Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality

First of its kind collaboration designed to boost critical green building practices across the country

First of its kind collaboration designed to boost critical green building practices across the country ICC, ASHRAE, USGBC and IES Announce Nation’s First Set of Model Codes and Standards for Green Building in the U.S.

The International Code Council (ICC), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) announced the launch of the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), representing the merger of two national efforts to develop adoptable and enforceable green building codes. The IGCC provides the building industry with language that both broadens and strengthens building codes in a way that will accelerate the construction of high performance green buildings across the U.S. On Monday, March 15, ASHRAE, IES and USGBC will join ICC at its Washington, DC headquarters as they and their co-authors (the American Institute of Architects and the American Society for Testing Materials) launch the IGCC. On Monday, Standard 189 .1 and the IGCC will be available for wide distribution, providing much-needed content, code language, and vision for more safe and sustainable future.

For more information on IGCC: http://www.intlcode.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx and on Standard 189.1: www.ashrae.org/greenstandard.

See also:
International Code Council (ICC) www.intlcode.org 
U.S. Green Building Council www.usgbc.org 
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers www.ashrae.org 
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) www.ies.org.

For further information contact: Contact: Jodi Scott, Public Relations, 678-539-1140,
jscott(at)ashrae.org

RBc: There is power in collaboration – and this is a great example of what organizations with a common vision can achieve. If Peter Drucker were alive today he would be applauding this outstanding effort.

Canadian Building and Health Sciences Network - Proceedings

Excerpt: "Understanding the effects of the built environment on our health is a complex business. Thorough research addressing questions such as “What is the best way to construct a house to reduce the stressful effects of noise exposure?” or “Which ventilation strategies both conserve energy and reduce exposure to potential allergens?” requires expertise from many scientific disciplines, including acoustics, architecture, biology, chemistry, engineering, epidemiology, geography, mathematics, medicine, physics, psychology, public health, and urban planning – and probably others as well. Although there exist international associations bringing together some of these disciplines, there has been no co-ordinated effort to bring together Canadian scientists to study these questions, across all building types, in the Canadian geographical and cultural context. Similarly, there are few examples of co-ordinated Canadian design guidelines, recommended practices, regulations, standards, or codes that address the full breadth of built environment effects on Canadian’s health and wellbeing.

Faced with requests for guidance on how to design, construct, operate, and maintain healthful indoor environments, the NRC Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) began in 2005 to develop the Canadian Building and Health Sciences Network (CBHSN). The network is intended to facilitate the development of collaborative teams that will conduct innovative, interdisciplinary research intended to improve the health of Canadians by improving the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the built environment."

RBc: We highly recommend our readers download and read the proceedings.
http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/obj/irc/doc/pubs/nrcc51222/nrcc51222.pdf

Other suggested readings:

Indoor Environmental Ergonomics
http://www.healthyheating.com/Human_Factors/Human_Factors.htm

Healthy Buildings Conference
http://www.healthyheating.com/IEQ_Radiant.htm

Alvar Aalto as a Healthy Building Architect
http://www.healthyheating.com/what_makes_a_good_%20architect.htm

2010 Uponor Convention | Radiant Cooling Engineering Summit , Bellagio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, April 8-9

 
Join us for the 2010 Uponor Convention — our largest gathering of professionals who install, design and specify PEX radiant cooling and heating systems, plumbing and fire sprinkler systems.

Taking place at the fabulous five-diamond Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, you won’t want to miss our major industry announcement as well as the premiere of the new Uponor Advantage program.

We’ll also offer product and program seminars and exhibits, fun speakers, evening events and of course, lots of fun. Only Uponor can put on an event like this.

Convention Details Date: April 8 and 9, 2010
Time: Kick off meeting Thursday, 2 p.m.; wind down with a reception Friday evening
Cost: $649 USD initial guests; $300 USD each additional companion sharing the same room
Includes: Two nights lodging at the Bellagio, meals, convention activities and a registration gift

To make registration changes, contact the Uponor Travel Team at 866.247.7478.
___

RBc: I'm looking forward to presenting at this convention...lots of great stuff including the opportunity to hear Peter Simmonds, Ph.D. of IBE Consulting Engineers, talk about some of the unique projects he's worked on including New Yorks Cooper Union…bonus for those attending is to see the City Center Las Vegas project with over 500,000 square feet of radiant cooling courtesy of the summit host – Uponor.

