Low-Emitting materials

Key contribution

In keeping with our focus on green building, GYPROC is committed to reducing concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment, in order to maintain a healthy indoor environment that is free of pollutants.

Aim

To reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants that can damage air quality, human health, productivity, and the environment.

Detailed requirement

This credit covers volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions into indoor air and the VOC content of materials, as well as the testing methods by which indoor VOC emissions are determined. Different materials must meet different requirements to be considered compliant for this credit. The building interior and exterior are organized into seven categories, each with different threshold for compliance. Walls, ceilings and flooring are defined as building interior products; each layer of the assembly, including paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants, must be evaluated for compliance. Insulation is tracked separately.

Read the detailed requirement for Low-Emitting Materials.

Our contribution

Saint-Gobain Gyproc solutions are low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emitting, with emissions close to 0 according to ISO 16000, and do not emit formaldehyde or ammonia in any significant measurable amount.
VOC emission tests conform to the most stringent international standards, and our solutions rank the highest, at A+, compliant with French regulations on VOCs and construction products introduced in April 2011.
During construction, our plaster and plasterboard solutions are more ergonomic than traditional building products (cement, brick, etc.), which reduces manual handling and negates skin irritations.
Our Activ’Air®/AirRenew® patented technology reduces by up to 70% the formaldehyde already present in the indoor air, when 1m² of Activ’Air is installed per 1m3 volume of the room.
Formaldehyde and VOC emissions are classified according to different classes depending on the standards.
In France, from C to A+, the limit values of the emissions’ class refer to the total VOC emissions and also to the evaluation of 10 single substances (in μg/ m3). See table below for the Total VOC and Formaldehyde