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Green Building Blog

100% Outside Air - Is it Really One of the Best Solutions for Flushing Buildings?

Mon, Aug 03, 2020 @ 05:16 / by Jim Newman posted in HVAC, indoor air quality, sick building syndrome, coronavirus, COVID-19

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In the age of COVID, we have to look at all available - and viable - options for occupant safety.

To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, ASHRAE, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and WHO (the World Health Organization) currently recommend running HVAC systems for a minimum of 4 hours (but preferably more) on a daily basis with 100% outside air (OA) to “flush out” the virus. I would love to be 100% on board with this recommendation all year round. But I’m not.

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Breathe Deeply, or Don’t: Why IAQ Matters Today

Thu, Mar 19, 2020 @ 01:28 / by Jim Newman posted in IAQ, Green Design, sick building syndrome, Building Energy Management Systems, indoor air qulity, BEMIS, Internet of Things

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When giving a talk on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in 1991, I was discussing one of the consequences of poor IAQ – Sick Building Syndrome. A woman raised her hand and said, “I have that.” The room went silent. She continued, “I was teaching at school and they started painting. By the time I left that first day I had tingling in my fingers. The second day I had tingling all the way up to my elbows. On the third day I went home very sick. I went to several doctors in the area who weren’t able to diagnose it – they all said it was in my head. I finally found a holistic doctor who diagnosed it as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).”

With the proper diagnosis, she could finally start treatment. To this day she is still hyper-sensitive to the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as the odors from fresh paint, carpet and glue found in many buildings.   

VOCs. Viruses. Stale air. Mold

sick and smelly

They spread through the air and can lead to Sick Building Syndrome. Left unchecked, they can cause serious health issues.

Sometimes the underlying source is easily seen, detected and mitigated. Sometimes exposure causes long-term health issues for those exposed.

Most often, especially in flu season or as a result of adverse events such as flooding or an epidemic like COVID 19, it pays to monitor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

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IAQ Radio: Indoor Air Quality, Productivity, Health, Energy Conservation and Legal Liability: How to Avoid Problems, or How Much Does a Lawsuit Cost Compared to Good IAQ?

Mon, Mar 07, 2016 @ 03:26 / by Cliff Zlotnik, IAQRadio.com (Guest Post) posted in HVAC, IAQ, Environmental Law, Retrofit, Retro-commissioning, indoor air quality, sick building syndrome

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On Friday, February 26, Jim Newman was interviewed by Joe Hughes and Cliff "Z-Man" Zlotnick of IAQRadio.com. They asked Jim to join them on air and share more detail from his Keynote presentation at this year's Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting, held in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the ASHRAE Convention. After the interview, Z-Man published the following blog. 

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3 Sources of IAQ Problems You May Have in Your Building

Tue, Jan 19, 2016 @ 09:38 / by Jim Newman posted in HVAC, IAQ, Recommissioning, indoor air quality, sick building syndrome

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And 8 steps you can take to prevent small problems from becoming big – and costly – ones.

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