Goodway Sponsors Post Sandy IAQ Roundtable
We’re glad to be a part of this important round table discussion regarding mold and mildew remediation and IAQ in the wake of hurricane Sandy. There will be some great speakers involved from BBJ Consulting Service, ASHRAE, Durst Organization, the NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene MTA and more.
This event, in conjunction with the Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute, Baruch College and ASHRAE will ask ‘real” questions regarding remediation efforts and hear from experts and professionals who do the remediation alike. Learn how specific actions can help mitigate the risk of future IAQ issues – and the pitfalls of doing it the wrong way.
The round table will be moderated by BBJ Consulting Service Managing Director Robert “Bob” Baker, former president of the IAQA and fellow of ASHRAE.
The event will discuss the hidden dangers of quick and careless remediation, and some of the action plans to plan for proper remediation. This really is a great opportunity to see the challenges that commercial real estate professionals have overcome in New York City. If you are in the facility management business, HVAC or commercial real estate, this is a must see….and the price is right. It’s free.
When:
April 11, 2013
Where:
The William and Anita Newman
Vertical Campus Conference Center
151 East 25th Street, Room 750
New York, NY 10010
Registration is required. Complete information is available from the Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute website.
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IAQ: Asthma in Schools
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder affecting as many as 24.6 million Americans – approximately 7.1 million of those individuals are children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
And the EPA estimates that on average one out of every 10 children of school age has asthma. That’s because certain conditions in a school building – conditions that aren’t controlled – can worsen the symptoms of those suffering from asthma.
Not only do these conditions exacerbate the health problems of children with asthma, but they can also negatively affect a child’s performance in the classroom.
The EPA claims asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism. In fact, asthma causes students to miss 10.5 million school days every year.
Students can function better, feel more alert, experience less symptoms related to asthma, and miss fewer school days, if their environments are healthy.
There is no known cure for asthma, but the EPA explains it is best controlled with medical treatment and by minimizing environmental triggers, including those found within schools.
The asthma triggers most often found in school buildings, according to the EPA, include:
- Tobacco Smoke
- Pests
- Mold
- Dust mites
- Animal Dander
To alleviate these asthma triggers, the EPA recommends:
- Enforcing a no-smoking policy in all schools
- Implementing a pest management program
- Dusting and vacuuming school surfaces regularly to reduce exposure to dust mites
- Keeping animals out of school or at least away from students with asthma
- Remediating mold
For more about mold clean-up and control read our recent post, Post-Hurricane Sandy: Mold Control for HVAC and Facilities.
Goodway offers several products that can effectively clean up mold infestation and prevent further mold growth. Our products are not only just appropriate for use on HVAC systems, but they can also be used on non-porous surfaces like floors and walls.
The EPA provides a resource on its website to use as guide when instituting a plan to control the indoor pollutants in schools that affect asthma sufferers.
The American Lung Association’s “Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative” is another resource school administrators and other community leaders can use to address asthma management. It offers tools to help communities and schools work together to implement extensive asthma management programs.
The Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative offers an approach that follows the CDC’s Coordinated School Health model by providing resources to schools, districts, and local governments to help them improve school health programs.
Next Steps:
- Subscribe to our blog to receive the full blog series via email and stay informed about the latest HVAC news and insight.
- Stay up to date on facility maintenance tools such as chiller tube cleaners, boiler tube cleaners, hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.
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Hurricane Sandy and IAQ series: Top 5 Ways to Prepare For Extreme Conditions
In this post we continue our Hurricane Sandy and indoor air quality (IAQ) series as we discuss the top five ways to prepare for extreme conditions. We’ll end the series with a post that offers our infographic about IAQ and Hurricane Sandy.
Natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and other extreme conditions affect thousands every year, according to FEMA. Staying alert to potential hazards and knowing how to protect your facility and occupants will help you to prepare before the event and recover once it’s over.
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Hurricane Sandy and IAQ Series: Top Hurricane Sandy Effects on IAQ this Spring
This week starts our Hurricane Sandy and indoor air quality (IAQ) series. We’ll start with the top IAQ concerns relevant to Hurricane Sandy as spring hits.
Then in the next few weeks we’ll discuss why IAQ will be a huge concern in New York and New Jersey this spring and summer. We’ll also share our tips for ways to prepare for extreme conditions.
As we end the series, we’ll offer our infographic about IAQ and Hurricane Sandy.
Winter conditions have seemed to stop some of the ill effects of Hurricane Sandy, as renovations halt and colder weather inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi. But spring will likely bring a regrowth of problems attributable to Hurricane Sandy, as warmer weather arrives and renovations resume.