Predicting Residential Exposure to Phthalate Plasticizer Emitted from Vinyl Flooring: Sensitivity, Uncertainty, and Implications for Biomonitoring

Predicting Residential Exposure to Phthalate Plasticizer Emitted from Vinyl Flooring: Sensitivity, Uncertainty, and Implications for Biomonitoring Xu, Y., Cohen Hubal, E.A., Little, J.C.

Excerpt: Because of their substantial and widespread use, phthalates have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants (Koch et al. 2003; Weschler and Nazaroff 2008; Wormuth et al. 2006). More than 3.5 million tons of phtha¬lates are used worldwide each year, primarily as plasticizers in flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products (Cadogan and Howick 1996). Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an important phthalate, with more than two million tons produced globally each year (Lorz et al. 2002). About 90% of phthalates are found in numerous consumer products, including floor and wall coverings, car interior trim, cloth¬ing, gloves, footwear, wire insulation, artificial leather, and toys (Afshari et al. 2004; Bornehag et al. 2005; Müller et al. 2003). DEHP is mainly used in PVC products such as vinyl flooring (VF), where it is typically present at concentrations of about 20–40% (wt/wt) (Clausen et al. 2004; Deisinger et al. 1998). Because phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to the product materials, they are emitted slowly into the surrounding environment (Müller et al. 2003; Wormuth et al. 2006) and have become widely recognized as major indoor pollutants.

Source credit: Environmental Health Perspectives

(pronounced THAL-alates)

RBc: other useful readings include: Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality 

Also available at the above page:

1. Elements That Contribute to Healthy Building Design
2. In Search of a Common European Approach to a Healthy Indoor Environment
3. Childhood Asthma and Environmental Interventions
4. Improving Indoor Environmental Quality for Public Health
5. Bringing Green Homes within Reach: Healthier Housing for More People
6. Associations between ambient, personal, and indoor exposure to fine particulate matter.
7. The Relationship of Housing and Population Health: A 30-Year Retrospective Analysis

Fresh Air in Your Home - What the Government is Doing to Make it Right

Canadian researchers work diligently to close the gap between indoor air quality and tight home construction.

Energy efficiency is becoming a key component of modern-day construction as homeowners are searching for the most tightly-built, energy efficient homes on the market. It’s a huge change from 60 years ago, when home construction was looser, with more opportunity for air and energy to escape. But with these air-tight improvements, comes a hidden catch — one that many homeowners don’t even know about. The tighter a home, the less energy escapes. But tighter construction can affect airflow and indoor air quality as well, and not for the better. Despite the importance of clean air inside the home, Canadian homeowners know very little about indoor air quality, and probably know even less about the role that construction can play in ensuring the quality of the air inside their house. But there could be a reason for that — very little accessible scientific data exists on the subject. That’s something the National Research Council Institute for Research in Construction (NRC-IRC) is currently trying to remedy, with an ongoing study called the Indoor Air Initiative, led by the NRC’s Indoor Environment Program.

Download the full report.

RBc: We had an opportunity to interview the researchers on this project, you can read about it in the Sept/Oct Issue of HPAC Canada.

See also: How your lungs work.

National Nonprofits Plan to Combine Forces to Advance Healthy Homes and Communities

Washington, DC -The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the Alliance for Healthy Homes (Alliance) today announced their plans to join forces. The consolidated organization will continue to operate as the National Center for Healthy Housing, led by Rebecca Morley, with offices in Columbia, Maryland and Washington, DC. Patrick MacRoy, former executive director of the Alliance, will lead NCHH's Community-Based Initiatives. The merger will consolidate all aspects of healthy homes within a single organization - research and evaluation, policy advocacy, consumer education, training, and assistance to local governments and community-based organizations. Nearly 5.7 million families live in substandard housing conditions placing millions of children at risk for asthma, cancer, lead poisoning, and injuries. As a unified organization, the groups will be able to better serve the interest of these families.

