Across California, a number of private businesses, organizations, and state and local government agencies are taking part in Building Safety Month. The event is sponsored and supported by the nonprofit International Code Council and many partners.

The month of recognition has taken place each May for the past 42 years. Building Safety Month initiatives help to provide homeowners, government officials, and the public with the information and resources to prepare and protect the built environment.

“Safety for All: Building Codes in Action” is the theme for this year’s campaign. The 2022 weekly themes include:

• Week One, Planning for a Safe & Sustainable Tomorrow
• Week Two, Exploring Careers in Building Safety
• Week Three, Understanding Disaster Mitigation
• Week Four, Creating a Safe & Abundant Water Supply

“Building safety has taken on new importance following the impact of COVID-19 on all of us,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Many buildings were closed, opened, and then sometimes closed again due to fears of the spread of the virus. A new emphasis on air filtration, disinfection, and exchange rates are now part of the conversation for more than just facility managers, building engineers, and indoor air quality professionals.”

In California, LA Testing’s industrial hygiene, infection control, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) experts have years of experience helping to achieve the goals of a safe built environment in buildings of all types. With multiple laboratories in California, they offer microbial, radiological, and chemical testing services. LA Testing also provides sampling supplies, easy-to-use test kits, building inspection tools, air monitoring instruments, personal protective equipment (PPE), and more.

To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health, and safety testing services and products, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  [email protected]  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to IEQ test kits, visit www.EMSLTestKits.com.
 

About LA Testing

LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash, and smoke damage, particulates, and other chemicals.  In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health, and other states.  LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego, and Ontario.

— WebWireID288917 —

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Related Research

Steel Jupiter, a specialty coating manufacturer, will locate manufacturing, research and development operations in Sahuarita, Arizona. The project is expected to create 15 jobs.

The leased 13,000-square-foot facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2022, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

“Steel Jupiter’s mission is to help make indoor air as free from viruses as possible,” said Carlos Tellez, Chairman and President of Steel Jupiter. “Our product, developed by leading scientists, has the promise to significantly improve the effectiveness of HVAC filters and masks in filtering viruses from the air we breathe. We evaluated other locations and we are thankful to have found the Sahuarita Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center (SAMTEC). Sahuarita is a great community, and the facility and location are perfect for us. We are thrilled to call Sahuarita our home base for our continued growth and innovation long into the future.”

Steel Jupiter’s innovative proprietary coating traps 99.99% of airborne viruses, including COVID-19, providing the highest level of protection on a wide variety of material. Utilizing FXI technology, the company is enhancing the performance of masks, respirators, and air filtration, providing the marketplace with a highly efficient, cost-effective, easy-to-use, and safe solution to protect public health.

“Steel Jupiter’s innovative manufacturing and research facility is a valued addition to Southern Arizona,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). “We are grateful Steel Jupiter is establishing its manufacturing facility in Sahuarita, bringing quality jobs while furthering Arizona’s reputation as a national innovation and manufacturing leader.”

“The establishment of this new facility will have an economic impact of $27 million over the next five years,” said Joe Snell, President and CEO, Sun Corridor Inc., the region’s economic development group. “The ripple effect of these high-paying jobs advancing Steel Jupiter’s technology will be felt across Southern Arizona.”

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Dust and smoke blowing in from fires, dry land and construction this spring periodically have turned Colorado’s blue skies red, and air quality experts anticipate more crazy haze in the future as wind scours particles from the arid Southwest.

Nose-level concentrations of tiny, lung-lodging particles hit 24-hour averages as high as 207 micrograms per cubic meter of air Monday at 4:30 p.m. in Colorado Springs. That’s 33% higher than a federal health threshold of 155 micrograms. The level spiked briefly to 422, at a state monitor near Colorado College before sunrise, then quickly dissipated – a challenge for state officials tasked with keeping public health warnings current.

Multiple sources mix, state and federal meteorologists said, as high winds carry roiling clouds.  Wildfire smoke from New Mexico, where fires have burned more than 250,000 acres, has risen into high-level air currents. Dust from the bone-dry Four Corners region and other landscapes reached Colorado’s urban Front Range. And exposed grit from the common construction sites, where topsoil has been scraped away, intensifies the wind-churned brew.

Visibility at times decreased to less than five miles, a measure state health officials say residents can use to determine whether air is unhealthy to inhale. From metro Denver south to Trinidad this week, residents periodically could not see the mountains.

