Bar and covering Orange County and parts of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernadino counties. SCAQMD rules include limitation of VOC content a.o. in adhesives (rule 1168), and are referenced by LEED and other sustainable building ranking schemes in the world. Purpose of this limitation is to protect urban outside air against smog, especially against formation of ground level ozone. California Air Resources Board ARB offers a list with different VOC Limits for Architectural Coating categories that are valid in different California Districts, and a VOC calculator for achieving VOC content in agreement with their rules. There is no direct correlation between VOC content and the emission into indoor air over time. For that reason, LEED for schools and the US Green Building Initiative are specifying limit values for VOC emission into indoor air, mainly based on California Section 01350 specificatio.

For more information see aqmd.gov/

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is a public agency that regulates the stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties of California’s (San Francisco Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano, and southern Sonoma) and adopting air pollution regulations for the district. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District Rule Development Program develops regulations to improve air quality, meet federal and state air quality standards, reduce risk caused by emissions, and improve public health. The rules include limitation of VOC content a.o. in adhesives (regulation 8 rule 51).

For more information see https://www.baaqmd.gov/

The Wheelmark is a mark of conformity valid throughout the EU, confirming suitability of the respective product for marine equipment in accordance with Council of the European Community Directive 2014 / 90 / EU on marine equipment (EC Marine
Equipment Directive – MED). To obtain this mark of conformity, a defined fire test must be passed. In addition to this EC type examination, monitoring measures carried out by an accredited body are required, e.g. a quality management system as per Module D. The support organisation for the Wheelmark is the IMO, International Maritime Organisation, an affiliate organisation of the UNO.

For more information see http://www.mared.org

Connected Systems stands for harmonised system solutions from Loba and Wakol. Due to an intensive cooperation and the exchange of experiences in product development, our products go through a mutually agreed verification and validation process, which guarantees optimal security for laying and no chemical reaction between finish and adhesive.

A list of the products which have the label “Connected Systems” LOBA paints and WAKOL Flooring Adhesives can be found at 
https://www.wakol.com/us/laying-materials/connected-systems

Updates can be found at https://www.loba.de/us_en/  and https://www.wakol.com/us/ 

Professional use of the listed Connected Systems products is a key factor for successful results. Please take note of the respective technical data sheets of the products used.