The constant depleting air quality and rising air pollution across cities and worldwide have been gaining attention as it is a matter of great concern. According to the World Air Quality Report, 35 Indian cities are in the top 50 of the world’s most polluted list. The report also revealed a fact that all countries failed to maintain the World Health Organization’s air quality standard.

While the pollution levels outside, cannot be curbed individually. It is also important to focus on the air present indoors in urban as well as rural terrains. Air pollution is the root cause of multiple respiratory disorders, impacting mental and physical wellbeing, hampering the growth and development of infants and toddlers, short- and long-term health issues. It is vital to monitor the air present indoors as it is equally or more hazardous than the air outside.

Here are the top two reasons that make indoor air harmful:

Higher concentration: With activities such as cooking, cleaning, lighting of incense sticks, candles/diyas, spraying room fresheners, smoking adds more chemicals and carbon pollutants. While most people mistake that using fresheners, fragrant candles will help thinking that it is a change in the air, but it adds to the already polluted air.

Maximum exposure to toxic air: People spend most of their time indoors, therefore they are exposed to a concentrated volume of toxic air for a considerable amount of time. In fact, at night people shut their windows and doors for safety and to avoid insects and micro-organisms from entering homes, this leads to a lack of ventilation and emission of carbon dioxide which can result in a lack of fresh air leading to suffocation, restlessness and chronic health issues in the long run.

In the wake of deteriorating air quality, air purifiers are increasingly becoming popular because of their ability to remove pollutants like pollen, viruses, bacteria, odors, and dust in the air. This is done using a five-stage purification process.

The first stage of the air purification process is the pre-filter stage, which uses a large-particle air filter that eliminates dust, grime, and hair. Pre-filters are the initial step in an air purifier’s filtration process and prevent material from clogging the main air filters, allowing them to catch other microscopic contaminants like viruses and mold. These pre-filters are like strainers that take a big chunk of dirt like hair and dust out of the air, completing the initial cleaning.

In the second stage, the HEPA 14 grade filters, are used which remove more than 99.99% of the particles from the air stream that passes through them. Allergens, viruses, germs, chemical compounds, dust, and a variety of other particles which can be found in indoor air are removed during this stage. HEPA 14 is similar to the pre-filter; however, it is made out of thinner fiberglass. It is a fact that viruses cannot survive in a dry atmosphere.

This is beneficial for persons who have asthma, allergies, or other respiratory issues. During the pandemic, these types of filters have become increasingly popular since they work to keep the virus from spreading indoors.

In the third stage, activated carbon filters are an excellent medium for removing all forms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are compounds that can irritate your eyes or throat. The activated carbon filter helps in removing odors, fumes, and gaseous contaminants. The process of activating carbon particles is important and increases the surface area, which increases the likelihood of gases attaching to their surface and removing them from the air.

UV air filters which are included in the fourth stage, are designed to inactivate these airborne diseases and microorganisms such as mold, bacteria, and viruses, using short-wave ultraviolet radiation (UV-C light). One of the greatest risks in homes is the threat of microbes lurking in the air we breathe. These are the very sources of diseases and can cause illness & nausea, allowing the bacteria to spread from person to person during illness.

Finally, the most important and last step is the Ionizer. It emits anions in the air to neutralize positively charged allergens, pollen, mold, bacteria & viruses. An ion is a negatively or positively charged particle and the air ionizers create negative ions using electricity and then discharge them into the indoor air. These negative ions attach to positively charged particles in the room, such as dust, bacteria, pollen, smoke, and other allergens, thus neutralizing them. The positively charged particles and negative ions bond together to create dense dirt particles that cannot float in the air and falls to the ground and are swept away.

We are facing a time where air quality is decreasing as weeks progress, air purifiers are no longer a luxury but rather a necessity. Their potential is limitless and air purifiers prove to be crucial during viral seasons and to some extent, a pandemic. Indoor air purifiers utilize modern technology to their best and promise to deliver healthier and more breathable clean air. The debate is no longer about the price of the air purifier, but the price of living a healthier life. The importance of these purifiers becomes even more heightened if you’re living with a patient with lung disease or asthma because breathing polluted air can worsen their conditions and cause irreparable damage to their organs and mental health. While we are so mindful in all our day-to-day activities, and lifestyle choices it is important to not neglect the most vital part of our lives, the air we are breathing!

