INTRODUCTION TO BUILDING AIR QUALITY: A GUIDE
FOR BUILDING OWNERS AND FACILITY MANAGERS
Suggested Course Agenda
8:30 - 10:00 Introduction, Factors Affecting lAO, and
Effective Communication
10:00 - 10:15 Break
10:15 - 11:15 Diagnosing lAO Problems
11:15 - 12:00 Mitigating lAO Problems
12:00 - 12:30 Preventing IAQ Problems, and
Additional Resources Available
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COMMUNICATION
CASE STUDIES
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COMMUNICATiON CASE STUDY A
PAGE 1 OF 1
OFFICE USE ONLY
File Number F 0
Received By: 13
Date Received -/i / o
Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
This form can be filled out by the building occupant or by a member of the building staff
OccupantName: I & L Date: T LL. f, /??
Department/Location in Building: V .3 Phone: 55 . o73(4
Completed by. . S f 4) fM Title: ______________________ Phone. __________________
This form should be used if your complaint may be related to indoor air quality. Indoor air quality problems include
concerns with temperature control, ventilation, and air pollutants. Your observations can help to resolve the problem
as quickly as possible. Please use the space below to describe the nature of the complaint and any potential causes.
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We may need to contact you to discuss your complaint. What is the best time to reach you? ______________________
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IAQ Manager or Contact Person
Room, Building, Mail Code
Indoor Air Quality Forms 181
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COMMUNICATION CASE STUDY B
PAGE 1 OF 3
______
Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
This form can be filled out by the building occupant or by a member of the building staff
Occupant Name SA Mk S Ltp ,j Date: tr 2, ,q
Department/Location in Building: 32 Phone: SSS 32 3
Completed by - . . Title: ______________________ Phone __________________
This form should be used if your complaint may be related to indoor air quality. Indoor air quality problems include
concerns with temperature control, ventilation, and air pollutants. Your observations can help to resolve the problem
as quickly as possible. Please use the space below to describe the nature of the complaint and any potential causes
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Room, Building, Mail Code
OFFICE USE ONLY
File Number hi Received By: Date Received /3 / 9 /
Indoor Air Quality Forms 181
-------
We may need to contact you to discuss your complaint. What is the best time to reach you? A t _ ) Y T I 111 E
So that we can respond promptly, please return this form to: flY itJ S 0 K \
lAO Manager or Contact Person
13 7
Room, Building, Mail Code
OFFICE USE ONLY
File Number. 0 _____________________________ Date Received.
COMMUNICATION CASE STUDY B
PAGE 2 OF 3
Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
This form can be filled out by the building occupant or by a member of the building staff
Occupant Name: C r# L5 13 T&5 Date S&PT Lj ( f
Department/Location in Building: _____________________________________ Phone: 55 5 -9 ? -
Completed by: CJ Title: ____________________ Phone: _________________
This form should be used if your complaint may be related to indoor air quality. Indoor air quality problems include
concerns with temperature control, ventilation, and air pollutants. Your observations can help to resolve the problem
as quickly as possible. Please use the space below to describe the nature of the complaint and any potential causes
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Indoor Air Quality Forms 181
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COMMUNICATION CASE STUDY B
PAGE 3 OF 3
indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
This form can be filled out by the building occupant or by a member of the building staff
OccupantName: (&sa e Op.5-2 . Date: O l iO- \
Department/Location in Building: 2 . Phone. SS 5 329 H
Completed by: C _ i c- _ Title: ______________________ Phone. __________________
This form should be used if your complaint may be related to indoor air qual,ty. Indoor air quality problems include
concerns with temperature control, ventilation, and air pollutants. Your observations can help to resolve the problem
as quickly as possible. Please use the space below to describe the nature of the complaint and any potential causes.
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lAO Manager or Contact Person
Room. Building, Mail Code
OFFICE USE ONLY
File Number: c . Received By: Ti (3 ้ Date Received
Indoor Air Quality Forms 181
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Page 1 0 (1
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EVALUATING DIAGNOSTIC
PATTERNS HANDOUT
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Occupant Diary
Date/Time
Symptom
12/1
no problems
12/2
6pm-7pm
headache
12/3
no problems
12/4
10am- 11:30am
headache
1215
6pm-7pm
headache
12/6
no problems
1217
no problems
12/8
no problems
12/9
6pm-7pm
headache
Log of Activities and System Operation
Date/Time
Equipment/Activity
1211
change HVAC filters
1212
5pm-9pm
waxed all upper floors
12/3
HVAC maint. on 2nd Floor
12/4
3pm-4pm
painted equipment room
1215
5pm-9pm
waxed all lower floors
12/6
large furniture delivery
12/7
pesticide application
12/8
repainted conference room
12/9
5pm-9pm
waxed all upper floors
12104010
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DIAGNOSIS AND MITIGATION
MULTI-PART CASE STUDY
Please do not turn the page until instructed to do so.
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Part I: Initial Situation
Sixteen-year-old, four-story, modern office building; well-maintained
Several occupants on the basement floor complain of eye irritation,
lethargy, poor temperature control, and dead airs; no other floors are
reporting similar complaints.
The basement is used for word processing support, reproduction, and
other administrative support.
Smoking is not allowed on the basement floor; smoking is permitted
elsewhere is the building.
One half of the floor has fixed pane type windows with a view of a
sunken court yard.
What would be an appropriate response from the building owner or manager?
Please do not turn the page until instructed to do so.
1
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Part 2: Additional Information
Walkthrough turns up no obvious problem pollutant sources.
Occupant density on the basement floor is six people per 1,000 square
feet, and nine people per 1,000 square feet in the vicinity of the copiers;
density on all other floors is between three and five people per 1,000
square feet.
All occupants of the basement have computers on their desks.
Two large copiers on the floor are in continuous use.
Complaint area temperature: 72 degrees each morning, to 76 or higher
by mid-afternoon.
Complaint area relative humidity: 30%; the relative humidity outdoors
during the period was around 20%.
Building humidified with clean steam to 40% relative humidity.
Despite the no smoking policy, occupants sometimes smell cigarette
smoke.
What would be appropriate next steps?
Please do not turn the page until instructed to do so.
2
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Part 3: Additional Information
Review of the engineering drawings reveals that the basement area was
renovated three years ago; drawings are not available for the current
distribution system.
Visual inspection of the HVAC system showed no obvious problems
(blockages, dust, or moisture).
Chemical smoke pencil tests showed air moving from the stairway into
the basement floor and from other floors into the stairway.
What do we know so far?
Can we form a hypothesis based on these pieces of in formation?
How can we test the hypothesis/mitigate the problem?
Please do not turn the page until instructed to do so.
3
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Part 4: Additional Information
Upon trying to increase ventilation, the engineer learns that the air
handlers are at capacity and cannot provide any more ventilation.
What would be an appropriate next step?
What are some other possible mitigation steps?
4
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Building Air Quality
A Guide for Building Owners
and Facility Managers
Training Kit
An Introduction to Building Air Quality
oeEPA
- UI-
IIHII1II
1 1 111h1 1
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II ( ) II
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
How To Teach This Course . . . . . I
Course Shdes and Instructor Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . g
Lesson 1 Factors Affecting IAQ 9
Lesson 2 Effective Communication . . 22
Communication Case Studies . . . . 28
Lesson 3. Diagnosing IAQ Problems . . .. . . . . 33
Lesson 4 Mitigating lAO Problems . . 67
Diagnosis and Mitigation Multi-Part Case Study . . . . 82
Lesson 5 Preventing lAO Problems 88
Lesson 6 Additional Resources . . . 98
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HOW TO TEACH TillS COURSE
NOTES To THE INSTRUCTOR
OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE OF INTRODUCTION TO BUILDING AIR QUALITY
The training course Introduction to Building Air Qua/it, is a half-day (four-hour) course
developed by the U S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which introduces prevention and
management of indoor air quality problems. The course is a companion to the EPA and National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) document Building Air Quality. A Guide for
Building Owners and Facility Managers (BAQ). BAQ serves as the text for the course, and except for
some case study handouts, no additional materials are provided to the students The course may be
taught without providing students with copies of BAQ (the course could stand alone without the text),
but the students will not have any materials to refer to after the course.
Introduction to Building Air Quality is highly interactive, and teaches the causes of indoor air
quality (lAO) problems, how to diagnose and mitigate (fix) lAO problems, and how to prevent them
from occurring in the first place. Although the course is useful for a variety of audiences needing
fundamental training in indoor air quality management, the course is specifically designed to meet the
training needs of large building owners and facility managers.
COURSE MATERIALS
The materials in this package will assist the instructor throughout the entire course. Four
types of materials are provided: a suggested agenda, the instructors manual, a set of student
handouts, and a set of 35mm text, graphic, and photographic slides.
Agenda
In your materials you will find a suggested agenda for presenting the course. This agenda
may be adapted to your own needs. It serves as a genera? guide for timing each section of the
course
Instructors Manual
The instructors manual contains the text of all slides (in a box at the top of each page), and
addiflonal notes to accompany each slide. Also included are detailed instructions and notes on how
to conduct case studies and discussions An open book symbol and page number on a slide
indicates when students should be referred to their BAQ books. Case studies and discussions
include suggested discussion questions and answers. Everything you need to know to conduct the
training is contained in the instructors manual
Student Handouts
A master set of student handouts is included in your instructor package. You may reproduce
as many of each handout as necessary without any additional charge. You may provide all student
handouts to the students at the beginning of training, or elect to hand them out during the class as
they are used Note that there is no student training manual except for BAQ itself. All material in the
training course Is contained In BAQ, and the students should be encouraged to use BAQ after the
traIning course as a reference and IAQ management tool.
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Evaluation Form
The instructor materials also include a generic evaluation/feedback form that can be included
in the student handouts. Use of the evaluation form is optional; the form provides interested
instructors with an easy way to obtain feedback on the training
35mm Slides
A complete set of 35mm slides for instructing the course is included in your instructor
package No additional visual aids are required for presenting the course The 35mm slides include
all text and graphic slides, and 30 photographic slides illustrating indoor air quality problems The
slides are arranged in the order required for presenting the course. If you have additional slides you
wish to present, they may be inserted as necessary
INSTRUCTOR KNOWLEDGE
You need not be knowledgeable in indoor air quality diagnosis, mitigation, or management to
adequately teach Introduction to Building Air Quality. If you have some experience and background in
indoor air quality, so much the better. Experience in general building and facility management;
occupation and industrial hygiene; or HVAC system installation, balancing, or maintenance would also
be valuable
Irrespective of your technical experience in indoor air quality management or associated
disciplines, the most important experience you can have in teaching Introduction to Building Air
Quality is a thorough review of the instructor materials. The better prepared you are, the more
successful the training will be
GETFING PREPARED TO TEACH
Review the entire course before presenting it. A complete preparation strategy involves eight
steps
1 Read through Building Air Quality A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers,
the EPA manual on which the course is based You do not have to have an expert
understanding of everything contained in the book, but it will help you when teaching
the course to be familiar with its contents
2 Quickly read through the instructor manual and the student handouts to get a feeling
for what is covered in the training and how it all fits together.
3 Review the two sets of case studies in detail (found at the ends of Lesson 2 Effective
Communication, and Lesson 4 Mitigating lAO Problems). Ensure that you
understand what their obiectives are and how they work Detailed instructions are
provided with each case study Decide whether there are additional questions you
want to ask or additional solutions you want to emphasize. The case studies are a
good place to discuss policies or procedures that are unique to your organization
4 Several graphic slides throughout the course require you to lead a discussion of
Whats wrong with this picture They illustrate potential sources of indoor air quality
problems that the students should be able to recognize. Your instructor notes include
a list of everything that can be found in each graphic. Review these graphic slides to
familiarize yourself with their contents.