Expect more of the same with forecasts calling for higher-than-average heat, red-flag fire risks, and no rain through this week.

And expect more in the future if current climate trends continue, said Jeff Derry, director of the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies, who since 2002 has been monitoring National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite imagery and dust on mountain snowpack.

“Drought and heat means we’ll probably see more fires. That means more smoke. For dust, with stressed vegetation and less water on landscapes in dust source regions of the Southwest, we should probably expect more dust,” Derry said.

Motorists cruise I-25 southbound near exit 213 towards a hazy downtown on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. A haze covered the metro area as Denver’s air quality dipped to a moderately poor level.

“All the science is pointing towards that. It means decreased air quality. And it means more dust in the mountains on snowpack,” he said. “It is going to melt the snow faster. An earlier snow melt typically means less water later in the summer.”

National Weather Service meteorologists monitoring satellite images have tracked multiple wind-driven plumes that spread across Colorado.

Significant smoke from the New Mexico wildfires that have forced evacuations “isn’t necessarily something people would smell, but it looks hazy” along the Front Range, NWS meteorologist Kari Bowen said. “And then there’s some dust over northwestern New Mexico. And localized dust can lift up. If people live near construction sites, and it’s a little windy, they could see dust that way,” Bowen said. “The landscape can get very dry, which creates the ability at a certain wind speed to lift more of that dirt and carry it as it dries out.”

State health authorities on Monday and Tuesday issued an unhealthy air alert for sensitive people (children, the elderly and infirm) in the Colorado Springs area. Metro Denver air quality deteriorated to “moderate” unhealthy conditions. What residents face varies by location and fluctuates.

“The best thing to do is always keep apprised of air quality in your location,” said Dan Welsh, air quality meteorologist for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, who characterized the most recent dust-and-smoke storms that started on Sunday as “notable in the intensity for a short duration.”

Colorado residents can check government-run websites (colorado.gov/air quality and airnow.gov) and should “take any health precautions you feel are necessary,” Welsh said.

Medical experts warn of potential “compounding effects” as particulates mix with the ground-level ozone pollution, for which Colorado has been deemed a “severe” violator of federal health standards. Wind also spreads pollen that afflicts residents with allergies.

“You begin to get a lot of chemical reactions,” said Dr. Mark Ereth, an emeritus professor at the Mayo Clinic who serves on boards of air filtration companies and helps guide the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

The sun is obscured by heavy smoke from the NCAR Fire on Saturday, March 26, 2022, in Boulder.

“We need to look at the concept of our lifetime exposure,” Ereth said.

“The particulates cross into your bloodstream. They’re taken up by your organs. That’s where they introduce inflammation. The inflammation is a source of hardening of the arteries and cerebral vascular diseases,” he said.  “We’ll have to modify our indoor and outdoor lifestyles based on air quality. ….. There’s no question that breathing cleaner air will extend your life.”

The first step to reducing exposure during dust storms is reducing physical exertion and heading indoors, health officials say. Filtering indoor air using air conditioning and other devices can create safe spaces, especially for sleeping.

Face masks that residents amassed during the COVID-19 pandemic also can be used to reduce the amount of particles and pollen you inhale.

“Stay aware of the air quality conditions in your area,” Welsh said. “Know what prevention measures to take to protect yourself.”

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Sal Brzozowski Thinks That Every Job is a Climate Job

by
Suzie Hicks
|May 11, 2022

Columbia Climate School’s inaugural class of students will soon be graduating. To celebrate, State of the Planet is publishing a series of stories highlighting students and faculty involved with the Climate and Society program. Read more of our Class Day coverage here. 

Sal Brzozowski, 29, walked directly backwards into the climate movement. They began their career in technical theater, making wigs and costumes, then pivoted to hairdressing in a salon because “surprise, surprise — working on Broadway is really hard.” Their decision to leap into climate came from a discovery  that the movement works best when everyone has a seat at the table.

Sal Brzozowski graduated from the MA in Climate and Society program before it became part of the Columbia Climate School. Brzozowski works on carbon dioxide removal policy and is currently a teaching assistant with the program.

Sal’s journey has taught them that “everyone can do something in the climate movement, even if you don’t feel or look professional, even if you don’t have a science background, even if you’ve changed your career three times.” Their non-traditional background has become their super power while connecting with previously disengaged communities.

