Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
For individuals experiencing IAQ/IE-related illness problems in their
homes, it is, in most cases, very difficult to make the associations that seem
the problem can be professionally investigated and mitigation efforts
recommended.
Longer-term health risks like those associated with radon and environ-
mental tobacco smoke (ETS) require an educated public that recognizes the
need for conducting radon testing in their homes, implementing mitigation
measures when elevated radon levels occur, and minimizing exposure to
tobacco smoke.
B.
Nonresidential buildings
Occupants of nonresidential office, commercial, and institutional buildings
must also develop an awareness that illness symptoms may be associated
with their building environment. Awareness of potential IAQ/IE problems
in such buildings is more likely to occur because: (1) of the larger population
base and potential for interaction among occupants, (2) these buildings are
prone to a larger variety of problems than residential buildings, (3) building
thermal and ventilation conditions are less under the control of occupants,
(4) many buildings are poorly ventilated or have poor thermal control, which
may contribute to vocal occupant dissatisfaction, and (5) of “odor” problems.
Odor complaints often trigger investigations of unrelated illness symptoms.
Investigations of IAQ/IE concerns are commonly conducted in non-
residential buildings because the factors described above increase the prob-
ability that IAQ and other environmental complaints will be reported to
building management.
The relationship between health symptoms and one's building/work
environment is more clear cut than is the case for residential environments.
In most instances, symptoms resolve within a few hours after leaving the
building/work environment and begin anew within an hour or two after
beginning work the next day. Symptoms typically do not occur over week-
ends and during vacations. Symptom prevalence is often high as well, with
15+% of building occupants reporting symptoms in building investigations
and questionnaire studies.
II. Conducting indoor environment investigations
The task of investigating building-related health, comfort, and sometimes
odor complaints falls to a variety of local, state, and federal public or occu-
pational health agencies, and increasingly, private consultants. Typically,
residential complaints are investigated by local and state public health agen-
cies. Nonresidential complaints are more commonly investigated by staff of
private consulting firms. Health hazard evaluation teams from the National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conduct investigations