5. Go through the 35mm slides. Project them so that you can see what the graphic and
photographic slides illustrate. Projecting them on a blank wall works well for
preparation
ii
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6. As you review the slides, note particularly the slides that begin the class These are a
series of photographs of indoor air quality problems. Your instructor notes include a
brief description of each slide and an explanation of what it illustrates Review each
problem slide and its associated instructor note to ensure that you can point out to
the students the problem or situation illustrated by the slide
7 Now that you have a firm understanding of the course, re-read the instructor manual,
and highlight those parts of the notes that you want to emphasize During the class,
you will probably not want to simply read aloud your instructor manual to the class
By highlighting your instructor notes, you can ensure that you bring out the key points
on each slide and those things that are especially important for your organization.
B If you have the opportunity, it is very helpful to dry run the course Try teaching it by
yourself, or to a small audience of colleagues Walking through the course will allow
you to work Out any bugs in your presentation style, and will give you a feel for how
long each piece of the course takes
WHAT YOU NEED TO TEACH
To teach Introduction to Building Air Quality, you will need
A 35mm slide projector and screen,
A set of the 35mm slides to accompany the course (provided in your training
package); and
One copy of each student handout (agenda, communication case studies, and
diagnosis and mitigation case study) for each student
Optional materials that you may find useful
A copy of Building Air Quality A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers for
each student in the training (an order form for the book is included in your training
package),
A flip chart and pad to record student responses during case studies and discussions;
and
A smoke stick to conduct the optional demonstration of using harmless chemical
smoke sticks to assess air movement and pressure relationships in buildings More
information on this optional demonstration is provided in the instructor notes
accompanying Lesson 3 of the training
OUTLINE OF THE TRAINING COURSE
Use this outline of the training course to get an overall picture of the course content and flow
In preparing to teach Introduction to Building Air Quality, refer to this outline to understand how each
part of the course leads to the next, and where the various activities such as case studies or
demonstrations occur
Introduction: Indoor Air Quality and the Facility Manager
Indoor air quality problem photographs
indoor sources
Special use areas
I-F /AC problems
Outdoor sources
iii
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Role of the building owner/facility manager
Role of building occupants
Why commercial firms should be concerned about IAQ
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting lAO
Four factors affecting indoor air quality
Identify-the-problem graphics
Outdoor sources
Indoor sources
Human activity sources
Building component and furnishings sources
Special use area sources
Functions of an HVAC system
Pollutant Pathways
Building Occupants
Lesson 2: Effective Communication
Communicating to prevent IAQ problems
Communicating to resolve lAO problems
Building Air Quality forms
Communication Case Studies
Lesson 3: Diagnosing lAO Problems
Students can be Super lAO Managers
IAQ investigation flow chart
Conducting the initial walkthroCigh
Four types of information to gather
Collecting and using occupant information
Diagnostic Patterns Handout
Assessing progress
Collecting and using HVAC system information
Collecting and using pathway information
Optional Chemical Smoke Demonstration
Collecting and using source information
Review of sources
Sampling air for contaminants and indicators
Lesson 4: Mitigating lAO Problems
Four basic approaches to mitigation
Source control
Ventilation
Air cleaning
Exposure control
Sample mitigation problems and solutions
HVAC system is source of biological contaminants
Mold and mildew growth due to condensation
Special use areas
Judging the success of a mitigation effort
Environmental stressors
Seeking outside assistance
Diagnosis and Mitigation Multi-Part Case Study
iv
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Lesson 5: Preventing IAQ Problems
The lAO Profile
Steps in creating an lAO Profile
Collect and review existing records
Conduct a walkthrough
Collect detailed information
Developing an lAO management plan
lAO managers responsibilities
Reviewing records
Assigning and training staff
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
Additional resources available in Building Air Quality
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON TEACHING THE COURSE
This section of the instructor notes offers some tips for teaching each section of the course
Introduction
The training starts by showing the students a series of photographs of actual and potential
indoor air problems. These slides provide an interesting start to the class while giving students a
general idea of the kinds of problems and situations that will be addressed by the course You should
go through these slides fairly quickly, pointing out the problem on the slide that is summarized in your
instructor notes. If you have personal experience in lAO management, this would be a good place to
refer to similar situations you have encountered.
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting lAO
This lesson begins with a slide titled Course Structure, which lists the six lessons in the
course If your students have copies of Building Air Quality, this would be good place to turn to the
table of contents to show the students what the book contains, and to tell them that all of the course
material covered in class is contained in the book, i.e., the students do not have to take notes to have
a reference to refer to later The first lesson summarizes the four factors that affect indoor air quality --
pollutant sources, the HVAC system, pollutant pathways, and building occupants A series of graphic
slides show problems similar to those in the introductory photographs. You should lead a group
discussion of each slide encouraging the students to Identify the potential lAO sources found in each
slide. All of the depicted sources are listed in your instructor notes.
Lesson 2: Effective Communicalion
The lesson concludes with a series of three communication case studies. The case studies
allow students to apply the communication principles discussed in this lesson Your instructor notes
include detailed instructions on how to conduct the case study Read the detailed instructors notes
carefully before conducting the case studies.
Lesson 3: Diagnosing lAO Problems
This lesson begins by introducing a cartoon figure, Super lAO Manager, who appears several
times throughout the remainder of the training. He symbolizes the students ability to become their
own Super lAO Managers, which is possible because the course and book provide them with all the
information they need to prevent, diagnose, and mitigate most IAQ problems. The rest of the lecture
is organized around a logical progression of activities, summarized in a flowchart, for conducting an
lAO investigation. A graphic symbol that looks like an open book indicates where you should have
the students refer to their Building Air Quality books to review a form or process. Lesson 3 includes
v
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an optional demonstration using a chemical smoke stick to evaluate air flow in a space. To conduct
the demonstration, you will have to obtain a chemical smoke test kit.
Lesson 4: Mitigating lAO Problems
Lesson 4 includes a multi-part case study. The case study allows students to apply the
diagnostic principles they have learned, and to suggest and evaluate alternative mitigation strategies
Detailed instructions are included in your instructors notes for conducting the study A key factor for
successfully conducting this case study is to allow the students themselves to make the diagnosis and
suggest remedies Encourage student discussion at each section of the case study, and ensure that
the students do not merely read the case study notes, but evaluate and consider the implications of
each new piece of information Before teaching the course, carefully review the detailed instructor
notes accompanying this case study.
Lesson 5: Preventing lAO Problems
This lesson shows how lAO prevention can be performed by using the same procedures and
forms used for diagnosis and mitigation. The lesson contains no special case studies or discussions
This would be a good place to discuss any special HVAC system maintenance, or other lAO
prevention policies or procedures that your organization already follows.
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
Lesson 6 is very short, and simply refers students to all of the additional information that
Building Air Quality contains that was not covered in the course.
SPECIAL NOTE ON MODIFYING THE COURSE
EPA recognizes that different organizations have different management styles and operational
policies and procedures Your organization may already have established practices for managing
indoor air quality that differ somewhat from those described in BAQ and discussed in this training
Modify this training as necessary to accommodate your organizations policies and procedures, but be
aware that the procedures and forms in BAQ have been extensively studied and reviewed by EPA and
NIOSH
vi
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COURSE SLIDES
AND
INSTRUCTOR NOTES
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Indoor Air Quality Problem Examples
The following slides provide examples of potential indoor air quality problems in four situations
Indoors,
Special use areas,
The HVAC system; and
Outdoors.
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Potential Indoor Air Quality Problems:
Indoor
Description of Slides
1 Water damage to ceiling tiles may indicate biological contaminants (mold, mildew, or bacteria),
if moisture is still present
2 As a result of water, mold is growing underneath the carpeting.
3. As a result of water, mold is unexpectedly growing underneath the tile.
4. Maintenance activity: cleaning supplies -- can be sources of contaminants
5 Maintenance activity: pest control spraying -- can be a source of contaminants
6 Room dividers may be a source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
7. Chemical storage closet -- improperly stored chemicals can be a source of contaminants
8. Maintenance actMty: painting -- can be a source of contaminants
9. Cigarette Smoke -- a significant source of indoor air contaminants
2
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Potential Indoor Air Quality Problems:
Special Use Areas
Description of slides
1. Laboratory chemicals -. improper use, storage, and inadequate exhaust can be a source of
contaminants
2 Kitchen of a delicatessen/diner in the basement of a commercial building -- if inadequately
ventilated, can be a source of contaminants
3 A graphics shop in a commercial building -- can be a source of contaminants
4 A copier room -- can be a source of airborne contaminants
5 A galley or snack room in a commercial office building, note that there is a microwave, but no
dedicated exhaust ventilation.
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR All of these special use areas may be sources of indoor air quality problems
If properly ventilated, they may not be.
3
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Potential Indoor Air Quality Problems:
HVAC
Description of slides.
1 Dirty filler (which could fail, releasing a large amount of dust into the system)
2 The bird feathers on this primary roll filter indicated that the coarse screen (bird screen) on the
outdoor air intake has fallen off or been removed
3. The fins on these cooling coils have rusted and could become a source of particulate matter
in the air supply.
4 This supply vent was blocked to prevent a draft.
5 This vent was blocked to reduce noise.
6. Wet thermal insulation in the ductwork is a potential breeding ground for biological
contamination.
7. Inoperative dampers
8. This covered intake presents a situation where trying to solve a leak creates an lAO problem;
also, standing water is a potential growth medium for biological contaminants.
4
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Description of slides
1 Loading docks and trash dumpsters; fumes from idling trucks and trash can enter lower parts
of the building: loading docks are a special problem when building air intakes are located in
the loading dock area
2. Inadequatety ventilated underground parking garages can be a source of contaminants in the
surrounding occupied space
3. Fresh air intakes are located directly above air conditioning units, resulting in re-entrained
exhaust air.
4 Smog and pollutants from nearby sources can affect IAQ, i.e bad outdoor air can lead to
indoor air problems.
5
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Role of Building Owner/Facility Manager in
IAQ Management
Set IAQ policies
Clarify facility staff roles
Develop procedures for preventing problems
Develop procedures for responding to problems
Provide adequate IAQ resources
Educating occupants on their role
The role of the building owner/facility manager in lAO management includes
Setting IAQ policies
Clarifying facility staff roles
Developing procedures for preventing lAO problems
Developing procedures for responding to lAO problems
Providing adequate IAQ resources (reference materials, training, funding)
Educating occupants on their role
6
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Role of Building Occupants in IAQ
Know how to register concern
Recognize activities that may cause problems
Communicate with building management
o The role of building occupants in lAO includes
Knowing the process for registering IAQ concerns,
Recognizing that occupant (their) activities may result in, or increase, lAO problems,
and
Using health and safety representatives, and other forums, for two-way communication
with building management.
The facility managers job is to equip them to play that role.
7
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Why are commercial firms concerned about indoor air qualrty
Sick building reputation is a severe competitive disadvantage for leasing space
Lose current tenants due to dissatisfaction with air quality
Potential for lawsuits from affected building occupants
Poor indoor air quality can adversely affect the health of your buildings occupants
and staff
Potential impact on labor relations
t i
8
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Course Structure
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting IAQ
Lesson 2: Effective Communication
Lesson 3: Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Lesson 4: Mitigating IAQ Problems
Lesson 5: Preventing IAQ Problems
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
These are the course topics we will be covering today.
