Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important issue in the sustainable construction and design industry. But is it really relevant to painting and decorating contractors— and their businesses? According to experts, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

“Indoor air quality plays a key role in ‘green’ building and design, and that includes interior painting,” says Dr. Marilyn Black, indoor air-quality scientist and founder of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, an industry-independent nonprofit organization that certifies building products and materials for low chemical emissions.“So if you’re not well-versed in low-emitting paints and sealants, you’re already at a huge disadvantage in the marketplace—particularly when competing for sustainable building projects.”

Most contractors are familiar with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the potentially toxic chemicals that are found in and released by paints and other building products, materials, and furnishings. Paint’s unique chemical odor often indicates the presence of airborne VOCs. Research has shown that inhalation exposure to these chemicals can trigger respiratory complications, nosebleeds, headaches, nausea, asthma, and even cancer. Even more alarming is that there are tens of thousands of other VOCs to which people are regularly exposed— and their effects on human health aren’t yet known.

Low-emitting paints can therefore help to create a healthier, more sustainable interior space. They also can help to protect the health of the contractors who are exposed to paint emissions on a daily basis.

The True Colors of “No-VOC” Paints

While it’s easy to find paints that claim to be “low VOC” or “no VOC,” it’s important to realize that not all of them are low-emitting. In fact, some of them can release as many or more VOCs than their ordinary counterparts. The confusion comes from a discrepancy between what those claims imply and what they actually mean. It’s logical to assume that “no VOC” means that the paint doesn’t emit VOCs. Yet the term “no VOC” actually has nothing to do with chemical emissions. Rather, it refers to the paint’s chemical content—or the number of VOCs used in its manufacture.

“Unfortunately, a paint’s VOC content does not necessarily determine its emission level. It’s a common misnomer,” says Henning Bloech, executive director of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.“In fact, some VOCs, like formaldehyde, can actually be generated as a byproduct of chemical reactions that happen during application. These are the VOCs that cannot be measured through content analysis.”

The best way to know whether a paint is as low-emitting as it claims to be is to check for third-party, industry-independent certification from a credible organization.“ True third-party certification ensures that a product’s marketing claims are backed by rigorous scientific testing and objective analysis,” says Black. “It’s all about creating and then maintaining trust within the marketplace.”

Knowledge Is Power

Contractors who understand the difference between VOC content and VOC emissions have a leading edge over those who don’t, asserts Ben Bunyard, vice president at Choate Construction. “There is a distinct advantage to working with painting subcontractors who understand the importance of sustainable building projects because we can rely on them for product recommendations and the necessary product documentation,” Bunyard says.“A sub’s knowledge about third-party-certified product offerings, such as GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® paints, helps them provide options to clients who have sustainability or odor concerns.”

Another benefit for painting contractors is that all Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating Systems accept the use of GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM Certified paints and coatings as a compliance path for earning a point toward Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 4. According to Alyson Laura, director of certifications and LEED Reviewer for the sustainable design and engineering firm, The Epsten Group, this is because the LEED for Schools rating system incorporates the most up-to-date low-emitting materials requirements as identified in CA 01350 (California Department of Health Services Standard Practice for the Testing of Volatile Organic Emissions from Various Sources Using Small-Scale Environmental Chambers). GREENGUARD Children & SchoolsSM Certified paint and coating products are tested to meet these more protective VOC emissions-based requirements.

Endusers also are becoming more educated about the difference between VOC content and VOC emissions, says Stephanie Armistead, general manager at Green- Business WORKS, a marketing communications company that educates and advocates for environmental sustainability.“ As the trend toward ‘green’ living continues to grow, so will the market demand for healthier products,” she explains. “And if consumers want something badly enough—which, in this case, they do—the market has no choice but to adapt.”

Better Air, Better Hours

The use of third-party-certified low-emitting paints on commercial projects can sometimes indirectly affect a contractor’s shift, too. Often, painters are required to work after business hours, when a building’s occupants are gone, in order to reduce occupant exposure to paint fumes and minimize odor complaints. However, lowemitting paints are much less potent. In fact, some have hardly any odor. They can therefore be used during normal business hours with minimal negative impact.

GREENGUARD Certified paints, in particular, have an added benefit for contractors in that they can simplify the often tedious product-documentation process. Every GREENGUARD Certified product comes with a free, downloadable certificate that a contractor can add to a submittal template. This quick and simple process eliminates the need to fill out excess paperwork and saves a contractor valuable time.

“The less red tape for contractors and subcontractors, the better,” says Richard Tarkington, chief executive officer of Welch Tarkington Inc., an Atlanta-based general contracting firm that specializes in interiors. “You simply can’t beat a product that will help save you time and create a healthier space for your customers.”

The Bottom Line

Regardless of the circumstances, industry experts agree that third-party-certified, low-emitting paints are a smart, sustainable, and healthier choice for painting contractors.

“Whether the issue is health, competitive edge in the marketplace, or simplification of project paperwork, lowemitting paints offer a wealth of benefits,” emphasizes Bloech.“To find them, you just have to look beneath the surface.”

GREENGUARD Certified Paints

• Devoe Paints®Wonder-Pure
• Dulux® Lifemaster®
• The Freshaire Choice™
• Benjamin Moore AURA®
• Dutch Boy® Refresh®
• EcoTrend Collagen
• Sherwin Williams Harmony®
• Sherwin Williams Pro Industrial
• Sherwin Williams ProGreen 200®
• Valspar Zenith™
• Visit www.greenguard.org for a complete listing of certified
  products.

Rachel R. Belew is the public relations and communications manager at the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. She handles all media relations and public outreach efforts to help raise awareness about indoor air quality and low-emitting products. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York, NY and a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.