For further information see the full press release and information on the upcoming conference.

RBc: For more information on healthy housing see these articles:

1. Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality
2. Elements That Contribute to Healthy Building Design
3. Toxic homes, toxic bodies

EPA and DOE Join States to Speed Energy Efficiency Progress in the United States

WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to increasing energy efficiency and reducing costs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today the creation of the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network. This network is meant to help states achieve maximum cost effective energy efficiency improvements in homes, offices, buildings and industry by 2020. Strengthening energy efficiency initiatives across the country helps to save money and protect the environment at the same time.

For further information Contact:
Enesta Jones
jones.enesta (at) epa.gov
202-564-7873
DOE PUBLIC AFFAIRS:
202-586-4940
_________

Past deliverables from the network have included, “The Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency (RDEE) Toolkit” which is designed to help state and local authorities and energy efficiency program administrators plan and implement successful programs as they advance energy efficiency through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Toolkit was developed under the guidance of and with input from the Leadership Group of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

RBc: A quote from the tool kit includes something we support, “The measure mix (the technologies that are cost-effective for the program to rebate) of HVAC programs varies largely based on weather and primary fuel (electric or gas). For example, in some areas of the country measures such as ground source heat pumps and hydronic heating systems are cost-effective and have been incorporated into residential HVAC programs.”

We suggest readers learn more about low temperature radiant hydronic heating systems.

ASHRAE Technology Awards Highlight Outstanding Building Projects

ORLANDO, Fla.–Designers of systems for two office buildings, a warehouse and college library are recognized by ASHRAE for incorporating elements of innovative building design.

First place recipients of the ASHRAE Technology Awards were recognized at the Society’s 2010 Winter Conference, held this week in Orlando, Fla. The recipients have applied ASHRAE standards for effective energy management.

The first place winners in their respective categories are:

1.    The Terry Thomas (Michael Hedrick, Thomas Marseille, P.E. and Long Lam; Stantec Consulting; Seattle, Wash)

2.    Sobey’s Warehouse (Martin Roy, P.Eng.; Martin Roy et Associés, Inc.; Deux-Montagnes, Québec, Canada)

3.    IDeAs Design Facility (Peter Rumsey, P.E., Fellow ASHRAE; Rumsey Engineers; Oakland, Calif)

4.    The Richard J. Klarcheck Information Commons Building (Donald McLauchlan, P.E., Steven Maze and David Lavan; Elara Energy Services, Inc.; Hillside, Ill.)

For further information on these projects contact:

Amanda Dean
Public Relations
678-539-1216
adean (at) ashrae.org

RBc: Congratulations to the winners and of special note is the use of hydronics and floor heating in all the outstanding building projects.

 

New Guidance on Clearing the Indoor Air through Improved IAQ

ATLANTA – Ensuring good indoor air quality (IAQ) means everyone breathes a little easier: occupants who experience improved health, comfort and productivity, and owners who see increased building value and reduced risk.

New guidance for achieving enhanced IAQ is available from five leading building industry associations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The book and CD provide strategies needed to achieve good IAQ using proven technologies and without significantly increasing costs.

“The health and comfort of buildings occupants is too important to leave IAQ as an after-thought in design, construction and operation,” said Andrew Persily, Ph.D., chair of the committee that wrote the new guidance. “There is plenty of experience out there to help avoid IAQ problems in buildings, allowing all of us to breathe a little easier.

The Indoor Air Quality Guide: Best Practices for Design, Construction and Commissioning is a collaboration between ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects, the Building Owners and Managers Association International, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors of North America and the U.S. Green Building Council.

The book describes 40 strategies for achieving critical IAQ objectives related to moisture management, ventilation, filtration and air cleaning and source control. It also highlights how design and construction teams can work together to ensure good IAQ strategies are incorporated from initial design through project completion.

The full publication complete with a CD that contains detailed guidance essential for practitioners to design and achieve good IAQ is available in hard copy or electronically for $29.