This is not a textbook. You do not need to follow along or take notes during this class
However, everything taught today is in the book, Building Air Quality, so you can look it up at
a later date.
The book includes technical appendices and forms to help you in managing your IAQ We will
not be covering appendices Refer to them as needed We will be discussing many of the
forms and will turn to them at various points during the course
Now, to get started turn to the table of contents of Building Air Quality
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOft Have the students look through the table of contents Show them what is in
the appendices
We will be covering all of the major topics contained in the book up to the appendices. We
will also be talking about many of the forms found in the Blank Forms section of the book that
follows the appendices At the end of the class, we will review the information in the book not
covered in the class
9
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Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality
Pollutant sources
HVAC system
Pollutant pathways
Building occupants
Four factors influence the quality of indoor air pollutant sources, HVAC system design and
operation, pollutant pathways and driving forces, and building occupants These four factors
will be discussed throughout the course.
o To have an lAO problem, there must be a source of contamination The source can be
indoors or outdoors
The building HVAC system is an important factor affecting lAO, because the HVAC system can
be a source of pollutants, it can distribute pollutants throughout the building, or it can be used
as part of the solution to an IAQ problem.
Pollutant pathways connect the source of the problem to the occupants
Finally, to have an IAQ problem, some building occupant must be negatively affected by the
pollutant
Understanding how pollutant sources, the HVAC system, pollutant pathways, and building
occupants affect indoor air quality is key to preventing and resolving indoor air problems
10
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NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR Ask the students if they can identify any potential sources of indoor air
pollution Prompt them, but do not merely list them Let the class
discuss the illustration After the discussion wanes, point out any
sources that the class missed
Potential outdoor sources of indoor pollutants illustrated in the graphic
Auto emissions from the freeway
Factory emissions blowing into intakes (i e., exhaust air from one building being drawn
into another building)
Exhaust from the garage entering a fresh air intake
Loading dock near fresh air intake, and requiring delivery vehicles to back into the
building
Odors from dumpsters near fresh air intakes
Water on the roof breeding biological contaminants (that can be drawn in through the
air intakes)
Exhausted return air drifting into supply air intake
Birds nesting on roof or droppings on roof near intakes
Helicopter landing pad sending dust into intake
Outdoor maintenance activities (roofing) affecting intakes
11
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NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: Ask the students if they can identify any potential sources of indoor air
pollution Prompt them, but do not merely list them Let the class
discuss the illustration After the discussion wanes, point out any
sources that the class missed
Discuss the following types of equipment-related sources of indoor air pollutants:
HVAC system
Dust or dirt in ductwork
Microbiological growth in drip pans, humidifiers, ductwork, coils
Improper use of biocides, paints, and/or cleaning compounds (not shown)
Improper venting of combustion products (not shown)
Refrigerant leakage (not shown)
Non-HVAC equipment
Emissions from office equipment like copiers, printers, microwaves, furniture,
etc (volatile organic compounds, ozone)
Supplies (solvents, loners, ammonia) (not shown)
Emissions from shops, labs, cleaning processes (not shown)
Elevator motors and other mechanical systems (not shown)
12
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Human activities within the building can be a source of indoor air pollution.
Smoking -- Environmental Tobacco Smoke
Perspiration and other tenant activities such as poor sanitation and hygiene
Maintenance activities such as painting
Housekeeping activities involving cleaning fluids and other industrial chemicals
Pesticide applications
13
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Building components and furnishings can be sources of pollutants, especially when new
Furnishings such as carpet, wood furniture, and textile room dividers that outgas
chemicals (usually volatile organic compounds)
Locations that serve as pollutant sinks, such as carpeting or textile room dividers,
that trap pollutants and release them later
Water damage that leads to biological growth (mold and mildew)
Sources of moisture (like plants) that lead to biological growth
Certain types of paints and coatings (which may outgas volatile organic compounds)
Books can serve as dust collectors and sources of mold and mildew growth
14
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Special use areas can be sources of pollutants.
Maintenance shops (glues, cle ning agents, solvents)
Kitchens and food preparation areas
Gyms, exercise areas, and changing areas (especially if not designed for that activity)
Labs or other facilities that use chemicals (such as medical laboratories, dry cleaners,
photo-processing laboratories, etc)
Smoking lounges
Art and graphic departments that use paints, glues, or solvents
Print shops (toner fluids, inks, photocopier emissions)
Some special use areas may be unknown to the building owner For example, one lAO
investigator responding to chemical odor complaints from one tenant found, unbeknownst to
the building owner or facility manager, that an adjoining tenant had installed a darkroom --
without proper ventilation -- to do in-house photography work
Accidents (such as a lab spill) are sources of pollutants
If properly maintained and ventilated, these areas will not necessarily cause IAQ problems, but
they should be inspected (check airflow between these sources and surrounding areas)
15
NAIITEJW IOTD JI LAJ ART lT
SHY LOI.JIOI D(PARI INT SHOP
. S S
________I_______ _______ ________ ________ ________
IAQ SUITE OF SOURCES
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Contaminant Source Summary
Outside sources
Equipment
Human activities
Building components and furnishings
Special use areas
As we have seen, there are five categories of indoor air quality contamination.
Outside sources include contaminated outdoor air; emissions from nearby buildings, roads,
dumpsters, and loading docks, soil gases such as radon; and standing moisture in rooftops
and crawlspaces.
Equipment sources include a dirty or improperly maintained HVAC system and emissions from
office equipment.
Human activity sources include smoking, cooking, cleaning activities, painting, and pest
control.
Building component and furnishing sources include dust and fibers, water damage, and
chemicals released into the air
Other important sources include remodeling and redecorating activities and special use areas
of the building.
16
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Functions of an HVAC System
Heating and cooling
Humidity control
Ventilation
Odor and contaminant control
The second major factor affecting lAO in a building is the HVAC system.
A properly designed and functioning HVAC:
provides thermal and humidity comfort;
distributes adequate amounts of outdoor air to meet ventilation needs of all building
occupants; and
isolates and removes odors and contaminants through pressure control, filtration, and
exhaust fans
An improperly maintained HVAC system is a potential source of contaminants, and the HVAC
system can negatively affect lAO in other ways:
Excess heat makes any IAQ problem seem worse
Excess humidity can negatively affect IAQ in two ways:
Contribute to a general feeling of discomfort and stuffiness
Contribute to the growth of mold and mildew which can become sources of air
quality problems
o Proper maintenance and up-keep of the HVAC system are important to ensure that thermal
and ventilation needs are met throughout the building at all times.
17
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Ventilation Levels
Volume of outdoor air provided affects IAQ
ASHRAE 62-1989 increases outdoor air
ventilation rate
pg. 136
In this course (and in the guide), ventilation means outside airflow, whereas many people use
ventilation as being equivalent to the total supply of air
The volume of outdoor air provided affects IAQ positively or negatively Typically, more
outdoor air = better indoor air quality. However, if the outdoor air is of poor quality or there
are pollutant sources near the outside air intake, more outdoor air could mean poorer quality
indoor air
ASHRAE 62-1989 recommends higher ventilation rates than previous recent standards, and
higher than in many existing buildings, particularly in those constructed during the energy
crisis of the 1 970s
A table of outdoor air quantities recommended by ASHRAE is provided in Appendix B of
Building Air Quality. Turn to it on page 136. Note that recommendations vary greatly
depending on space use
18
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Odor and Contaminant Control
Ventilation efficiency
Room pressure
Local exhaust
Air cleaning
o The term ventilation efficiency is used to describe the ability of the ventilation system to
distribute supply air and remove internally generated pollutants. The higher the efficiency, the
better the lAO
o Controlling pressure relationships between rooms is a method of isolating odors and
contaminants. There are two relationships:
When more air is supplied to a room than is exhausted and the excess air leaks out of
the space, the room is said to be under positive pressure.
When less air is supplied to a room than is exhausted and air leaks into the space, the
room is said to be under negative pressure.
The HVAC system can usually be manipulated to create positive or negative pressure within a
room.
Local exhaust systems are used to isolate and remove contaminants by maintaining negative
pressure in the area containing the contaminant source Bathrooms, food preparation
facilities, and utility rooms commonly have local exhaust systems.
Air cleaning and fiitration devices designed to control contaminants are found as components
of HVAC systems (e 9 filter boxes in ductwork) and can also be installed as independent
units
19
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Pollutant Pathways
Pollutants must move from source to occupants
Pressure differentials
HVAC systems
Natural forces: stack and wind effects
For a pollutant to affect someone in the building, it must move from its source (inside or
outside the building) to the building occupant area (i.e, there must be a pollutant pathway
and a pollutant driving force).
Air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, whether these pressure
differences are caused by the HVAC system or by natural forces.
HVAC system can circulate pollutants as well as clean air
Stack effect describes the pressure-driven flow produced by convection. It transports
contaminants between floors by way of stairwells, elevator shafts, utility chases, and
other openings It moves pollutants up a building
Wind creates local areas of high pressure and low pressure in buildings It can be a
major driving force, especially if windows are left open
Pressure differentials can produce a variety of patterns of contaminant distribution:
local circulation
movement into adjacent spaces
recirculation of air within the zone containing pollutant source
movement from lower to upper levels of the building
air movement into the building
Common pollutant pathways include doors, stairways, utility chases, windows, elevator shafts,
ductwork, and plenums.
20
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Building Occupants
Susceptible groups
Common symptoms and complaints
Sick Building Syndrome
Building-related illness
Finally, to have an lAO problem, there must be someone affected by the contaminant. Anyone
can be affected, but groups especially susceptible to lAO problems include
allergic or asthmatic people, often the first to experience lAO problems in a building,
are good indicators of air quarity,
people with respiratory diseases;
people with suppressed immune systems, and
contact lens wearers
o Common symptoms and complaints resulting from lAO problems include headache, fatigue,
shortness of breath, sinus congestion, cough, sneezing, eye, nose and throat irritations, skin
irritation, nausea, and dizziness
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) is sometimes used to describe cases in which building
occupants experience acute health effects that are linked to the time they spend in the
building, but in which no specific illness or cause can be identified
Building Related Illness (BRI) refers to illness brought on by exposure to the building air,
where symptoms of a diagnosable illness are identified and can be directly attributed to
environmental agents (such as Legionnaires disease)
21
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Where We Are
Lesson 1:
Lesson 2:
Lesson 3:
Lesson 4:
Lesson 5:
Lesson 6:
Factors Affecting IAQ
Effective Communication
Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Mitigating IAQ Problems
Preventing IAQ Problems
Additional Resources
o Lesson 2 will cover communicating to prevent lAO problems and to resolve lAO problems
22
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Communicating to Prevent IAQ Problems
Provide accurate information
Clarify responsibilities of building
management, staff, and occupants
Establish a system for responding to
complaints
To prevent lAO problems, building management must communicate with tenants and building
operations and maintenance staff
Provide accurate information
Up-to-date information is essential to prevent IAQ problems.
