Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Testing & Consulting:
We provide IAQ consulting services ranging from problem identification to development and implementation of an IAQ management plan for the preoccupancy phases meeting all LEED requirements for credit 3.2. We have our own calibrated instrumentation for all required testing. Contaminate testing includes Formaldehyde, Particulates (PM10), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs), 4-Phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH), and Carbon Monoxide (CO). We also provide guidance in the establishment of an Indoor Air Quality Program as recommended by the EPA.
Our focus is on the mechanical systems and their interaction with other building systems and components. Most companies providing IAQ testing services only understand contaminate limits and focus on industrial environments. Our mechanical design experience combined with our real world test and balance expertise allow us to understand how and where unwanted conditions occur. Proper building and space air pressurization is critical to preventing problem conditions. No one understands how mechanical systems interact with the building envelope better than us, especially with commercial buildings.
Benefits of being proactive about good IAQ:
 | LEED certification results in a win win win condition for everyone involved: owners, occupants, and the rest of the world. |
| Show building occupants and tenants you care about their indoor air quality and work environment, thus increasing productivity and demand for your building. |
| Determine the required amount of outside air for your building, and know the actual amount of outside air being provided. Proof of required amounts of outside air can be valuable in preventing legal battles. |
| Know if your building and each floor are under a proper positive pressure which is critical in preventing moisture intrusion and mold growth. |
| An established IAQ program is good insurance. |
| An effective IAQ program will help improve the energy efficiency of your building and its systems. |
| Determine necessary air filtration requirements and know when to change filters. Expensive filters are often changed unnecessarily. |
| The cost is much less than that required in a reactive situation. Avoid IAQ problems all together. |
Benefits from our services:
| Not only can we determine if specific contaminant levels are not exceeded with our IAQ testing, but we can ensure these levels stay below harmful limits by understanding what causes IAQ problems. |
| Problem correction requires knowledge of the mechanical system and its interaction with other building systems. |
| We look for the cause of problems, not at the symptoms. Mold above the ceiling is a symptom, not a cause of the problem. For example, insufficient outside air to an air handler could cause a negative pressure which could cause infiltration, which in turn could cause condensation on cold surfaces, thus causing mold to occur. Likewise, simply identifying a contaminant does nothing if the cause is not found. |
| Accurate equipment is necessary to properly measure temperature, pressure, humidity, flow rate, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other harmful contaminates. |
| Identify negative pressure zones and prevent infiltration of unwanted outside air and moisture which can cause mold. |
| Data logging of these aforementioned parameters can provide valuable insight to problem solving. Building temperature and humidity data logging in as many areas and rooms as necessary can provide an accurate picture of actual conditions allowing problems to be clearly identified. |
| Establish an IAQ Program as recommended by the EPA. |
| Design, IAQ Investigation, and TAB experience is a combination of expertise not often found in one firm. We take it to a higher level. |