We met on Zoom in early February to discuss the necessity of an interdisciplinary, all-hands-on-deck approach to climate action, over the background noise of barking dogs and Super Bowl commercials.

Can you describe the moment you realized you had to pursue climate?

I was listening to Dr. Kate Marvel [a climate scientist and Columbia Climate School professor] on the Ezra Klein podcast, and she was explaining how wild it is to get that deep into climate physics with students of all different backgrounds. She started listing off the type of backgrounds of people that were in the program, and then she said, “We even had a few theater majors,” and I just had a lightbulb go off and was like, “Oh. Well, I could do that!” I called my dad and asked if I was crazy, and he said, “This is the least crazy thing you’ve ever done.” Within two months I was applying, and got accepted.

Within the climate movement, where do you fall?

I like to work in the intersection of science and policy. My specific passions within the climate movement are [related to] carbon management. So, mitigating carbon emissions and capturing existing CO2 concentrations from the atmosphere. I work in both building decarbonization and large-scale energy decarbonization, and I also work in scaling up new carbon-capture technologies through policy advocacy.

For someone who may not know what that is, what is decarbonization, and also, what is carbon capture?

Yes! So, decarbonization is the process of removing carbon waste from our… everything. From our society, from our economy, et cetera. At the large-scale energy level, that looks like scaling up renewable energy and retiring fossil-generated [power] plants.

Carbon capture is the other side, which is removing existing CO2 from the atmosphere. Even if we stopped all emissions today, current atmospheric concentrations, as of a couple days ago, just hit 420 parts per million, and the science tells us that the safe levels are between 320 and 350 parts per million. So even if we stopped emitting everything today, we are already seeing the catastrophic impacts of climate change, now. And it’s only gonna get worse. And we’re not gonna stop emitting today.

There are a couple of different ways that carbon capture works. There’s point-source capture, which is more on the mitigation side rather than on the actual carbon removal side. Point-source capture is basically like hooking up devices to boilers, power plants, and basically stopping the emission before it gets into the atmosphere, and then you do something with those emissions.

There’s also direct air capture, which takes the ambient air and sucks the carbon dioxide out of that. One of the benefits of that is that because carbon dioxide is a pollutant, you can improve your indoor air quality and your health and your mental acuity by reducing CO2 concentrations in the indoor air that we breathe, which I think is freaking awesome.

In terms of policy making, what role does communication play?

Communication is everything in policy making, because if legislators don’t know what you’re trying to pass and why, then they’re not gonna pass it. And if constituents don’t understand the legislation, then they’re not gonna support it.

I don’t know if you know this, but legislators aren’t experts in carbon removal. So when we set up a 30-minute meeting with a legislator’s office, we have 30 minutes to give them a crash course in what carbon removal actually is, why it’s good, and then why our bill is also good. So doing that in 30 minutes on repeat, you really have to have the communications chops to effectively get the science across.

What do you think are some issues in communicating climate to an audience that may not be familiar with it?

One of the biggest issues is buzzwords, acronyms and jargon. When you’re speaking in jargon and acronyms, you’re blocking people out by not using language that they understand.

Another challenge is buzzwords. So, the media really likes to grab buzzwords by the throat and just run with them until they mean nothing anymore, and this has happened a lot with the phrase “net-zero”. So it’s our job to help people understand the context.

Here’s a big question for you. What does the climate movement need?

(Sighs.) So much. It needs so much. Um, it needs more people.

Every job is a climate job. I bring this up because we need people in every space, every community, every type of work, to be constantly talking about climate change with their colleagues and their bosses. We need people to be pressuring their employers to make their office spaces more energy efficient, to support efforts that help fight against the climate crisis.

How do you think this relates back to your own journey getting back to the climate space?

I realized that I couldn’t sit around and do nothing any longer. And I realized that the climate movement needed more people, and I’m like, “Well, I’m a people! And I’m not in the climate movement yet! Why the F not?” So, I did it. And I hope more people do that too.

What role does privilege play in advocating for climate policy?

Unfortunately, privilege makes it so that certain types of people have a more amplified voice based on the background that they come from, and what they look like. But, people who have privilege, myself included, can use that to bring attention to the works, the efforts, the words of people with less privilege who may not be getting the same amount of accolades or attention.