It is very helpful to have a health and safety committee The committee can
establish a system for responding to complaints;
help disseminate information;
bring attention to potential problems, and
foster a sense of shared responsibility for maintaining a safe and comfortable
indoor environment
o Clarify responsibilities of building management, staff, and occupants regarding
Use of space,
Modifications, and
Notification of planned events
Provide employee manuals and lease agreements that specify responsibilities
o Establish a formal system for responding to complaints to ensure swift, uniform attention
Later in this course we will show you some ways to formalize your complaint response
procedures
23
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Communicating to Resolve IAQ Problems
Respond quickly to IAQ complaints
Maintain lines of communication
In a building where management is already receiving lAO complaints, management should
immediately begin a communication program.
Do not ignore lAO complaints They are unlikely to disappear, and inaction will only lead to
increased occupant dissatisfaction with the building and management
Keep in touch with complainants and encourage them to talk. As you move along in
diagnosis and mitigation of the problem, keep the complainants informed of your progress
We will talk about each of these more in the following slides
24
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Responding to IAQ Complaints
Respond promptly
Respond with credibility
Do not underestimate the size of the problem
Respond promptly Prompt response to complaints indicates that management cares Take
complaints seriously
A management spokesperson with credibility and authority should respond to the complaint
This will establish credibility and show that management means business
o Do not underestimate the size of the problem -- there may be more problems than complaints
o Management needs to know about problems early so it can fix them before risking the health
of tenants.
25
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Mamtain Lines of Communication
Handle small complaints matter-of-factly
Encourage building occupants to participate
Respect privacy
Keep building occupants informed
Handle small complaints (such as harmless odors from a readily-identifiable source) matter-of-
factly
Especially for serious complaints, encourage building occupants to participate in the process
through the health and safety (or similar) committee
Respect the privacy and confidentiality of complainants People are often especially
concerned about privacy when discussing medical problems
Keep building occupants informed throughout the diagnosis and mitigation process This can
make allies out of critics and will serve to dampen rumors
26
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Building Air Quality Forms
Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
All forms are in Building Air Quality
Review forms before modifying them
EPA has developed several forms to help you prevent and resolve indoor air quality problems
including the Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form, a form to capture information about occupant
complaints
Throughout this course, we will be showing you a variety of forms that you can use to manage
IAQ problems. Some forms can be completed by facility management, while others are to be
completed by maintenance staff. In either case these forms are intended to organize your
investigation of an IAQ problem.
The forms n Building Air QualiP, have been developed with the help of IAQ experts, and have
been designed to capture relevant and important information during an IAQ investigation.
You may need to modify these forms to make them applicable to your buildings. Some of the
forms may not be necessary or useful to you, depending on your situation. However, EPA
recommends that you review and understand the intent and content of each form before
making the decision not to use a particular form
27
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Communication Case Studies
28
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COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES
INSTRUCTOR NOTES
OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES
Lesson 2 concludes with three class discussion case studies Each one is short, and should
take no longer than 5 - 10 minutes to complete. The case studies present the class with one or more
occupant complaints, possibly related to indoor air quality. The purpose of the three case studies is
to 1) give the students practice in analyzing complaints, and developing a communication strategy for
responding to them, and 2) let the students learn from the thoughts and experience of other facility
managers in the course.
Note: Your instructional materials include one copy of each of the case study handouts (titled
COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES). You must make as many copies of the materials as you will
need to conduct the training (one copy of each handout for each student) You may provide a copy
of each case study to each student before class, or hand them Out during class
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING THE COMMUNICATION CASE STUDIES
Conduct the case studies in the order indicated, i.e, A, B, and C For each case study, pass
out the complaint forms or other materials, and give the students 2 - 5 minutes to read them. Only
distribute one set of case study materials at a time -- do not give the students all three case study
materials when beginning this activity
After the class has finished reading the case study handout for a particular exercise, lead a
class discussion. Facilitate the discussion by asking a set of leading questions such as
c Do you think this is an indoor air quality problem? What makes you think so?
m What do you think you, as a facility manager, ought to do first 2
Do you think the problem (or the perception of it) goes beyond the complainant(s) 9
What is the best strategy for communicating with the person(s) affected 7 With other
building occupants 9
You need not be confined to the above set of questions; if others occur to you, feel free to
use them. Expect for there to be disagreement among the students about what to do -- one of the
purposes of the case studies is the let the students learn from each other
Keep the case study moving You should spend no more than 10 minutes on any one of the
three case studies The class discussion does not have to be exhaustive, merely instructive
29
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SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH CASE STUDY
Case Study A
The student handout material for Communication Case Study A is a single, completed
complaint form Pass out the form and let students read it Ask the set of questions (or a similar set)
listed above.
Communication case Study A illustrates a single, rather vague complaint It students do not
make the point, you should emphasize that although the complaint is vague, and the symptoms do
not appear to be serious, the fact that the complainant actually took the time to fill out a form indicates
that he (if no one else) considers the matter serious Also, remind the class that building occupants
rarely formally complain about indoor air quality If you have one written complaint, there may well be
many unwritten complaints Note also that the complainant writes, I might be breathing something
thats really bad for me. Such beliefs are potent sources of water cooler conversation. The rumor
mill may already be operating
Three possible responses are
Conduct a quick walkthrough of the complainants work area,
Conduct an interview with the complainant; and
Have the complainant begin keeping an Occupant Diary Form (this form is useful
for collecting information about symptoms over some time period. This form will
be described in more detail in the next lesson).
Further action would depend on the results of these first three strategies. Whatever work is
required, follow up with the complainant to let him know what you are doing
30
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Communication Case Study B
The student handout materials for Communication Case Study B are three completed
complaint forms. Pass out the three forms to the students. Give them 3 - 5 minutes to read them.
Ask the set of questions listed above
Communication case study B illustrates a potentially more serious indoor air quality sftuation --
there are more complainants, the symptoms appear to be more severe, and the complaints have all
occurred within the last few days An important additional fact is that the complainants are already
talking to one another. Although two share the same office, a third is located elsewhere in the
building (but on the same floor) The rumor mill is operating.
This case study probably requires a more forceful response than the first
The complainants certainly should be interviewed,
Diagnostic work should probably be initiated (to be covered more in the following
lessons),
Facility managers should senously consider a strategy for formally communicating
with the building occupants (many probably already consider the building to be
unsafe)
31
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Communication Case Study C
The student handout material for Communication Case Study C is a single sheet showing four
phone messages taken by the facility managers secretary while the manager was out of the office the
previous afternoon Pass out the handout and give the student 2 - 3 minutes to read the messages
Ask the set of questions listed above
Communication Case Study C illustrates a potentially serious s uation There may be an
immediate human health threat. A quick response is imperative Some initial actions include
Call Dr Stevenson To what does he attribute Daniel Forrestalls symptoms 9
Call Ms. Davidsons husbands office to find out if he works in purchasing
Call purchasing Any more incidents/complaints since yesterday?
Conduct an immediate walkthrough of purchasing
Note, though, that there is not necessarily an indoor air problem; perhaps the flu is going through
the area
LEAD IN FOR LESSON 3 (after completion of exercise)
Your initial response to a complaint is only the first step in diagnosing an lAO problem. In the
next lesson, we will be covering in more detail the steps to take to diagnose the cause of lAO
complaints in your building
32
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Where We Are
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting IAQ
Lesson 2: Effective Communication
Lesson 3: Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Lesson 4: Mitigating LAQ Problems
Lesson 5: Preventing IAQ Problems
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
o In lesson three, we will be discussing how to diagnose IAQ problems We will be discussing:
How to conduct an initial walkthrough of the complaint area, and
How to collect more detailed information about occupant complaints, the HVAC
system, pollutant pathways, and pollutant sources
33
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This course and Building Air Quality provide you with the tools and techniques to diagnose
and solve IAQ problems yourself
a How to conduct an Investigation;
How to get the information you need, and
How to make and test hypotheses
A good lAO manager knows his or her building and is full of ideas about possible causes of
lAO problems He/She can very often resolve IAQ problems easily without other professional
help Your knowledge of your building and of lAO problem diagnosis and mitigation gained
from this course and reading Building Air Quality, make y a Super lAO Manager
This lesson is designed to make you a super lAO Manager
34
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Conducting an lAO investigation
This slide is a flow chart outlining the process used to conduct an IAQ Investigation Use it to give an
overview of the diagnostic process We will go into more detail later in the course
There are three major activities in an IAQ investigation:
Initial walkthrough
Walk through the problem area and gather easity obtained information to see if you
can find an explanation for the problem (if you find a possible explanation, you can
immediately attempt to correct the problem).
Collect additional information
If the initial walkthrough does not provide the answer to the problem, collect
additional information about the building and occupants. Later, we will discuss what
kinds of information will be helpful in diagnosing IAQ problems
As the flowchart shows, an lAO investigation may require several cycles of collecting
information and developing and testing hypotheses about the causes of the lAO
problem
Control the problem, long-term
At some point in the hypothesis development and test cycle, the results of your test
support your hypothesis You then plan a strategy to control the problem over the
long-term
Validate that your control measure worked
If you validate that the problem is solved, make any necessary changes to your
building maintenance, operations, etc to prevent the recurrence of the problem
Your lAO investigation is finished (your on-going lAO management is not)
35
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Conducting the Initial Walkthrough
Collect easily-available written information
Interview complainants
Identify obvious pollutant sources
Identify HVAC system deficiencies
Identify pollutant pathways
Now that we have outlined the whole lAO investigation and miugation process, we will
discuss how to do each step
To conduct the initial walkthrough.
Collect easily-available information about the history of the building and the
complaints
Interview complainants. Talking to the occupants achieves two purposes it
shows that building management is responsive, and the interview is likely to
produce additional detailed information about the complaint For example,
one lAO investigator found through a complainant interview that the
complainant was using multiple pesticides on plants in the office -- pesticides
designed for outdoor application The pesticides proved to be the source of
the lAO problem
Identify obvious pollutant sources, and assess whether they appear to be
adequately controlled.
Identify obvious deficiencies in the HVAC system that serves the complaint
area
Identify obvious pollutant pathways and pressure differentials that might be
moving contaminants into the complaint area from outdoors or from other
parts of the building
If a potential source is identified, mitigate and assess whether the lAO problem has
been alleviated
Refer the students to Building Air Quality for more detailed information
36
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There are four major types of lAO information to gather during the walkthrough. You
may recognize the four terms - they are the same as the four factors that influence
indoor air quality which we discussed earlier:
Building occupants
HVAC system
Pollutant pathways
Pollutant sources
Building Air Quality discusses how to collect and evaluate information from each of
these four types of diagnostic information.
If the initial walkthrough does not suggest a solution, or if your attempted solution was
unsuccessful at mitigating the problem, you must conduct a more detailed
investigation
In a more detailed, follow-up investigation, you will access the same four types of lAO
information as during your initial walkthrough: building occupants, the HVAC system,
pollutant pathways, and pollutant sources.
37
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Collecting Occupant Information
Strategies Tools
Review existing records of Existing records
complaints IAQ Complaint Form
Incident Log
Collect additional Occupant interview
information Occupant diary
To start your collection of information about occupant complaints, the first strategy (or
step) is to review any existing records of past complaints If no record of past
complaints is available, then setting up a tracking system may become a priority Are
past complaints similar What can you learn from them
The tools available to the investigator for collecting occupant information include any
existing facility or maintenance records, any complaint form which has already been
filled out, and any incident logging system which has been kept
Building Air Quality provides strategies and tools organized as shown here for
collecting information on occupants, the HVAC system, and pollutant pathways and
sources
Building Air Quality contains occupant interview and occupant diary forms, These are
forms designed to systematically collect information on occupant complaints and
symptoms, and their timing and location
38
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The Occupant Interview Form (page 185 of Building Air Qualily) provides a structured
set of questions to assist you to uncover all relevant facts on symptoms, symptom
patterns, timing of symptoms, and spatial patterns of complaints It goes beyond the
very simple occupant complaint fcijm (which you saw during the cOmmunication
exercise).
