IAQ Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM)

Note: Cooling tower mist is especially vulnerable to microbiological contamination and should have no chance of entering the building outdoor air intake or other building openings.

Remember:

• Arrange your rooftop to make sure that the mists, waste gasses, and vehicle traffic from nearby roadways or other nearby sources do not contaminate your own outdoor air supply.
• Make sure that sanitary and other building exhausts are down wind and away from the outdoor air intake.
• If outdoor air is contaminated by a local source, you may need to install an exterior duct extension or move the intake location to an unpolluted area.

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Remember...“Rooftop units on adjacent buildings can often be a source of pollution for your building.”

(Hot Spot on roof of adjacent building)

• Keep an eye on renovations or new developments on nearby buildings to insure the integrity of your outdoor air.

Remember...“Be aware of possible contamination with the changing direction of prevailing winds.”

(Hot Spot on mist)

Remember...“Consider all prevailing wind directions. Prevailing winds can change and result in a contaminated outdoor air supply to your building.”

(Hot Spot on mist)

• You may need to negotiate the location of the units on neighboring buildings, provide barriers to direct pollutants away from your air intake, rearrange your rooftop, or use exterior ducts to move your outdoor air intake location.

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Remember...“Tar and asphalt roof repair creates toxic compounds, and is best undertaken when building is unoccupied.”

(Hot Spot on tar container)

• At a minimum, make sure that tar preparation and buckets are not placed by the air intake.

Remember...“Outdoor air flow may need to be temporarily closed when roof repairs or other major short term sources or pollutants are close to the air intake to avoid contaminating the interior space with toxic contaminants.”

(Hot Spot on air intakes)

• However, reduction in outdoor air for long periods will cause an increase of contaminants from indoor sources and will degrade your indoor air quality.

Remember...“Stop vehicle pollution at the loading dock at it’s source”

(Hot Spot on truck engine)

• Do not allow idling of trucks at the loading dock.
• Place “no idling” signs and enforce the policy rigorously

Remember...“Prevent loading dock pollution from entering the building”

(Hot Spot on receiving area opening)

• Pressurize the receiving area relative to the outside to insure that contaminants from the loading area do not enter the building.
• Use vestibules and air locks if necessary to prevent outdoor pollutants from entering the receiving area.

Remember...“Check the location of outdoor air intakes to insure that loading dock emissions do not enter the air handling system.”

(Hot Spot on emissions)

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Remember...“Exhaust fans should always be operating during active use of garage (e.g. morning and late afternoon).”

(Hot Spot on Fan)

• Entryway to building from garage should be under positive pressure (link) relative to garage, even when garage fan is not operating.
• Carbon Monoxide monitors may be used to activate fans during latent use periods.

Remember...“A set of barrier mats should be part of your strategy to keep dirt out of the building.”

• Barrier (walk-off) mats, such as those shown here can be used effectively in all entryways, including front and side entrances, around the loading dock, receiving areas, freight entrances, and garage entrances into the building.
• Mats differ in texture depending on the location (see cut out). A rough textured mat used outside the building entrance removes large particles. A medium textured mat is used just inside the building, and should be long enough so that everyone entering to take a minimum of five steps. Finally, a fine textured mat may be used as the final mechanism to remove small particles. As dirt accumulates, it migrates into the interior parts of the building. Therefore, all mats should receive frequent and thorough cleaning, particularly in heavily used areas.

(Hot Spot on course grained cutout)

• A course textured mat is used outside building entrances to scrape large particles of dirt.

(Hot Spot on medium grained cutout)

• A medium grained mat is used just inside the building entrance. The length should allow a person entering to take at least 5 steps on the mat.

(Hot Spot on fine grained mat)

• A fine grained mat is used as the final means for removing small particles of dirt.