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Views expressed above are the author’s own.

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Editor’s Note: Kent Sepkowitz is a physician and infectious disease expert at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN.

CNN
 — 

Last week, I got sick from Covid-19. Like most vaccinated, boosted people who become infected, I had a lousy three or four days but never felt dangerously ill – just bored and tired and faintly embarrassed to have finally caught it.

In the ruminations one falls into from a little fever and too much stale indoor air, I thought at length about “flatten the curve,” the old term that was the cri de guerre in the pandemic’s first months.

Those early days were frightening. We had no readily available rapid diagnostic test, poor understanding of how the virus that causes Covid-19 typically spreads, no appreciation of the virus’s ability to twist and turn to evade immune detection, no vaccines and no treatments. Then, the best way to prevent spread was to prevent human contact – thus the notion of flattening the (pandemic) curve to slow transmission of the virus so the health care system wasn’t overwhelmed.

Although the ensuing political theatrics added to the difficulty of the task, complete curve flattening for a protracted period was never realistic. That was the beauty of the idea: Curve flattening was not about extinguishing the outbreak but rather introducing a way to stall the widening catastrophe and buy time till scientists could get ahead of the problem.

For a moment, the idea caught on and dominated advice from public health experts, forward-looking politicians and TED Talk types with excellent graphics. Indeed, the before-and-after look of curve flattening made a great visual that, in its apparent simplicity, hid just how onerous the task would be. The work of flattening was sold as patriotic and even heroic, concepts that parts of the US quickly came to define quite differently.

The idea faded suddenly, both because it didn’t work that well in most places and because medical treatments for the disease emerged.

I never much liked the flatten the curve campaign: It seemed more about sloganeering – rah-rah, even corny words for their own sake to try to maintain a sense of control over what was not at all controllable (then or now). Plus, people were going to stay home, not out of civic duty but rather old-school fear, still the most potent motivator of any behavior.

As a guy who has lived a pretty dull life since I caught the infection, I am realizing that we actually carried out was the original game plan: We flattened the curve.

Despite distractions, miscalculations, lies, bad studies and worse observations, we have pretty good tools in hand, a poorly controlled but no longer overwhelmingly lethal infection that continues to squirm out of our grip just when we think we have it, and rising rates of immunity, although not exactly enough protection to enter the fairy-tale land of herd immunity. Life has changed from a gripping daily fear of dying to an annoyance over the possibility of being uncomfortable for a week or two – assuming one is vaccinated.

So here we are in the post-flattened world, where variants will continue to flare, death rates will spike after each flare and people always will find someone else to blame.

Which raises the issue – now what? It is clear that vaccine-induced immunity from the current crop of vaccines has saved countless lives and with wider acceptance would save many more. But as built, this generation of vaccines is unable to control a pandemic characterized by a whack-a-mole supply of new variants.

It is also clear that the antivirals are pretty good but not so easy to take, with the preferred medication, Paxlovid, having complicated interactions with other drugs (a particular issue for those 65 and older who typically are on multiple medications). Also, drug resistance may emerge eventually, as we have seen from drugs to treat viral infections such as influenza, HIV and hepatitis B.

We also know that immunity triggered by infection is only good, not great. Indeed, my adult son has come down with a second Omicron illness only four months after his first. He is less sick but sick – despite youth, his previous recent infection, three messenger RNA vaccinations and a proper respect for how to avoid infection.

Surely, there will be more and better vaccines soon and more, better pills and more, better approaches. We will be awash with options. Necessity has once again proven to be the mother of invention.

But until then, here’s the best plan forward. Until the new and improved products are here, let’s get vaccinated and wear a mask when we need to, take our medication if we are infected, keep funding the public health Covid-19 control framework and all work together for a simple, single goal. Let’s all flatten the curve! Because stalling and kicking the rock down the road a little longer turns out to be a pretty good approach to managing this monstrous pandemic.

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Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra announced the award of more than $385 million to help families and individuals with their energy costs. This release follows recent significant investments in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and congressional appropriations.

