GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- According to the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn., the U.S. Green Building Council has approved a third alternative in its LEED for Commercial Interiors EQ 4.5 low-emitting furniture credit.

The new alternative, called Option C, is based on the BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standards for office furniture systems and seating products. Those standards are the result of more than 10 years of development, BIFMA said, drawing on contributions from U.S. General Services Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State of California, Berkeley Analytical Associates, the National Research Council of Canada and many other stakeholders. BIFMA said it also partnered with Dr. Jianshun Zhang of Syracuse University, a scientist in the field of emissions chamber testing with more than 20 years experience in building ventilation and indoor air quality research.

"BIFMA's goal in developing these standards was to provide a consistent and transparent process for testing, measuring and determining conformance for furniture emissions," said Tom Reardon, executive director of BIFMA.

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