In this project, we are addressing the question as to how the emissions of wood and wood-based materials develop over a longer period of time and how they are relevant as regards indoor air in a real-life installation situation. The established evaluation schemes for building products stipulate an examination after 28 days for the evaluation of the long-term emission. This measurement alone may not be representative for the assessment of the long-term emission behavior of wood and wood-based materials as it may not adequately depict their contribution to the quality of the indoor air.
In the part of the project being supervised by the Fraunhofer WKI, we initially measure individual emissions from building materials in accordance with conventional methods. Subsequently, investigations into interactions of individual components within the composite are performed. The focus is hereby placed upon the inspection of the emissions of such a composite, for example a wall, over a longer period of time as well as their effect on the indoor air quality. In order to nevertheless be able to set standardizable boundary conditions, the tests are performed in large test chambers. For the verification of the results of the research, the scientists at the Thünen Institute perform parallel measurements on real buildings made from the same materials. For the realization of the structures, close cooperation takes place with associations from the wood industry and manufacturers of wooden houses as well as their suppliers.
Tasks of the Fraunhofer WKI:
- Definition of a scenario in large test chambers in the standardization model room for the simulation of real room conditions
- Individual testing of all utilized building materials, including an evaluation in compliance with AgBB (Health-related evaluation of building products)
- Installation of exemplary, standardized wall elements in a large test chamber
- Possibilities for evaluation of odors in component measurements (AgBB) and in the construction (large test chamber and real room)
- Long-term behavior
- Assistance in the Thünen Institute project section (recommendations for action with regard to odor and large test chambers)
Additional information can be found on the Project website of the Thünen Institute.
Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research 