LIHEAP provides households with energy assistance, including help to lower cooling and heating bills, crisis assistance, weatherization, and budget counseling to help achieve safe and healthy indoor air quality and temperature. LIHEAP’s assistance with weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs, including the use of renewable energy, helps reduce energy consumption and make homes more energy efficient.

“HHS and the Biden-Harris Administration are working closely to maximize LIHEAP assistance for the families and individuals that need it,” said Secretary Becerra. “This funding builds off of the historic ARP investment to continue to promote weatherization and clean energy. LIHEAP is essential to protecting the health of households across the country by ensuring safe and healthy indoor temperatures.”

Today’s release is the fourth LIHEAP funding release over the past year. In May 2021, HHS released $4.5 billion in supplemental LIHEAP funding from ARP. This historic funding more than doubled the typical annual LIHEAP appropriation. HHS also released $3.37 billion in annual LIHEAP funding through the regular appropriations process. Furthermore, HHS released the first $100 million installment of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Together, these funding releases total more than $8.3 billion – the largest investment in a single year since the program was established in 1981. HHS anticipates being able to serve more households in Fiscal Year 2022 than ever before in the program’s history due to this unprecedented level of funding. A state-by-state breakdown across all four funding releases can be found below.

ACF Assistant Secretary January Contreras, who oversees LIHEAP, stated, “This LIHEAP funding release comes at an important time as households across the country continue to struggle with higher energy bills. The funds released today will allow us to carry out our agency’s mission to promote the well-being of the children, families and communities we serve.”

LIHEAP provides a vital lifeline to households struggling to maintain continuous, safe and affordable home energy services. As the nation grapples with the impacts of climate change and the threat of extreme weather, which disproportionately impact communities of color and lower-income households, LIHEAP is a critical tool to promote both energy justice and racial equity. 

Today’s funding release coincides with the eve of Earth Day, a day to raise awareness of environmental issues and the urgency of climate change. “It is very appropriate that this funding release aligns with Earth Day given the link between LIHEAP and environmental and racial justice. We know that lower-income households and communities of color are more likely to be unable to afford adequate heating and/or air conditioning, and are more likely to be significantly affected by heat stress and natural disasters related to climate change. The additional LIHEAP funds released today will help us to address these disparities,” stated Director of ACF Office of Community Services Dr. Lanikque Howard.

Individuals interested in applying for energy assistance should visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.

