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Perspectives in Indoor Air Quality |
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We have recently noted an interesting difference in occupants' versus management's perspectives to indoor air quality (IAQ) problems.
When IAQ problems occur in a building both parties see a risk. Building management or school administrators look on the risk quantitatively based on their available budgets, maintenance and operations concerns, and what thay think will be required to resolve the problems. Building occupants, however, tend to look at IAQ on a moral and emotional basis. Often neither side understands the other's risk perception. When this happens, hostility and even lawsuits can occur.
The key to handling most IAQ problems revolves around communication because, by the time a problem has come to light, you not only have a technical problem, but you may very well have a people problem too. This happens because there's been a breakdown in communication or trust between the parties who have either been responding poorly or not responding at all. When that happens, the communications process becomes even more important.
While we don't advocate a situation where building management or school administrators share budgets and hourly updates with occupants, Building Air Quality does recommend a face-to-face meeting with occupant representatives on a regular (perhaps daily) basis until the problem is resolved.
Management has to communicate in a way that is going to be helpful in solving the IAQ problems, to ensure occupants' trust, and more importantly to ensure that they don't create a potential downstream liability. Documenting each and every meeting, telephone call, or exchange of memos and e-mail should be considered a part of your due diligence process. |
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