Indoor Air Quality according to EN 16516 & ISO 16000

The test chamber method is a well-established and now standardized technique that has been used for many years to determine the emissions of construction products into indoor air. Within the European Union, the EN 16516:2017+A1:2020 standard serves as the reference for assessing the release of hazardous substances from building materials.

This standard is based on a series of international norms from the ISO 16000 series, including:

• ISO 16000-9: Describes the conditioning of test specimens in a test chamber under controlled conditions (temperature, humidity, and airflow), as well as the construction and specifications of the chamber and the air sampling procedure.
• ISO 16000-11: Focuses on the preparation of test specimens for conditioning in an emission test chamber or cell.
• ISO 16000-6: Details the quantification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using gas chromatography.
• ISO 16000-3: Explains the quantification of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde using liquid chromatography.

To assess VOC emissions, harmonized European LCI values are used. These represent the highest concentration of individual substances that is not expected to cause adverse health effects. If LCI values are unavailable, AgBB NIK values are applied (where available). These thresholds are developed through careful risk assessment, taking into account vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the ill, and young children.

Centexbel is recognized for the whole range of test standards related to product emissions in simulated living rooms, including the evaluation schemes for the German (AgBB) and French (Affset) market.

The specimens have to be sealed airtight immediately after production and submitted to a controlled conditioning in situ.

For a fast screening, thermal extraction is performed to obtain qualitative results. If necessary, the emission measurements will be accompanied by odour measurements, (e.g. according to VDA-270) to evaluate the sensory properties.