Mansel A Nelson Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals

1. . Mansel A Nelson Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals Basics of Indoor Air Quality Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities

2. Presentation • How Lungs Work • What is IAQ? • Basic Strategies to address IAQ • Source Reduction • Ventilation • Air Cleaning www.nau.edu/eeop

3. How Lungs Work Mansel Nelson, ITEP

4. Lungs

5. Cardiovascular Connection Gases and small particles distributed widely after entering bloodstream If lungs are not functioning properly, heart must work harder

6. Protect the Lungs of Young Children • Lungs of young children are very sensitive • Air pollution can damage lungs for a lifetime • Exposure to air pollutants can cause asthma, which can last a lifetime • Lung infections can damage lungs for a lifetime

7. What is IAQ?

8. What Is Indoor Air Quality? Two types • AcceptableAirin an occupied space toward which a substantial majority of occupants express no dissatisfaction and in which there are not likely to be known contaminants at concentrations leading to exposures that pose a significanthealthrisk (as opposed to occupational/industrial settings) • UnacceptableMajority of occupants in an occupied space that express dissatisfaction or one or more individuals “perceive” a problem with indoor air

9. Illnesses Associated With Poor Indoor Air Quality • Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) – Office building in which ill-defined illness develops in one or more workers. Illness demonstrates great variability among workers; no causative agent apparent or found despite significant evaluation • Building-related illness (BRI)– Office building where one or more workers develop an accepted, well-defined illness for which a specific cause is found

10. Building-Related Illness • Diagnosable illnesses • Known cause • Can be serious and occasionally life-threatening

11. Non-diagnosable illnesses No known cause Can be serious and occasionally life-threatening irritation (eyes, nose, throat) Symptoms can vary greatly among individuals Sick Building Syndrome

12. SBS Nonspecific Symptoms • Dry mucous membranes and skin • Headache • Fatigue • Hoarseness of voice and wheezing • Nausea • Dizziness • Respiratory infections and cough • Psychogenic (“It’s all in your head”!) • Sociogenic(“We want a new building)

13. Risk Factor Components for IAQ • Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) equipment • Carbon Dioxide concentrations • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) • Microbial Organisms (mold, bacteria) • Temperature • Relative Humidity • Bioeffluents • Other sources (radon, noise, light, asbestos, lead, ETS, vermin) • Concentration of outdoor air contaminants

14. Basics Strategies to Improve IAQ

15. Basic Principles Source Control Ventilation Air Cleaning

16. Source Control Improving quality of indoor air is vital for human health Preferred strategy Increasing ventilation – higher energy costs

17. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) No risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke Eliminate from indoor environment Following actions DO NOT protect nonsmokers • Separating smokers from nonsmokers • Cleaning the air • Ventilating buildings

18. Wood / Coal Burning Stoves Consider alternative heating sources

19. Cleaners and Air Fresheners Average US household uses 40 lbs of chemicals each year Average household stores more than 60 hazardous products Many of the products are loaded with fragrances and petroleum-distilled chemicals (Volatile Organic Compounds / VOCs)

20. Air Fresheners They DO NOT “clean” the air– they add more air pollutants

21. Pesticides Read and follow label instructions IPM preferred

22. Carbon Monoxide (CO) • All burning emits CO • Alarms are backup

23. Radon • Radioactive gas • Radon Resistant Construction (Keep it out) www.radonleaders.org www.nau.edu/eeop

24. Outside Sources Location of dumpsters Watch for fresh air intakes Reduce idling of buses

25. Designated Smoking Area?

26. Walk-Off Mats

27. Carpets

28. Mold nau.edu/iaqtc

29. Art and Science Classrooms www.nau.edu/eeop

30. Floor Drains nau.edu/iaqtc

31. Occupant Sources • Physiological “equilibrium” • Sweat/Perspiration • Perfume, cologne

32. Basic Principles Source Control Ventilation Air Cleaning

33. Ventilation Higher energy costs Tension between weatherization and indoor air quality Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) Heat Capacity of air is LOW

34. Source Ventilation Exhaust out of building

35. Source Ventilation (cont.)

36. Source Ventilation (cont.) Cooking releases moisture Gas stoves release low CO and lots of moisture Make sure range hood vents to outside

37. Source Ventilation (cont.) Gas stoves release low CO and lots of H2O

38. Source Ventilation (cont.)

39. Art and Science Classrooms www.nau.edu/eeop

40. Ventilation – Outside Air • ASHRAE provides guidelines

41. Classroom Ventilation

42. How Much Outside Air (OA)? • ASHRAE 62.1-2007 • Offices= 17 cubic feet/minute (cfm)/person • Libraries= 17 cfm/person • Science Labs= 1 cfm/sq. ft. • Auditoriums= 5 cfm/person • Indoor Gymnasium= 0.3 cfm/sq.ft. • Art Classrooms= 0.7 cfm/sq.ft. • Health Care (patients’ rooms)= 25 cfm/person

43. Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning System • Location of outside air intakes • Air handlers inspected periodically • Filters changed periodically, wet/dirty, appropriate for occupancy (office, school, hospital, automotive garage, etc.) • Exchange indoor air frequently (flush) • Sufficient outside air brought in? • Standing water anywhere in system; moisture on interior duct surfaces • Heating/Cooling coils free of dirt and debris • Visible “slimes” on duct surfaces

44. Basic Principles Source Control Ventilation Air Cleaning Air cleaning is only recommended after proper source control and ventilation steps are taken

45. Air Cleaners Generally not effective for gaseous pollutants Efficiency for collecting pollutants (HEPA = 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles) Moving air through cleaning element On going maintenance Combine with source removal and ventilation

46. Air Cleaners (cont.) • Buyer beware! • No Ozone Air Cleaners • True HEPA Filter • Activated Charcoal • Size device for the space and air flows

47. Air Cleaning – Don’ts These methods may make air quality WORSE • DO NOT USE ozone (sold under many different guises) • Ozone is an air pollutant • Chemical reactions may lead to even more dangerous air pollutants • Air fresheners typically attempt to cover up odors and add more air pollutants • Electronic or electrostatic cleaners that may add ozone www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/residair.html

48. Summary – Maintaining Healthy IAQ Connected to health of building occupants No silver bullets – If it is too good to be true… Source control is preferred strategy

49. More Information… http://www.epa.gov/iaq https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Home/The-Inside-Story-A-Guide-to-Indoor-Air-Quality/ http://www.epa.gov/indoorairplus/ http://www.cdc.gov/healthyhomes/bytopic/airquality.html

50. Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Mansel A. Nelson, Senior Program Coordinator Indoor Air Quality in Tribal Communities Northern Arizona University (NAU) nau.edu/iaqtc/ mansel.nelson@nau.edu Voice 928 523 1275 FAX 928 523 1280 PO Box 5768, Flagstaff, AZ 86011