VITAL STEPS TO PREPARE YOUR BUILDING FOR HURRICANE SEASON
It’s been two years since Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas in the worst disaster in the state’s history. In the first 24 hours, two feet of rain fell, giving way to an unprecedented 1,000-year flood event. As one of the costliest hurricanes on record — second only to Hurricane Katrina in
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS AND COUNTING
I started Building Air Quality 30 years ago. Indoor air quality was still a relatively new field at the time, and I had no idea what this industry would become. Back then, we focused on IAQ consulting and cleaning air conditioning systems. I couldn’t have predicted that over the years it would develop into
HOW IKEA IS SOLVING IAQ PROBLEMS
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 8 million people die worldwide each year due to complications from air pollution. Around 91 percent of people breathe in air pollution that exceeds WHO’s safety guidelines, and it’s not just outdoor air we need to worry about. As air pollution worsens, indoor air quality can also be affected. This is what makes IKEA’s
HOW HOUSTON WINS AT IAQ
Earlier this year, I attended a conference where I had the opportunity to talk to people from other parts of the country who work in indoor air quality. I learned a lot about IAQ problems other cities are just starting to acknowledge, like certain approaches to dealing with mold. This surprised me because …
WHEN WILDFIRES THREATEN INDOOR AIR QUALITY
No, you’re not imagining things. It really is getting hotter out there. There’s been an increase in the number of Texas wildfires over the last few years. Last year, there were over 900 wildfires in the state of Texas alone. Rising temperatures and droughts will likely only make these blazes worse. The biggest threats these fires pose is the loss of human life and immense property damage. However, even if you or your building
THE PROBLEM WITH HIDDEN IAQ PROBLEMS
There are two kinds of calls I can get when a client hires me to investigate indoor air quality complaints in their building. I estimated that 99 percent of the time when I get a call from a building owner or property manager, they ask me to come investigate the building, run the tests, and talk to the people who have been complaining. Their goal is to address any possible problems quickly, and
(NO, IT’S STILL NOT THE UNITED STATES)
In 2018, Canada officially banned the use of all types of asbestos and products containing asbestos. This ban was a huge victory for workers at risk from asbestos and Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU), who spent years lobbying for the change. With this ban, Canada joined 55 other countries who have banned the use of all types of asbestos.
BEWARE IAQ MIRACLE CURES
Last August, I was approached by a guy who claimed to have an amazing product that used hydrogen peroxide to oxidize odors and particles in the air. It worked great, he insisted, and would solve almost every indoor air quality problem. After being endorsed by both the U.S. Army and Homeland Security, he wanted
I’ve been with Bohannon Development Corporation since 1999. We’re a family-owned business working primarily in the apartment industry to develop, build, and manage apartment communities. Prior to joining the company, I was in banking. Bohannon Development Corporation was actually one of my clients when I worked
COULD THERE BE RADON IN TEXAS?
February is Cancer Prevention Month, and I’ve been thinking about radon. Early in my career, I used to test for the gaseous chemical. The only time I found any radon was on a marble fireplace mantle that had been imported from Italy. This won’t come as a surprise to most people. If you check the