IAQ Design Tools for Schools
IAQ Building Education and Assessment
Model (I-BEAM)
- Preliminary Design Phases
- Controlling Pollutants and Sources
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
- Moisture Control
- Construction
- Commissioning
- Renovation and Repair
- Operations and Maintenance
- Portable Classrooms
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, Indoor Environments Division (6609J)
For your convenience, you can find an HTML version of I-BEAM, including the Text Modules, I-BEAM Forms and the I-BEAM Visual Reference Modules at www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/i-beam/index.html.
What is I-BEAM?
The Indoor Air Quality Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM), released in 2002, is a guidance tool designed for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings. I-BEAM updates and expands EPA's Building Air Quality guidance (the BAQ is still available via the web at www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/baq_page.htm) and is designed to be a comprehensive guidance for managing IAQ in commercial buildings. I-BEAM contains text, animation/visual, and calculation components that can be used to perform a number of diverse tasks. With I-BEAM you will be able to:
- Improve indoor air quality (IAQ) within budget
- Refine your maintenance program for IAQ
- Better manage housekeeping services for IAQ
- Conduct an indoor air quality building audit
- Train management and staff in indoor air quality
- Provide documentation that the building is following IAQ building practices
- Reduce liability exposure to indoor air quality complaints
- Improve the marketability of the building and rental space
I-BEAM consists of many individual modules which explain different aspects of IAQ including how to manage, operate, and maintain your building for IAQ, and how to insure that your energy efficiency projects are compatible with IAQ. I-BEAM creates a way for you to learn how to manage for indoor air quality as an integral part of your daily building management activities. You can use I-BEAM to train management and building personnel on IAQ issues and tasks. You can use I-BEAM as a reference tool for specific issues. You can use I-BEAM to assist in solving problems and responding to complaints. You can use I-BEAM to set up an IAQ management program including maintenance, housekeeping, and renovation, and energy efficiency functions to protect IAQ.
Please note: The CD-ROM version of I-BEAM also contained modules that were interactive, which allowed users to set up maintenance and housekeeping tasks for IAQ, and to calculate budgetary impacts of IAQ. This CD-ROM is no longer available.
How Does I-BEAM Work?
There are three types of modules which incorporate what is I-BEAM.
- Visual Reference Modules The Visual Reference module contains pictures of IAQ problems and solutions. Learn about the IAQ issues contained in each picture by clicking on a "hot button" contained on the pictures. You may find explanations in text, or in other visual guides which show air movement flows, or pollutant flows as various elements in the building are changed.
- Text Modules and Links Text modules contain text material only, along with links to other parts of I-BEAM for more explanation and information. Click on one of the main menu topics, and a submenu of that topic appears, along with the main page for that subject. You can access the information in one of two ways. The text screen contains a detailed table of contents that will link you directly to the detailed subject matter identified. Or, you can scroll down the text screen for all the text material contained in that module.
- IAQ Budget and Accounts module All of the modules on the CD-version in the IAQ Budget and Accounts module are interactive. To use all the features in the Budgets and Accounts module you must have a copy installed, however, this CD-ROM is no longer available.
I-BEAM also includes Forms, Glossary of IAQ Terms, and Related Websites, as well as Resources, which allow the user to access parts of I-BEAM as word processing documents or spreadsheets and other EPA publications.
HTML Version of I-BEAM
For your convenience, you can find an HTML version of the I-BEAM Text Modules, I-BEAM Forms and the I-BEAM Visual Reference Modules at www.epa.gov/iaq/largebldgs/i-beam/index.html. To use the Budgets and Accounts features, you must have a copy installed via the CD-ROM (which is no longer available).