And I think not only is that something that we can do, it’s a deep responsibility that we all have. It’s not enough to stop the emissions. We have to also make up for the historical injustices.

What would you tell someone interested in joining the climate movement who isn’t radicalized yet, and doesn’t know where to start?

Just do it! We will radicalize you.

How do you grapple with the size of the climate crisis and the size of your own personal influence?

I don’t. I’m anxious all the time. I think finding your niche where you can make an impact, and trusting that the rest of your community is finding their niche [is key]. I try to look for stories about people who are working on solutions, so that even if I can’t help with a solution, I at least have the peace of mind that someone else thinks about it, and is working on it.

How do you talk about climate in your social sphere?

I never shut up about climate. I am not my most radical friend, but I am plenty of people’s most radical friend. I try to make sure that I have a good amount of friends in the space that are already doing the work, so that we can all talk about our climate grief together and we can all roll our eyes at how anxiety-inducing Don’t Look Up was. But also, if all of my friends are already climate activists, then I’m not really changing anyone’s minds about anything, am I? You can’t preach to the choir forever.

So, I do try to make sure that I talk about it with my friends outside of the climate space, and I also talk about it while I’m still working at the hair salon. Every one of my clients knows that I went to grad school for climate change, and I lecture them all on what they can do and why they should care.

And most of my clients really appreciate it, it’s like a value-added service to get a free education on climate change while getting your haircut.

Suzie Hicks is a student in Columbia Climate School’s M.A. in Climate and Society program.

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“With the price of everything on the rise, homeowners looking to make their air conditioning run more efficiently and drive down utility costs should follow these tips,” said Dayna Hottle, general manager of C & C Heating and Air Conditioning. “We want homeowners to be able to stay comfortable and cool without breaking the bank.”

Hottle said the first thing any homeowner should do is schedule a maintenance appointment to have their air conditioning unit serviced and tuned up before really hot weather hits their area. During an HVAC tune-up visit, a technician will check the unit’s electrical connections and thermostat, test the airflow, clean the coils and condensate drain, and lubricate the moving parts.

“Yearly maintenance not only helps keep a homeowner’s warranty up-to-date, it also ensures the unit will perform to the best of its ability this summer,” she said.

Hottle said that homeowners should also:

1. Consider investing in a smart thermostat. These devices “learn” a homeowner’s routines so that it can heat or cool based on when the home will be occupied and can also be adjusted quickly via the homeowner’s smart phone from anywhere in the world.
2. Close the blinds. Shuttering the blinds during the heat of the day can help insulate windows against the hot summer sun while stopping cold air from escaping.
3. Use a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans do not decrease the temperature in a room, but when used with a home’s AC unit, they can work to displace rising hot air and help the room feel cooler. Fans also help dry up humidity-causing moisture.
4. Keep the filter changed. This is a very simple step homeowners can take to reduce energy costs. A dirty filter can cause the air conditioner to work harder to keep a home cool. Changing the filter once every one to three months, depending upon the manufacturer’s recommendation, will keep the unit cleaner so it will not have to work as hard to cool the home.
5. Set the temperature tempo in the morning. Homeowners should cool their space first thing in the morning and rely on the air conditioning to maintain a comfortable temperature later in the day.

“The key to keeping your home cool without running up your utility bill is to avoid overloading your air conditioning unit,” Hottle said. “By making sure the unit is well-maintained and by using a few tricks to boost its efficiency, you should be able to stay cool for less this summer.”

About C & C Heating & Air Conditioning

C & C Heating & Air Conditioning is a Detroit-area heating and cooling company with more than six decades of expertise installing and servicing all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment. Their technicians are highly trained and qualified and undergo annual background checks, random drug testing, extensive technical and customer service training and are North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certified. Services include HVAC maintenance and repair, duct cleaning, whole-home air filtration systems, indoor air quality systems and comprehensive maintenance agreements. For more information, call C & C Heating & Air Conditioning at (586) 439-3319 or visit their website at https://candcheat.com/.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
865-977-1973
[email protected]

SOURCE C & C Heating & Air Conditioning

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BreatheWell Air Quality Program by The Budd Group

The BreatheWell air quality program offers a holistic approach to improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and creating healthier indoor environments.

The Budd Group introduces its BreatheWell air quality program. Consisting of air measurement, air purification and protective barrier coatings, BreatheWell offers a holistic approach to improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and creating healthier indoor environments in schools, universities, offices, and other types of facilities.