###

HHS LIHEAP Funding Awards Available in FY 2022

State/Territory	ARP Award (May 4, 2021)	FY 2022 CR Award (November 1, 2021)	FY 2022 Infrastructure Act Award (January 25, 2022)	FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act Award (April 21, 2022)	Total Awards Available in FY 2022
Alabama	$41,305,882	$56,406,127	$2,682,444	$6,652,710	$107,047,163
Alaska	$14,390,003	$10,212,175	$313,945	$1,168,240	$26,084,363
Arizona	$23,569,301	$26,214,931	$1,688,238	$3,539,429	$55,011,899
Arkansas	$30,164,262	$29,809,774	$809,945	$3,461,419	$64,245,400
California	$203,610,805	$179,228,041	$4,177,848	$20,649,415	$407,666,109
Colorado	$71,759,071	$53,827,678	$1,545,991	$6,154,339	$133,287,079
Connecticut	$94,096,941	$65,781,175	$2,003,413	$7,491,598	$169,373,127
Delaware	$12,883,578	$12,188,013	$355,385	$1,413,086	$26,840,062
District of Columbia	$14,560,741	$10,333,343	$317,672	$1,182,101	$26,393,857
Florida	$80,777,150	$89,844,309	$5,785,953	$12,130,404	$188,537,816
Georgia	$63,876,744	$71,046,847	$4,575,402	$9,592,448	$149,091,441
Hawaii	$4,995,879	$4,719,446	$166,951	$547,391	$10,429,667
Idaho	$26,673,978	$18,929,763	$581,945	$2,165,504	$48,351,190
Illinois	$252,788,881	$155,362,999	$3,175,315	$17,479,037	$428,806,232
Indiana	$114,066,354	$70,324,816	$1,322,623	$7,445,267	$193,159,060
Iowa	$78,507,818	$49,844,389	$937,361	$5,277,033	$134,566,601
Kansas	$38,821,123	$33,327,874	$235,620	$3,835,029	$76,219,646
Kentucky	$61,571,174	$51,647,357	$1,572,878	$5,944,024	$120,735,433
Louisiana	$41,415,195	$50,324,275	$1,307,770	$5,897,192	$98,944,432
Maine	$55,172,305	$35,028,740	$658,740	$3,708,498	$94,568,283
Maryland	$73,506,086	$69,851,450	$1,505,787	$8,090,410	$152,953,733
Massachusetts	$187,074,431	$120,461,255	$3,972,082	$13,640,497	$325,148,265
Michigan	$238,219,248	$146,524,948	$2,749,484	$15,510,284	$403,003,964
Minnesota	$167,346,852	$106,248,039	$1,998,074	$11,248,495	$286,841,460
Mississippi	$33,752,229	$33,175,153	$932,139	$3,851,250	$71,710,771
Missouri	$103,843,419	$75,090,936	$2,284,410	$8,569,578	$189,788,343
Montana	$27,134,445	$19,256,542	$591,992	$2,202,887	$49,185,866
Nebraska	$41,180,965	$29,208,760	$898,443	$3,341,442	$74,629,610
Nevada	$11,597,336	$12,899,126	$830,700	$1,741,587	$27,068,749
New Hampshire	$35,498,757	$25,192,456	$774,475	$2,881,938	$64,347,626
New Jersey	$172,973,948	$112,665,663	$3,945,446	$12,766,391	$302,351,448
New Mexico	$22,314,041	$18,984,981	$0	$2,145,210	$43,444,232
New York	$535,676,404	$340,099,422	$6,395,824	$36,006,375	$918,178,025
North Carolina	$86,970,460	$96,322,663	$3,031,982	$11,251,451	$197,576,556
North Dakota	$27,147,464	$19,265,782	$592,275	$2,203,944	$49,209,465
Ohio	$226,879,639	$140,491,616	$4,470,005	$15,847,745	$387,689,005
Oklahoma	$31,955,095	$38,316,431	$872,191	$4,497,380	$75,641,097
Oregon	$54,008,001	$33,704,628	$1,081,558	$3,804,103	$92,598,290
Pennsylvania	$297,671,482	$182,800,295	$3,417,885	$19,353,129	$503,242,791
Rhode Island	$30,818,515	$21,871,020	$672,368	$2,501,975	$55,863,878
South Carolina	$35,117,531	$45,075,688	$2,923,507	$6,086,407	$89,203,133
South Dakota	$24,482,535	$17,374,556	$534,136	$1,987,594	$44,378,821
Tennessee	$64,310,966	$66,094,629	$1,897,763	$7,692,249	$139,995,607
Texas	$134,407,308	$149,494,402	$9,627,413	$20,184,105	$313,713,228
Utah	$32,932,053	$23,370,940	$718,478	$2,673,560	$59,695,031
Vermont	$26,607,583	$18,882,643	$580,497	$2,160,115	$48,230,838
Virginia	$90,218,680	$88,899,724	$2,833,722	$10,327,646	$192,279,772
Washington	$86,208,581	$57,425,673	$1,053,477	$6,499,393	$151,187,124
West Virginia	$40,464,237	$28,716,314	$882,807	$3,285,056	$73,348,414
Wisconsin	$150,636,196	$95,638,491	$1,798,553	$10,125,261	$258,198,501
Wyoming	$12,721,025	$9,029,982	$276,494	$1,032,995	$23,060,496
Subtotal to States	$4,428,682,697	$3,316,836,280	$98,359,406	$379,244,616	$8,223,122,999
Subtotal to Tribes/ Tribal Organizations	$48,803,948	$38,434,012	$1,132,653	$4,405,488	$92,776,101
American Samoa	$372,429	$278,797	$8,402	$31,882	$691,510
Guam	$816,537	$611,253	$18,422	$69,900	$1,516,112
Northern Mariana Islands	$283,604	$212,305	$6,398	$24,280	$526,587
Puerto Rico	$20,268,659	$15,172,946	$457,298	$1,735,097	$37,634,000
Virgin Islands	$772,126	$578,007	$17,421	$66,097	$1,433,651
Subtotal to Territories	$22,513,355	$16,853,308	$507,941	$1,927,256	$41,801,860
Total to All Recipients	$4,500,000,000	$3,372,123,600	$100,000,000	$385,577,360	$8,357,700,960

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The state has fielded more than 30 complaints about these types of insurance claims.