Additional instructions and tips on how to conduct occupant interviews may be found
in Building Air Quality
pg. 185
39
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Using Occupant Data
Look for patterns in the location of complaints
Look for patterns in the timing of complaints
Look for patterns in the types of symptoms or
discomfort
Compare to building activities
pgs. 187, 189
Occupant data has several uses in diagnosing lAO problems It is especially useful
when the data shows patterns
The location of complaints may provide clues to the pollutant source or pollutant
pathway, and it defines the complaint area on which to focus attention.
The timing of complaints may be important Do complaints only occur on certain days
or at certain times of the day 7 What building events coincide with the timing of the
complaints? Do symptoms worsen during the occupied periods, suggesting, perhaps,
that ventilation may be insufficient to handle routine building activities? Multiple
complaints may indicate a one-time pollutant exposure, while recurring complaints may
be caused by intermittent or scheduled activities
It is often very useful to collect information about symptoms and building activities over
some time period, and not to rely solely on the memories of persons experiencing
symptoms The timing and duration of symptoms and coincidental building activities
are often important diagnostic clues
An experienced Investigator can also examine the types of symptoms or discomfort to
gain clues about possible contaminant sources
Turn in the book to page 187, the Occupant Diary This form provides a place to
record symptoms over time
Turn in the book to page 189, the Log of Activities and System Operation This form
provides a place to track activities that might have an effect on IAQ, such as
maintenance activities, renovation, spill incidents, etc
Use these forms to help you identify occupant complaint patterns and possible
causes
40
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Using Spatial Pattern Data
Spatial patterns Suggestions
Widespread Check outdoor air
quality
Localized Review pollutant
sources affecting the
complaint area
Individual Review local pollutant
source(s) near the
affected individual(s)
pg. 54, 55
Building Air Quality includes a number of tables to help you evaluate and investigate
data.
This is an abbreviated version of a table in the book to help you analyze and evaluate
spatial patterns in complaints. Similar tables exist to help you evaluate timing and
symptom patterns.
The left column in the table lists common patterns to look for (such as widespread
complaints, localized complaints, and individual complaints) The right hand column
offers suggestions as to what these patterns might indicate
Use the tables in Building Air Quality to assist you in conducting your building
investigation
Turn to page 55 for a tab!e of timing patterns and suggested responses
NOTE TO INSTRLiCTOR: The slide is an abbreviation of the table on page 54 Use the first
three points in the table on page 55 as another example of these tables
41
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Occupant Diary
Log of Activities and System Operation
OatelTlme
Symptom
1 2 / I
no ob ! ems
12
6pm-7pm
headache
I2
no woblemi
12/4
IOam-II3Oam
headache
6pm-7pm
headache
1218
nopotweme
12/7
no p blenis
t2
no ob!eme
12
6pm-7pm
headache
Date/Time
EgulpmentlActlvity
1 2 / I
change HV.4C hIler
1212
Spm-9pm
waxed all upper floors
l2
HVACma ,nS on 2nd Floe,
12/4
3pm -4 pm
parnted egurpmenl r oom
1215
5pm-9pm
waxed 811 lower floors
1 2 1 6
lorge Iumshjre delNeIy
1217
pontc e app .atcn
12/8
repainted cenlerence room
12
Spm-9pm
waxed all upper floors
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR Distribute to students the EVALUATING DIAGNOSTIC PATTERNS
HANDOUT Go through this handout quickly to illustrate a diagnostic pattern
The handout (and slide) illustrate a simple symptom/building maintenance pattern
The complainant works late two nights a week She often experiences
headaches while she is working late. By comparing a diary of her symptoms
to the Log of Activities, the lAO Manager can look for patterns of complaints
that relate to building activities
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR Ask the students to comment on the relationship between the
complainants headaches and building activities
Suggested Responses
A possible cause of headaches is fumes from the floor wax.
The complainant also experiences a headache on a day when no waxing or
other building activity has taken place
Some activities that generate pollutants, such as pesticide spraying and
painting, do not coincide with complainant headaches (possibly because
adequate ventilation and exposure control methods were employed)
The headaches often take place in the evening, perhaps after the building
ventilation is turned off
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR Advise the students that this pattern, while interesting, may not
provide the solution to the problem However, one could test the hypothesis that floor wax
fumes are leading to the complainants headaches by asking the complainant to modify her
schedule or by waxing the floors on a different schedule
42
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WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
OCCUPANTS
HYPOTHESIS:
POSSIULE MITIGATION:
What
U
does Super lAO Manager do after collecting occupant data
Review the occupant data to see whether there is enough information to form
a hypothesis
If you believe that there is enough information, stop and mitigate (fix) the
problem.
If not, move on to collect and evaluate more detailed information on the HVAC
system, pollutant pathways, and pollutant sources
43
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Collecting HVAC System Information
Strategies Tools
Review existing HVAC Design documents and
documentation operating instructions
Talk to facilities staff Facilities staff record
their observations
Inspect system HVAC checklist
pg. 191
If you cannot pinpoint the problem after the initial walkthrough and complaint
interviews, examine the HVAC system in more detail
o Review existing documentation on HVAC design, installation, and operation Look at
design documents, testing and balancing reports, operating instructions, and control
manufacturers installation data
Talk to facilities staff. Ask them to record their observations of equipment cycles,
weather conditions, and other events (could use Log of Activities and System
Operations forms).
o Inspect the HVAC system layout, condition, and operation
Use the HVAC checklist, a very useful form, to record information.
Turn to the HVAC checklist form on page 191
The HVAC Checklist Form provides facility management staff with a structured way of
managing and recording ir oortant facts about the status of your HVAC system It
leads staff through an inspection of the mechanical room, the major mechanical
equipment, and the air handling units, asking specific questions about each system
component
The facility manager can evaluate the information on the HVAC checklist, along with
the complainant interview and other information, to assist in determining whether the
HVAC system might be a source of or pathway for pollutants
The HVAC checklist Long Form in the manual is useful to structure a more detailed
1-IVAC investigation It can also be found in the Blank Forms section.
44
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Using HVAC System Data
Compare original design to the current system
Compare the original uses of space to current
uses
Consider the condition of the HVAC system
Fix obvious problems
Compare the original HVAC system design to the current equipment, layout, and
controls. Have changes, substitutions, or repairs been made?
Compare the original uses ot the space to current uses Indoor air quality problems
often arise when the usage of the rooms changes without corresponding adjustments
to the HVAC system.
Consider the condition of the HVAC system. Is the system clean and functioning
properly 7 Are there equipment malfunctions 7 Unsanitary conditions?
If you find a problem, it might be worthwhile to stop and fix it, and see if it takes care
of the complaint. For example, if persons are complaining of food odors and you find
that the kitchen or galley serving the floor has a malfunctioning exhaust fan, repair it
and see if the food odors disappear.
We will talk in more detail a Little later in the course about mitigation (fixing the
problem) strategies and techniques
45
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WHAT WE RNOW SO FAR:
OCCUPANTS
HYPOTHESIS: 9
POSSIILE MITIGATION:
9.
Sn-,
As a Super lAO Manager, after each step in the investigation, re-assess what you
know. Do you have a hypothesis about what the problem is 9 What are possible
fixes 2
At this point in your investigation, you have interviewed occupants and investigated
your HVAC system and its performance in the area of the complaint Can you form a
hypothesis about the source or pathway of the pollutants? Do you think you can fix
it 2 If so, do so
V
46
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Collecting Pathway Information
Strategies Tools
Identify pollutant pathways Architectural and
mechanical drawings
Pollutant Pathway
Form
Area sketch plan
Observe direction of air Testing and balancing
movement reports
Chemical smoke tests
Micromanometer
o So far, we have discussed collecting detailed information about building occupants
and their complaints and about the HVAC system.
o The third type of detailed lAO information to collect is information about potential
pollutant pathways. This information is helpful in determining how contaminants are
getting to the complaint area from the source (whatever it is). Correction of IAQ
problems often involves controlling pollutant movement by sealing pollutant pathways
or manipulating pressure relationships.
o Tools for identifying pollutant pathways include arch ectural and mechanical drawings,
a sketch plan of the complaint area, and the Pollutant Pathway Form for Investigations
in Building Air Quality.
Architectural and mechanical drawings can help you identify common air
movement pathways throughout buildings, such as doors, operable windows.
stairways, elevator shafts, utility closets, and ductwork and plenums.
Use the Pollutant Pathway Form for Investigations and a sketch of the
complaint area to record your observations about pollutant pathways and
directions of pollutant movement
Tools for observing the direction of air movement include HVAC system balancing and
testing reports, chemical smoke tests (which produce a small stream of harmless
chemical smoke -- they do not fill the building with smoke), and micromanometers
(devices for measuring air pressure differentials).
47
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Pressure Relationships
Known contaminant sources should be under
negative pressure
Protected areas should be under positive
pressure
Chemical smoke
Building areas that contain known contaminant sources (such as bathrooms, food
preparation areas, smoking lounges, print rooms, and art rooms) should be
maintained under negative pressure relative to the surrounding area -- air should not
be flowing out of them into other building areas
o Areas that need to be protected from the infiltration of contaminants (like a
complainants office space) should be maintained under positive pressure relative to
surrounding areas that may contain a potential pollutant source
Chemical Smoke
A chemical smoke pencil or smoke tube (one is included in the instructor
package) is used to visually determine air flows between spaces. Chemical
smoke is a harmless smoke that is released in tiny puffs and observed to
identify air flow and pressure relationships between spaces
Note: Chemical smoke is in no way related to smoke from fires, and using
chemical smoke testing is not akin to tests requiring buildings to be filled with
smoke for fire safety requirements
48
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Chemical Smoke Stick
The slide shows the use of a chemical smoke stick
Chemical Smoke Demonstration (OPTIONAL)
Demonstrate the smoke pencil by releasing several small puffs of smoke into
the classroom air.
Move about the room releasing smoke, working with the students to ascertain
airflow in and out of the training room Try to develop several pieces of
information about the classroom airflow
Air supply to the room (find by watching for drafts, which signal
strong airflow)
Air return from the room (find by watching where the smoke is
pulled)
Pressure relationship with the hallway(s) (find by releasing smoke near
the doors)
Ask the students to develop a profile for the room based on the chemical
smoke test by asking questions (You do not need to arrive at absolute
answers, just try to get the students to think about interpreting results of the
smoke test):
1) Is the room under positive or negative pressure relative to the
adjoining hallway(s) 9 ; relative to the adjoining room 7 (Answer If
smoke moved out the door, the classroom is positively pressurized
relative to the adjoining space, if the smoke blew into the room from
the doorway, the adjoining space is under greater pressure, so the
classroom is under negative pressure)
2) Is there good air mixing in the room, i e, does air move from the
supply throughout the room, then back to the returns (Answer: if
smoke just floats in the center of the classroom, there is not very good
mixing; if smoke seems carried by currents throughout the room, there
may be good mixing--see next question for elaboration)
3) Is there mixing in the breathing zone, te , .at the level where people
are? (Answer: If the smoke seems to show air short cirCuiting, that
is, leaving the supply vents and moving right into the return vents
without reaching the students level, there is no mixing in the
breathing zone. If smoke shows a movement down toward the floor
on one side of the room and up from the floor on the other side, there
may again be little mixing in the breathing zone)
4) Will airflow patterns differ if the room is being heated versus when it is
being cooled? (Answer Yes, since warm air naturally rises, while cool
air naturally falls).
