Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Content ● IAQ - What’s It All About? ● How It Affects Health, Productivity ● What Can Be Done About It? ● Water Issues Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Productivity, ● Proper Cleaning and Disinfection – Health, and Legal Liability HVAC/Other Surfaces OR - HVAC Implications Since COVID-19 Jim Newman , CEM, LEED AP, ASHRAE OPMP & BEAP - June 2020 ● What’s the Legal Liability? Poor IAQ 350 Building IAQ Study by NIOSH – Problem Buildings Can Have Many Origins – Some Indoor, Some Outdoor ● 50% - Ventilation Problems ● 28% - Specific Indoor Contaminant ● 11% - Specific Outdoor Contaminant ● 11% - ??? Solving IAQ problems in commercial office buildings is not always easy. 3 4 1
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Liability/Litigation What Happens to HVAC Systems as Time Passes? Who is Blamed for Poor IAQ? Green Green Green Green ● Building Owners ● Architects & Engineers ● Building Contractors & Suppliers ● Building Management, Maintenance Personnel ● Real Estate Brokers Gray Gray Gray Gray ● Landlords & Tenants ● Employers 5 IAQ Problems How to Know if There Are IAQ Problems ● Humidity – too high/too low Communicate with the people in your building. ● Mold or mildew growth due to condensation — Interior surfaces of walls near thermal bridges — Carpeting on cold floors — Locations where humidity promotes condensation ● Not enough outdoor/indoor air – or unhealthy OA ● Water intrusion – outdoor/indoor 7 2
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 IAQ Problem: Winter Humidity Optimum Relative Humidity for Health As Low As 15% In Many Buildings! Optimum Optimum Zone Zone Optimum Zone Bacteria Viruses Humidity % Fungi Mites 60 Allergic rhinitis and asthma Respiratory 50 infections 1 Chemical interactions 40 Ozone production 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1. Insufficient data above Per cent relative humidity 50 per cent R.H. 30 E.M. Sterling, Criteria for Human Exposure to Humidity in Occupied Buildings, 1985 ASHRAE • Bacteria 20 Optimum Humidity • Viruses 10 is 40-60% • Fungi • Mites 0 • Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Optimum Winter Respiratory Infections • 30 30 40 40 50 50 60 60 9 10 IAQ Problems: Mold and Mildew IAQ Problems: HVAC System ● A source of biological contaminants ● Surface Contamination by molds, bacteria, viruses ● Interior ductwork ● Odors 11 12 3
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Dried-Up “Goop” IAQ Problems: HVAC Unit (Engineering Term) ● Drain Pans From Drain Pan in Air Handling Unit ● Improper Damper Operation ● Surface Contamination ● Coils ● Air Filters 13 14 Poor (or No) Filter Maintenance Poorly Maintained Dampers 15 16 4
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Poor Filter Maintenance Goes To These Are Permanent, Worse – This Is What Happens Cleanable Filters 17 18 Improper Filter Installation or IAQ Problems – HVAC Filters Replacement 19 20 5
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Potential IAQ Problems: Outdoor Potential IAQ Problems: Outdoor Energy Recovery Makeup Air Unit to Hospital O.R. 21 22 What Is Biofilm? IAQ Problems: What Else? ● Mold spores on final filters ● Aggregates of predominantly bacterial cells attached to and growing on a surface (Costerton J.W. and Stewart, P.S., 2001 ● Legionella from cooling towers Battling Biofilms. Sci. Am., 285:74-81.) ● Bacteria excrete slimy, sticky substance that allows ● Biofilm on heat them to adhere to surfaces transfer surfaces ● Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) increases ● Bacteria resistance to antimicrobial agents, heat/cold, cleaners ● Viruses From, Jeff Seippel, BIOMIK 23 24 6
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Biofilm Effects Biofilm Cleaning Challenge • Bacteria - in/on coils and fins • Lowers HVAC system efficiency Close-up of coil after Close-up of coil after conventional cleaning cleaning using • Irritating odors – health issues (note: black tar like engineered EFM after substance is biofilm) conventional cleaning Solution to Bio-Film Solution to Bio-Film (cont.) Step 1: Proper Cleaning Step 2: After Cleaning • Use environmentally-friendly surfactants • Restore and maintain a healthy balance of EFM – Enzymes – Automatic delivery tied into the HVAC system controls – Environmentally Friendly Microorganisms (EFM) • Return HVAC systems to “like new” condition – Break down biofilm and release trapped dirt • Continuously deactivate bacteria and viruses • Clean at the microscopic level – Bi-polar ionization – UV-C 27 28 7