SUPERIOR, Colo. — Nearly four months after the Marshall Fire, people whose homes were impacted by the smoke still wonder if it’s safe to move back.

One family in Superior said some insurance companies are not helping their neighbors pay for cleaning or mitigation efforts.

“You didn’t lose your home, but you still have this very huge list of to-dos to get to a safe place again,” Jenn Kaaoush said.

Kaaoush and her family moved back into the home after finishing some mitigation work they thought would be enough to live there safely. Then, Kaaoush said, her daughter was getting sick from the smoke damage.

“My daughter who has respiratory issues was getting progressively more sick,” she said. “I sent all of her records to the insurance company and said, ‘look, this is the situation.'”

Kaaoush said the company sent out a hygienist to do some tests. When the results came back, the insurance company said they would cover the costs of cleaning and other mitigation efforts. 

“It’s pretty frustrating I had to use my daughter’s medical condition to force the insurance company to do something to help us,” she said.

Kaaooush said some of her neighbors are still fighting for help.

“People are starting to find other resources like moving in with family members or paying out of pocket to stay in a hotel which, again, is a huge ask that they should not be asked to do,” she said. 

Kaaoush is the co-director of Superior Rising, a neighborhood group founded in January to serve the long-term needs of residents impacted by the disaster. This is one of the biggest issues she’s hearing about from families right now.

Neighbors didn’t think they would be facing this type of challenge with homes that survived the fire.

“People are pissed insurance isn’t doing what we expect them to do to get us to a better place,” Kaaoush said. “It is just infuriating that anybody has to advocate for support or they have to be strong to fight against insurance.”

Earlier this year, a chemistry professor at the University of Colorado began testing homes near burned properties in Superior to measure tiny particles and gases that the fire left behind.

RELATED: Smoke damage raises questions about safety for homeowners after Marshall Fire

Joost de Gouw said preliminary results in February showed indoor air contains higher concentrations of most chemicals. Researchers found that air cleaners with activated carbon reduced those concentrations indoors, but concentrations increased after turning off the air cleaner.

Since then, the team at CU has completed a survey with a mass spectrometer inside multiple homes — both homes impacted by smoke and homes in Boulder that were not impacted. 

They found that in homes impacted by smoke, the levels of some toxins in the air went back to normal after a few weeks.

“Smoke-impacted homes also had a lot of ash and soot inside them. That constitutes another health risk that our study has not addressed in as much detail,” de Gouw said.

As of Monday, the Colorado Division of Insurance has fielded 34 complaints related to “smoke, soot, and ash” claims. The state investigates every complaint, and most of these are still being investigated.

When people contact the division with these issues, the division gives them this information: 

• If there is visible soot or ash, testing should not be needed for the cleaning to be done. Once the cleaning is complete, if they still have concerns, they can request to their insurance company that the property be tested.
• Generally, the insurance companies will send an adjuster back to the property to review the concerns before allowing testing. Some companies will agree to do the tests. Others will not.
• If the company does not agree to the testing, residents can hire their own company to do the testing. Then, if the results support the homeowner’s assertion, the insurance company should reimburse for the testing and pay for additional mitigation or cleaning. The company should also continue to pay for additional living expenses, like hotel expenses.
• However, if the testing results do not show any toxins or residue, the homeowner will not be reimbursed and there won’t be any additional mitigation or cleaning paid for by the company. When testing results do not show toxins or residue, the insurance company will cease the additional living expenses payments. 

In March, the Colorado Division of Insurance asked insurance companies to work with homeowners on these types of claims, including testing, cleaning, repairing and replacing items. The state’s consumer services team said they are hearing that most companies are living up to their agreement to the request.

RELATED: Family denied loan to rebuild after the Marshall Fire

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Marshall Fire Coverage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

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Tuning up a building to optimize operations and save energy is always a good idea, but especially now as workers are return to the office and the way the building is used may be changing.