5) Might the pressure relationships change When? (Answer: yes, if
changes take place in adjoining spaces, or if supply or exhaust fans in
the room turn on and oft)
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Using Pollutant Pathway Data
Evaluate airflow patterns
Confirm or revise boundaries of the area to
investigate
Evaluate airflow patterns you have discovered Are there temporal patterns linking
changes in airflow direction to incidents of complaints? Are there spatial patterns
linking potential sources to the locations of complaints?
Confirm or revise boundaries of the area to investigate The discovery of unexpected
pollutant pathways may suggest a need to study areas of the building that are distant
from the original complaint.
50
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Collecting Source Information
Conduct on-site inspection
Talk with building occupants, facilities staff,
and contractors
Can be performed when observing pollutant pathways.
Conduct on-site inspection
Talk with building occupants and facilities staff to learn about potential pollutant
sources in the building. Prompt them when necessary by suggesting the types of
sources (to be reviewed in the next slides)
51
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Sources Review
The next set of slides is meant to serve as a reminder of the types of sources to look
for when collecting source information.
There is one slide for each category of sources.
52
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Outdoor Sources
Outdoor sources of indoor air contaminants include
Standing water;
Exhaust vents;
Dumpsters;
Motor vehicles; and
Bad outdoor air.
o Outdoor sources may become indoor sources as when underground parking
garages or building delivery bays trap pollutants inside or underneath a building that
then seep into occupied space. For example, an lAO investigator responding to a
complaint of diesel fumes found the air to be visibly hazy on the floor immediately
above an underground parking garage.
53
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Equipment
Sources of indoor air contaminants from equipment include
Copiers, and
Laser printers
54
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The HVAC System
The HVAC system itself can be a source of pollutants, such as biological
contamination, or dust
The slide shows biological growth materials scraped from the drip pan of the
buildings air conditioning unit
55
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Materials and Furnishings
Building materials, components, and furnishings can be sources of pollutants
Carpet,
Room dividers, and
Furniture
Volatile organic compounds are the usual pollutants of concern given off by building
materials and furnishings Outgassing of volatile organic compounds from these
materials will be most pronounced when the material is new and will taper off over
time
56
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Special Use Areas
Special use areas in your building can be sources of contaminants Areas to be
especially aware of include
Janitorial closets,
Smoking lounges,
Laboratories,
Art rooms, and
Food preparation areas.
The perception of air quality around a special use area may change over time For
example, one IAQ Investigator, responding to complaints of loul odors by a new
tenant discovered that the new tenant was in space adjoining a dental office. Odors
associated with the dental practice had existed for some time, but the previous
adjoining tenants were accustomed to the odors and had not complained. The new
tenants in the adjoining space found the odors offensive
57
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Remodeling or Redecorating
Building remodeling or redecorating can produce indoor air contaminants. Common
activities that may lead to problems are
Painting, and
Refinishing
58
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Smoking;
Food preparation (popcorn, etc); and
Maintenance activities
Over-watering plants can lead to indoor air problems. One IAQ investigator,
responding to occupant complaints of upper respiratory problems in a building, found
rotted carpeting, extensive mold and mildew growth, and structural damage to the
building The problems resulted from continuous, frequent over-watering of
ornamental plants
Human activities can also produce indoor air contaminants. Common sources
include
59
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Chemicals in Use
pg. 221
Turn to page 221 in Building Air Quality. This is the Chemical Inventory Form It
provides a place to record chemicals in use in the building
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
Under OSHA regulations, employers are required to make information available
about chemicals in use in the workplace Material Safety Data Sheets,
available from product manufacturers, provide information on product
contents, first aid, health effects, and control measures
The Chemical Inventory Form has a place for you to note whether an MSDS is
on file for chemicals in use in the building If you do not have MSDSs on file
for chemicals in common use in your building, you should acquire them They
are available from the products manufacturers
60
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Using Pollutant Source Information
Test hypothesis about obvious sources
Identify patterns linking emissions to
complaints
Note unrelated sources
If a strong pollutant source is identified in the immediate vicinity of the complaint, a
simple test (i e, sealing, covering, or removing the source) can sometimes reveal
whether it is the cause of the lAO problem.
Look for patterns linking emissions from potential sources to the lAO complaints. Are
there pathways linking the source to the complaint? Does the timing of the emissions
coincide with the timing of the complaints
During your investigation, it is not unusual to identify potential contaminant sources
that are unrelated to the present complaint These should be prioritized for future
correction.
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Special Diagnosis Issue:
Sampling Air for Contaminants and Indicators
Do not begin with air sampling
Sampling for thermal or ventilation problems is
routine
Sampling pollutant concentrations
Expensive and often inconclusive
Specific pollutant sampling warranted
IAQ problem diagnosis does not begin with air sampling. You can very often
diagnose and fix an IAQ problem without conducting air sampling.
Sampling for thermal or ventilation problems is fairly routine. Limited testing for
temperature, relative humidity, air movement (by using chemical smoke), and carbon
dioxide (a measure of ventilation efficiency) may be used to take a snapshor of
current building conditions
o Sampling for other pollutant concentrations is expensive and often inconclusive
Hundreds of pollutants can be found in indoor air, depending upon the sensitivity of
the instruments used. And, because there are few federal regulations governing
pollutant concentrations, it is unclear what significance a particular reading has. Even
buildings experiencing lAO problems seldom exceed occupational health standards for
pollutant levels.
o In general, pollutant sampling should not be conducted unless occupant symptoms or
observation of building conditions and potential sources indicate that a specific
pollutant may be the cause of the complaint, and if knowing actual pollutant levels is
important in determining an appropriate mitigation
62
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Developing an Air Sampling Strategy
How will the results be used?
What substances should be measured?
Where and when should samples be taken?
What method should be used?
If you decide that air sampling is required, you should develop a clear strategy for
conducting the sampling There are several questions that should be answered when
developing your sampling strategy
First, how will the results be used 7 Why sample? Potential uses include
Comparing different areas of the building or comparing indoor to outdoor
conditions,
Testing for indicator compounds associated with different types of building
conditions (for example, measuring carbon dioxide as an indicator of
ventilation, or carbon monoxide as an indicator of inefficient exhaust of
combustion by-products, such as smoke and gases from furnaces and
cooking), and
Comparing measured concentrations to guidelines or standards
Determining what $ubstances should be measured, and where and when samples
should be taken depends largely on your hypothesis about what the pollutant source
is In general, it is prudent to begin a program of chemical sampling only if symptoms
or observations strongly suggest that a specific pollutant or a specific source may be
the cause of the problem
There are several technologies and processes for conducting air sampling They
depend, among other things, upon the kind of contaminant being sampled for For
example, sampling for chemicals in the air is different from sampling for biological
contaminants like molds and bacteria We are not going to go into the various
technologies in this class, just be aware that there is no one method of air sampling
and analysis. Appendix A in Building Air Quality contains more detailed information
about sampling methods and technologies, and the advantages and disadvantages of
each
63
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Now at this point in your investigation, you have collected detailed information on all
four types of information relevant to an lAO investigation.
Occupant complaints;
The HVAC system,
Pollutant pathways, and
Pollutant sources
Can you use all this information to form a hypothesis 7 Do you think you know what
the source is and how ills getting to the persons experiencing symptoms? Can you
think of a way to test your hypothesis 7
VI 1AT WE KNOW SO FAR:
cccu.A:j;5
P L1UT T PAT NA,N
POL1U A T OUPCES
HYPOTHESIS: ?
64
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Sample Fonn
Hypothesis Form
Complaint Ar .. (may be revised as the Investigabon progresses)
Complแi (e.g., summarize patterns of timing, location, people
affeated)
HVAC: Does the ventilation system appear to provide adequate
air, efficteridy distributed to meat occtipont need, in the complaint
area? if not, what problem, do you see?
P.thways What pathways and driving forces connect the
complaint area to locations of potential sources?
pg. 223
As you might expect, there is a form available to help you summarize your
investigation the Hypothesis Form Turn in your book to page 223 in the Blank
Forms section
Use the Hypothesis Form to collect and organize the results of your investigation.
The form summarizes all lAO investigation information: complaints, HVAC,
pathways, and sources It also helps you develop hypotheses and strategies
for testing those hypotheses.
The Hypothesis form is a handy management tool to assure that all parts of
the investigation have been completed It can be prepared by the person or
persons doing the investigation, and provided to building management as a
summary of what has been found, and what is the hypothesized cause of the
lAO problem
Once you have a hypothesis, you can attempt to mitigate the problem This brings us
to Lesson 4
65
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Where We Are
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting IAQ
Lesson 2: Effective Communication
Lesson 3: Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Lesson 4: Mitigating IAQ Problems
Lesson 5: Preventing IAQ Problems
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
In Lesson 4, we will be discussing how to mitigate (fix) IAQ problems
66
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There are four basic approaches to mitigating lAO problems
Source control
Ventilation
Air cleaning
Exposure control
A successful mitigation strategy may require a combination of these approaches
CONTROL
4
APPROACHES
[ F ฎl
EXPฐ
AIR
4POL
67
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Source Control
Remove or reduce the source
Seal or cover the source
Modify the building environment
The first general approach for mitigating indoor air problems is to control the source of
contamination
Remove or reduce the source (for example, restrict smoking to specdic areas
in the building, or, switch maintenance products).
Seal or cover the source (for example, cap chemical bottles in a laboratory)
Modification of the building enviror?ment may be required. For example, disinfecting a
biologically contaminated area may only be a short-term solution; a long-term solution
may require manipulating humidity or temperature to ensure that the building
environment is inhospitable to the growth of biological contaminants.
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Ventilation
Dilute contaminants
Isolate or remove contaminants
The second general approach for mitigating indoor air quality problems is to use
ventilation to dilute, isolate, or remove contaminants.
Dilute the return air containing pollutants with more outside air before it is
recirculated to occupant spaces, or improve air distribution throughout the
building Note that this strategy assumes that the quality of the outside air is
good
Isolate contaminants by providing supply air to occupant spaces to create a
positive pressure and provide return vents at the pollution source to create a
negative pressure.
Remove contaminants from a localized pollutant source by creating greater
negative pressure at the source To achieve this, install a dedicated local
exhaust.
69
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Air Cleaning
Air cleaning equipment must be selected for the
contaminant of interest
Particles
Gases
Equipment must be regularly maintained
o The third method of controlling an lAO problem is to clean the air.
Air cleaning equipment must be very carefully selected to match the contaminant to be
removed For example, gases can only be removed through specialized equipment
Commonly-employed HVAC filtering systems will not remove gases.
Various electronic and filtering technologies exist for removing particulates (dust) The
air cleaning device selected should be matched to the contaminant of interest, and
each technologies advantages and disadvantages should be compared when
selecting a system Building Air Quality provides more detailed information about
different devices
Air cleaning equipment must be properly maintained, or it can itself become a
contaminant source (part of the problem rather than part of the solution). Higher
efficiency filters are effective only with proper maintenance.
