Update #20, June 15, 2009
&EFA
Indoor Air Quality {IAGO
INDOOR AIR QUALITY TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS UPDATE
In This Issue...
• News and Events
• Feature Article: IAQ Profile: Establishing Your Baseline for Long-Term Success
• Insight into Excellence: Belleville Township High School District #201
• Have Your Questions Answered
News and Events
• Webinar: Evaluating School-Based Asthma Programs, Thursday, June 18, 2009, 2:00-3:30pm
ET. Register for this Webinar to learn how to effectively evaluate school-based asthma programs and
translate your evaluation into changes that can increase program impact. Hosted by the EPA in
collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this Webinar will explain a sample logic
model for evaluating school-based asthma programs, identify sources of credible data, describe
important considerations in analyzing and interpreting evaluation data, and identify strategies that can
enhance the likelihood that evaluation findings will be used. Take advantage of this unique opportunity
- register today!
• The 2009 IAQ TfS competitive awards process has been launched! Implementing an IAQ program
is hard work. Get the recognition — and the glory — you deserve by applying for an IAQ TfS Award.
Winners of EPA's awards are well-rewarded for their excellence and effort: apply today for the National
Excellence. National Model of Sustained Excellence and the NEW National IAQ TfS Connector Award
today! And don't forget about our non-competitive awards, the National Great Start and National
Leadership Awards.
• The State of the Air Report has been released - how healthy is the air you breathe? Our quest for
healthy indoor air doesn't mean we have forgotten the importance of the quality of the outdoor air. The
American Lung Association's 10th annual State of the Air Report offers local air quality rankings,
including a listing of the "25 dirtiest cities." Enter your zip code on the State of the Air Web site to find
out how your city measures up and what you can do to help improve it.
• The Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB) Web site has been updated!
The IAQ-SFRB Web site, developed by the EPA in cooperation with the Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, is an unparalleled resource for anyone who seeks scientific information about the effects of
IAQ on people's health and work performance. The IAQ-SFRB Web site is easy to navigate and is
updated regularly; discover this important resource today!
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IAQ Profile: Establishing Your Baseline for Long-Term Success
It's no secret that creating healthy IAQ is the result of a complex and varied recipe. Often, we focus on many of
the individual ingredients, or influences, on IAQ, such as pesticide and chemical use, artificial fragrances, and
classroom pets. But the overall quality of the indoor air is more than the sum of its ingredients. Gaining a
comprehensive understanding of the current state of your indoor air allows you to focus your action on a desired
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Update #20, June 15, 2009
outcome and transform your IAQ from a good dish to a gourmet creation.
Although individual metrics and baseline measures are an important part of an IAQ Profile, this comprehensive
understanding involves more than the tracking of metrics. It is a complete profile of the current status of your
building's air quality and all of the structural and functional features that impact it, allowing you to address indoor
air quality challenges at their source to create lasting results for your IAQ management program.
Creating an IAQ profile will take time and patience, and more than likely, it will involve your entire IAQ team.
But in the long run, the results it will allow you to achieve make it well worth the effort.
Part 1: Identify and Review Existing Records
Identifying and reviewing important building documents, such as blueprints and drawings of exterior
construction, etc., is integral to the efficient and effective diagnosis of IAQ problems. If you can't locate one or
more of them, try to collect them from the original architects, engineers and/or equipment suppliers. Be sure
they are up to date with recent renovation or construction activities. Download the checklist of specific actions to
complete Part 1 of creating an IAQ Profile.
Part 2: Distribute and Review Completed Checklists to Gather Information
Harness the power of the entire school to gain a full picture, from the occupants' point of view, of the school's
condition. Distribute copies of checklists individualized for teachers, administrative staff, school nurses, school
officials and to staff in charge of specific school functions, including building maintenance, food service and
waste management. Include a memo with each checklist describing the purpose of the activity and the date by
which they are due. Download the individualized checklists and backgrounders to help you compile a
complete picture of your school's current condition to complete Part 2 of creating an IAQ Profile.
