NT BUILD 438
Approved in 1995, this method evaluates emissions of volatile compounds from materials, including applications in product development and comparison.
Read the Nordtest methodAbout CHEMATEC
The story behind FLEC®
Measure material emissions – where they matter.
CHEMATEC is the Danish company behind the original FLEC® — the Field and Laboratory Emission Cell. Our instruments help researchers, laboratories, manufacturers and building professionals investigate the substances released from materials into indoor air.
Our story brings together Scandinavian emissions research, practical instrument development and a family business now continued by its second generation.
The company
A Danish family business
CHEMATEC was founded in 1985 by Poul Erik Sørensen. The company’s work with FLEC and its accessories became a central part of its contribution to material-emission measurement.
Today, the business continues as CHEMATEC Rossing Data ApS, with the founder’s son, Henrik Rossing, carrying the family business forward. Based in Skagen, Denmark, we combine experience in scientific instrumentation with technical support and direct customer contact.
Our purpose is to help customers obtain useful evidence about material emissions — whether they are developing a product, investigating an installed surface or planning a research programme.
The original idea
Bringing the measurement to the material
Understanding material emissions requires a way to collect the substances released from a defined surface. Researchers also needed a practical instrument that could work with materials already installed in buildings.
FLEC addressed this challenge with a compact, portable emission cell. A suitable material surface forms its lower boundary. Controlled air carries emissions from the defined area to sampling media for subsequent laboratory analysis. The cell collects the emissions; the selected analytical method identifies and quantifies the compounds.
This arrangement makes it possible to investigate suitable surfaces without removing a specimen from the building. It also provides a practical setup for controlled laboratory testing. The name describes this dual purpose: Field and Laboratory Emission Cell.
Technical background — CHEMATEC FLEC guide (PDF)Scientific foundations
From Scandinavian research to a published method
FLEC emerged from Scandinavian research around 1990–1991. An early publication introducing the cell appeared in Indoor Air Quality ’91: Healthy Buildings, published by ASHRAE.
The authors were Peder Wolkoff, Per Axel Clausen, P. A. Nielsen, H. Gustafsson, B. Jonsson and E. Rasmusen. Their contribution records an early milestone in the scientific history of FLEC.
Original 1991 publication — research recordFurther documentation followed in 1993, when Wolkoff, Clausen, Nielsen and Lars Gunnarsen published a study examining emission processes from carpet, linoleum, paint and sealant using FLEC and modelling. This work helped establish the scientific understanding of how the cell could be used to investigate material emissions over time.
Documentation of FLEC — 1993 publicationA shared framework
From research to standardised testing
The development of published methods gave laboratories and practitioners a shared framework for planning and documenting emission measurements.
NT BUILD 484
Approved in 1998, this method investigates emission sources on installed surfaces. Measurements are described as semiquantitative because conditions can be difficult to control in buildings.
Read the Nordtest methodISO 16000-10
The 2006 edition describes laboratory determination of emissions from building products and furnishing using an emission test cell under defined conditions.
Read the ISO standard overviewASTM D7143
This practice covers emission cells for determining volatile organic emissions from indoor materials and products.
Read the ASTM practice overviewThese documents define testing methods and practices; the appropriate procedure depends on the application.
Explore testing standardsFLEC today
Supporting research and everyday decisions
FLEC connects scientific investigation with practical questions about materials.
- Product development
- How do alternative materials, formulations or surface treatments compare?
- Building investigations
- Which installed surfaces may contribute to indoor-air emissions?
- Production quality control
- How do emissions vary between comparable products or production batches?
- Research
- How do emissions change with time, material condition and test conditions?
Our publications collection provides a route into the research using or discussing FLEC, helping users explore applications, experimental approaches and the development of the method.
Explore FLEC publicationsThe complete setup
The equipment around the measurement
A useful measurement depends on the complete setup. Alongside the FLEC emission cell, our product range includes air supply and control equipment, sub-units, test plates, seals and accessories.
We help customers select equipment for their materials, sampling arrangements and intended testing procedure. This includes discussing the practical requirements of laboratory work and measurements in buildings.
Explore FLEC productsThe next chapter
Continuing the FLEC story
The practical value of FLEC remains closely connected to the question that shaped its development: how can we investigate what a material releases from its surface?
At CHEMATEC, we continue to support that work through instruments, application dialogue and access to technical information. Our ambition is to help customers turn emission measurements into better-informed decisions about products and indoor environments.