Typical, low-efficiency filters do not remove small particles and, while useful for
protecting moving parts within the HVAC system, do not provide much IAQ control
70
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Exposure Control
Schedule contaminant-producing activities to
avoid complaints
Relocate susceptible individuals
The last general approach to controlling indoor air problems is to control the exposure
of the affected individuals to the contaminants
You may sometimes be able to control building occupants exposure and minimize
complaints by scheduling contaminant-producing activities during non-working hours
Contaminant-producing activities that could be re-scheduled include painting and
other remodeling and repairs.
If you cannot control the contaminants or identify the source of the pollutants, you
may have to relocate susceptible individuals to other areas. This should be a last
resort mitigation strategy.
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Sample Problems and Solutions
HVAC system is a source of biological
contaminants
Mold and mildew growth due to condensation
Specialized use areas
Building Air Quality illustrates several common fAQ problems, gives examples of each,
and suggests mitigation strategies.
For this class, we will go over some of the sample lAO problem s uations and the
suggested ways of mitigating them.
The ones we will discuss are the HVAC system itseU as a source of biological
contaminants, mold and mildew growth due to condensation, and specialized use
areas.
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Problem: 5
HVAC System is a Source of Biological Contaminants
Surface contamination by molds or bacteria
Drain pans
Interior duct work
Air filters and filter media
Improperly maintained HVAC systems can themselves be sources of biological
contaminants. Common parts of the system that may become contaminant sources
are the surfaces of drain pans, the interior surfaces of duct work, and air filters and
filter media.
What can be done to prevent this from occurring?
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: This is problem #5, which is found on page 91 of Building
Air Quality. Do not have the students find the problem in the book, but lead a
discussion of appropriate mitigation strategies with the students, Have the students
generate solutions. Solutions include.
Remove the source by improving maintenance procedures.
Inspect equipment for signs of corrosion or high humidity.
Replace corroded parts.
Clean drip pans, outdoor air intakes, other affected locations
Use biocides, disinfectants, and sanitizers with extreme caution and
ensure that occupant exposure is minimized.
Provide access to all items that must be cleaned, drained, or replaced.
o Two slides showing the problem follow.
Mold scraped from the bottom of an air conditioning unit
A HVAC water tank growing algae and mold
73
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Problem: 9
Mold or Mildew Growth Due to Condensation
Interior surfaces of walls near thermal bridges
Carpeting on cold floors
Locations where humidity promotes
condensation
lAO problems can result from mold or mildew growth due to moisture from
condensation.
Common areas where this occurs are the interior surfaces of walls near thermal
bridges (such as where wall studs are located), carpeting over cold floors, and
locations where high surface humidity promotes condensation.
What are probable solutions to these kinds of problems?
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: This is problem #9, which is found on page 95 of Building
Air Quality. Do not have the students find the problem in the book, but lead a
discussion of appropriate mitigation strategies with the students Have the students
generate solutions, After class discussion, ensure that the following solutions are
covered
Clean and disinfect to remove mold and mildew
Increase surface temperatures to treat locations that are subject to
condensation.
Reduce moisture levels in locations that are subject to condensation
Discard contaminated materials.
Two slides showing the problem follow
Mod growing on floor over the floor joints shows evidence of a thermal bridge
to the ground.
Mold growing on walls, likely due to condensation.
74
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Problem: 12
Specialized Use Areas as Sources of Contaminants
Food preparation
Art or print rooms
Laboratories
pg. 98
As we have discussed earlier today, specialized use areas (such as food preparation
areas, art or print rooms, and laboratories) can be sources of indoor air contaminants
What can be done to reduce or eliminate these areas as sources
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: This is problem #12, which is found on page 98 of
Building Air Quality. For this problem, have the students find it in the book Walk the
students through the solutions in the book to give them experience in using the
exampe problems to develop a mitigation strategy.
75
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Judging the Success of a Mitigation Effort
Did the symptoms go away?
Did mitigation change relevant building
conditions?
After you attempt to mitigate, you must follow up to see that the intervention fixed the
problem
Do the building occupants feel better? The most important measure of
success is, of course, that occupants symptoms are reduced or eliminated
You will only know by going back to the occupant and checking
Did your mitigation affect the building conditions you were attempting to
change Test building conditions to find out if the mitigation affected the
building variable of interest:
Have the pressure relationships changed?
Is more outdoor air being supplied
Is the odor gone
Is the complaint area receiving more outdoor air 9
76
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Conducting an lAO Investigation
Sometimes, despite your effort, you can get stuck in the investigate-hypothesis-test-tail
loop; you Just cannot fix the problem. If you are stuck
Re-evaluate the hypothesis Could something else be the source or pathway 9
Re-evaluate the mitigation technique used.
Possibly try another mitigation strategy
If this fails
Try to identify non-lAO problems that may appear to be lAO problems,
Consider whether non-IAQ environmental stresses are involved in the
complaints: or
Use outside assistance
We will talk a little more about each of these alternatives in turn
1
4
7
77
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Environmental Stressors
Lighting
Noise
Vibration
Ergonomic stress
Psychosocial factors
Other environmental stressors can masquerade as lAO problems. They can produce
similar symptoms in building occupants (e.g headaches and eyestrain)
Lighting that flickers or is too low or too bright can cause lAO-like symptoms.
Fluorescent lights are especially prone to inducing these problems
A noisy environment can lead to symptoms, especially distraction and headaches.
Building vibration (for example, from heavy nearby traffic or equipment being operated
in the building) can result in physical symptoms
Ergonomics is the science of matching the human body to the physical environment
Ergonomic stressors, such as poorly designed chairs or incorrect positioning of video
display terminals can produce backaches, headaches, and eyestrain
Occupants may have become oblivious to these problems, but they may be causing
hea h effects
Strained labor/management relations, job dissatisfaction, outside personal events, or
other psychosocial stressors may produce symptoms similar to lAO problem
symptoms Of course, many of these events will be beyond your ability to investigate,
much less control
Poor tenant/building management relations can also produce complaints.
Only consider psychosocial factors when you have exhausted every other explanation
of the problem. Complainants and other occupants can become very angry and
frustrated if building management seems to be dismissing a health complaint
78
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Seeking Outside Assistance for IAQ Mitigation
Cannot identify the problem
Mitigation has been unsuccessful
Air sampling is required
Mistakes or delays could be serious
Management feels that an independent
investigation is more credible
You may consider hiring a consultant when:
You cannot identify the problem;
Mitigation efforts have been unsuccessful,
Extensive air sampling or other sophisticated environmental measurements are
required,
Mistakes or delays could have serious consequences: or
Management teels that an independent investigation would have greater
credibility
See Building Air Qua/ny for additional guidance on seeking outside assistance
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Outside Assistance Selection Criteria
Experience
Quality of interview or proposal
Reputation
Knowledge of local codes and regional climate
Criteria for selecting outside IAQ assistance are similar to those for selecting other
professionals
Experience: Over half of the firms providing IAQ services surveyed by EPA have been
providing IAQ services for ten or fewer years.
Quality of interview or proposal: Competent lAO professionals will pose questions to
you (to see if their services fit your situations), will emphasize observations over
measurements, and will have a good understanding of the relationships between lAO
and the building structure, mechanical system, and human activities (should have
indoor air quality, health, and building component knowledge).
Reputation: Obtain references from clients who obtained comparable services Ask
references about long-term effectiveness and follow-up.
Knowledge of local codes and regional climate: Familiarity with local codes avoids
problems when altering the HVAG system Regional climate will influence the choice
of mitigation approaches that affect heating, cooling, or humidity control
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Diagnosis and Mitigation Multi-Part Case Study
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DIAGNOSIS AND MITIGATION MULTI-PART CASE STUDY
INSTRUCTOR NOTES
OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE OF THE DIAGNOSIS AND MITIGATION CASE STUDY
Lesson 4 concludes with a multi-part class discussion case study The case study is
designed to allow students to practice the diagnosis and mitigation techniques that have been
taught in class. The case study illustrates that the students themselves now have the
knowledge to diagnose a common indoor air quality problem (under-ventilation), and to
identify potential ways of mitigating the problem. The case study should take about 20 - 25
minutes to complete
There are two sets of materials provided to help you conduct this case study The first
is a student handout, titled DIAGNOSIS AND MITIGATION MULTI-PART CASE STUDY, which
contains the information available to the students. Each of the five parts appears on a
separate page, and the notes indicate that students should not turn the page until instructed
to do so. The second set of materials, labeled DETAILED INSTRUCTOR NOTES follows
these general instructions and contains all of the information available to students, plus
instructions about how to lead a student discussion on each part of the case study, and
suggested next steps and solutions.
Review the STUDENT HANDOUT and DETAILED INSTRUCTOR NOTES before
attempting to conduct this case study.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONDUCTING THE DIAGNOSIS AND MITIGATION CASE
STUDY
Hand out the STUDENT NOTES (or provide them to students before the class starts).
Remind the students not to move ahead in the case study until instructed to do so.
The case study has four parts (refer to your DETAILED INSTRUCTOR NOTES). Each
part of the case study builds on the previous part and provides additional information about
the situation. For each part, read aloud the information provided to the students, and then
lead a discussion about the information, using the leading questions and suggested answers
given in your DETAILED INSTRUCTOR NOTES After completing the discussion, have the
students move on to the next part of the case study, and repeat the general procedure of
discussing the information, and asking the questions given in your detailed instructor notes.
Each part should take no more than five minutes to complete.
Encourage active participation of all students in the class. You may find it useful to
use a flip chart to record student comments and suggestions, and to summarize the diagnosis
and proposed mitigation.
By the end of the case study, students should recognize that they have the knowledge
to conduct an indoor air quality problem diagnosis, and design a solution (or series of
solutions)
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DETAILED INSTRUCTOR NOTES
Part 1: InItial Situation
Several occupants on the basement floor of a modern four-story office building
complain of eye irritation, lethargy, poor temperature control, and dead air The basement is
used for word processing support, reproduction, and other administrative support
No other floors are reporting similar complaints. Most floors are an open office
arrangement with live foot high moveable dividers.
The building and the air handlers are 16 years old, and well maintained
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR. The building was constructed during the energy crisis of the
seventies, so if is likely to have minimum ventilation to be energy efficient
Smoking is not allowed on the basement floor, but is permitted elsewhere in the
building
One half of the floor has windows with a view of a sunken court yard. The windows
are fixed pane type
INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: What would be an appropriate response from the building
owner or manager?
Suggested responses:
Interview complainants.
Conduct a waikthrough of the basement floor.
Take some basic measurements.
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR: Other responses are acceptable, and should be encouraged, but the
three listed provide the basis for the subsequent additional information)
Instruct the students to turn to Part 2 of the case study
Part 2: AdditIonal Information
The manager conducted a walkthrough, which turned up no obvious problem pollutant
sources. There are two large copiers on the floor in continuous use. Occupant density on the
basement floor is six people per 1000 square feet, and nine people per 1000 square feet in
the vicinity of the copiers. All occupants of the basement have computers on their desks
(Note to instructor, todays personal computers generate anywhere from one to three times
the heat of one person). Density on all other floors is between three and five people per 1000
square feet
The manager took some measurements over the next week. Records of the
temperature in the complaint area showed temperatures starting at 72 degrees each morning
and climbing to 76 degrees higher by mid-afternoon. The relative humidity was measured at
30%. The relative humidity outdoors during the period was around 20%.
The manager spoke with the engineer who informed him that the building is humidified
with clean steam to 40% relative humidity.
The manager arranged occupant interviews. The interviews revealed that despite the
no smoking policy, occupants sometimes smell cigarette smoke.
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INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: What would be appropriate next steps?
