AIHA to Recommend Workers’ Mold Competencies

NAFA President Addresses Member Issues, Goals

Hong Kong’s King Kong IAQ Building Rating System

Word on the Street 

• BILLIONS IN GROWTH EXPECTED
  Significant growth is expected in the indoor air quality marketplace, according to a May 19 press release from Business Communications Company Inc., which will, next month, release a report with a five-year outlook based on results over the past two years for American IAQ companies. It said the market made $5.6 billion in 2003, and with an average annual growth rate of 11.1 percent, it will be raking in $9.4 billion a year by 2008. IAQ equipment is the largest generator of this income within the IAQ market, the company says, having pulled in $3 billion in 2002 and $3.3 billion last year, although it forecasts that consulting and testing services will have a higher average annual growth rate. Predicted to enjoy the largest growth, however, will be environmental services, which will grow at an average rate of 21.2 percent by 2008 to be making $3.4 billion that year. The company plans to publish copies of its full report, titled “U.S. Indoor Air Quality Market and Trends,” for a cost of $3,750. It is expected to be available in July online at www.bccresearch.com.
   

• CALENDARS MARKED FOR MIKE
  IAQ training magnate Michael McGuinness is holding a combined golf outing and large-building remediation course next month. The event, which will be held July 20– 22 at the Beach Cove Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C., promises to be “the ultimate networking opportunity” according to a two-page flyer currently making the “rounds” (pun intended) on the Internet. Training will focus, as the course title suggests, on “Moldy Hotels and Condos in the South,” with a focus on the opening day on determining whether there is a problem and, if there is, why it is so. Agenda items for the second day involve what to do when there is a problem, e.g., how to set up mold remediation projects for large buildings. The course is targeted toward such people as property owners and managers, environmental consultants, remedial contractors and legal eagles – basically, all the types of people who would benefit from the knowledge and would also have fun on the links.
   

• JUMPIN’ JACK FUNGI
  Bianca Jagger was quoted in the New York Post as saying: “The law should not allow this to happen to people. Someone who's been a good tenant should not be put through what I've been put through.” What was she talking about? It was her response to the eviction note she had just received from the landlord of her Manhattan apartment – where she has lived for almost three years, according to her $20 million lawsuit against the landlord, because she says mold inside has taken over. She even told the press that she was “homeless” and that the mold has “seriously affected my health,” as widely reported by Reuters News Services. If asked to comment on what his ex-wife should do about the mold, Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger might have suggested, “Paint it black?”
    

• HANKY? SHMANKY!
  “Twenty-five percent of Americans do not cover their nose during a sneeze,” according to a May 3 press release from Wisconsin-based EuroPharma Inc., which markets a new product that is designed to “relieve the sneezing, sinus congestion, and runny nose associated with hay fever and allergies.” The statistic above comes from a February survey that also turned up some other interesting information on sneezes: “When it comes to noise levels and techniques, men out-sound women nearly two-to-one with 46 percent of males considering themselves "loud and proud" sneezers. Days of the reserved female seem to be over with more women saying they are "loud and proud" (26 percent) rather than "quiet and discreet" (21 percent) sneezers.” EuroPharma's new over-the-counter solution for allergy relief hit the shelves in America last month, and more information on it can be obtained by visiting www.EuroPharmaUSA.com or by calling toll-free at (866) 470-4933.
   

• COME WALK OUR FUNGAL HALLS
  The lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Denver International Airport think you may have to hold your nose if you work at the airport's Concourse B. According to an April report in the Rocky Mountain News, two United Airlines workers and dozens of others who would qualify for a proposed class action may benefit from admissions made in a deposition by the airport's maintenance director, Dan Brown. As reported in the April 12 newspaper article, Brown stated there is an airport utility tunnel that is off limits to employees who find themselves allergic to Penicillium. Brown also testified to several leaks of either water or de-icing fluid that lead to mold growth and odors. But passengers need not worry because an airport spokesperson told the Rocky Mountain News this story is “not a threat to the traveling public.” So, United won't soon be changing its slogan to “Come fly our fungal skies.”
   