To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

For further information contact: Jodi Scott, Public Relations, 678-539-1140, jscott(at)ashrae.org

RBc: This is another powerful example of what is possible through the collaborative effort amongst industry groups. I have written about ASHRAE as a collaborator in the Sept/Oct Issue of HPAC Canada.

Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality - Year End Report

Greetings all,

We’ll be on extended leave for studies, vacation and business between December 16th, 2009 and January 31st, 2010 as such we’ll not be posting as much as we’d like…but we’ll have some great stuff to report on when we get back.

In the meantime feel free to search the blog and website for articles and resources.

A quick recap before we bid everyone adieu - 2009 was one of our best years ever for educational programs and growth in our blog and website visitors.

2008 produced 75,897 unique visitors with 2009 delivering 86,626 for a 14% increase with the blog averaging approximately 30 visits per day or almost 11,000 for the year. We did over 50 professional development webinars and over 20 continuing education seminars across North America which included the launch of HRAI of Canada’s Residential IAQ Awareness Course.

Additionally we continued to produce articles for several magazines including HPAC Canada and have a two part article being published in the January and February issue of the ASHRAE Journal.

Given the economic turmoil we can only hope those students who were listening to our business forecasts and recommendations between 1998 and 2007 positioned yourselves defensively in managing cash flow especially your receivables and offensively in jumping into the world of energy and health i.e.: building science and indoor environmental quality…in our opinion - the only real opportunity in architecture for the next decade.

Have the merriest of holidays during this festive season and the best to you and yours in the New Year.

Robert Bean

IAQ 2010 Examines Impact of HVAC on Airborne Infectious Disease

ATLANTA –The role of HVA&R in airborne infectious disease transmission, design and control strategies and technology, pandemic preparedness and airborne infection control will be examined at the IAQ 2010 conference sponsored by ASHRAE. Co-organized by CIBSE and ISIAQ, IAQ 2010: Airborne Infection Control – Ventilation, IAQ & Energy, takes place Nov. 10-12, 2010, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This is the first time the conference is being held outside of the United States. “The building industry is increasingly faced with the challenge of providing a healthy indoor environment,” Dr. Chandra Sekhar, conference chair, said. “The SARS episode, the current H1N1 pandemic and fears of avian flu have transformed the built environment landscape, raising not only significant public health concerns but also economic implications on a global scale. Airborne infection and its control in the built environment have tremendous impact in the design, operation and maintenance of buildings and other enclosed environments. IAQ 2010 will review the state of knowledge about airborne infection and help define future directions.”

The conference will feature peer-reviewed technical papers, workshops and tutorials addressing several issues including:

• How do mechanical systems and other building and enclosure characteristics contribute to healthy environments in an energy-efficient manner?
• How can we create and sustain healthy enclosed environments through design, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance?
• What metrics and tools can be used to quantify the degree to which an enclosed environment is healthy and energy-efficient?

For further information visit www.ASHRAE.org/IAQ2010or contact: Jodi Dunlop Public Relations 678-539-1140 jdunlop(at)ashrae.org

RBc: Be sure to read, "Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality"

New Residence Hall in Rural Georgia Features Robust Energy-Saving Features

In the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia, rapidly growing Young Harris College (which is in the midst of a transition from a two-year to a four-year academic institution), has a new green residence hall.

Enotah Hall – which features water-source heat pumps and an energy recovery unit that pre-treats supply air by recovering the embodied energy of the exhaust air and then conditions the air with an enthalpy wheel – is targeting LEED silver certification from the US Green Building Council. The building also employs generous daylighting and sustainable site strategies and was constructed with regional and recycled materials.

Designed by architecture firm Lord, Aeck & Sargent, whose in-house energy modeling capabilities demonstrate that Enotah Hall will perform at 35 percent above the baseline, the building is a model of sustainable design for the rural North Georgia community. Since most LEED projects tend to be located in urban areas, the green aspects of this beautiful new building are all the more important.

Photo credits © 2009 Jonathan Hillyer Photography.

