Blog Archives

In an earlier article, we described a new medical office where the moisture level in the attic space was so high that water was condensing on ceiling panels and light fixtures and dripping on the Physician and his patients. This resulted from a building design change decision during construction that was incompletely implemented. We made […]

It is important that building use and HVAC system design be carefully coordinated. I recently encountered an interesting project that illustrates this point dramatically. In this case, a detached medical office and surgery center open for less than three months, the Physician was examining a patient and water started dripping on them. This happened because […]

Regulatory and Standards activities during the past several years have been influenced by several drivers. These include: Media – The publicity that indoor air quality and especially mold problems have been given by the media has made it a widely recognized and accepted concern. Health – Consumers today have very high expectations for health and […]

For those of us who attempt to keep up on what is new and useful in or rapidly changing industry, there are an unbelievable number of courses, conferences, meetings and projects that are available as learning opportunities. The areas and topics covered are rich and comprehensive; and sometimes, all at the same time. Remaining current […]

During the 1960s, the idea that infections were transmitted through the air was a widely accepted concept. A newly published study had traced a transmission of TB out a window in a hospital, down to another floor and through a hall to a second patient. There was much speculation that many infections and illnesses might […]

Last month I wrote about the upcoming NADCA meeting in Albuquerque, NM. I ended the article with the statement: “This promises to be an exciting and memorable meeting.” That statement can safely be categorized as one of the major understatements of the year. It was indeed a memorable meeting but not necessarily for the reasons […]

A topic that has received considerable discussion recently is what, if any, respiratory protection technicians working on or in HVAC air handlers, cooling towers and other components potentially contaminated with microbial growth should utilize. The discussion accelerated when the IICRC S-520 Standard (Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Mold Remediation) was published in December of […]

Many HVAC contractors either have a company division that is in the business of cleaning air ducts or has those services as part of their normal operations. During the first week of March, the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) will meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico for its annual meeting. This promises to be a […]

It is a new year and state legislatures are gearing up for the coming sessions. Included in the plans of several states are bills regulating the services of those who provide mold related services. The big news last year were the laws in Louisiana and Texas. Both of these states passed laws in their sessions […]

I recently returned from two trips to the Far East. These included stops in Hong Kong where I attended the ASHRAE Asia-Pacific Conference on the Built environment and presented a paper. This conference is held every three years and is a good gauge of what is of interest in building environmental science. I also attended […]