Indoor Air Quality and Schools

Facility Managers Should Know This

2008-02-14T02:26:00.000-08:00

School facility managers, administrators and parents should know more about the subject of air pollutants, especially with upper respitory illness being one of the top reasons for absenteeism in America's schools. We recently published a very helpful overview about air pollutants authored by the Building Owners and Managers Institute so link over to SchoolFacilities.com and give it a read. Be sure to tell us your indoor air quality (or lack thereoff) story.

Quick Statistic For Your Next School Board Meeting

2007-09-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Federal statistics show about 20 percent of schools in the nation report air-quality problems.

Custodians Get Sick While Cleaning Mold

2007-09-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

I just read that in Houston seven school custodians were hospitalized after getting sick from mold. Apparently the mold smell in the school building is strong enough for the custodians union to claim that the building is not safe for students, teachers and other staff members. You can read the full article here.

Here are a number of articles about mold found at SchoolFacilities.com:

SchoolFacilities.com Search Keyword Mold

Another School Board Discusses Mold

2007-07-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

A Texas school district board is meeting this week to discuss a major mold problem at one of its schools. Apparently the problem will cost millions to solve as everything from the insulation to the exterior brick work needs to be replaced. Sound familiar?

Use the article title above to link to the full story.

In the meantime, has anyone noticed how many problems America's schools experience with poor indoor air quality? From mold to formaldehyde it seems as if our classrooms are unsafe, especially in older buildings. Sounds like a few more building codes and laws need to be in place to fix this "growing" problem. Write us, blog us or email us with your comments.

Now go get some fresh air.

Summer School For Mold, Mildew And Indoor Air Quality Projects

2007-07-13T11:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday a friend called me and mentioned that his new home in Iowa was tested to have high levels of Radon. This prompted me to send him a link to www.pureaircontrols.com for some help with this subject. I also sent him to the EPA web site and both seemed to help out.

What does this have to do with Schools? This event prompted me to remind our education facility managers and school administrators that during summer break testing your buildings for indoor air problems is a good idea, especially when students and teachers are off campus. This gives you the time and space required to check the ventilation systems, test problematic spaces such as old schools and portable classrooms, conduct abatement if needed and prepare your classrooms for the upcoming semester. Providing safe and healthy learning environments for students and teachers is a breath of fresh air for everyone.

Heatwaves Can Lead To Poor Indoor Air In Schools

2007-07-10T00:21:00.000-07:00

Facility managers listen up. Proper HVAC maintenance before, during and after the heavy use periods is directly related to improved indoor air in your classrooms, energy efficiency and overall lifecycle costs. Keep the filters clean, especially on portable classroom HVAC systems, keep the coils free and clear of debris and always be sure to be ventilating with the required amount of outside fresh air.

Moisture leads to mold and mold leads to poor indoor air quality. Stay cool and breath easy!

Renovation Project Uncovers Mold At A California High School

2007-07-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

This headline and article caught my attention and seems to cover a frequent occurrence with renovation of school facilities in the United States. Mold is being discovered in older school facilities in the walls, under carpet and throughout the ventilation systems. The real problem is when it's not discovered!

Mold Clean-Up Begins At A Lodi High School

Read the article here.

2007-07-04T00:56:00.001-07:00

High Performance, Environmentally Responsible, Energy Saving, Sustainable Roof Systems

2007-06-27T18:45:00.001-07:00

National Coatings Corporation (NCC), announces the release of their new Low Rise Roofing Adhesive (LRRA) adding to their extensive line of high performance, environmentally responsible, energy saving, sustainable roof systems for commercial and industrial buildings.

Camarillo, CA June 27, 2007 -- National Coatings Corporation (NCC), announces the release of theirnew Low Rise Roofing Adhesive (LRRA) adding to their extensive line of high performance, environmentallyresponsible, energy saving, sustainable roof systems for commercial and industrial buildings.Roofing screws and fasteners can now be a thing of the past. "Why make holes in a roof only to try to seal themup?" says Matt Kolb, President of National Coatings Corporation. The rapidly increasing acceptance of low riseroof adhesives is the result of their many benefits. One study even suggests that the labor savings alone can be upto 75% over the mechanically fastened systems! Seamless monolithic LRRA eliminates the temperaturetransmission from mechanical fasteners resulting in greatly improved building efficiency and positively affectingclimate change. The National Roofing Contractors Association estimates that up to a whopping 18% of the roofsystems R-value can be recovered by using polyurethane adhesive instead of fasteners.

This very high performing product has been subjected to the industry's most rigorous testing includingUnderwriter Laboratories UL 1897, Uplift Tests for Roof Covering Systems and FM Approvals Standard 4470 forsecuring selected roof insulations for various windstorm classifications.

Vince LaBruzzo, National Sales Manager states that "the benefits of adhesion to nearly every deck type, addedinsulation, long list of credentials, no disruption to building occupants, no VOC's and significant labor savings are sure to please the roofing community.

Performance through Innovation™ is the way National Coatings Corporation (http://www.nationalcoatings.com/) responds to the needs of the roofing community. This is a roofing system component engineered to last a lifetime.