Part 3: Conduct a Walkthrough to Assess the Current IAQ Situation and Identify Potential Issues
A building walkthrough helps you acquire a good overview of occupant activities and building functions that may
impact IAQ, and is likely something most schools have done before. This walkthrough, however, should be done
as a team, preferably with staff very familiar with the building. Additional perspectives may help you notice
problem indicators that could otherwise be missed. Download the walkthrough checklist and read a short guide
on conducting a walkthrough to complete Part 3 of creating an IAQ Profile.
Part 4: Meet With Your IAQ Team to Put the Pieces Together and Prioritize Actions
After your team has analyzed your results, bring together your building engineers, facility directors, maintenance
staff and members of the IAQ team to discuss the walkthrough outcomes and the review of building records.
Discuss what short-term, intermediate, and long-term actions will be necessary to address the source(s) of
existing or potential IAQ problems. Discuss what metrics should be collected regularly to track your success and
address any issues overtime. Download information about prioritizing action to complete Part 4 of creating an
IAQ Profile.
The time you invest in creating an IAQ Profile can pay dividends in the amount of time and money you save by
helping you to organize your priorities and take action strategically to improve IAQ. As you gather the
information required to put together this comprehensive picture of your building's condition, you may discover
you need assistance. If you need help beyond the resources listed above for creating your Profile, remember to
turn to the other IAQ TfS Connector resources that can help support your effort.
For example, the Schools IAQ Connector Listserv allows you to drive the conversation with the nationwide
IAQ TfS network of committed leaders and champions in IAQ management. Subscribe to the Listserv to gain
access to this valuable resource — your peers and other leaders who have faced the same challenges and
success as you! Send an e-mail to schools lag connector-subscribe@.lists.epa.gov to get started.
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Insight into Excellence: Belleville Township High School District #201, 2009
Leadership Award Winner
Belleville Township High School District #201 (Belleville) in Belleville, Illinois is charting a path for leadership in
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Update #20, June 15, 2009
IAQ management in its region, and has taken a unique, forward-thinking approach to getting it done. Bellville is
one of the first districts in its area to hire a firm specializing in environmental management to create and
manage its IAQ program. To get started, Belleville worked with the firm to set a baseline for all of its facilities
and start prioritizing IAQ improvements. Then, Belleville set a plan to keep a pulse on the quality of their indoor
air and track their success over time by scheduling semi-annual tests that measure the same baseline metrics.
Partnering with a firm, however, doesn't mean Belleville didn't have to work hard to gain broad support in the
community and at school for the program's implementation; Superintendent of Schools Greg Moats and his IAQ
Team worked diligently with the teacher's union and other external groups vital to the IAQ management
program's success to coordinate the effort and implement the program without encountering roadblocks.
'We believe it is imperative for our schools to provide the best climate possible for our 5,000 students and 400
employees. The IAQ Tools for Schools Program is helping us do that very thing."
Greg Moats, Superintendent of Schools
Greg and his team's persistence, skill, and most of all, leadership in gaining broad support for their IAQ
management program gives Belleville's students and staff a lotto look forward to in improved school health and
performance.
Share your IAQ success story today by applying for EPA's non-competitive Great Start and Leadership Awards.
These awards recognize new and developing IAQ management initiatives. Applications are accepted year
round. If your IAQ program is more established, consider applying for the National Excellence Award.
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Have Your Questions Answered
Is there a topic you want to see covered in an IAQ TfS Update? Need more information or have a quick
question? Do you have suggestions for a Webinar, an Update feature or are you simply curious about an IAQ
topic and would like more information? If so, send us an e-mail at IAQTfSConnector@cadmusqroup.com .
Share YOUR news and events! Send us information to share with the school IAQ community. It could be
featured in the next Update. E-mail your news to IAQTfSConnector@.cadmusqroup.com.
If you like what you're reading, maybe a friend or colleague would too — forward this e-mail! To subscribe to the
IAQ TfS Update, send an e-mail to IAQTfSConnector@.cadmusqroup.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
The IAQ TfS Program is a comprehensive resource to help schools maintain a healthy environment in school
buildings by identifying, correcting and preventing IAQ problems. Learn more about the IAQ TfS Program at
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools .
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