EAACI Congress 2023
The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is the primary source of expertise in Europe for all aspects of allergy. EAACI is an association of clinicians, researchers and allied health professionals, dedicated to improving the health of people affected by allergic diseases with more than 13,000 members from 124 countries and over 50 National Allergy Societies. EAACI’s mission is to provide the best platform for science and education for allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology, connecting experts worldwide. Their aim is to promote research, scientific information and good patient care as well as encouraging and providing training and continuous education.
The annual congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) brings together scientists, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders involved in Allergy and Clinical Immunology from all around the world. This flagship congress brings the EAACI community together for networking, discovering, learning, and sharing the most recent research.
ASL is proud to share the outcomes of their research during the “Aerobiology and Pollution” session at this event on Friday 9th June.
The research study comprised of a thorough review of literature and relevant data to establish rigorous criteria and testing thresholds for the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program.
At Allergy Standards, we offer certification of building materials and household products such as flooring, insulation, paint and HVAC filters. Flooring covers a substantial proportion of the home and so any emissions from installed flooring can contribute significantly to the indoor air quality. There has been a historical practice of recommending against carpet for those with asthma and allergies. Textile flooring products have been developed to provide people with a hybrid option. Our aim was to evaluate if a certification standard could be developed to test and certify suitable textile flooring products.
Results
The research results led to the development of a Certification Standard with strict criteria for textile flooring products, including any adhesive used with the product, based on the following testing:
- removal of allergen test dust during cleaning,
- maintenance of low airborne allergen counts during cleaning,
- recovery of the allergen test dust in the cleaning system (dry vacuum cleaner) and
- low emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Testing demonstrated that it is possible to remove allergen from specifically designed commercial textile flooring products, thereby providing better, evidence-backed choices for people with sensitive airways. Future research which focussed on traditional residential carpet as well as aged textile flooring (where fibres may become bent) would be useful to extend the range of available options.
The demand for healthier indoor environments has risen in recent years, and certified science-backed products cut through the generic marketing jargon that has flooded the industry, and provide clear trustworthy verification for those impacted with asthma and allergies.
Our Science Lead Gráinne Cunniffe will be at the 2023 EAACI Congress to present and discuss the research or any other aspect of our certification standards.
Gráinne will also attend Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe in Aachen
Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe
Healthy Buildings Euope bridges the gap between science and practice. It is one of the most influential conferences on sustainable solutions for a healthy and sustainable indoor environment. Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe is organized by University Hospital RWTH Aachen and RWTH Aachen University under the auspices of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ).
Attendance at the conference will give us an opportunity to cement our footprint in Europe while being immersed in the world of emerging science, testing and trends in IAQ, and enjoying the networking!
This year we are delighted to be a GOLD Sponsor of the event.
In his address to the attendees, Marcel Schweiker, President of Healthy Buildings 2023 Europe, discusses the need for a holistic understanding and collaboration between and across disciplines to ensure a future for healthy and stimulating built environments. This is something that resonates with us at ASL. Our recent collaboration with IAQS, a non-profit organization that promotes the exchange of indoor air quality information and expertise and whose members include professionals from various industries, including architecture, engineering, and healthcare demonstrates this. By working with IAQS, we aim to educate the public on the importance of environmental control and provide resources to help people make informed decisions about their indoor air quality.
It is through collaborations such as this that we hope to create a #onehealth world, where healthy people live on a healthy planet.
ASL’s membership of the USGBC LEED program
Our asthma & allergy friendly® Certification has recently been approved by the US Green Buildings Council (USGBC) LEED® Building Rating System, making it a qualified third-party certification for the LEED v4.1 low-emitting materials credit. LEED is a widely used green building rating system run by the USGBC, and provides a framework for healthy, efficient, carbon and cost-saving green buildings.
Resilient and textile flooring, paint, and insulation products that are CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® are now compliant with LEED Low-Emitting Materials credit requirements. ASL’s certification clients all over the world can now have their products included in LEED-certified building and renovation projects.
Key Words
Indoor air quality, EAACI, EAACI Congress 2023, certification standard, healthy homes, certification, asthma, allergies, standards, third party certification, health and well being, indoor environment, asthma & allergy friendly®, Tarkett, flooring, textile flooring carpet
References and further reading