INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Quality
Indoor Environments Mean . . .
 | Being free from building
related illness discomfort |
| Promotes well-being
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| Provides for non-hazardous
conditions |
| Maintains thermal comfort
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| Pleasant air quality
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| Ambient illumination and
acoustics are satisfying |
| Supports social needs and
aids productivity |
| Distinguished aesthetic
qualities |
When Indoor Environmental Testing is Required, We. . .
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Determine the Most Appropriate Test |
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Define the Sampling Strategy
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Collect and Analyze the Data Correctly |
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We prepare your final written report in a clear,
concise and court defensible format. |
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Definition of a Healthy Building (Berglund) 1. ...free from building related illness and discomfort 2. ...promotes well-being 3. ...provides for |
Stokes
Environmental
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Microbial Investigations and Control Procedures |
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Employee Comfort Monitoring- Temperature, Carbon Dioxide and TVOC HVAC Dilution Efficiency |
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Steps
in an IAQ Initial Site Analysis
Step
2: Walkthrough (indoors/outdoors)
Step
3: Personnel Surveys
Step
4: Formation of Hypotheses
Step
5: Develop Protocol To Test
Hypotheses
Step 6: Form Initial Conclusions and Make Recommendations
Mold and biological Contamination
Quality Indoor Environments Mean . . .
| Being free from building
related illness or discomfort |
| Promotion of well-being
|
| Provides for non-hazardous
conditions |
| Maintains thermal comfort
|
| Pleasant air quality
|
| Satisfying
ambient
illumination and acoustics |
| Support of social needs and
aids to productivity |
| Distinguished aesthetic
qualities |
When Indoor Environmental Testing is Required, We. . .
|
Determine the most appropriate test
|
|
Define the sampling strategy
|
|
Collect and analyze the data correctly |
|
Prepare your final written report in a clear,
concise and court defensible format. |
|
Our Services Include: Ø
Inspection
and Assessment of Mold Contaminated Facilities |
As Your Environmental Analysts, We Offer You . . .
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Immediate on-site response to disasters |
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Full-service representations to Owners and Insurance Companies |
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A 3rd party interface between insurance carrier(s), owners, and remediation contractors |
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Establish protocols to prevent health hazards during or after the restoration project |
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Provide recommendations to remediate disaster related environmental contamination |
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Accurate, court defensible documentation for insurance claims |
Microbial
Contamination of Indoor Environments
Microbes,
(i.e., bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and viruses) are ubiquitous and can be found
in every environmental niche on earth. They
are a normal part of our existence but only a few are harmful to humans;
however, they may be a significant threat to the health and well-being of young
children, adults who are immuno-compromised through chronic disease or
chemotherapy, and the aged.
Pathogenic
(infectious disease causing) and toxigenic (producing poisons) microbes can be
found in water, soil, foodstuffs and on fomites (environmental surfaces such as
table tops). The average healthy
adult may tolerate these in low concentrations.
HVAC systems and the dense populations often encountered in offices,
schools, retail stores, and manufacturing plants are factors in creating
elevated concentrations of bacteria that could overwhelm the immune system of
healthy individuals, much less those already at a disadvantage by
immune-suppression. Water used for
drinking or hygienic purposes should be relatively free of pathogenic organisms
or high concentrations of species. The
USEPA has set standards for purifying and testing water for these purposes.
Microbes
and their by-products can also be found in the air we breathe as bioaerosols
(airborne particles that are living or produced by living organisms).
There are few regulations concerning the concentrations of bioaerosols
that are safe for human habitation. Each
situation is considered independently considering the microbes present, the
concentrations of microbes, and the immune response of normal humans.
Factors that contribute to bioaerosol contamination are cleanliness of
HVAC system components, air filtration, indoor reservoirs of microbes, nutrient
sources for microbes, and indoor temperature and humidity regimes.
All
microbes require a source of nutrition (usually carbohydrate such as cellulose)
and high moisture content. Moisture
often comes from rain leakage, flood inundation, sewerage and plumbing leaks,
and condensation from HVAC systems. Bacteria,
such as Legionella (Legionnaire’s disease) and yeasts (such as Candida)
are routinely detected in HVAC systems and if aerosolized in quantity, can cause
serious respiratory ailments. Aerosolized
bacteria and fungi in hospitals are known to be the causative agents of
nosocomial infections in patients. Molds,
such as Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, will
grow on wet drywall and textiles. These
fungi produce toxins that can cause serious respiratory and liver ailments, as
well as death.
Chemical
Pollutants Indoors
One
of the most common chemical pollution problems is high concentration of carbon
dioxide (CO2) in the ambient indoor air.
The regulatory agencies have determined the permissible exposure level (PEL)
to this gas is 5,000 parts per million (ppm) in an 8 hour time period.
Elevated levels of CO2 are usually related to inadequate
ventilation and fresh air exchange. Testing the ambient air for CO2
concentration is not a reliable gauge of indoor air quality for building
occupants unless proper accounting is made for carbon dioxide released by human
respiration and combustion of fuels such as wood and petroleum products.
Elevated concentrations can cause drowsiness and difficulty in
concentrating on tasks.
Other
common chemical pollutants of indoor environments are:
| Acetic
acid released during out-gassing of silicon caulking compounds.
Vapors can cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. |
| Carbon
monoxide (CO) is a by-product of petroleum product combustion and tobacco
smoke. In elevated
concentrations, it can cause death, but in lower concentrations in indoor
air CO will cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, and cardiovascular symptoms. |
| Formaldehyde
is released by out-gassing from some foam insulation materials, plywood and
particleboard, carpeting, and adhesives.
The organic compound can cause skin rash, allergic reactions, eye and
respiratory irritation, and a noxious odor.
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| Ozone
(O3) is a by-product of photocopy machines, electrostatic air
cleaners, and electrical arcing. It
is known to cause eye and respiratory irritation. |
| Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOCs) consists of a group of chemical substances, usually
liquids that readily evaporate, particularly organic solvents, such as
benzene, toluene, alcohols, acrolein, various pesticides/ herbicides, and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. VOCs
also include many other organic compounds that are toxic to humans, such as
trichothecenes produced by fungi. |
| Miscellaneous
Inorganic Gases include ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide
released by window cleaners, tobacco smoke, drain cleaners, and combustion
of wood and petroleum products. |