Making our mark

OWA A+ quality / French VOC-Label: Émissions dans l'air inérieur*

Since Jan 1st, 2012, construction products, decoration and furnishing products to be traded in France for the first time are to be labelled with an emissions classification on the basis of VOC emissions tests.

 *Information sur le niveau d’émission de substances volatiles dans l’air intérieur, présentant un risque de toxicité par inhalation, sur une échelle de classe allant de A+ (très faibles émissions) à C (fortes émissions)

With this label, the German Institute for Sustainability & Economics certifies OWA a comprehensive sustainability assessment in the areas

Ecology, economics and social skills
(Product, service and consulting quality, economic future orientation, corporate management as well as ecological and social responsibility)

"GreenTag" for OWAcoustic ceiling tiles, OWAtecta metal ceilings and OWAconstruct grids

An Australian green product certification

Blue Angel for OWAcoustic ceiling tiles, OWAtecta metal ceilings and
OWAconstruct grids

A guarantee for safe products. This certificate also takes into account the use of natural raw materials and the disposal of the products as non-hazardous waste.

DIN 18177

"Wet-process factory-produced mineral tiles – characteristics and test methods" limits the emissions of formaldehyde and VOC.

Internationally recognised management systems

ISO 9001:2008 (Quality)
ISO 14001:2004 (Environment)
BS OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational safety),
ISO 50000:2011 (Energy)

Fibre persistence certification, Fraunhofer Institute, Hanover

Confirms the bio-solubility of our mineral wool, in compliance with the Hazardous Materials and Chemicals Prohibition Ordinance, as well as European Directive 97 / 69.

Asbestos-free certificate, GSA, Neuss-Norf
Confirms that our ceiling tiles do not contain asbestos.

CE
Our products comply with the EU Directives. OWA is the first company in its sector to introduce the CE mark based on the European standard EN 13964.

Transparency in composition
OWAcoustic^® mineral tiles are free of asbestos and formaldehyde. A "General Building Authority Approval" from the German Institute for Building Technology is available. The mineral wool used to manufacture the tiles is biosoluble.

HQE® / LEED® / DGNB®

OWA products can also be used in buildings that must comply with the important requirements of the sustainability certification procedure
.

RAL
The criteria for non-classification as a carcinogenic substance pursuant to the Hazardous Substance Regulation (Annex II, no. 5, bio-persistent fibres) and European Regulation 1272/2008 (Note Q) are satisfied and guaranteed by the "RAL Quality Mark for Mineral Wool".

E.ON Environment Prize
Distinguished! In 2007 OWA received the renowned environment prize awarded by Germany's largest energy provider for its innovative heat-recovery system.

Environmental Product Declaration – EPD
An EPD provides information about the use of energy and resources and the extent to which a product contributes to the greenhouse effect, acidification, over-fertilisation, destruction of the ozone layer and smog formation. It also gives details about technical properties which are required for the assessment of the performance of the product in a building, such as service life, heat and noise insulation, or its influence on the quality of the air inside the building. Together with WETEC (the Wet-felt Technical Committee), Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH supports sustainable building by means of Environmental Product Declarations at the Building and Environment Institute [Institut Bauen und Umwelt e. V], as we also see it as our role to provide information about the origin of the raw materials, production and treatment processes and energy consumption, and to be aware of the effects on the environment so that these can be minimised in a continuous improvement process. The EPD which has been produced already complies with the Europe-wide harmonised EN 15804.

Ökoprofit in the Bavarian Lower Main region
Since 2008 we have been constantly involved in "Ökoprofit" (ecological project for integrated environmental protection) and we are committed to saving energy and raw materials.

LEED^® Gold for OWA
In 2012 our administration building was certified in accordance with the LEED^® standard. Rating: Gold!