Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) refers to all environmental factors that affect the health and wellbeing of building occupants. IEQ focuses largely on indoor air quality, with comfort, humidity, air exchange, acoustics, and lighting quality being contributing factors.

To help building professionals create healthy, pleasant spaces, USG offers:

Ceilings With Zero or Low Formaldehyde Emissions

USG offers the widest selection of standard ceilings that satisfy stringent guidelines related to VOC and formaldehyde emissions, as tested per California Special Environmental Requirements, Specifications Section 01350.

• Zero-emitting ceilings: USG cast ceilings
  Concentration levels do not exceed 2 µg/m³ (1.6 ppb), the background level specified for this test protocol.



• Low-emitting ceilings: Most USG mineral-fiber ceilings
  Concentration levels do not exceed the 13.5 ppb limit required by this test protocol and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS).



• Ceilings that meet minimum standards: All USG ceilings
  Concentration levels do not exceed the 50 ppb limit established by the State of Washington in 1989, the first widely recognized standard for indoor air quality.

Antimicrobial Treatments to Counter Mold

The presence of mold, mildew and other microbes, which can cause problems ranging from allergic reactions to illness, is a symptom of a larger construction or maintenance problem allowing unwanted moisture to develop. A sound mold strategy begins with good building design, careful detailing and proper maintenance.

As a backup, architects and specifiers may choose materials offering enhanced mold resistance for a degree of short-term protection in the event of a system failure. To meet this need, USG offers ceiling panels¹ with ClimaPlus Superior Performance which provides guaranteed resistance against mold and mildew growth, subject to use under normal conditions. In addition, several USG ceiling panels are formulated to inherently resist the growth of mold and mildew.

• CLIMAPLUS™ Superior Performance. Face and back surfaces of these panels feature a patented antimicrobial treatment for broad-spectrum control of fungi, mold and mildew. Controlled laboratory tests in accordance with ASTM D3273² and evaluated per ASTM D3274³ have demonstrated the effectiveness of USG panels with ClimaPlus Superior Performance compared to standard, untreated ceilings.



• CLIMAPLUS™ Inherent Performance Fiberglass or ceramic-bonded substrate that is inherently resistant to the growth of mold and mildew.

With good design and careful material selection, building professionals can create structures that function as beautifully as they look.

Indoor Environmental Quality (SC2452)

^1. White panels only.

^2. Standard Test Method for Resistance to Mold on the Surface of Interior Coatings in an Environmental Chamber. Note that this ASTM lab test is not intended to predict long term mold resistance and may not accurately represent the mold performance of building materials in actual use. Given unsuitable project conditions during storage, installation or after completion, any building material can be overwhelmed by mold. To manage the growth of mold, the best and most cost-effective strategy is to protect building products from water exposure during storage and installation and after completion of the building. This can be accomplished by using good design and construction practices. For details, see Testing for Mold Resistance (WB2420).

^3. Standard Test Method for Evaluating Degree of Surface Disfigurement of Paint Films by Microbial (Fungal or Algal) Growth or Soil and Dirt Accumulation.