• DOCTOR’S ORDERS: GET SICK EARLY
  A recent report by the ABC television affiliate in Denver echoes what IE Connections has believed for years. “Getting sick a lot as a young child may bring some delayed benefits, including fewer illnesses during elementary school and a lower risk for asthma and allergies, doctors say,” states a report posted May 20 at the TV station's Web site. The report quotes an Omaha doctor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, who said research demonstrates that being exposed to viruses in daycare centers basically exercises the immune system, which could protect against allergies later on in life. It is the same premise that came out in some studies, mentioned in the October 2002 issue of IE Connections, that enlisted the help of researchers from Sweden, the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. A Reuters report at the time quoted the college's Dennis Own by as overturning the decades-old myth that pet dander leads young children to a life of allergies.
   

AIHA to Recommend Workers’ Mold Competencies
By Steve Sauer

The American Industrial Hygiene Association has announced a preliminary set of core competencies for professionals in the field of mold assessment and remedial design. In a May 11 press conference, new AIHA scientific and technical initiatives director Mary Ann Latko outlined and described six general areas of knowledge that the association might recommend should be common among those providing mold-related services. The association is “in the process of establishing mold competencies,” she said, adding that the ones provided to reporters may or may not be included in AIHA’s final list. 

Government affairs director Aaron Trippler had foreshadowed the list in a presentation on May 8 at a full-day mold symposium titled “Fungal Contamination: Current Concerns and Industrial Hygiene Practices.” In this setting, Trippler told a room of about 200 registrants that AIHA would be focusing on a new approach to mold-related qualifications and training. Whereas states regulations pertaining to mold professionals are likely to require a certain number of hours or days of training, Trippler suggested that AIHA believes it is more useful to demand certain competencies of workers in the field.

His statement about AIHA’s position was bolstered in a press release given to trade press at the May 11 announcement. “Mold assessment and remedial design is serious science, requiring significant training and experience to be done correctly,” the press release states. “AIHA does not believe that the skills necessary to conduct mold investigations can be obtained through attendance at a training course held over a short period of time, such as a few days or weeks.” It further stated that the association would “encourage federal and state legislatures and regulatory agencies to consider these competencies as they propose and develop any legislation or regulations relating to mold.”

When Trippler had mentioned the idea of competencies during his May 8 mold symposium presentation, titled “A Look at Public Policy Initiatives,” one slide of his presentation projected the question: “Will policymakers listen?” Trippler said he thought they would.

At the May 11 press conference, Latko said AIHA would “strongly encourage all practitioners in the health and safety field to adhere to these competencies” and “urge businesses and consumers that hire practitioners to familiarize themselves with these competencies” so that they can require them of workers involved in mold services.

When asked how individuals should demonstrate that they meet these competencies, Latko said that the determination would be made at a later date, a response given to a few reportersʼ questions about other particulars. The six areas for competencies identified during the May 11 press conference are indoor environmental quality; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; microbiological assessment and remediation; building science; legal/communication;and medical.

Latko indicated that AIHA’s completed list of mold competencies should be available around July 1. On May 8, IEQ Committee member Don Weekes presented a brief progress report on the mold document now known only as “the Green Book,” in his speech, not listed among the scheduled events for that day’s mold symposium. The Green Book, which is expected to be a large hardcover book containing detailed information for industrial hygienists on mold assessment, remediation and post-remediation verification, is expected to be released in the spring of 2005.

AIHA also anticipates the summer release of “Assessment, Remediation and Post-Remediation Verification of Fungi in Buildings,” a 20-page guideline for professionals working with mold. Pending results of a comment period for technical committees that was scheduled to end May 17, officials said this document would be released in the summer, while work is still being completed on two larger AIHA publications on the subject of mold. 

Editors, including the late H. Kenneth Dillon, have been working for months to revise the Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee’s “Field Guide for the Determination of Biological Contaminants in Environmental Samples,” which was originally published in 1996. A great deal of work has already been done, AIHA officials said, and the revised “Field Guide” for sampling is expected to be released this fall.

