SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold
Find out more about SCS Indoor Advantage ™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold here
SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold
The SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold certifications are American environmental certificates awarded by SCS Global Services.
They evaluate the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor spaces and confirm that products meet the strict requirements for indoor air quality.
Award criteria for SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold
To achieve SCS Indoor Advantage™ and SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold certification, products must meet specific criteria for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
It is tested for 35 individual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) according to the California Standard Method for Testing and Evaluation of VOC Emissions.
The award criteria are defined in various standards and regulations.
Here are the detailed award criteria for both certificates:
SCS Indoor Advantage™:
- VOC emission standards:
products must meet the requirements of ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 and X7.1 (furniture standards) or the relevant section of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method V1.2-2017. - Test procedure:
Emission tests are carried out in a controlled environment to ensure that VOC emissions are below the specified limits. - Inspection frequency:
The certification requires an annual inspection and retesting of the products to ensure ongoing compliance with the emission standards.
SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold:
- Stricter VOC emission limits:
In addition to the standards mentioned above, products must comply with even stricter emission limits, which are often defined in accordance with the requirements of LEED v4, WELL Building Standard, and BREEAM. - Extended test requirements:
The test procedures may include additional tests or longer test cycles to ensure that the products meet the higher air quality requirements. - Additional criteria:
Other environmental criteria may also be considered to ensure that the products contribute to a healthier indoor environment.
SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold is suitable for the following product groups:
SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold – Furniture:
- Includes all types of interior furniture for offices, healthcare and classrooms
SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold – Building materials:
Includes interior building materials used in public and commercial office buildings, schools, medical buildings, single-family homes and other building types.
These include:
- Architectural coatings
- Colors
- Sealants
- Adhesives
- Wall cladding
- Floor coverings
- Ceiling tiles
- Wall cladding
SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold: Certification body
If you wish to certify a product to SCS Indoor Advantage™ or SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold, please contact SCS Global Services directly.
They will determine the scope of the project and provide you with a timeline and cost estimate.
Upon your approval, you will be assigned an SCS Global Services auditor to guide you through the certification process.
The certification itself is performed by an SCS-approved laboratory for testing to ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 and/or CDPH Standard Method V1.2 2017 (California Section 01350).
If you are interested in the exact schedule of the certification process, you can find it here.
Costs for SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold
The costs for your certification depend on the specific scope of the products and processes to be assessed in the certification process.
As mentioned above, we will provide you with an individual schedule and cost estimate in advance.
Are the SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold certification programs mandatory?
The SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold certifications are voluntary certifications that you can use as a company to highlight your products in terms of environmental and health standards and to meet the requirements of certain environmentally conscious customers or construction projects.
Recognition of SCS Indoor Advantage™ & SCS Indoor Advantage™ Gold for certification systems
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 reviews of SCS standards.
Source: SCS Global Services