Suggested responses:
Look at HVAC system drawings and design specs
Inspect the system itself.
Do a chemical smoke test
Instruct the students to turn to Part 3 of the case study
Part 3: AdditIonal Information
Review of the engineering drawings reveals that the basement area was renovated 3
years ago and drawings are not available for the current distribution system.
Visual inspection of the HVAC system showed no obvious problems (blockages, dust,
or moisture).
Smoke pencil tests showed air moving from the stairway into the basement floor and
from other floors into the stairway.
INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: What do we know so far?
Suggested Responses.
The basement has excess density of people relative to the other floors
The basement has lower relative humidity than the rest of the building
The temperature rises throughout the day
Occupants sometimes smell smoke even though there is no smoking on the
floor.
There are potential pollutant sources copiers, laser printers
The basement was reconfigured The design specifications are unavailable.
The basement appears to be under negative pressure relative to the building
(from the smoke pencil test)
INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: Can we form a hypothesis based on these pieces of
information?
Suggested ResponseS
Inadequate ventilation to the basement could explain all the given conditions
Humidity in the basement between the ventilated humidity of 40% and the
outdoor humidity of 20%
Poor temperature control in the warmer afternoons
Inadequate dilution and removal of pollutants from copiers and laser
printers could lead to the expenenced health effects.
Inadequate fresh air could lead to experience of dead air.
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The negative pressure relative to the building pulling air from the other
ioors (indicated by the smoke pencil test and the smell of cigarette
smoke).
INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: How can we test the hypothesis/mitigate the problem?
Suggested ResponseS
Increase ventilation to the basement
Instruct the students to turn to Part 4 of the case study.
Part 4: Additional Information
Upon trying to increase ventilation, the engineer learns that the air handlers are at
capacity and cannot provide any more ventilation
INSTRUCTOR QUESTION: What would be an appropriate next step? What are some other
possible mitIgation steps?
NOTE TO INSTRUCTORS At this point, let the students generate some ideas about other ways
to test the hypothesis. There will be no absolute conclusion or right answer; the goal is to
develop ways to test the hypothesis and mitigate the problem
Suggested Responses:
Install new or additional air handlers (probably the most expensive approach)
Install a dedicated exhaust or heat reduction unit on the copiers (note that
exhausts will increase the negative pressure in the space, but will help reduce
the temperature and pollutant load)
Test CO 2 yourself or call in a consultant to test CO 2 levels in the space (the
consultant will be able to tell whether CO 2 levels are above normal, indicating
that there is inadequate fresh air reaching the space).
Ban smoking, permanently or temporarily, in the entire building to see if the
environmental tobacco smoke is responsible for the health effects
Reorganize the building, putting support staff on other floors to spread out the
thermal load.
Install smoking lounges with dedicated exhaust
Balance the system
Look into installing higher efficiency air filters.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR MORE TECHNICAL STUDENT AUDIENCES
if you (the instructor) have a technical background in indoor air diagnosis and
mitigation, and your students have a background in indoor air measurement, this case study
could be adapted to provided a more technical introduction to indoor air diagnosis. For
example, tracer gases could be used to measure contaminant source pathways throughout
the building, flow hoods could be used to accurately measure ventilation rates in the
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basement, and CO and CO 2 measurements could be made. If you believe that your students
would benefit from a more technical discussion of this case study, modify it as necessary to
include a more detailed discussion of diagnostic information that could be gathered. Keep in
mind, however, that one of the goals of the case study is to show the students that they have
the knowledge to conduct their own lAO diagnosis.
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Where We Are
Lesson 1:
Lesson 2:
Lesson 3:
Lesson 4:
Lesson 5:
Lesson 6:
Factors Affecting IAQ
Effective Communication
Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Mitigating IAQ Problems
Preventing IAQ Problems
Additional Resources
lesson, we will be discussing how to prevent IAQ problems by
Developing an lAO profile of your building, and
Managing your building for good lAO
In this
U
U
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The IAQ Profile
Description of the buildings features that
impact IAQ
Similar to problem investigation
Differs from problem investigation in area,
detail, and time frame
Preventing lAO problems begins with developing an indoor air quality profile of your
building The IAQ profile is a description of the features of your buildings structure,
function, and occupants that impact indoor air quality. When you have completed
your lAO profile, you will have an understanding of the current status of air quality in
your building and information on the factors that have a potential for causing problems
in the future
o Now that you understand how to collect information to diagnose lAO problems, you
know much about how to collect information to prevent lAO problems in the first place.
Developing an lAO profile for your building is similar to conducting an lAO problem
investigation in that you collect information about the same four major types of factors
building occupants, the HVAC system, pollutant pathways, and pollutant sources.
Building an IAQ profile for your building is different from an IAQ problem investigation
in that during a problem investigation you will usually focus on only specific portions of
the building (unless the problem is building-wide), collect increasingly detailed
information about the problem, and collect the information as quickly as possible
When you are building an IAQ profile, your goal is to collect general information about
the whole building, and you can schedule the work around your other responsibilities
and duties
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Dev.iopIng an lAO PvoiiI.
I CoDeclar Re ,ew
E*sWi Recc s
The three major steps to completing an lAO profile areS
Collecting and reviewing existing records;
Conducting a walkthrough inspection of the building: and
Collecting detailed lAO information.
START
2 Cori&jct a W&kdw 4
InspeCtion 01 e
I Collect Deta ledlnto:mat r j
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Collect and Review Existing Records
Review construction and operating records
Check HVAC maintenance records against
equipment lists
Review records of building environment
complaints
The first step in developing an lAO profile of your building is to review construction
and operating records to understand how the building was a) designed to function
and b) is functioning. Are there major discrepancies?
Check HVAC maintenance records against equipment lists Is the HVAC system being
maintained as required 9 Are some equipment items being overlooked (especially
small exhaust fans in remote locations)?
Review records of building environment complaints What can you learn 9
When this step is completed, you should have:
A description of HVAC system design and operation and a set of operating
instructions;
A set of maintenance and calibration records,
An inventory of locations where occupancy, equipment, or building have
changed, and
An inventory of complaint locations
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The second step in building an lAO profile is to conduct a walkthrough of your
building, much like you would do if you had received an indoor air quality complaint.
As part of your walkthrough, talk with your staff and building occupants
As you conduct your lAO profile walkthrough, look for the kinds of lAO problem
indicators you would look for if you had received complaints. Spotting and correcting
potential problems now can prevent tenant dissatisfaction later Look for these
common potential lAO problem indicators in your IAQ profile walkthrough
Odors;
Dirty or unsanitary conditions;
Visible fungal growth or moldy odors,
Poorly maintained filters,
Staining or discoloration/smoke damage;
Presence of hazardous substances (trashed or stored chemicals), and
Unusual noises from mechanical equipment (may indicate improperly
maintained equipment)
When this step is completed, you should have
A list of responsible staff/contractors
An identification of areas where positive or negative pressures should be
maintained; and
A record of locations that require regular observation
CONDUCT A WALK THROUGH
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Collect Detailed Information
HVAC system condition and operation
Pollutant pathways and sources
Building occupants
Use same forms as when doing IAQ problem
diagnosis
After your initial walkthrough (and presuming you either found no lAO problems or
corrected the ones you found), the third, and last step in developing an IAQ profile of
your building is to collect more detailed lAO information. You can do this by using the
same information gathering techniques used after a problem occurs and by using the
same forms as when doing IAQ problem diagnosis (for example, the HVAC Checklist
Form, the Pollutant Pathway Record for lAO Profiles Form, the Pollutant and Source
Inventory Form, the Chemical Inventory Form, and the Zone/Room Record Form)
Inspect HVAC system condition and operation
Inventory pollutant pathways and sources.
Collect information on building occupancy and use
When this step is complete, you should have
An inventory of your HVAC system;
A record of control settings and operating schedules,
A completed plan showing airflow directions or pressure differentials in
significant areas;
An inventory of significant pollutant sources and their locations, and
An inventory of any hazardous chemicals used or stored in the building
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Doveioplng an lAO I anag.n nt Pl
o In addition to building an lAO profile for your building, preventing lAO problems also
involves developing an lAO management plan for your building
Developing an lAO management plan involves selecting an lAO manager, reviewing
the IAQ profile and other records relevant to lAO, and assigning staff responsibilities
for lAO duties.
START
S en lAOManaos
Re .. AD P o
at E att็ Rewth
Ass S
RespO.Aet/1( 1 Stal
C
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lAO management in your building will be facilitated if one individual is given overall
responsibility for IAQ management. The lAO manager has a variety of duties:
Coordinate staff lAO efforts, including developing the lAO profile, and ensure
that staff have the information and authority to carry out their lAO duties,
Establish and publicize to building occupants the system for recording and
responding to complaints;
Retain and manage lAO-related records, such as HVAC system documents
and complaint forms; and
Respond to complaints, and perhaps, conduct the initial walkthrough
investigation
i.
IAQ Managers Responsibiiities
Coordinate staff IAQ efforts
Establish complaint system
Manage IAQ-related records
Respond to complaints
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Results of IAQ Profile and Records Review
IAQ priority list
Staff and contractor responsibilities
o If the lAO manager was not actively involved in developing the lAO profile, he or she
should review it and other lAO records carefully
From the lAO profile and other records, a priority list should be drawn up of locations
and activities within the building that will require special attention in order to prevent
IAQ problems.
A list of staff and contractors (such as cleaning, maintenance, or pest control
contractors) whose duties impact lAO should be developed
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Assign and Train Staff
Job descriptions and procedures
Procedures for reviewing purchases
Smoking policies
Education and training plans
The third step in developing an lAO management plan is to assign and train your staff
in their responsibilities for lAO management.
Job descriptions or contracts, work procedures, and schedules should be revised to
reflect air quality concerns. Responsibilities of particular concern are
Facilities operation and maintenance;
Housekeeping,
Pest control, and
Tenant relations
Procedures should be established for reviewing purchases of items (such as cleaning
products or pest control agents) that could affect indoor air quality.
Environmental (secondary) tobacco smoke is a common source of indoor air quality
problems. Consider policies for restricting smoking in the building
Facility personnel are generally not trained to think about lAO issues The best lAO
prevention results will be obtained when the staff is specifically trained in their IAQ-
related duties and in the overall management of indoor air quality
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Where We Are
Lesson 1: Factors Affecting IAQ
Lesson 2: Effective Communication
Lesson 3: Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Lesson 4: Mitigating IAQ Problems
Lesson 5: Preventing IAQ Problems
Lesson 6: Additional Resources
This last lesson will discuss other lAO resources that are available to you
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Resources in Building Air Quality
Technical reference for later use
Appendices
Additional topics not covered in class
Other resources
Building Air Quality includes additional information about each topic discussed today.
Use the guide as a technical reference and how-to manual for your lAO efforts
Building Air Quality contains appendices which provide additional detailed information
on
Air sampling devices and methods,
HVAC system components and their relation to indoor air quality,
Moisture and mold reduction and control,
Asbestos management, and
Radon measurement and diagnosis
Building Air Quality also includes information (not covered in this class) on topics
including health and safety for lAO investigations, managing mitigation projects
involving severe contaminants, selecting measurement devices, and recommendations
on duct cleaning procedures.
Building Air Quality also has a resource appendix that lists Federal agencies with IAQ
responsibilities, private sector organizations with involvement in lAO issues,
publications, and training opportunities
NOTE TO INSTRUCTOR If your organization provides special support to facility staff for lAO
management, discuss those resources here
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