Removing common allergens, pollutants and odors from a facility’s air offers numerous health and wellness benefits. The Budd Group offers a consultative approach to air purification that makes it easy for any organization to improve its IAQ and meet new customer demands around indoor air quality and facility hygiene.

The BreatheWell program begins with a consultation from The Budd Group to establish the best air quality strategy. This includes measuring particulate levels, total Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), carbon emissions and other items to determine the most effective approach to air purification.

BreatheWell offers in-room, in-ceiling, and in-duct systems, pending a facility’s size and footprint. The air purification equipment is certified by the WELL Building Institute, CDC, EPA, and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). It also includes an air purifying LED light panel and protective barrier coatings that kill bacteria on surfaces quickly to prevent bacteria from becoming odor causing.

With multiple treatment options, BreatheWell offers a flexible approach to air purification that meets the requirements of any type and size facility.

Click here for more facility management news about indoor air quality.

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Would it surprise you to learn that tobacco companies added menthol and flavoring to their products to make them more palatable and appealing to users? What if it was revealed that those flavors were more addictive — and targeted toward Blacks and youth? Or that it would take decades to force tobacco companies to stop? 

None of this is surprising to us, either. 

And the tobacco companies haven’t stopped. Yet. 

In late April the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dropped the news that it would take up new product standards to ban menthol flavoring in cigarettes and other flavorings in cigars. It would put an end to countless product lines designed to attract users with cool names like Summer Twist and Coastal Cocktail and marketed by ad campaigns that link tobacco with everything from jazz music to date night. 

This is a huge move for an agency that for years has known of the negative health impacts of tobacco and actually spent millions on youth tobacco prevention campaigns in the name of public health all while allowing tobacco companies to continue marketing and selling their dangerous products. 

Scientific studies, of which we’re sure the tobacco experts at the FDA are familiar, have demonstrated that flavored tobacco products have the greatest appeal to youth and play a major role in initiation of tobacco use. Some studies have also shown that people who smoke menthol cigarettes have a harder time quitting than those who smoke non-menthol versions. 

In a case of one hand not working in sync with the other (or perhaps ignoring the other), another federal agency has been sharing facts about the threats of menthol and flavorings in tobacco products for years. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health dedicates a full page to menthol tobacco products and uses the space to outline plenty of reasons why they should’ve been banned in 2009 when Congress adopted the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. That law bans “characterizing flavors” in cigarettes, except menthol and tobacco flavors. 

Among the CDC’s list of facts about menthol cigarettes: 

● Tobacco companies have used menthol in cigarettes to make them seem “less harsh and more appealing to new smokers and young people.” 

● Tobacco companies have used marketing messages to imply that menthol products are “healthier,” when this is completely untrue. 

● More than half of youth ages 12-17 years old who smoke use menthol cigarettes – a higher percentage than those over age 18 who smoke. 

● More than 75 percent of Black adults who smoke usually use menthol cigarettes.

The CDC also notes that teens and Black smokers use menthol cigarettes at higher rates “in part because the tobacco industry has aggressively marketed menthol products to young people and African Americans…” 

And while the FDA has been slow to move on creating policies to prevent tobacco companies from luring youth into addiction and preying upon certain more vulnerable populations, other state and federal agencies across the nation have been spending millions of dollars and years of effort working to counter tobacco companies’ efforts. 

To localize the issue, data from the 2019 Nevada Adult Tobacco Survey shows more than 25 percent of tobacco users reported using menthol cigarettes and a little more than 2 percent said they used flavored little cigars. That same survey also found that the majority of Nevadans said they would support restrictions on flavoring in tobacco products. 

It’s clear, based on this data, that a flavor ban would very likely lead to fewer adults using tobacco and vapor products. 

As for youth use of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, the ban would certainly reduce their access to these addictive products that lure in users with the same flavors the FDA has already begun to regulate in vapor products. 

But youth shouldn’t be able to access these products because the minimum sale age is 21, right? That is ideally the case. However it’s unrealistic to put all one’s faith in a low-paid convenience store clerk and their willingness to keep kids from using contraband products. In Nevada, recent compliance checks by the Nevada Attorney General’s office and FDA have exposed a 30 percent failure rate for retailers selling tobacco products to youth, with many of those sales flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes. 

