The U'S' Environmental Protection Agencys

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys
Is this rocket science?
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U.S. EPA / Region 9San Francisco

• Shelly Rosenblum
• Indoor Air Program
• 415-947-4193
• rosenblum.shelly_at_epa.gov
• www.epa.gov/iaq

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U.S. EPA / Region 9San Francisco
Indoor Environments Team

• Shelly Rosenblum
• 415-947-4193
• rosenblum.shelly_at_epa.gov

Barbara Spark 415-947-4189 spark.barbara_at_epa.gov

www.epa.gov/iaq
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Used by thousands of schools across the
country. It works.
We have lots of experience with working with it
in many different kinds of districts small
large rural urban rich and poor.
It can help you conserve your resources and
sometimes your sanity.
Tailor it. Modify it. Adapt it. Abbreviate it.
Expand it. Get students to do it but Make it
yours!
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www.epa.gov/schools
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http//www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html
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http//www.neahin.org/Lesson_Plan/iaqlessonplanind
ex.html
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Working With Your Community

• Trust Credibility
• How To Earn It
• How To Keep It

And living to talk about it!
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Inquiring Minds Want To Know
Indoor Air Investigator In Training
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As superintendents

you know what it takes to educate the next
generation.
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Agenda

• Importance of IAQ
• Taking the IAQ Journey
• Where are we?
• Where do we want to go?
• Causes and Root Causes of IAQ Problems
• (continued)

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Agenda (continued)

• Photo walk-through
• Identify root causes
• Apply common sense solutions
• Whats in the Tools for Schools Kit?
• How does it address root causes?

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What does it take to educate kids?
Decent facilities
Alert students
Excellent teachers
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But trying to teach and learn, in a less than
optimal indoor environment is like a trying to
sprint in work boots.
Some indoor conditions are more like a ball and
chain!
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A New Issue?
In the construction of buildings, whether
for public purposes or as dwellings, care
should be taken to provide good ventilation
and plenty of sunlight. school rooms are
often faulty in this respect. Neglect of
proper ventilation is responsible for much of
the drowsiness and dullness that make
the teachers work toilsome and
ineffective. Health Reformer, 1871
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A poor habitat threatens achievement.
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I am persuaded that no common air from without
is so unwholesome as air within a closed room
that has been often breathed and not changed.
An early protector of the indoor habitat.
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Florence Nightingale
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1893 New Hampshire Ventilation Codes
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1893 New Hampshire Ventilation Codes
It is certain that the additional annual expense
per pupil of the best ventilation need not exceed
the price of one or two cheap lunches. The
effect of perfect ventilation, where it has been
tried, is to increase the pupils power of work
about 50 percent
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But even worse he has
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CASBO Journal of School Business Management,
Winter 2000/2001
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Why is IAQ important?
Americans spend about 90 of their day indoors -
in classrooms, in offices, at home. Pollution
indoors is two to five times and occasionally
more than 100 times higher than out door levels.
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Why is IAQ important? (continued)
EPA, its Science Advisory Board and others
consistently rank indoor air pollution among the
top four environmental health risks facing the
American people.
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When we hear the word environment what comes to
mind?
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Sometimes environments get damaged and people try
to restore them.
We call that habitat restoration. Duh!
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EPA can help you restore an important habitat.
Nope! Not this one.
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There is another important environment or habitat.
The environment inside our buildings.
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These habitats may need restoring also.
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Our schools are habitats for important species
Kidus precocious Teacher eruditus
Their habitat is often polluted. Theyre not
endangered yet -but theyre suffering and their
work is impaired.
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The air in this habitat is often polluted.
GoodHouse- keepingMay,1999
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Possible health effects

• Increased spread of infectious disease
• Coughing, bronchitis
• Asthma episodes
• Headaches
• Allergic reactions
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Legionnaires disease

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Possible effects on our kids

• Affects their ability to learn
• Asthma episodes triggered
• Some harm may be long-lasting or permanent

