What is the Indoor Climate Label?

Building materials, furniture and other indoor products influence
the indoor air. The Danish Society of Indoor Climate Labelling, (for-
merly Danish Indoor Climate Labelling Association) provides a con-
cept for documentation and labelling of this influence.
 

The goal of the Indoor Climate Labelling is to improve the indoor
air quality in buildings:

• by providing manufacturers with a tool to develop more
  indoor friendly products
   
• by providing users with a tool for the selection of more
  indoor friendly products
   
• by providing a tool for better understanding of the impact
  on the indoor air
   
• by using low-emitting products, so it is not necessary to in-
  crease the ventilation

The Indoor Climate Labelling is established as a voluntary system for
labelling the indoor properties of building materials and other pro-
ducts to be used indoors. Documenting the impact of products on
the indoor air quality, as well as contribu-ting to the development of
indoor friendly products, stands out as important issues in securing a
better indoor environment. Support in the selection of indoor friend-
ly products and contributing to a generally better indoor environment
are pointed out as pivotal topics when manufacturing products for in-
door use.
 

Some experiences from the first years include that professional users
in Denmark have emphasised the importance that the concept of the
Indoor Climate Labelling is scientifically based and the result can be gi-
ven as one single indoor-relevant time-value.
This time-value can be easily understood and makes products within
the same cate-gory of use comparable. Also the dynamic aspect of the
Indoor Climate Labelling that improvements of products are immediate-

ly shown in the time-value, is considered of major importance by users

as well as a mean of competition.

Manufacturers involved in the Indoor Climate Labelling often draw the

attention to the fact that the labelling system is an operational tool that

enables manufacturers and suppliers to nclude indoor air properties in

the documentation and in the product development. Trade organisations

and individual companies seem to agree that the close collaboration be-

tween manufacturers and the Danish Society of Indoor Climate and the

close relation to practice is crucial for the industrial commitment.

The Danish Society of Indoor Climate is open for everybody with a profes-

sional interest in the indoor impact of products and in development of

better and healthier products.
 

For more information: www.dsic.org/dsic.htm.