The battle to reduce lung cancer and get fewer people to smoke and use tobacco has been a years-long effort between public health organizations and tobacco companies. Those who haven’t been at the table often enough are lawmakers who have the ability to pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation rather than a patchwork of inadequate measures. 

In Nevada, legislators passed Assembly Bill 59 prohibiting the sale of tobacco and vape products to anyone under 21 years of age – nearly two years after President Trump signed federal tobacco 21 legislation. Nevada’s lawmakers were just cleaning up the statutes. 

In the past two decades, Nevada’s legislators have increased the tobacco tax twice, up to $1.80 per pack of cigarettes, which still falls below the national average of $1.91. At the same time, the tax rate on other tobacco products – any tobacco product that isn’t a cigarette – has never been increased. Lawmakers also slashed funding for tobacco prevention programs and weakened the voter-approved Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act.

In recent years they’ve begun to turn the ship around. Next year, online and phone sales of tobacco products will require third-party age verification. They’ve moved to tax vapes as other tobacco products rather than at the wholesale rate. And they’ve begun to shift more public health funding to youth vaping prevention and tobacco control programs, which is having a positive impact. 

However, now is the time for Nevada’s lawmakers to take bolder action to protect Nevadans’ health. It’s fully within the Legislature’s purview to enact stricter tobacco laws than what’s been set at the federal level, such as flavor restrictions. They wouldn’t be leaders in the effort, but they’d be in good company. Nearly 350 localities and a handful of states have already passed some form of restriction on flavored tobacco products, including our neighbor California. 

There’s no reason to wait for the FDA to wait through its lengthy public comment period and fight with the tobacco industry throughout the process of enacting flavoring restrictions. Nevada legislators can simply pass a law that Nevadans have already said they support. 

Tom McCoy is the executive director of the Nevada Chronic Care Collaborative and a board member and policy committee chair of the Nevada Tobacco Prevention Coalition. He frequently lobbies on chronic care disease issues, including tobacco, at the Legislature.

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Originally Appeared Here

INSIGHT

WHOLE-BUILDING HVAC APPROACH NEEDED FOR GOOD ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND IAQ

Martin Passingham, Product Manager at Daikin, explains how taking a whole-building approach to HVAC is intrinsic to improving indoor air quality and energy efficiency, and why this is an important consideration for installers.

It is ever more important for the environments that we live and work in to be as healthy as possible. With increasing requirements for airtightness, and the fact that we typically spend around 90% of our time indoors, there is a pressing need for a renewed focus on indoor air quality. 

Pollution from traffic, construction activity, and pollen can be drawn into a building from outside through natural or mechanical ventilation and via infiltration through the building’s fabric. Similarly, dust, damp, and mould are some of the main sources of internal pollution, alongside emissions from office equipment and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by wall and floor coverings, furniture, and appliances. 

Add the emissions produced by building occupants (carbon dioxide, colds, viruses, etc.) into the mix, and it is clear why improving indoor air quality is such a hot topic. 
A healthy internal environment is vital for our mental and physical health. Heating and humidity levels, adequate ventilation, lighting, and cleanliness all play a key part, so ensuring that all of these factors are considered, along with a suitable way of controlling them, is imperative. 

Installers are increasingly being called upon to carry out costly remedial works to building systems in order to achieve this aim. This can lead to significant capital outlay for building owners and potentially higher running costs too, which make for an unhappy client.

Taking a whole-building approach to HVAC is fundamental. This means striking a balance between optimum indoor air quality and energy efficiency. 

How can this be achieved? By installing the most efficient HVAC systems possible that effectively control comfort in the indoor environment, while providing an adequate supply of fresh air.

In the past, simply opening a window would have been the first port of call to bring in fresh air. However, in cold weather and in densely populated areas with high levels of pollution, this may not always be an option. An effective ventilation system is therefore paramount, one that must meet the requirements of building occupants by providing sufficient fresh air supply, and extraction of pollution and moisture build-up.

System design, installation, filtration, and maintenance are all integral to an effective and energy efficient system. There are a number of British Standards applying to these key areas that must be adhered to. 

Once the basics of good system design have been achieved, additional pieces of technology can be added on to further enhance performance and air quality, such as ionisation systems that neutralise airborne pathogens like bacteria, viruses, moulds, odorous gases, and VOCs. It is a fit-and-forget solution with no additional maintenance requirements, and does not impede ventilation system performance and airflow, or use additional energy.

