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By Dr.
Frank P. Williams,
Environmental Specialist, IAQ Engineer Air Tech Environmental Systems
(as seen in the Winter 2001 issue of Houston Office & Commercial Real Estate
Magazine)
Air Filtration Outside Air Benefits
of a Healthy Building Three Outstanding Achievements
BOMA Resource Center
Every property manager would like his or her building to win the BOMA (Building
Owners and Managers Association)-endorsed National Clean Air Award, demonstrating
to the world a healthy building!
Although
the percentage of buildings that would qualify would be small, Schlumberger Solutions
Center (formerly GeoQuest Center) located at 5599 San Felipe in Houston and managed
by Cathy Tabor, CPM®, RPA®, Tanglewood Property Management Co., has not
only met the high standards to qualify, but has actually won the 2001 National
Clean Air Award. Only two buildings in the United States were selected by the
National Air Filtration Association (NAFA), with Schlumberger Solutions Center
being the only office building in the United States earning the prestigious award
(the other recipient is a hospital).
The primary
factor affecting the environment of a building is the condition of the air that
we breathe in that building. Numerous factors can create unhealthy or unpleasant
air, affecting mainly our upper respiratory system. Allergic reactions can range
from itchy eyes, stuffy noses, coughing and sneezing, watery eyes, and headaches
to muscle aches, diarrhea, skin irritations and severe illnesses. Some of the
factors contributing to poor air quality include too many workers in a given work
area, new carpeting or furniture, glues, mold and mildew, perfumes, paints and
cleaning materials or chemicals. Also, particles in the air coming from printers
and copiers as well as from dust and dirt on surfaces and in the air if extremely
good housekeeping practices are not followed.
A major problem is inadequate ventilation. This occurs when there is an insufficient
amount of outside air being brought into the building to dilute the building air.
Also, a portion of the inside air must be exhausted to the outside. The recommended
standard in an office building is 15 to 20 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of outside
air to be brought in for each person in the building.
Another
problem is a dirty duct system and dirty air handling equipment. Dirt mixed with
moisture causes mold, mildew, and bacteria to flourish and spread throughout the
building. Usually this contamination is a result of inadequate air filtration.
Air filters must be high enough in filtering efficiency to trap particles of microscopic
in size. In every cubic foot of air around us, there are approximately 2.5 billion
particles. More than 90 percent of these particles are microscopic in size. We
cannot see them, but they can be filtered. In addition, it is what we cannot see
that makes us sick.
All of the
problems that have been briefly explained above, however, are curable. Once identified,
a plan of action can be prepared and acted upon as priorities and budgets direct.
First, however, a management commitment to have and maintain a healthy building
is required.
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Air
Filtration
Air filters and selected based on what percentage of particles (0.3 to 10 microns
in size) management wants to capture. This percentage is called the "efficiency."
If a filter is rated 30 percent efficient, this means that the filter will trap
30 percent of the particles from 0.3 to 10 microns in size in the air passing
through the filter. However, it also means that 70 percent of these particles
have passed right through the filter and into the building. Therefore, the higher
the efficiency rating of the filter, the cleaner the air will be that is entering
the duct distribution system.
It is estimated
that 20 percent of US buildings have "serious" indoor pollution problems,
and 40 percent have "somewhat serious" problems. It is also estimated
that this is a $60 billion problem that encompasses major illnesses, absenteeism,
and lost productivity. According to the Walter Reed Army Institute, respiratory
infection is 50 percent higher in newer buildings than in older, less airtight
buildings.
Research
in recent years has shown that 95 percent efficient filtration will stop "sick
building syndrome." Unfortunately, most air handlers in existing office and
commercial buildings do not have fans powerful enough to draw air adequately through
a 95 percent efficient filter.
Therefore,
the highest efficiency that typically can be targeted in an existing air handler
is approximately 65 percent. This higher efficiency is a major step forward in
creating a healthy building. Often, to achieve this higher efficiency, removing
existing filter assemblies and installing new filter assemblies to hold the higher
efficiency filters is required.
The most
effective filter assembly designed by Air Tech and installed on air handlers at
Schlumberger Solutions Center, consists of eight-inch deep front-loading, filter-holding
frames with rubber gaskets. Snap locks hold the filters firmly in place, which
eliminates any air bypass around the filters. A six-inch deep, 65 percent rigid
box filter is installed in each frame with a two-inch deep, 30 percent efficient
prefilter.
Since clean
air is critical to having a healthy building, the objective of management should
he to place the most efficient air filter possible in the air stream to ensure
delivery of clean air.
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Outside
Air
As new buildings have become "tighter." Sick building syndrome complaints
have increased. The air inside our buildings becomes increasingly contaminated
and must be "diluted" with outside air. Of course, there are days in
our major cities on which we feel that the air outside the building is in fact
more contaminated than the air inside the building. Usually, this is not the case,
and it is essential that outside air be brought into the building.
Benefits
of a Healthy Building
Property managers desire healthy buildings but are confronted daily with their
operating costs. A factor in long-range planning is not only the expected investment
to upgrade the air filtration in the building, but also what cost and health benefits,
if any, can be expected. According to Tanglewood Property Management Co., after
installation costs, the energy savings resulting from clean air handlers with
balanced air and the installation of high-efficiency air filters results in no
increased costs and a reduction in tenant complaints of "stuffy air."
Unfortunately, litigation has become a driving force in requiring that we provide
as healthy an environment as we can for the people in our buildings. We need to
know, however, what to do to achieve this objective. Then, we can formulate a
plan of action and begin making improvements one step at a time toward having
a healthy building. The good news is, it can happen! A healthy building is possible!
Three Outstanding Achievements
In addition to the NAFA 2001 Clean Air Award, Schlumberger Solutions Center (formerly
GeoQuest Center), under Tabor's management, also earned BOMA's 1998-1999 International
TOBY Award (250,000 - 499,999 square feet), and the 2001 EnergyStarÒ label
from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
BOMA
Resource Center
The Indoor Air Quality challenge remains one of BOMA International's top Advocacy
issues. The challenge for building owners and managers of private and public commercial
office buildings is to be responsive to their tenants and provide acceptable IAQ
to survive in a competitive marketplace. To learn more, visit www.boma.org/IAQ/.
Dr. Frank
P. Williams holds a doctorate in administration from the University of Houston
and is an environmental specialist and indoor air quality engineer. Since 1995,
he has been with Air Tech Environmental Systems in Houston.
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