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Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound, a group of substances that also includes benzene and toluene. These compounds are commonly used in paints, varnishes, adhesives, cleaning products, furniture, carpets, draperies, and even cosmetics. Most home and office furniture made from particle board relies upon formaldehyde or its aqueous form, formalin, as a resin and sealant.
That’s why government agencies and healthy building design organizations have set standards for acceptable and desirable levels of formaldehyde in homes and commercial buildings.
At low concentrations, VOC exposure is harmless. At higher concentrations and for longer periods, VOCs can cause serious health problems. Formaldehyde health risks range from nose and throat irritation to respiratory problems and even cancer. That’s why monitoring formaldehyde levels is crucial in homes and commercial environments.
Government regulatory agencies define safe levels of formaldehyde exposure. We documented those in our special report on formaldehyde contamination. The substance has also come to the attention of healthy building design organizations, which make recommendations regarding energy efficiency, sustainability, and wellness, including safe concentrations of airborne formaldehyde.
Health organizations have set thresholds for short-term and long-term exposure to formaldehyde:
The Environmental Protection Agency does not prescribe indoor air quality regulations for formaldehyde. The agency does provide information on formaldehyde’s toxicological effects, however. EPA has established a reference formaldehyde concentration of 7 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3). This concentration is defined by the EPA as “the level of continuous inhalation exposure to the human population (including sensitive subgroups) that is likely to be without appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime.”
Monitoring tools can provide early detection of harmful formaldehyde levels, helping to prevent health issues and ensure indoor spaces remain safe. For instance, families moving into newly renovated homes or offices may encounter elevated formaldehyde levels from materials like kitchen cabinets, furniture, or flooring. There are multiple cases when elevated formaldehyde concentrations in a home cause recurring health problems, prompting professional intervention to reduce levels to safer standards.
The WELL standard is published by IWBI, the International WELL Building Institute. WELL focuses on sustainability and health in workplaces and residential environments. Architects, contractors and building managers can use the standard to maximize health and wellness for building occupants.
The WELL Performance rating is based on 33 assessments of indoor air quality, thermal conditions, water quality management, light measurements, acoustic performance, environmental monitoring, and occupant experience. The WELL standard specifies permissible levels of formaldehyde and other pollutants in a program IWBI calls the Air Concept, which defines maximum concentrations of particulate matter, CO2, ozone, radon, and VOCs.
As a requirement for meeting WELL air quality standards, VOCs must be limited The standard defines two ways of ensuring that VOCs are limited to permissible concentrations.
WELL’s Enhanced Air Quality optimization includes meeting a formaldehyde concentration of 9 µg/m³ or lower.
The Air Quality Monitoring and Awareness optimization calls for monitors that conduct continuous measurement of at least three of these parameters:
Calibration, device replacement, and ongoing maintenance can also earn project points toward higher levels of certification.
Atmocube, a commercial indoor air quality monitor, has earned RESET certification. It performs continuous formaldehyde monitoring and is compliant with the WELL standard’s requirements.
Like the WELL standard, Fitwel is focused on health, sustainability, and productivity through building design. It began as a joint project of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the General Services Administration with a goal of promoting health and wellbeing in buildings. Now operated by Active Design Advisors Inc., Fitwel is a voluntary certification program supported by a set of standards and assessment protocols.
According to Fitwel V3 (as of December 2024, V3 is still in beta), a project must test and monitor concentrations of particulate matter and CO2 to ensure they fall within acceptable limits. In addition, building managers must test or monitor three IAQ metrics from a list that includes formaldehyde. The thresholds are:
Management must also establish procedures for improving air quality if these targets are exceeded.
LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a set of sustainability, energy efficiency, and health standards for new construction, "core and shell" building design, commercial interiors, and existing buildings. IAQ monitoring is most relevant to the new construction and existing buildings standards.
The existing version of the standards, v. 4.1, was released in 2019. The second public comment period for LEED v. 5 closed on October 28, 2024.
IAQ performance calls for continuous monitoring of formaldehyde as part of a composite TVOC figure.
For existing buildings, a specific test for formaldehyde concentration is required only once per year. LEED v. 4 and v. 5 both call for a maximum of 20 µg/m3 (16 ppb) of formaldehyde.
For new buildings, LEED requires measurement of TVOC concentrations prior to occupancy. If TVOC levels exceed 500 µg/m3, tests for individual VOCs must be conducted. The maximum level of formaldehyde is 20 µg/m3 (16 ppb).
WELL, Fitwel, and LEED highlight the need for user-friendly real-time IAQ monitoring systems - not just to achieve certification, but to help occupants be safer and healthier. Enrollment in a standards program is a step toward being proactive in creating a healthy environment for workers and residents.
Once prohibitively expensive, continuous IAQ monitoring is increasingly common because modern sensors like Atmocube’s Sensirion SFA30 are more sensitive and less costly. Atmocube’s real-time alerts, data visualization, and actionable insights support a proactive stance in improving IAQ.
The broad connectivity options supported by Atmocube and other modern IAQ monitors make them essential components in intelligent environment management systems that incorporate HVAC systems able to respond to localized IAQ problems in real-time.
More information on Atmocube and how it helps with sustainability standards compliance can be found on our IAQ Monitoring for Healthy Buildings page.
