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A subject we are hearing more and more about these days is certification. First California passed a toxic mold law that suggests “certification” of individuals investigating buildings for the possibility of mold contamination. Discussions about certification are currently being held in several states and the Federal Toxic Mold Bill introduced in Congress by representative John Conyers of Michigan would mandate certification for both investigators and remediators. It should come as no surprise that there is considerable discussion about industry developing consensus standards for mold certification before government authorities mandate some form of certification. Most feel that a program developed and administered by the industry would be far preferable to a government mandated approach.

About this time many of you may be asking, “Why should HVAC Contractors be concerned about mold certification?” we have our own well-defined Licensing requirements and numerous standards for the industry. There is no need for anything else. In many ways, this is true but we do not live in a simple world. Increasingly, mold growth and other indoor air quality problems are coupled with air-conditioning and ventilating systems. More and more contractors are interested in learning more about IAQ technology either as an opportunity for additional revenue and profits or as a way to avoid being faulted for causing such problems. Thus, it is helpful to know what is happening in the field of mold training and certification.

Many Choices
It is interesting these days to use an Internet search engine to search under “mold certification”. Such a search will easily bring up more than a hundred references. There is no shortage of individuals, businesses, and organizations offering some type of mold certification and/or training. Many of the courses and so called certifications are offered by businesses who it would appear have an “angle” or some vested interest that would make it difficult if not impossible for them to present a balanced perspective in their approach. These include manufacturers of products with training that emphasizes their product as the preferred solution or service providers who “train” students to use their service offerings. One provider even offers certification for administering a blood test that will identify extent of mold exposure. Providing that type of service could be practicing medicine in violation of numerous laws. Obviously, such offerings are suspect at best.

Fortunately, there are some offerings connected to organizations that are independent of any single identifiable influence, business, trade group or other source of bias. Some (but not all) of these include offerings associated with or sponsored by:

• The Indoor Air Quality Association – www.iaqa.org
• The American Indoor Air Quality Council – www.aiaqc.com
• The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification –www.iicrc.org

None of these are perfect but all share requirements for certification that include both work experience and course work, ethical standards and a method for removing certification of individuals who to don’t adhere to those standards.

Type of Certification Each organization offers certification in slightly different areas and each either requires or strongly recommends that the certification candidate complete a course of study of a week or so before taking the certification examination. In each case, independent course providers who do not control the content of or conduct the certifying exam teach the course. Thus, the certifying organization does not have a vested interest in the course.

Certifications that have attracted the greatest number of HVAC contractors and their employees are those offered by IAQA. These include Certified Indoor Environmentalist (CIE) that covers general knowledge of IAQ concepts and issues and Certified Mold Remediator (CMR) specifically covering the cleanup of mold contamination.

The Future None of the existing certifications are yet recognized by any government and often insurance companies require that investigations be conducted by individuals certified CIH which is a designation provided by the American Industrial Hygiene Association. The test for earning this designation has relatively little content specific to IAQ but the designation is widely known since it has existed for years.

Without doubt, as the science and industry developing around providing a healthier indoor environment, organizations providing certifications will grow, merge and/or die off and one or two certifications will come to dominate. Eventually, one will likely emerge as the “official” certification. If this does not happen, some government entity will set the standard and few in the industry want that to happen.

Does that mean that you should wait till things sort themselves out if you are interested in certification? I do not think so. Whatever course you select, the knowledge you will gain is valuable now and will allow you to serve your customers morel completely and professionally. That is why we are all in business, not matter what initials we put behind our names.

December 29, 2002

Mr. Baker’s field of expertise is the control of contamination in air-conditioning and ventilating systems by mold, mildew and bacteria. He writes and speaks frequently about the efficacy, legal risks, and regulatory issues involved in various control strategies. He serves on ASHRAE Technical Committee TC 2.3, TC 2.4, TC 9.8, and Sampling of Airborne Particulate Concentration in Commercial and Residential Buildings GPC 17P. He also serves as a member of ASTM D22.06 (Indoor Air Quality) and is on the Board of Directors of the Indoor Air Quality Association and the Florida Public Health Foundation. Because HVAC applications encompass new uses from an U.S. EPA regulatory standpoint, Mr. Baker works closely with the EPA and industry groups, including serving as the chair of the IAQ committee of the Consumer Specialty Products Association, to help formulate policy in this area.

Bob Baker is Chairman and CEO of BBJ Environmental Solutions, Inc., a company specializing in providing clean air through environmentally responsible products, such as BBJ MicroBiocide , BBJ Micro Coil Clean , “FreshDuct Odor Eliminator “, and BBJ Mold and Mildew Remover™ as well as the revolutionary new Power Coil Clean™. For additional information, Mr. Baker can be reached at (800) 889-2251 or through the company web site at www.bbjenviro.com.