Is My Building Sick?
Fixing the Problems
Once you know what's causing an indoor air quality problem, you can fix it. Most fixes are pretty obvious—clean, repair, unblock, replace, switch to a different product, and so forth. If you're not sure what to do, check the table of "Common Symptoms, Causes, and Solutions to Indoor Air Quality Problems" at the end of this report. The cure may be one or several of the suggested solutions. More comprehensive information and tables are available in the "Diagnosing and Solving Problems" section of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM)" Web site at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/ibeam/text/diagnosing.html.
Your facilities engineer can help you identify an effective solution if one isn't obvious. The facilities engineer will probably begin by comparing the design or original performance characteristics of the building and its components to the current design and performance characteristics.
Often, something has changed since the building was constructed and building systems must be modified to accommodate the change. For instance, a new carport may have been constructed near the outside air supply for an office's HVAC system (figure 4). Fumes from vehicles warming up under the carport canopy on frigid mornings could be drawn into the building's air distribution system. The solution, which would depend on many variables, could be as expensive as relocating the air intake or carport, or as inexpensive (but inconvenient) as instituting a policy that vehicles must be moved away from the carport while idling.
Figure 4—Vehicle exhaust could be drawn into a building's
HVAC system if a carport is near the air intake. The air
intake for this building is on the roof to prevent vehicle exhaust
from being drawn into the Nogales Ranger Station of the Coronado
National Forest in the Southwestern Region.
One of the most common changes that can cause poor indoor air quality is the addition of partitions, such as walls or cubicles within a building. Added partitions often hinder air circulation because they divide the space into small areas that don't have HVAC supply or return grills. The result can be areas or rooms with stagnant air where pollutants can concentrate. Occupants also may notice inadequate heating or cooling. Correcting these problems may require elevating cubicle dividers above the floor, cutting holes in doors or walls to install louvered vents, adjusting ductwork, adding fans or exhaust vents, or even replacing the whole HVAC system.
In some situations, the most effective solution may be to relocate affected individuals. For instance, if one or a few people are affected adversely by a material that is needed to protect other employees or to accomplish essential work, and no acceptable substitute material is available, it may be better to relocate persons who are being affected rather than to eliminate use of the material.
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