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Were all different
Some more than others!
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Animals have been building homes for millions of
years and theyve learned how to build them to
meet their needs. Were still experimenting on
ourselves!
Dr. J. Scott Turner of the State University of
New York. Visit his web site
http//www.esf.edu/efb/turner/research/termhome.ht
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Termite mounds are ventilation systems for the
colony below ground.
Engineers took lessons from termite mounds when
they designed the ventilation system for the
Eastgate Complex in Zimbabwe.
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Maintenance was marginal in the past but today

• Too few custodians
• Too few ventilation mechanics
• Too few trades people of all kinds
• Students / teachers / staff health academic
  achievement are suffering.

URGENT!!
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How does our indoor air get contaminated?
The indoor environment is an enclosed habitat.
Now lets add a few people, some building
furnishings, etc. What goes into the air? Where
can it go?
It wasnt me!
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What do we add to our air?
This is our totally enclosed room. Doors,
windows closed and no ventilation. Now lets add
a few people, some building furnishings,
etc. What goes into the air?
It wasnt me!
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If youve got good air exchange ventilation -
you can get away with adding contaminants to your
air to some extent.
It wasnt me!
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If you dont, make sure you know how to keep your
bubble of air as clean as possible.
I wont eat that again!
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There are two sides to IAQ coin
School Occupants
District

• Building structure
• Ventilation
• Landscaping / pest control
• Etc.

• Art science materials
• Household cleaners
• Personal care products
• Activities, awareness, etc.

Communication
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There are two sides to IAQ coin
School Occupants
District
And now, research shows that outdoor ozone can
react with these products as well as other
building materials creating additional harmful
substances and more off-gassing.

• Building structure
• Ventilation
• Landscaping / pest control
• Etc.

• Art science materials
• Household cleaners
• Personal care products
• Activities, awareness, etc.

Communication
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Schools are unique!

• Tight budgets (ya think!?)
• Densely populated space
• Old buildings / deferred maintenance
• Special sources of pollution
• Inventive space utilization
• Additions / Temporary space

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Major causes of poor IAQ

• Pollution sources
• Improperly operated and maintained HVAC
• Building occupants and their activities

But these arent Root Causes !
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Take control of your IAQ by understanding the
root causes of poor IAQ
Look for these in the photos

• Basic knowledge
• Typical activities
• Poor Communication

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Tools for Schools is a response to these Root
Causes

• Provides basic knowledge
• Checklists point out typical activities
• Channels for good communication

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What does it take to create an IAQ problem?
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What does it take to create an IAQ problem?
Pathway
Receptor
Source
Driving Force
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Passive or Natural Ventilation
Convection Cool air pushes in if warm air is
allowed to exit.
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Learn a little about how your ventilation system
works.
Outside air gets pulled in here.
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Bus Stop
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A School Walk-Through
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Wild Fang dog of the suburbs!
Isnt it time for my latte?
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How about cleaning my cage?!
Well, Im allergic to you too!
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A waste of energy, money staff time.
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Looks like my kids room!
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Nothin says lovin like plastic from the oven!
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You dont have to test to know you have a problem
and what to do about it!
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For air to come out of here
It has to get in there
A waste of energy, money staff time.
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A waste of energy, money staff time.
No wonder the air wasnt moving!
Somebody missed this filter!
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Whats inside the door?
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Rat poopies!
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Outside air intake
Blower 1
Blower 2
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The Solution
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who?

