SHOULD BUILDING MANAGERS BAN OFFICE PLANTS?
In 1989, as part of their Clean Air Study, NASA released a list of common indoor plants they determined were able to “play a major role in removal of organic chemicals from indoor air.” The chemicals used in this study were benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, which occurred during longterm
IT’S OKAY IF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW MY NAME
Recently, a building construction company I do contract work for reached out with a new job. They’d started work on a new apartment building that was going up and discovered a serious mold problem. I went out there, conducted my inspection, and
DUCT CLEANING IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
When it comes to duct cleaning, no operating space is exempt, including commercial buildings. Dirt, dust, and debris containing allergens and contaminants love to collect in hidden areas, and commercial buildings have these spaces in spades. The HVAC systems in buildings need
OLYMPIANS, THE DMZ, AND ‘GANGNAM STYLE’
What’s the best trip you’ve ever been on? With the summer months fast approaching, I know a lot of people are looking forward to taking a break and getting away from it all. Over the years, I’ve been on a number of great trips for work and family vacations.
WHAT’S ANTIFREEZE DOING IN YOUR BUILDING?
Some time ago, our team was called to the 13th floor of an office building. The receptionist reported smelling a sweet chemical-like odor a few times every week. The scent was so powerful that it made her physically ill.
THE STRANGE CASE OF MYSTERIOUS MOLD
When you’re renovating a building, the last thing you want to find is mold. And when you have tenants living there full time — particularly tenants who may be susceptible to greater health risks — you definitely don’t want to find mold.
When it comes to property management or home ownership, one might wonder who is responsible for indoor air quality. In truth, just about everyone has a role to play, including management and tenants.
BRINGING IAQ INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
Happy New Year! Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten what month it is. With the way my business operates, March is the start of our year. This is the time when proactive building owners and property managers call me to walk through their buildings. They say the best defense is a good offense,
IS YOUR AHU HIDING UNDISCOVERED LIFE?
When a tenant starts to complain about the indoor air quality of a building, the first thing your IAQ expert will do is examine the air handler units (AHU) in the complaint area. It’s easy to mistake an AHU as clean as a whistle based on outward appearances, but inside the AHU, an entire ecosystem can thrive.
THIS YEAR, WE’RE ATTENDING THE OLYMPICS!
As you read this, there’s a good chance I’m in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics! You may remember that my eldest daughter, Shelley, is a schoolteacher for the Department of Defense. She’s been teaching third grade on a base in Seoul, South Korea