Introduction

Firestop products have a broad selection of tests and certification providing data on the environmental and health impact of products. VOC test certificates provide evidence that products meet nationally and internationally defined and recognized standards for VOC Emissions and Content. When selecting a product for an application or project, VOC certification supports both the achievement of Green Building Certification and project specific sustainability goals and helps in the selection of the product.

VOC Definition

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. VOCs are chemicals that easily become vapors or gases at room temperature. These include carbon based organic materials such as alcohols, aldehydes, organic acids amongst many others. When a wet applied chemical product cures (for example a foam) or dries (such as a sealant), VOCs that are not fully reacted or embedded into the chemical product can evaporate into the air. This so-called off-gassing can happen immediately during application impacting the construction worker or over time impacting the health and safety of building occupants. VOC exposure can lead to unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, eye, nose or throat irritation, dizziness, nauseous, difficulty to concentrate and sensitivity to odours. Some VOCs are carcinogenic.

By carrying out VOC testing on products at ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratories, Hilti provides its’ customers the transparency for product choice based on internationally recognized standards.

Green Building Schemes and VOCs

Numerous Green Building Schemes such as LEED, BREEAM, WELL, DGNB and Living Building Challenge set out minimum requirements for air quality in buildings. Providing product level certification can help achieve those minimum requirements. VOC requirements are outlined for Adhesives, Sealants, Paints and Coatings as well as thermal insulation products with, in some cases, such as BREEAM, specific limits set out in the Green Building Scheme. Firestop Product level VOC Certificates can support achievement of credit points in those Green Building Schemes with LEED and BREEAM specific attestations available for certain products, leading to whole building certification. Table 1 below summarizes the types of test attestations available for Firestop products and which Green Buildings Schemes they can support achievement of credits.

Table 1: Certificates and Green Building Scheme Relevance
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Conclusion

Environmental Scheme Support is part of Hilti's Sustainability Strategy. This is why VOC tests have been carried out and certificates are available for most of Hilti's Firestop Products, ensuring that all new products fulfil the test requirements in the relevant markets and countries and that existing products are re-tested at regular intervals to ensure continued fulfillment of the standards.
VOC Certificates for Firestop support achievement of credits in Green Building Schemes and in doing so supports Hilti's Sustainability Strategy: to be our Customer's Best Partner for Sustainability. 

Further Information

To find the VOC certificates, please check the Product page on Hilti Online under Sustainability Documents. Read more about the Sustainability at Hilti under www.hilti.group/content/hilti/CP/XX/en/company/Sustainability/Sustainability.html

 
References:
 
LEED 5.0 Building Design and Construction
April 2025, Launch Edition
 
LEED V4.1 Building Design and Construction
October 2021
 
LEED V5.0 Rating System Building Design and Construction:
New Construction Core and Shell
 
BREEAM-NOR v6.0 New Construction Technical Manual SD5076NOR
 
BREEAM International New Construction Version 6.0
Technical Manual-SD 250
 
DGNB System
ENV1.2 Risiken für die lokalen Umwelt
 
WELL v2
International WELL Building Institute.
 
Living Building Challenge 4.1
Program Manual
A Visionary Path to a Regenerative Future
October 2024

Hilti Sustainability Strategy:
www.hilti.group/content/hilti/CP/XX/en/company/Sustainability/Sustainability.html