As more and more organizations welcome employees back to the workplace, this could be an opportune time for facility managers to conduct an office space tune-up. Acting now can not only help provide a safe and healthy environment for returning workers, it can also help improve energy efficiency and hedge against rocketing energy costs. Even if your facility is in great shape, now could be the time to implement a plan to keep it that way. Monitoring-based commissioning (MBCx) can be a logical next step to improving tenant comfort, reducing operations and maintenance expenses, and improving overall energy efficiency.

Traditionally, retro-commissioning (RCx) is an organized review process designed to improve the efficiency of an existing facility’s equipment and systems. In a pre-COVID-19 world, it was a great way to resolve problems that may have existed during the design or construction phase of a project or those issues that can naturally arise over time due to aging equipment and systems. While retro-commissioning remains an excellent way to realize significant savings at minimal costs, it also has the potential to pay dividends mentally as well as physically as workers prepare to return to office buildings. 

Today, retro-commissioning can be just as important to creating a verifiable healthy and safe work environment as it is to reducing operational and maintenance expenses. Building owners, managers, and operators should consider the following questions as they prepare facilities for re-opening. 

1. Is it time for a tune-up? 

Retro-commissioning is basically a systemic evaluation of opportunities to improve energy-using systems in a building. Think of it as having a skilled mechanic lifting the hood of your classic auto and deciding which controls and settings to adjust to align engine efficiency with how you actually drive. If your vehicle has been sitting idle for an extended period, it would be wise to have it inspected before firing it up and hitting the road. 

With COVID-19 shuttering many businesses for the past two years, many buildings have been operating at lower capacities with some systems sitting idle. Low occupancy can mean decreased demand on building systems. For a low- or no-load building, going into the summer season with occupants returning to the office can be like starting up systems for the first time when a building was new. Cooling systems are prone to problems caused by prolonged inactivity. And like a car sitting idle in a garage all winter, a smooth restart may be questionable. Shuttered or underused office spaces could face similar concerns about reopening. 

As more businesses look to head back to the office, more systems will be coming back online. If they are not operating smoothly, facility managers face the risk of occupants viewing workplaces more negatively than in the past. What was once considered an annoyance (an office being too hot or too cold, for example), may now be seen as “unhealthy.” 

2. How can “prices at the pump” be locked in? 

Many building owners and facility managers may be wondering if they missed the boat guaranteeing lower energy prices. In recent years, building owners and operators have enjoyed low natural gas prices as reflected in correlated lower electricity expenses. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), that benefit appears to have ended in 2021.  

With recent geo-political unrest, sanctions, and the hottest summer on record in the Lower 48 states, space cooling demand drove record levels of electrical power generation and consumption. Until now, many building owners were seeing lower operating costs with low prices and lower demand resulting from changes in workplace use stemming from the global pandemic. Employees working remotely shifted day-to-day operation and maintenance expenses dramatically for many businesses. It was a good time to take advantage of lower energy prices while demand was low. 

That was then. This is now. Even if your operation missed locking in long term energy contracts in the past, now may still be the best time to lay the groundwork for future benefits. Locking in energy prices now could still be a bargain in the long run as the reduced volatility in fluctuating energy costs can be budgeted, making business planning easier. 

3. What is the best way to get the “most mileage” out of the energy purchased? 

To say we live in unprecedented times is an understatement. Political, social, scientific, and environmental factors seem to be in flux to a degree unseen in modern times. While events can be unsettling, opportunities for a better future abound. This is especially true in the built environment world. Here are two indicators that point to making this a great time to commit to reducing energy consumption and costs by increasing building systems efficiency: 

Return to Office: The lasting impact of the global pandemic on how day-to-day business is conducted is still being defined, but there is no question changes will be made. A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the ongoing crisis presents an opportunity to shift to a more efficient energy system with multiple benefits. This is an opportune time for companies to take stock of their current resources and requirements. What will “return to office” mean? Will it be a return to a pre-COVID status quo? Do the efficiencies remote working translate to a new way of operating going forward? If your organization is considering a hybrid approach to office attendance, this could be the ideal time to evaluate your building system needs. Systems that have been sitting idle or under-used may warrant a careful inspection before being brought back fully online. 