Questions and answers for the following interview with Phil Maybee, president of the National Air Filtration Association, were submitted via the Internet over the course of three weeks. The questions were intended to touch on some of the association’s hot topics related to IAQ, especially in light of NAFA’s involvement with the Indoor Air Quality Association at a joint meeting to be held this September in Las Vegas.

Indoor Environment Connections: What is the goal of the NAFA Product Certification program? How will it help consumers in selecting the right filter product for their application?

Phil Maybee: The goal is multifaceted. Product certification is a voluntary opportunity for filters to be tested and certified that they will always perform to their manufacturers’ reported data. This is a tremendous value to the public sector because it eliminates the “testing games” we have seen in the past with ASHRAE testing.

Probably the most important goal is to provide the industry with an independent third-party procurement and testing process that substantiates manufacturers’ product performance claims. End users should be able to know with some confidence that the products they purchase are not the result of some “trumped up” test data with a lesser product in normal production. Manufacturers will usually admit to testing several filters until they got the results they liked best and then claim that all of them work that well. It became understood that it was normal for companies to do this, and with testing that was based on filter averages, it was easy to manipulate the testing.

Another part of product certification is to create advertising dollars to spread the word about minimum-efficiency reporting values and the benefit of looking at what filters do at their worst performance. The monies taken in from NAFA Product Certification go directly back to advertising the program and those manufacturers who have participated to create the acceptance of MERV and NAFA. End users have been looking for someone to step forward and provide the industry with good information.

Additionally, it is the right thing to do. It is not easy, has little immediate tangible benefit, and can be very controversial – all of which historically mean that the intentions are right on the money. There will certainly need to be improvements and updates for it to be successful. Obviously, with this kind of program, there has been significant controversy. It is a program in continuous improvement and development, and we are happy to report that there
are 10 products in this program already, from four companies. It is obviously still just a test market for most, but we certainly applaud their support.

IEC: NAFA seems well connected within the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. What technical committees does NAFA have representation within ASHRAE?

PM: We do support ASHRAE very closely. NAFA has representation on Technical Committee 2.4, Particulate Contaminants and Particulate Contaminant Removal Equipment, and TC 2.3, Gas Phase Contaminants. In addition, NAFA has been active on SSPC 52.2, SPC 52.1, SPC 90.1 and GPC 17, and will be represented on the new committee recommending maintenance of HVAC systems.

There are too many committee persons within ASHRAE ranks that are NAFA or air filtration people to count.

IEC: What goals is NAFA trying to achieve within ASHRAE?

PM: While the role of air filters is a very small part of its agenda, ASHRAE still has history on its side as the body of folks who set the playing field for the HVAC industry. Past president George Jackins said during his term that the time had come for NAFA to take over the reins when it comes to air filtration. His comments are true because today there are many other issues involved in air filtration other than HVAC protection, and so many other industry groups have needs that have not been addressed or understood by the ASHRAE community. NAFA, on the other hand, is only about air filtration and has been working on the best methods for end users as the primary focus in our educational tools.

NAFA is continuing to help raise the level of awareness of the importance of designing and specifying good air filtration systems so that ASHRAE standards and guidelines reflect current trends in higher-efficiency filtration. Our goals may differ from individual perspectives, yet the end goal is usually the same: to teach and create meaningful, useful information.

IEC: NAFA membership stagnated in the 1990s and even saw a small decline. In the last year or two, NAFA has added several new members and cut attrition sharply. To what do you owe this success?

PM: NAFA has seen an excellent increase in membership in the last couple of years. We have been especially pleased that several of our new members are from air filtration companies overseas and we now have members in 14 foreign countries.