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 The Real Result Other Environmental Stressors • Improve heat transfer of coil and system Poor IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality) – Coil functions more efficiently ● Lighting – Glare – Chiller (or compressor) functions more efficiently – Can reduce chilled water flow ● Noise – Too much or not enough – Can increase chilled water temperature ● Vibration – Can reduce fan speed (energy varies as power ● Ergonomic Stress cubed) ● Psycho-social Factors Conserve energy and save money 30 What To Do With an IAQ When Should Owner Seek Outside Assistance for IAQ Mitigation? Problem – Real or Perceived ● Respond Immediately!! ● Cannot identify the problem - If you don’t, 1 goes to 2, 2 goes to 4, etc., until ● Mitigation efforts have been unsuccessful you have “Mass Psychogenic Illness” ● Air sampling is required - Remember, “Perception Is Reality” to the person with the perception ● Mistakes or delays could be serious ● Identify Problem (if there is one) ● Management feels that an independent investigation is more credible ● Make Necessary Corrections as Needed 31 32 8
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Summary: Why Be Concerned How to Maintain Sustainability? About Good IAQ? Proper Operation & Maintenance ● Best designs and construction – doomed to ● Overall Health of Employees and Tenants failure without proper and ongoing maintenance ● Reduced Absenteeism ● Commissioning and re-commissioning ● Increased Productivity ● Retro-commissioning to return to original design ● Increased Profitability (cost of employee vs. operating costs) concepts and operation ● Minimized Litigation Risk ● On-going Commissioning ● Saves Money & Makes Money ● BE AWARE! 34 33 Owner Defensive Strategies (1) Owner Defensive Strategies (2) ● Avoid Potentially Offensive Building and ● Operate with Adequate Ventilation Maintenance Materials ● Operate Cooling & Heating Systems ● Fully Commission Mechanical Systems Prior to Conservatively Occupancy - Toward the center of the Thermal Comfort Zone, see ● Understand Liability Insurance Coverage and ASHRAE Standard 55 Operate Within its Limits ● Clean and Maintain Equipment Properly ● Document Everything ● Operate Systems As Designed 35 36 9
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 Basic Conclusions Owner Defensive Strategies (3) ● Periodically Check For: ● IAQ - a large issue – not a simple issue - Sensor stress: Auditory, Visual, Olfactory ● IAQ - a part of IEQ - Psychologically Stressful Conditions ● HVAC - a large part of IAQ issues - Ask “Would I want to work/live there?” ● Proper Cleaning and Disinfection – HVAC/Other ● Periodically Check Occupant Satisfaction Surfaces ● Re-Commission Systems Every Year To Ensure Proper Operation ● Owners need assistance to avoid liability 37 What Is COVID-19 Coronavirus & COVID-19 ● The Disease: COronaVIrus Disease, 2019 (COVID-19) • Definition/Background ● The Virus: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome • Concerns COronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) • HVAC ● Related to: • Relative Humidity SARS – China, 2003, Korea, Africa MERS – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome: • Filtration Jordan, Saudi Arabia in 2012, then Africa, Asia, Europe, Korea in 2015 ● Risks: - Person-to-person transmission - Airborne spread - Contaminates surfaces 10
Jim Newman, Newman Consulting Group 6/9/2020 How COVID-19 Spreads COVID-19 Concerns What are the facts? We’re still learning! • Directly through aerosols • “Social” Distancing – Really “Physical” Distancing – Infected people breathing, coughing, sneezing ‒ 6’ not enough – Touching an infected person’s hand or face ‒ Aerosols, droplets, etc. – Breathe, Speak, Sing, Yell, Cough, Sneeze: 4’-20’ • Face Masks • Indirect Contact ‒ Yes? Why, When – Touching surfaces like doorknobs, ‒ No? Why, When elevator buttons, railings, handles, etc. • Symptomatic vs. Asymptomatic then touching your eyes, nose or ‒ 14 days? mouth ‒ 28 days? • Vaccine ‒ When? Requirements - HVAC Requirements – HVAC (cont.) • Flush with Outside Air • Filtration – MERV 13,14 Filters (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) – 100%? Or less? – HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air) – Electrostatic filters • Humidification – Carbon filters – 40-60% Relative Humidity (RH) – Ultraviolet • UV-C • GUV (Germicidal Ultraviolet) • Biofilm – Ionization • Needle Point • PCO (Photo Catalytic Oxidation) • Bi-Polar (BPI) 11
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