Greater Environmental Awareness: Addressing employee health and safety concerns is also a great time to improve environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals of your organization. Making your building more energy efficient can create ESG benefits beyond the bottom line. Committing to a program of energy reduction and efficiency can pay dividends in positive public awareness, an improved environment, and better work performance. A qualified expert in LEED and other certifications can help you reach goals of net zero carbon emissions. 

4. How do I pop the hood and get to work?

Having a qualified mechanic do a detailed vehicle inspection may turn up some pricey problems. However, not looking for them in the first place does not protect you from facing trouble down the road. Likewise, ignoring signs that a retro-commissioning review is warranted may ultimately be more expensive than finding and addressing potential systems failures before they happen. Even if catastrophic problems are not found, a thorough retro-commissioning process may result in various recommended upgrades or changes. 

Attention to the operation of building systems has evolved in anticipation of a post-pandemic era with increased focus on ventilation, air changes, and thermal comfort. The feedback loop in building systems must be reliable. During the recent period of prolonged low occupancy, it is likely dampers, sensors, and actuators have fallen out of calibration. A retro-commissioning process can: 

• Perform operational checks of HVAC equipment 
• Check calibration of sensors and dampers 
• Identify areas of thermal comfort concern 
• Provide operational and energy efficiency recommendations that do not compromise occupant comfort and minimize potential costs associated with operating a building post-pandemic 
• Provide a list of recommended capital projects 

Retro-commissioning can offer greater peace of mind to returning workers. 

• Retro-commissioning can help put systems through paces and identify areas of concern or maintenance needs 
• Effort and cost put into upgrading filtration and increasing ventilation rates can be completely nullified if a control sensor is not working correctly or a valve is not actuating to properly cool the air – leaving a space stuffy or uncomfortable 
• Occupant comfort perception is as important as ensuring proper airflows and indoor air quality (IAQ) 

With or without a pandemic entering the equation, it is also possible your building is an excellent candidate for retro-commissioning if any of the following criteria apply: 

• The building was never commissioned or re-commissioned 
• The building has been expanded and/or renovated 
• Building systems never seemed to operate as expected 
• There has been a change in how the building is used 
• Pre-pandemic complaints from tenants about space being too hot or cold 

Retro-commissioning can help verify that building systems and processes are properly functioning as originally designed. If they are not, steps can be taken to correct problems by realigning and recalibrating systems. 

5. Is retro commissioning worth the time and expense? 

For existing structures that have never undergone the commissioning or re-commissioning process, retro-commissioning is certainly worth careful consideration. The process usually results in improved equipment and system functionality that goes beyond basic operation and maintenance. It can provide a comprehensive review of a building’s energy performance, which can result in reduced costs and increased environmental dividends. Retro-commissioning can also improve day-to-day processes through the careful review and updating of operation and maintenance guides, system diagrams, and sequence of operations. This can reduce costs and improve life spans for equipment and systems. Ignoring the efficiency of building systems can ultimately prove more costly to your business, your employees, and the environment. 

Saagar Patel is the operations director for ESD’s Sustainability and Healthy Buildings group. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), a LEED Accredited Professional (AP), a WELL Accredited Professional (AP), and a Certified Commissioning Professional (CCP). Patel is actively involved in ASHRAE and BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) and serves on the Building Decarbonization Working Group for the City of Chicago and the Illinois Energy Code Advisory Council.  

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TEMPLE, Texas, April 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wilsonart, a world-class innovator of next-generation engineered surfaces, today announced that its Wilsonart® High Pressure Laminate (HPL) now includes the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Declare label. Declare labels, similar to food ingredient labels, detail the material health composition of building products to help inform consumers about the safety of the products they use every day. Wilsonart is the first laminate manufacturer to feature the Declare label.

“The Declare label makes complex information approachable and useful, provides manufacturers with a robust structure to share product data and saves designers time,” said Ren DeCherney, manufacturing manager, business development, International Living Future Institute. “The International Living Future Institute applauds this milestone achievement for Wilsonart and their dedication to creating a transparent and sustainable world.”

Declare labels are accessible on a free and searchable database at declare.living-future.org. The database is used by leading designers, large real estate owners and conscientious homeowners to specify products they know they can trust and that meet the requirements of leading green building standards, including the Core Green Building, LBC, LEED and WELL Certifications. The Declare label will be featured on Wilsonart® Laminate.