This increase is probably the direct responsibility of Executive Director Al Veeck and his staff. Our past directing company did some great things for NAFA and dragged the organization into the public view with the “NAFA Guide to Air Filtration” and the IOM manual (“Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Air Filtration Systems”), not to mention the structure of the organization. However, what was lacking was a passion for improving the industry and making a difference in the way people look at filters. Al Veeck has brought this kind of passion to the organization, possibly due to his own experience working in the industry as a distributor or simply because it is the right thing to do; either way, his efforts and the excellent follow-up from his staff are responsible for the growth when others said we would decline.

He brings not only his 18 years of filter distributor knowledge but also years of Dale Carnegie training, ASHRAE committee work, numerous volunteer board positions outside of the business realm, and mostly a zeal for doing what is right, not necessarily what is popular. Those are the kind of qualities that help any organization grow out of the stagnant role in which NAFA had become mired for a few years. Due to his involvement, NAFA is moving ahead in several areas where it was previously inactive, including the NAFA Certified Technician and Certified Air Filter Specialist certifications and education of the user community.

IEC: NAFA moved its own headquarters office recently from Washington, D.C., to Virginia Beach, Va. What positive changes have resulted from this?

PM: There have been no real noticeable changes; since NAFA does not lobby Congress, there really was no reason to have the headquarters in Washington. NAFA did realize monetary savings on publishing our magazine, office supplies and mailing, and taxes. Very few NAFA members ever have reason to visit the headquarters in person; NAFA has always brought the organization to the members at some venue. For this reason, I do not see that specific site is a big issue one way or the other.

What has made the difference in a positive way was the change of directorship with MVA. While the past leaders brought great things for NAFA during their tenure, the directorship now has a passion for the industry. This starts with Al Veeck, who has many years experience improving air filtration for end users.

IEC: The market for room and whole house air cleaners is booming, but it is confusing for consumers. A lot of ozone-producing air cleaners are being sold, and consumers are in the dark about the effects of ozone. What is NAFA doing to help educate the public about the benefits of traditional filter-based air cleaners as opposed to those that produce ozone?

PM: Air cleaners are becoming a highly sought-after device as more of the public sector becomes concerned with the contaminants that they breathe. It is difficult to determine where a device creates problems rather than improving the air. Some folks are extremely susceptible to one molecular contaminant while others are not fazed at all; yet in the next minute, those who were not fazed by the first can have adverse reactions to another. What can we do? A recent issue of NAFA’s
Air Media magazine has some very good information on the particulate loads created by ion or ozone generators when used in combination with typical household cleaners. While it is impossible to deny that these devices change molecular structure of contaminants eventually reducing them to water vapor and carbons, the chemical compounds in between are not easily identified. Many of these can be toxic to susceptible occupants where they are used. It is impossible for the Federal Trade Commission, or science for that matter, to tell us now whether these can be considered safe.

It is well documented that if we reduce the respirable particulate load from the air stream, allergy sufferers will feel better and be able to withstand the allergens longer than when they are exposed outside of the protected environment. It is also possible to reduce or remove the gaseous molecular load with proper media. This is what air cleaning should be –“removal of contaminants” rather than playing chemistry when used for protection of health. Anyone who is interested in air filtration for whatever reason is welcome to join NAFA. It is a great forum to share improvements and gain acceptance or gain knowledge on topics such as this.

IEC: What is NAFA’s long-term goal for improving integrity and quality in the air filter sales and service business?

PM: It is always difficult to get an industry to clean up its act when two people can look at the same evidence and come away with an entirely different conclusion. When we multiply that by 10 or 100, it creates the position in the industry called competition. That said, NAFA has had one primary purpose or focus over the years, and that is education. With the publication of the “NAFA Guide” and the IOM manual, we were able to bring to the public – in print – many of the parameters of filtration that were conceptual to most people. These two books are becoming very widespread in their use by the engineering folks who operate buildings and folks involved with IAQ for facilities. The next area where NAFA is working to help the public knowledge is in its certification programs, including NAFA Product Certification.

The Certified Air Filter Specialist program has been in use since 1993, and the NAFA Certified Technician program has been in use for several years as well. These are certifications based upon the use of the two books for persons within the industry. It does’t matter whether they work for a filter company or an end user; the training and certifications are available.