Mold growth will again be a problem this spring in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.
The roofs and siding in homes that have suffered damage from strong winds may leak. Most likely, homeowners won’t discover the leaks until the spring rains arrive, although it’s likely that problems already exist. That’s because moisture damage and mold growth is probably already growing, undetected, in areas such as attics or inside wall cavities.
Mold growth can cause allergies and trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. One type of mold known as aspergillus can cause an infection called aspergillosis, according to the environmental consulting firm Clark Sief Clark.
CNN reports that some strains of aspergillus can cause serious illnesses when the spores are “inhaled by people with a weakened immune system, underlying lung disease or asthma.” Milder cases may result in allergic reactions, while more serious cases include lung infections.
The most serious form of the disease, invasive aspergillosis, results when the infection spreads to blood vessels. Read our post Post-Hurricane Sandy Series: Mold and Mildew Management for more about how to address and stop mold growth.
Asbestos and lead exposure will be the other top IAQ concerns as renovations begin on homes and businesses damaged by the hurricane. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises that “many homes, particularly older homes, may contain asbestos, a known carcinogen.”
Both homes and commercial buildings built before 1975 may contain large amounts of asbestos, but so may buildings built after 1975, says the EPA. Some types of materials that can contain asbestos include pipes, insulation, patching and joint compounds, roofing and siding shingles, resilient floor tiles and vinyl sheet flooring.
Buildings built before 1987 may contain lead-based paint; it was banned for use in paint after that time. Any clean up or demolition can aerosolize asbestos or lead, according to Clark Sief Clark. Inhaling dust contaminated with asbestos or lead can cause adverse health effects.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns asbestos exposure may increase the risk of “lung cancer, mesothelioma, and nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders.” The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) explains lead exposure can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue and headaches. But more serious cases due to long-term exposure may severely damage the “blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems.”
The EPA recommends that homeowners cease any renovations if they believe their buildings might contain asbestos or lead and contact state or local public health authorities for assistance. Additionally, when dealing with asbestos or lead, it’s important not to undertake renovations until you understand any federal, state or city laws and regulations that apply to their removal, stresses Clark Sief Clark.
The EPA provides some fact sheets to address some of the concerns you might face when you’re cleaning up and/or renovating your property due to the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Next Steps:
- Subscribe to our blog to receive the full blog series via email and stay informed about the latest HVAC news and insight.
- Stay up to date on facility maintenance tools such as chiller tube cleaners, boiler tube cleaners, hose/pipe cleaners, descaler systems, industrial vacuums, commercial pressure washers, and drain cleaners.
Your Next HVAC Purchase?
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HVAC, Building Performance: Probiotics for Sick Buildings
In recent years there have been many television commercials and other advertisements touting the health benefits of probiotics, the “good” bacteria.
The California Dairy Research Foundation defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amount, confer a health benefit on the host.”
Some of the health benefits to consuming probiotics include enhanced immunity, a reduced risk of infectious diseases and improved digestive function, according to the foundation.
So could these microorganisms play a role in improving building health?
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HVAC Security: Is Your Facility Prepared?
HVAC systems are vulnerable to accidental or intentional biological and chemical threats due to their complexity.
Just as an HVAC system spreads air, it can spread contaminants – and air intakes can introduce toxic chemicals. As Facilitiesnet explains, a terrorist attack is one potential source of airborne chemical or biological attack, but accidental incidents pose just as serious – and probably more likely – risks.
HVAC security attacks can include terrorist or criminal activity, fires, natural disasters or riots, but they can also include bacteria, viruses, mold and chemical fumes from VOCs, smoke, asbestos and carbon dioxide.
According to the EPA, common biological contaminants include mold, mildew, viruses, bacteria or even the droppings from rodents, cockroaches or other pests. HVAC systems can harbor such contaminants and distribute them. Some diseases, including humidifier fever – a respiratory infection – can result from microorganism growth in building ventilation systems.
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Top Ways to Diagnose Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Problems
Despite national attention on poor indoor air quality (IAQ), it’s still a problem affecting facilities and its occupants. Building owners who want to successfully combat poor indoor air quality, must ensure that their building managers and hired contractors understand IAQ and know how to address any problems that arise.
The Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM) is the EPA’s guidance tool for building professionals. It teaches you how to improve air quality and how to conduct an indoor air quality inspection. I-BEAM provides a set of forms to aid in diagnosing and solving air quality issues.
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