The Wilsonart HPL products’ label has achieved the declaration status of “Red List Approved.” This designation demonstrates that these Wilsonart Laminate products disclose a minimum of 99% of ingredients present in the final product and meet the LBC Red List Imperative requirements through one or more approved exceptions.

“Wilsonart prides itself on offering stylish engineered surfaces that mimic nature without impacting the environment, and we are thrilled to offer the first laminate in the industry to feature the Declare label,” said Rajesh Ramamurthy, vice president of innovation and technology at Wilsonart. “Working with Declare underscores Wilsonart’s commitment to environmental sustainability, while also making it easier for our customers to identify the sustainable surface solutions they seek.”

Wilsonart HPL brings long-lasting style, on-trend designs and outstanding performance to residential and commercial interiors. With 2X more post-consumer recycled content than any other laminate brand, it’s one of the most innovative and environmentally friendly decorative surface materials available and is ideal for a wide range of vertical and horizontal applications. Wilsonart HPL is also GREENGUARD Gold Certified to meet low chemical emission limits for better indoor air quality.

For more information about Wilsonart HPL products, visit www.wilsonart.com/laminate-surfaces.

About the International Living Future Institute (ILFI)
The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) is a global nonprofit organization committed to advancing communities that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. The Institute operates the Living Building Challenge, the world’s most ambitious, advanced, and holistic performance standard for green, resilient, and healthy buildings. It is also a hub for many other visionary programs that support the transformation toward a living future. The Institute believes that providing a compelling vision for the future is a fundamental requirement for reconciling humanity’s relationship with the natural world and one another. Learn more at www.living-future.org.

About Wilsonart
Wilsonart, a world-leading engineered surfaces company, is driven by a mission to create surfaces people love, with service you can count on, delivered by people who care. The Company manufactures and distributes High Pressure Laminate, Quartz, Solid Surface, Coordinated TFL, Edgebanding, and other decorative engineered surface options for use in the office, education, healthcare, residential, hospitality, and retail markets. Operating under the Wilsonart®, Arborite®, Bushboard, Durcon®, KML, Laminart®, Mermaid™, New Leaf™, Polyrey®, Ralph Wilson®, Resopal®, Shore™, Technistone® and Wetwall™ brands, the Company continuously redefines decorative surfaces through improved performance and award-winning designs.

Contact:
Abigail Cox
L.C. Williams & Associates
[email protected]
(312) 565-3900

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/456500e5-bac3-4386-81ba-f11294714a40

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Billions of dollars are paid out each year to settle commercial property damage claims. These claims are often due to damage caused by water, fire, smoke, and wind. Quite often, the damage from any one of these leaves behind visible signs, but they can also create potential indoor environmental quality (IEQ) hazards that many business owners and property managers may not recognize. 
 
These potential hazards could be due to the actual building damage, or result from clean-up and repair activities. Depending upon the type of damage, the building’s age, and the materials used to construct and furnish it, the possible indoor environmental issues can be wide-ranging. 
 
For example, buildings with natural gas or propane lines could have leaks. Damage to a building’s HVAC system or boiler equipment could cause carbon monoxide concerns.  Even chemicals stored inside and used for cleaning, manufacturing, or industrial processes may pose chemical exposure risks after some events. Buildings that experience water damage due to flooding or faulty plumbing frequently experience microbial contamination issues from mold and bacteria, and in some circumstances, may even contain chemical pollutants. 
 
“Smoke damage from a fire is another common issue,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “Smoke and soot residues can cause damage to property through etching and discoloration, not to mention the unpleasant odors and particulate matter that can act as a respiratory irritant for building occupants. Even repairing a damaged building can create health and safety concerns due to lead-based paints and asbestos-containing materials. These are all important considerations for property managers and building owners to consider.”
 
In Florida and the New York metropolitan area, the building science, industrial hygiene, and IEQ professionals at CTSI are available to rapidly respond to property damage events involving commercial, industrial, healthcare, and institutional buildings. CTSI’s services help to protect building occupants and workers from exposure risks, and can be instrumental for ensuring that property damage claims take into account indoor issues that may otherwise be overlooked during the claims process.   
 
To learn more about this or other building science, industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email [email protected] , or call (212) 971-7016. 
 
About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.
 

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