ABU Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) has launched an awareness drive to promote its voluntary certification schemes for products and services that impact the indoor air quality of buildings in Abu Dhabi in a bid to ensure that appropriate attention is accorded to the selection, installation, and maintenance of construction products across the emirate. Covering interior and exterior paints, carpets, hard flooring, adhesives and sealants, the certification schemes will enable Abu Dhabi residents to choose products carrying the QCC's Environmental Performance Trustmark with low volatile organic compounds (VOC) content. This will protect them from prolonged exposure to pollutants that impact indoor air quality especially in summer months when people spend more time indoors. Mohammed Helal Al Balooshi, Marketing & Communications Acting Director at Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), said: “The Indoor Air Quality Certification Schemes articulate the QCC's responsibility to ensure the compliance of construction products and services to international best practices in Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). “Increased exposure to harmful chemical emissions from paints, adhesives, carpets and furniture leads to respiratory and allergic health effects due to the chemical contamination of indoor spaces. Therefore, these schemes are important in protecting our residents from harmful chemical emissions by following a holistic approach that improves the overall environmental performance of building products.” “The schemes are developed in close collaboration with relevant built environment and construction technical committees comprising government regulators, industry representatives, and testing and certification bodies to ensure the compatibility of existing building codes and development of strategies for assuring successful code implementation,” Al Balooshi added. The QCC is currently endorsing the IEQ in Schools Campaign conducted by Climate Control Middle East magazine, as poor indoor air quality in schools can affect the academic performance of the students involved. This supports the priorities of both the Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Urban Planning Council's ‘Estidama' sustainable building program to create a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy and resources. The QCC operates several certification schemes which support the Estidama program through provision of products which meet the requirements to obtain credits towards the ‘pearl rating system'. In addition to low VOC construction materials these schemes include: low flow rate water fixtures, air/water cooled air conditioning chillers, solar hot water systems, insulation products, glazed window/door systems and gypsum ceiling/wallboards. The products and services that conform to these schemes are awarded Environmental Performance Trustmark, which is a sign of approval by the Abu Dhabi government that the product and service meet the quality, safety and performance criteria agreed upon by regulators and industry. The Council is also developing further quality assurance activities including monitoring and testing of indoor air quality, building IAQ certification, certification of personnel involved in IAQ such as A/C system and duct cleaners, and further product certification schemes to support improvements for Abu Dhabi indoor air quality in the future. The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council was established in 2009 to raise the quality of Abu Dhabi's exports and products traded locally. The QCC sets guidelines and benchmarks to identify and verify that products manufactured and traded in the emirate conforming to the highest quality standards. In addition to protecting the interests of Abu Dhabi's consumers, the QCC is mandated to support its competitive economy and facilitate its integration into the global marketplace. This is achieved through enabling regulators to establish and implement product safety, legal metrology and conformity schemes. — SG