However, it must be emphasised that improving indoor air quality should always be a holistic approach, taking into account the correct specification, installation, and maintenance of core building systems first. 

In essence, the benefits of creating healthy and efficient buildings are symbiotic – building users benefit from a healthier internal environment to live and work in; owners benefit from a cost effective, high performance building that is easy to maintain; and the environment benefits from less carbon emissions and pollution, which is better for everyone involved. 

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Henrik Teiwik has been appointed Group Vice President and President for business area AirTech and will join Munters’ management team.

Henrik has extensive leadership experience as CEO of Handicare Group and before that as Vice President at Alimak Group. Those roles included an IPO process, M&A processes, board assignments as well as other areas. He has previously held a number of highly qualified positions such as Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, mainly focused on the industrial sector, with broad international experience. Henrik has lived in the US, Germany and Australia and has worked globally. He has a Master of Science in Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics.

“I am very pleased to welcome Henrik to Munters as new President of business area AirTech,” says Klas Forsström, CEO and President at Munters. “Henrik has strong industrial knowledge, an international focus and successful leadership experience that will be essential in managing AirTech’s future growth journey. Henrik’s broad experience combined with the industry-leading expertise carried by AirTech’s management team sets us in prime position for the future.”

Henrik will assume his position on 15 August 2022. Klas Forsström, who has held the position as interim President AirTech, will continue in his role as President and CEO at Munters.

Munters has two business areas, AirTech and FoodTech. AirTech is Munters’ largest business area and is a global leader in energy-efficient air treatment for industrial and commercial applications. AirTech offers climate solutions for mission-critical processes that require exact control of moisture and temperature, with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainable climate control systems. Our systems improve indoor air quality and comfort, control emissions and increase production capacity. In 2021, AirTech had a net sales of MSEK 5 362 and a total of 2 432 employees globally.

For more information:

Investors and analysts

Ann-Sofi Jönsson, Vice President Investor Relations and Enterprise Risk Management
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +46 (0)730 251 005

Media

Susann Johnsson, Vice President Group Communications and Brand
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +46 (0)70 623 1474

About Munters Group

Munters is a global leader in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions. Using innovative technologies, Munters creates the perfect climate for customers in a wide range of industries. Munters has been defining the future of air treatment since 1955. Today, around 3,350 employees carry out manufacturing and sales in more than 30 countries. Munters Group AB reported annual net sales of more than SEK 7 billion in 2021 and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, please visit www.munters.com.

https://news.cision.com/munters-group-ab/r/munters-appoints-henrik-teiwik-as-group-vice-president-and-president-business-area-airtech,c3564039

https://mb.cision.com/Main/15490/3564039/1577442.pdf

https://news.cision.com/munters-group-ab/i/henrik-teiwik,c3047986

(c) 2022 Cision. All rights reserved., source Press Releases – English

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Originally Appeared Here

CTSI provides indoor environmental quality testing and consulting services to assist property managers in their efforts to identify and resolve exposure risks to microbial and chemical hazards.

Tampa, FL, May 9th, 2022 — Last month, Tampa Major Jane Castor released a statement related to multiple news reports regarding mold and other unacceptable conditions at a local apartment complex. In the news release, the mayor said the goal of the city is to have the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) perform an emergency inspection of the property and to help ensure that the units are repaired and brought to acceptable living conditions.

 

Water damage and mold concerns are a common challenge faced by property managers of apartment complexes and other large properties. Any water damage or elevated humidity levels that are not properly addressed can quickly lead to the growth of mold. The presence of elevated levels of indoor mold can impact the building’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ), causing a wide range of health concerns and could damage property. Potential health issues range from triggering asthma and allergies, to hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and even infections in some people with weakened immune systems.

 

“It’s important that property managers handle any moisture issues in a timely and effective manner to prevent a water damage event from turning into a mold issue,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “At CTSI, we have decades of experience working with property owners and managers to help prevent, identify, and resolve moisture issues and mold problems. These services not only help to ensure the IEQ for all tenants, but are also instrumental in maintaining a property’s marketability, investment value, and for avoiding potentially damaging public relations. CTSI is pleased to offer these services in Florida and the New York metropolitan area to commercial, industrial, healthcare, and institutional clients. ”

 

To learn more about this or other property damage, 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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Originally Appeared Here