1. Proactive Indoor Air Quality and
Risk Management
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Louisville District
Presented to

2. Jeff Prewitt
 BA Geology, Earlham College
 MS Geology, University ofVermont
 Executive Board, American Council for Accredited Certification
(formerlyAmerican Indoor Air Quality Council)
 Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant,ACAC
 Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional, Association of Energy
Engineers
 Certified Environmental Infection Control Consultant,ACAC
 Certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor,ACAC
 Certified Structural Drying Supervisor,ACAC
 Professional Geologist: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Florida
 Over 27 years Environmental Consulting

3. Indoor Air Quality
• Indoor Air Quality –Why is it Important?
• HVAC Systems and IAQ
• Why is Indoor Air Quality an Issue?
• Indoor Air Quality is a Function of …
• Pitfalls andThreats
• Proactive Indoor Air Quality

4. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Worker Satisfaction

5. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Productivity
 Decrease absence rate
 Decrease Sick Building Syndrome Symptoms
Wargocki et al. – For each 10% decrease in IAQ
dissatisfaction productivity will increase by 1.1%

6. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Productivity
Berkley Labs 2012

7. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Productivity
Do the math on employee productivity.
• Assume a 100,000 square foot office building with seven
employees per 1000 square feet (perASHRAE 62-2001), and
an average salary of $30,000 per employee.
• Assume occupant dissatisfaction and/or absenteeism due to
poor indoor air conditions reduce productivity by 2% yielding
$420,000 per year in lost productivity, or
Productivity Cost = $420 per square foot.
• Increasing average HVAC energy costs of $0.64 per square
foot by even 5% to $0.67 is negligible compared to the
productivity increases that may be realized through a clean
and comfortable indoor environment.

8. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Indicator of Building Health –
 Are SystemsWorking Properly?

9. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 Risk Management
Lawmakers share health concerns at Navy homes
WBRZ News
Mold forces airmen out of dorms
NavyTimes
Marines fighting mold problem at Parris
Island
Viral video spurs Army into action on Fort
Polk's moldy bathrooms

10. Indoor Air Quality – Why is it Important?
 High Risk = High cost to avoid liability and
re-build trust
 Damage = High cost for building repair
 Delayed
Reporting = More damage
 High CO2 = High cost to business –
perception, performance
indicator and satisfaction

11. HVAC Systems and IAQ
A/C OrificeTube
A/C Evaporator Core
A/C Condenser
A/C Compressor

12. HVAC Systems and IAQ
From EPA

13. HVAC Systems and IAQ
Buildings are like a living animal
 Draw in fresh air, expel CO2 and contaminants
Kitchen Exhaust
Bathroom Exhaust
Infiltration
at windows
and doors
+ -

14. HVAC Systems and IAQ
Buildings are like a living animal
 Blow in fresh air, exhaust
Outdoor Air/ SupplyAir
Return Air
Leakage at doors
+ -
Exhaust

15. Why is Indoor Air Quality an Issue?
 Building Construction
Each decade new concerns:
70’s – Energy
80’s – Asbestos, New Cheap Building Materials
90’s – Radon, Sick Building Syndrome
00’s – Mold
Next –Teflon?

16. Why is Indoor Air Quality an Issue?
 People – Construct, Use, Operate, Maintain

17. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Building Envelope

18. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Roof

19. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Walls

20. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Floor/Foundation

21. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Conditioning = ModerateTemp + Moderate Humidity
 Comfort = HighTemp + Low Humidity
 Comfort = LowTemp + High Humidity

22. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Conditioning = Remove Particulates

23. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Contaminant Sources
 Building Materials

24. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Contaminant Sources
 Occupants – bring contaminants in on clothes, belongings

25. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Contaminant Sources
 Occupants – Bioaerosols/Bioeffluents – viruses, bacteria,
particulates
 Talking, coughing, sneezing
 Flushing toilets, sweeping floors, washing

26. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Contaminant Sources
 Occupants – Cleaning chemicals and methods
Green Purchasing

27. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Contaminant Sources
 Occupants – dry erase markers, air fresheners, finger nail polish,
hand sanitizers, solvents, ozone generators

28. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Ventilation

29. Indoor Air Quality is a Function of:
 Maintenance

30. Pitfalls and Threats
 Non-detection
 Perception
 Inaction
 Occupant Dissatisfaction
 Occupant Frustration
 Group Symptoms, and Commiseration
 Occupant Reaction to Frustration
 Complaints, calls, internet, media
Laurel Bay schools continue to be
scrutinized by environmental
teams

31. Risk Management
 Be Proactive
 Be Responsive
 Be Empathetic
 Be Sincere
 Limit internal fix attempts to 2-3 then get help
 Communicate – Efforts, Plans, Results, Solutions
 Follow up

32. Proactive Indoor Air Quality
 Work environment surveys
 Develop reaction plan for clients
 Feedback mechanisms
 Respond to complaints with visible efforts
 Proactive IAQ Surveys
 Implement Low-cost Solutions
 Communicate results

33. If in doubt…
 Photograph and email photo to Jeff Prewitt, or
 Call Jeff while you are looking at it for suggestions
 Phone Consulting is always FREE!
 (904) 501-2525
 Tropicalsciencesllc@yahoo.com