About National Coatings Corporation
Performance through Innovation™, National Coatings Corporation (Camarillo, CA) is a leading manufacturerand supplier of premium-quality elastomeric roof and wall coating products. For over 25 years, NCC has providedits customers with leading edge products, support, and thought leadership. National Coatings is a charter memberof the Cool Roof Rating Council and the ENERGY STAR® Roof Products group, founding member of the RRCI(Reflective Roof Coating Institute) and was twice recognized as ENERGY STAR Roof Products Partner of theYear. NCC's leading brands include AcryShield®, AcryPly®, AcryGuard® AcryPly-D™, and AcryFlex®.
# # #

Contact Information
Matt Kolb
National Coatings Corporation
http://www.nationalcoatings.com/
800-423-9557

Indoor Air Quality Test Results Prove Major Problems In 9 Out Of 10 Households

2007-06-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

AirAdvice State of Our Indoor Air Report 2007 Reveals IAQ Problems in 9 Out of 10 Homes
AirAdvice was founded in 1999 to support and improve quality of life for people suffering from conditions related to poor indoor air quality. Since our inception, we have compiled the largest collection of indoor air quality data in the world. Culling over a billion points of data from 49,130 IAQ tests conducted over a 34-month period, AirAdvice has compiled these findings in the AirAdvice State of Our Indoor Air Report 2007.

AirAdvice senior IAQ chemist Lucas Klesch - one of the white paper's authors elaborates on the significance of this report. "Besides making people aware of just how seriously prevalent indoor air problems are and how these problems affect them, the report explains how uncovering and resolving IAQ problems creates a healthier, more comfortable indoor environment and helps cut energy costs, too."

The AirAdvice State of Our Indoor Air Report 2007 gives HVAC contractors detailed statistics and information on indoor air quality problems, as well as helpful information for contractors' customers. Highlights from the 28-page report include:

96.7% of all homes tested had at least one indoor air quality problem.
The most common indoor air quality problem in North American homes is particle allergens (e.g., dust, dander, pollen, spores, bacteria, and other airborne pollutants). Over 91% of homes tested showed elevated particle allergen levels.
Chemical pollutant (volatile organic compound) problems were the second-most frequent type of problem found. Elevated chemical pollutant levels were found in 7 out of 10 homes (70%).
Carbon dioxide, temperature, and humidity levels were outside recommended ranges in many homes.
Carbon monoxide, a clear, odorless, and potentially deadly gas, was found at elevated levels in 2% of homes.

The tests were conducted in cooperation with a network of over 1500 HVAC-IAQ professionals who placed the AirAdvice IAQ monitor in homes across North America to test for six indoor air problem types: particle allergens, chemical pollutants (volatile organic compounds), temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

The AirAdvice State of Our Indoor Air Report 2007 is available for download at by clicking here. Or, visit www.airadvice.com for additional indoor air quality resources and information.

Poisonous Mold

2007-06-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

A librarian in New York State claims to have been made so sick by the mold in her school that she cannot return to the building.

Link

Indoor Air Quality Improvements Save Energy Q & A

2007-06-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Q: Can improving the IAQ in our school reduce energy consumption?

A: You might be tempted to think the answer is NO. Many factors in a school, some that involve energy, can impact the IAQ in a building: cleaning materials, products and practices, maintenance, paints, furniture, carpet, plug loads, ventilation, CO2 levels, humidity, temperature. The list goes on and on. But after closer evaluation and improved understanding of what determines IAQ in a school, it turns out there is a direct correlation between IAQ improvements and energy reduction.

Read the full article at SchoolFacilities.com here.

U.S. EPA settles with SoCal mold prevention company for $11,700

2007-06-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

From The IEQ Review June 20, 2007

Sample bottles lacked safety information, directions for use by Francisco Arcaute, EPA LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with American Mold Guard, Inc., a San Juan Capistrano, Calif. mold prevention company, for $11,700 for alleged violations of federal pesticide law.

[FULL STORY]

Custodians View Of Indoor Air Quality

2006-12-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

I really appreciate it when a school facility staff member shares their opinions, ideas and real life work experiences with us. These are the people who see first hand the challenges created by poor indoor air quality and most importantly, they have some great ideas for preventing problems.

Read this article by a custodian from Brownsville Elementary and learn a few things from a real pro!

Turn Off The HVAC And Get Poor IAQ?

2006-12-02T21:47:00.000-08:00

I thought turning off the heating and cooling systems during summer break was a great idea and real energy saver until I reviewed Larry' Schoff's article from July 2006. Apparently, turning off your school's HVAC system to save energy over the summer may present an indoor air quality problem, according to former school facility manager Larry Schoff, PE. Read the full article here.

HVAC, Mold And Your School

2006-12-02T21:18:00.000-08:00

Each month I review editorial published by www.SchoolFacilities.com contributing editors and blog about the content in more than 10 blogs. This blog deals with the very important subject of indoor air quality and school facilities. Providing quality learning environments is serious business no matter how young or old the students occupying a classroom are. Facility managers, risk managers, teachers and administrators must understand the importance of detecting IAQ problems, remedying them quickly and implementing preventive measures to decrease the probability of another event.

If the topics of indoor air quality, mold, mildew, HVAC and risk management are important to you or your colleagues spread the word about this blog. We can't let mold be the only thing spreading!