Tobacco Documents Online

0 • ~~~,~ POLI SUES United States Moves Toward IAQ Regulations The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in September 1991, began the ambitious task of obtain- ing information on indoor air quality. Their goal is to determine whether regulatory action is appropriate and. if so, the extent to which it is feasible to address issues rela- tive to poor indoor air quality.'Ihe OSHA request for information specifically tzr- geted five broad areas: the definition of and the health affects pertaining to indoor air quality; monitoring and exposure assess- ment; control mechanisms including ven- tilation, filtration and source management; local policies and practices and the sug- gested content of potential regulations. Health complaints related to indoor air quality have increased significantly follow- ing energy conservation measures insti- tuted in the early 1970's. These measures reduced the levels of outside air entering the newly-designed airtight buildings, re sulting in the accumulations of all forms of airborne pollution inside the buildings. OSHA pointed out that during the past decade, the National Institute for Occupa- tional Safety and Health (NIOSH) has con- ducted over 500 health hazard evaluations for indoor air quality. These studies were workplace investigations conducted at the invita- tion of the employers to determine the presence of health hazards and to recommend measures to remove them. The main types of problems encountered in these investigations involved contamination both inside and outside the buildings. Inadequate venti- lation was a major culprit, but the con- taminants included microbes, emissions from building materials and furnishings, chemicals used inside the buildings and some contamination from unknown sources. Specifically, OSHA requested informa- tion on carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, bioaerosols, radon, tobacco smoke and volatile organic compounds. With ten years of practical experience in the field of indoor air quality, HBI responded to OSHA's request for information and fo- cused on several important themes. 6 iuNiius\in,,,..N ~~,i.2 n, ,.-~ Building Systems Approach The building systems approach to in- door air quality is the most effective, prac- tical and economic path to improved in- door air quality in all types of buildings. Adupting this approach begins with adopt- ing a ventilation standard similar to that established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Condition- ing Engineers Standard 62-89,"/entilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality." This standard was developed and based on "real-life" feedback from architects, engi- neers, consumer organizations, health of- ficials, medical researchers, building own- ers and operators, and consumers. Their experience showed that 20 cubic feet per minute (10 f/sec) of outside air per per- son in an office setting was effective in con- trolling indoor pollutants. This standard did away with the old two-tier standard which differentiated between smoking and non-smoking environments, Another aspect of the building sys- tems approach to indoor air quality is the proper maintenance and selection of air filters in commercial buildings. To main- tain the proper maintenance and selection of these filters, specific standards must be developed for commercial offices. Un- til then, however, the ASHRAE-recom- mended 35 to 60 percent efficiency stan- dard (by the ASHRAE 52-76 dust spot test) should be adopted for commercial buildings. These filters should also be carefully fitted and routinely sen-iced. Our research found that in more than 700 buildings examined over the past ten years, 43 percent did not meet the ASHRAI: filter recommendations and a

0 Respiratory Tract Infe<tions Are the Most Common Infettious Illnesses Among Humans Estimated to Annually Cause in the United States: 76 ~ Million ~\• ~ - r Y _ • • r further 16 percent of the buildings had good filters that were poorly installed, thereby reducing their efficiency. If a decision is made to assure accepD able indoor air quality in commercial build- ings by the use of regulation, a compre- hensive regulatory approach would neces sitate 0S1iA to become involved with the complete issue, including the development of design guidelines and practices, a build- ing commissioning practice, maintenance standards, renovation procedures,and pos- sibly standard-setting for indoor air qual- ity technology, Proactive Monitoring Adopting preventive maintenance poli- cies will avoid other inefficient, short-term solutions to solving indoor air quality problems. A proactive monitoring pro- gram that measures indoor air quality parameters every six months should also take a detailed took at the heating, venti- lation and air conditioning (HVAC) sys- tem of the building. This detailed inves6- gation determines how the system is maintained and whether it is clean and operating correctly. The results of these investigations guides the buildings facili- ties manager in achieving and maintain- ing acceptable indoor air quality. Proactive monitoring programs are also a management tool that provides fa- cilities managers with feedback on the success of their operating philosophies. These programs help to spot trends in a building s air quality and allows manage- ment to make changes in operations to achieve and maintain acceptable indoor air quality within the building and are ac- Gvely managing it. The Healthy Buildings Concept This unique approach to building de- sign and construction strives to create good indoor air environments that ensure comfort and productivity for employees by using "environmentally friendly" materials and innovative design concepts. The healthy buildings approach has helped property developers effectively market and promote their buildings in the volatile r'2Ce COSZS property management marketplace. An im- proved environment for building tenants leads to better productivity and yields sig- nificant savings on costs associated with employee absenteeism. Two typical examples of these con- cepts were described. The first was the major renovation project of the Four Millbank Building in London, England. This project, undertaken by the Swedish company, Anders Nisses, was outtined in the July/August 1991 issue of this maga- zine. The renovation involved the use of a raised access floor for all the office ar- eas coupled with an innovative underfloor ventilation system.'Ihe result is an unusu- ally high standard of indoor air quality and a totally flexible design that can eas- ily accommodate major changes in staff occupancy rates. The second example was the Melbourne Tower project in the City of Melbourne, Australia. This building, fea- tured in the March/April 1991 edition of this magazine, features a high tech pol- lutant sensor feedback system. These sensors, designed by Staefa Control Sys- tems, provide real time monitoring of in- ~ _-rJ~' ~ door air quality and are integrated into the ventilation system controls such that the ventilation rates are automatically adjusted for both temperature and air quality conditions. These examples. and many others. demonstrate the practicality of a building systems approach to achieving good in- door air quality in the workplace. This ap- proach is much more than simply an in- crease in ventilation and is clearly the most effective, practical and economic path to better indoor air quality in all types of buildings. If OSHA determines that regulatory action is needed, their approach should be pragmatic, effective and not onerous to an already pressured business community. An inescapable conclusion remains: With innovative technological develop- ments, with well-developed proactive moni- toring programs and with the building sys- tems approach, OSHA has many options which have a track-record of long-term success. If 05t-fA regulates indoor air qual- ity by simply setting standards on indi- vidual pollutants alone, the outcome will be much less predictable. .-=-11111h HEALTHY BUILDINGSINTERNATa]NAI. Maeazine • Vol.? No ' 7 E 2074144220