"Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers"

CONTENTS
Forward
Note to Building Owners and Facility Managers
Acknowledgements

TAB I: Basics

Section 1: About this Document

Section 2: Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality
Sources of Indoor Air Contaminants; HVAC System Design and Operation; Pollutant Pathways and Driving Forces; Building Occupants

Section 3: Effective Communication
Communicating to Prevent IAQ Problems; Communicating to Resolve IAQ Problems

TAB II: Preventing IAQ Problems

Section 4: Developing an IAQ Profile
Skills Required to Create an IAQ Profile; Steps in an IAQ Profile

Section 5: Managing Buildings for Good IAQ
Developing an IAQ Management Plan

TAB III: Resolving IAQ Problems

Section 6: Diagnosing IAQ Problems
Overview: Conducting an IAQ Investigation; Initial Walkthrough; Collecting Additional Information; Collecting Information About Occupant Complaints; Using the Occupant Data; Collecting Information about the HVAC System; Using the HVAC System Data; Collecting Information about Pollutant Pathways and Driving Forces; Using Pollutant Pathway Data; Collecting Information on Pollutant Sources; Using Pollutant Source Data; Sampling Air for Contaminants and Indicators; Complaints Due to Conditions Other Than Poor Air Quality; Forming and Testing Hypotheses

Section 7: Mitigating IAQ Problems
Background: Controlling Indoor Air Problems; Sample Problems and Solutions; Judging Proposed Mitigation Designs and Their Successes

Section 8: Hiring Professional Assistance to Solve an IAQ Problem
Make Sure That Their Approach Fits Your Needs; Selection Criteria

TAB IV: Appendices

Appendix A: Common IAQ Measurements - A General Guide
Overview of Sampling Devices; Simple Ventilation/Comfort Indications; Air Contaminant Concentrations

Appendix B: HVAC Systems and Indoor Air Quality
Background; Types of HVAC Systems; Basic Components of an HVAC System; ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines

Appendix C: Moisture, Mold and Mildew
Background on Relative Humidity, Vapor Pressure, and Condensation; Taking Steps to Reduce Moisture; Identifying and Correcting Common Problems from Mold and Mildew

Appendix D: Asbestos
EPA and NIOSH Positions on Asbestos; Programs for Managing Asbestos In-Place; Where to Go for Additional Information

Appendix E: Radon
Building Measurement, Diagnosis and Remediation; Where to Go for Additional Information

Appendix F: Glossary and Acronyms

Appendix G: Resources
Federal Agencies with Major IAQ Responsibilities; Other Federal Agencies with Indoor Air Responsibilities; State and Local Agencies; Private Sector Contacts; Publications; Training

TAB V: Indoor Air Quality FORMS

IAQ Management Checklist
Pollutant Pathway Record for IAQ Profiles
Zone/Room Record
Ventilation Worksheet
Indoor Air Quality Complaint Form
Incident Log
Occupant Interview
Occupant Diary
Log of Activities and System Operation
HVAC Checklist - Short Form
HVAC Checklist - Long Form
Pollutant Pathway Form for Investigations
Pollutant and Source Inventory
Chemical Inventory
Hypothesis Form
All Forms in one zipped file (91.7KB file)

INDEX

Download the PDF file of the entire Building Air Quality Guide PDFs (2.78MB file)

You can order other IAQ publications through the IAQ INFO Clearinghouse.

IAQ INFO
P.O. Box 37133, Washington, DC 20013-7133
1-800-438-4318/703-356-4020
(fax) 703-356-5386
iaqinfo@aol.com

or, you can order this publication directly via EPA's National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) (http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/). web site. Your publication requests can also be mailed, called or faxed directly to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
P.O. Box 42419
Cincinnati, OH 42419
1-800-490-9198/(513) 489-8695 (fax)

Please use the EPA Document Number when ordering from NSCEP or from IAQ INFO.