PITTSBURGH - PPG Industries Inc.'s Pittsburgh Paints brand, a part of the company's Architectural Finishes unit, announced the launch of a new line of zero-VOC premium interior paints, named Pure Performance paint.

The products are designed to target the commercial, institutional and residential markets and boast high levels of durability, hiding and touch-up properties, minimal odor during application and drying, and mildew resistance on the paint film, the company said.

Dick Beuke, vice president, Architectural Coatings, said the new line of paints was formulated to cross market segments in a single brand that offers an environmentally friendly product combined with the strength and durability of traditional premium paint. He said the product is the first paint to receive Green Seal's Class A certification for meeting strict environmental standards.

The company said the product's low odor and absence of VOC emissions make it ideally suited for "occupied space" applications such as hospitals, health-care facilities, retirement homes, schools, restaurants, and other buildings and public spaces.

"Our research and development team has worked hard to formulate a paint that can deliver outstanding performance without the solvents and conventional latex resins found in traditional premium paints," Beuke said. "Pure Performance paint represents a breakthrough in resins technology because it utilizes unique polymer emulsions. This enhances water resistance, improves durability and allows the paint to self-coalesce when drying, eliminating the need for VOC-laden solvents in the paint."

The paint is offered in primer/sealer, flat, eggshell, and semigloss versions and can be tinted to all 1,890 colors in the Pittsburgh Paints Design Collection, the company said.