The standards are accepted by the industry’s major certifying organizations.

by Mairi Beautyman

The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) has approved two volatile organic compound (VOC) standards released by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) International.


The ANSI/BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standards, newly released, are voluntary across the U.S., and apply to VOC emissions from office furniture. They are:

•    ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2014 Standard Test Method for Determining VOC Emissions from Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating, and
•     ANSI/BIFMA X7.1-2014 Standard for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-emitting Office Furniture Systems and Seating

Applying publicly available chamber testing documentation, the standards will be used as a starting point to evaluate the initial release of airborne chemicals emitted from furniture workstations and seating.

“Receiving formal ANSI approval of these standards is the culmination of years of development, research and consensus building effort,” says Thomas Reardon, BIFMA’s executive director. “ANSI approval ensures that a broad and diverse group of stakeholders have had the opportunity to participate in the development and their comments have been appropriately addressed.”

The standards are accepted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system, the Scientific Certification Systems Indoor Advantage program, the NSF International indoor air quality certification program, and in part, by the Greenguard Environmental Institute.