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Planning / Contracting
Students
Nurses
The IAQ Team
Parents
School staff
School Board
Teachers
Facilities / Maintenance
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Ive got the shirt for the job!
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Model Tools for Schools Time Line
This is also an IAQ management plan!
(Activities by both site and district personnel.)
Prioritize Findings / Boiler- Plate Report
Brief Staff Recruit Volunteers
Collect Checklists
Holidays
Evaluate Checklists
Simple Things Fixed
IAQ Coordinator or Team learns about TfS
Address more challenging findings
Walk-thru
Distribute Checklists
This is the Key Point most findings are easily
fixed!
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ImplementationMinimum Starting Point

• IAQ Coordinator or Team appointed
• Management Plan developed
• Checklists teacher, maintenance, HVAC filled out
• Walkthrough / Priorities / Repairs

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IAQ Management Plan

• Brief your staff
• Distribute checklists and backgrounder
• Collect and examine checklists
• Walk-through findings priority list
• Fix the easy stuff
• Inform community about the difficult stuff!
• New Year go back to top!

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IAQ Management Plan

• Consider developing policies
• Overall IAQ policy
• Flooding response
• IAQ emergencies
• Purchasing or contracting

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IAQ Management Plan

• Consider expanding scope
• Lead
• Radon
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• ??

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Student IAQ Management Plan

• 10 min presentation to faculty meeting
• Distribute checklists and backgrounder
• Collect and examine checklists
• Walk-through findings priority list
• Fix the easy stuff
• Inform faculty school board about the
  difficult stuff!
• New Year go back to top!

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A Simple Priority Scheme

• Immediately important for health or safety OR
  Easy to fix!
• Some time or money required
• Wish list

Divide list into responsibility District /
Schools
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You may already be doing much of this, but

• Its better if you involve teachers and staff.
• Its better with an open line of communication.
• Its better if you follow a plan and document
  actions.

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Your first steps
Speak with Mark Fulmer hes been there!

• Speak with your maintenance director.
• Speak with your teachers.
• Find out if they speak with each other.

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Maintenance investigates a complaint.
Statement 2
Statement 1

• Theres nothing wrong.

I cant find anything wrong.
But if your teachers were part of the process,
trust and credibility would have already been
established.
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Animals have been building homes for millions of
years and theyve learned how to build them to
meet their needs. Were still experimenting on
ourselves!
Dr. J. Scott Turner of the State University of
New York. Visit his web site
http//www.esf.edu/efb/turner/research/termhome.ht
m
Termite mounds are ventilation systems for the
colony below ground.
Engineers took lessons from termite mounds when
they designed the ventilation system for the
Eastgate Complex in Zimbabwe.
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What comes out of the process?
A healthier and more productive place for
teachers to teach and children to learn!
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Protect our indoor habitat for our native species.
I cant believe you put that under the scope!
Gross!
Let me look!
Boys! What can you expect?!
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Thanks for your attention!
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• Why indoor air quality (IAQ) is important in
  California schools
• Why many people dont get it
• Do slashed maintenance budgets mean that schools
  are an indoor air/asthma crisis waiting to
  happen?

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Consequences of Poor IAQ

• Health Problems
• Student and Teacher Performance
• Loss of Public Trust
• Liability Issues
• Negative Media Coverage

• Accountability to School Board and Other School
  Officials

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You cant and cant just simply take the
temperature of a building (or its occupants)
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Where does the public learn about IAQ?
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Common IAQ misunderstandings

• Test my air
• doesnt exceed the standards
• Use with adequate ventilation
• If theyre allowed to sell it, it must be
  safe to use.
• So what if half the kids are coughing, theyll
  be in a new classroom next year.

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Common IAQ misunderstandings

• How I experience indoor air can tell me how it
  affects other people
• I dont smell anything
• Its all in their heads
• Its just a headache

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Uncommon IAQ understandings
People are different from each other in their (a)
perception of IAQ problems, and their (b)
susceptibility to them (formaldehyde eye
irritation example) Children are different from
adults Children can become different from how
they are or were

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Who Endorses/Supports IAQ Tools for Schools?

• California Legislature (ACR 075)
• CA Dept. of Health Services and CARB (IAQ Report
  to Legislature, Portable Classroom Study, etc.
• California Dept. of Education
• ACSA, CASBO (mous), CSBA (mou to come)
• Health organizations (ALA, RAMP, CAFA)
• ASCIP, other insurers, County Offices of Ed.,
  etc.