For further information on this and other Lord, Aeck & Sargen projects contact:
Annie Kohut | Kohut Communications Consulting (tel) 770-913-9747 (fax) 770-913-3197
annielk(at)bellsouth.net
www.kohutcommunications.com
http://twitter.com/kohutcomm

RBc: We’re pleased to cover another outstanding project by Lord, Aeck & Sargen …thanks again to Annie Kohut and Anne Taylor.

One-Third of Workers Say Office Temperature Affects Their Productivity, Finds New CareerBuilder Survey

CHICAGO, December 15, 2009 - As winter sets in across the country and companies turn up the heat, they may need to readjust the thermostat to keep their workers productive. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, when asked if the temperature at work affected their ability to get work done, more than one-in-five (22 percent) workers said that a "too hot" work environment made it difficult to concentrate. Eleven percent of workers said the same about a "too cold" work place. Some results:

• New CareerBuilder survey reveals that more than a quarter (27 percent) of workers describe the temperature at their work place as "too hot," while two-in-ten (19 percent) workers say it is "too cold."
• More than one-in-five (22 percent) workers said that a "too hot" work environment made it difficult to concentrate. Eleven percent of workers said the same about a "too cold" work place.
• Ten percent of workers report they have fought with a co-worker over the office temperature.

See the complete press release.

CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Jennifer Grasz (P) 773-527-1164 (E) jennifer.grasz(at)careerbuilder.com

RBc: Readers take note...2009 will go down as the year of thermal comfort surveys in offices and all are essentially in agreement...the JIEQ has for many years provided data that concludes productivity, learning, absenteeism wellness etc...are affected by thermal comfort.

See also: Temperature Wars Redux (Surveys by the International Facility Management Association report and Forbes Magazine)

See also: Education and the Built Environment

Final Report on Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality in New Homes

Researchers have completed a multi-season study of ventilation and indoor air quality in 108 new homes in California. ARB and the California Energy Commission sponsored the study, which was conducted by a team led by Indoor Environmental Engineering. The team found that new, single-family detached homes in California were built relatively airtight, and had very low outdoor air exchange rates. In addition, indoor concentrations of formaldehyde often exceeded health-based exposure guidelines for air contaminants indoors, due to the many indoor sources of formaldehyde. Indoor concentrations of a few other chemicals such as benzene, naphthalene, and 1,4-dichlorobenzene also exceeded exposure guidelines in some cases. The ARB has adopted limits on formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products, which will help reduce indoor formaldehyde levels in new homes. Reduction of formaldehyde emissions from other indoor sources also is needed. In part due to the results of this study, the Commission approved a regulation requiring mechanical ventilation systems in all new homes starting in 2010; such systems provide a continuous supply of outdoor air, thus improving the outdoor air exchange rate and reducing indoor contaminant levels.

Contact Tom Phillips (tphillip(at)arb.ca.gov, 916.322.7145) for inquiries about the report. If you have problems accessing the report website or the report, contact Susan Lum (slum(at)arb.ca.gov, 916.323.5043).

RBc: We support this, "...a continuous supply of outdoor air, thus improving the outdoor air exchange rate and reducing indoor contaminant levels." ...providing that the outdoor air is also of good quality.

See also: Current State of the Science: Health Effects and Indoor Environmental Quality

The Healthy House Institute (HHI) Partners with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)

 Relationship to provide extensive database of environmental health research.

Boise, Idaho - Monday, December 07, 2009 - In an ongoing effort to improve home health, The Healthy House Institute (HHI) announces its partnership with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).

As part of the relationship, HHI visitors will be able to access environmental health research made available by NEHA. “Many homes new and old have unseen contaminants that can negatively affect the health of a home,” said Nelson E. Fabian, Executive Director and CEO of NEHA. “By making experts and research available through HHI, homeowners will be empowered with the resources needed to help ensure their families are not adversely impacted by poor building, home care and maintenance practices.”

For further information and full press release contact The Healthy House Institute (HHI) and National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).

RBc: It is our pleasure to serve with many others on the HHI advisory board.