IA-Quest: indoor air quality emission simulation tool - Download

IA-Quest: indoor air quality emission simulation tool - Disclaimer

Indoor Air Quality Emission Simulation Tool(IA-QUEST) 1.1 is both a database of material emission test results and an indoor air quality simulation program, including documentation to explain or assist in the use of the software product (the "Software"). NRC does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the Software or any information incorporated in the database of the Software.

Testing of Organic Compound Emissions

NRC selected the test samples and conducted the testing of these samples. NRC controlled the design and operation of the emissions chambers, controlled the collection and handling of test specimens, and performed the chemical sampling and analysis of the organic compounds emitted by the test samples. Resulting information is included in the database component of the Software.

Limitations of Database

A material from one manufacturer may have a different emissions profile than a material of the same name but produced by a different manufacturer. Material lots may vary within the operations of the same manufacturer. NRC did not test every product available in a given category of materials. For these reasons test specimens may not accurately represent all available materials in given category of which they are a part. Thus, IA-QUEST 1.1 incorporates a limited database of information and is not a substitute for professional advice or information. Anyone using this indoor air quality simulation tool should refer to the User Manual for a more detailed description of limitations; however, some limitations of the database are identified here:

• Emission coefficients are based on tests conducted over a period of approximately 120 hours and at test conditions of 23°C and 50% RH. Extrapolating results to longer time periods or to other environmental conditions will affect the reliability of the results and should be done with caution.
• Any given material may have both multiple manufacturing sources and specific production types/classes. In addition, a single product may demonstrate significant variability in emission characteristics due to transient production factors (changing feedstock materials, environmental and process conditions during manufacture, etc). As a result of these influences, emission characteristics may not be exactly as indicated by the models in the database and should not be considered to be precisely predictive of individual commercial products on the market even if they are in an identical category.
• Due to the evolving nature of manufacturing processes and/or practices, the date of specimen procurement and testing should be carefully examined.
• Absence of formaldehyde/carbonyl compound emission data for a test specimen does not mean that the test specimen did not emit formaldehyde/carbonyl compounds. Formaldehyde/carbonyl compound emission data has been included in the database only for those test specimens for which emission sampling was conducted at 24 hour intervals for at least 5 days.
• The IA-QUEST 1.1 software does not provide estimation of the "sink effect" of individual or total Volatile Organic Compounds.
• The secondary reactions that may occur between individual chemical species (i.e. the impact of "indoor chemistry") are also not considered.