Finnish emissions label for construction products and furniture
The Finnish emission label for construction products and furniture is one of the leading test seals in the Scandinavian region. In 1995, the Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (FiSIAQ) developed the first version of the label and awarded it to products for the first time in 1996.
Today’s certification body is the non-profit Building Information foundation RTS sr, which awards the label in two categories – M1 and M2 (M1 is the best category and stands for “low pollutant”).
Special rules apply to wood, glass, metal, stone and ceramic products, which are specified in the document “Classification of Indoor Environment 2018”.
The test basis for the quality label is a 28-day emission test (incl. ammonia, formaldehyde and carcinogenic substances) and an odour test.
M1 criteria
| Criteria / Classification | M1 (mg/m2h) | M2 (mg/m2h) |
| TVOC (Minimum of 70 % of compounds must be marked) | ≤ 0,2 | ≤ 0,4 |
| Single VOC (in μg/m3) | ≤ EU-LCI | ≤ EU-LCI |
| Formaldehyde (HCOH) | ≤ 0,05 | ≤ 0,125 |
| Ammonia (NH3) | ≤ 0,03 | ≤ 0,06 |
| The emission of compounds (CMR belonging to category 1A or 1B in Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008* (in mg/m3) |
≤0,001 | ≤ 0,001 |
| Odour ** | acceptable | acceptable |
*does not apply to: formaldehyde and acetaldehyde
** Result of sensory evaluation must be ≥ + 0,0.
M1 limit values for small and very small areas and office chairs
Emissions from products falling into the category of small areas (2 m2 ) and very small areas (0.4 m2 ) can also be assessed as model room concentrations. The M1 limits for such products are: TVOC ≤ 20 µg/m3, formaldehyde and ammonia ≤ 10 µg/m3 and KMR compounds ≤ 1 µg/m3, individual VOC (µg/m3) ≤ EU-LCI, the odour of the product must be acceptable (≥ + 0.0). The same limit values also apply to office chairs. In both categories only the M1 classification is awarded.
Products in the small area category are e.g. doors, windows, wooden beams and tile grout and very small areas, e.g. sealants and some adhesives.
About Building Information Foundation RTS sr
The Building Information Foundation RTS sr is part of the Building Information Group – one of Finland’s leading building information companies. The private, non-profit foundation consists of representatives from 54 associations and organisations in the Finnish building industry. The aim of Building Information Foundation RTS sr is to promote the development and use of low-emission building materials. The foundation also owns the publishing house Building Information Ltd, which publishes various media on the subject of building.
Subject to change without notice; last edit: May 16th, 2023.
