Certification

Notified in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation (EU No. 305/2011)

As a notified certification body (Ref. No. 0765) in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation (EU No. 305/2011), we carry out certifications for the European market access of various building products in accordance with harmonized standards or the European Technical Assessment (ETA). 

Notified accordance with the Lower Saxony building code (NBauO)

The Fraunhofer WKI is notified as a certification body for construction products and construction techniques in accordance with the Lower Saxony building code (NBauO). In particular, we carry out the construction product certifications required for the German market in accordance with the Model Administrative Provisions – Technical Building Rules (MVV TB) or products with general technical approval:

• Carpenter joints
• Multi-layer boards
• Plywood for scaffolding
• Fiberboards organically bonded
• Glued timber
• Beam construction types
• Panel construction types
• External thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS)
  
• Floor coverings
• Load-bearing structures made of glued laminated timber (glulam), glued solid timber or laminated veneer lumber (LVL) of softwood with nail plate connections
• Bonded composite components made of glued laminated timber (glulam), unless covered by DIN EN 14080, and cross-laminated timber (CLT)
• Non-glued wall, ceiling and roof elements clad or planked on both sides, e.g. panel elements for timber houses in timber panel construction
• Glued wall, ceiling and roof elements clad or planked on both sides, e.g. panel elements for wooden houses in wooden panel construction
• Phenoplasts and aminoplasts of adhesive type I for bonded load-bearing joints in and of wood components

Certification “E ^[D2020]®” regarding compliance with the German Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance (ChemVerbotsV)

Pursuant to the “Ordinance on the prohibition and restriction of the marketing and sale of specific substances, mixtures and products in accordance with the Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance” (ChemVerbotsV), special requirements apply in Germany to wood-based materials with regard to the emission of formaldehyde.

The E ^[D2020]® certification from the Fraunhofer WKI serves as proof of compliance with the ChemVerbotsV and enables wood-based material manufacturers to provide their customers with evidence of external monitoring.

Furthermore, the E ^[D2020]®certification also fulfills the requirements of the IKEA guideline IOS-MAT-0181.
 

Further information:
Info sheet | Certification “E ^[D2020]®”

Certification “REAC-H-CHO” regarding compliance with the European REACH chemicals ordinance

Formaldehyde emission limits are being standardized and intensified throughout Europe. This affects, amongst other things, wood-based materials, furniture, construction products, and the interior fittings of road vehicles. The new limits will apply from the 6^th of August 2026. As a research and development partner for the wood-based materials industry, the Fraunhofer WKI offers the “REAC-H-CHO” certification procedure on the basis of the new REACH requirements.
 

Further information:
Info sheet | Certification “REAC-H-CHO”

“E1 hEN” certification for the European market

In order to fulfill the special requirements of the European harmonized standards and the increased demands of the wood-based materials industry, the Fraunhofer WKI offers its own certification program “E1 hEN”. This certification currently fulfils the requirements of the EN 13986 and EN 14041 standards and can be extended to other harmonized European standards.
 

Further information:
Info sheet | Certification “E1 hEN”

“TSCA Title VI” certification for the US market

In the USA, formaldehyde limits apply to plywood, particle board and MDF. The requirements are regulated in Chapter VI of the “Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA)” of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They apply to products that are sold, supplied, imported, offered or manufactured in the USA. Implementation of and compliance with the requirements must be carried out by a “third-party certifier” (TPC) recognized by the EPA. The Fraunhofer WKI is recognized by the EPA as a TPC and offers certification pursuant to “TSCA Title VI”.
 

Further information:
Info sheet | Certification “TSCA Title VI”

“CARB” certification for the special requirements in California

In California, formaldehyde-emission requirements for uncoated particle board, fiberboard and plywood were already applicable prior to the enactment of the EPA’s TSCA Title VI regulation. The California formaldehyde-emission standard was established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in the “California Code of Regulations” and continues to apply - parallel to the emission standard pursuant to the EPA’s “TSCA Title VI”. The requirements in the two regulations are very similar. However, if a CARB requirement is more stringent than the EPA requirement, the CARB requirement must be followed. Implementation of and compliance with CARB requirements must be performed by a CARB-recognized third-party certifier (TPC).

The Fraunhofer WKI is recognized by CARB as a TPC and offers “CARB” certification pursuant to the “California Code of Regulations” (Title 17, § 93120 to 93120.12).
 

Further information for comparison of the requirements pursuant to CARB / EPA:
Info page “CARB / U.S. EPA Comparisons” on the CARB website

Further information regarding the range of certification offered by the Fraunhofer WKI:
Info sheet | Certification “CARB”

„pure life“ 

On the basis of the Fraunhofer WKI testing standard WKI-PS-EPUD-001, PU insulation materials can achieve the "pure life" certification. The certification procedure was developed for particularly low-emission PU insulation materials in collaboration with the Überwachungsgemeinschaft Polyurethan-Hartschaum e. V. (quality surveillance organization for polyurethane hard foam).