| Acceptable Indoor Air Quality: |
Indoor air, in which there are no known contaminants at harmful concentrations and with which a substantial majority (usually 80%) of the occupants exposed do not express a dissatisfaction. |
| Air: |
The clourless, odourless and tasteless mixture of gases that support life on earth. 99% of clean, dry air consists chiefly of four gases, nitrogen and oxygen, along with argon and carbon dioxide and smaller quantities of other gases such as neon, helium, methane, krypton, nitrous oxide, hydrogen, xenon and various organic vapours. Under actual conditions air contains up to 3% water vapour, dusts, spores and pollens. See Air Quality |
| Air Quality: |
The quality of air outside a building should not be significantlt different than the indoor air, except that indoor air is usually filtered air from dusts, spores and pollens, especially in tight or confined building spaces. Air which humans breathe outside and inside a building must meet certain governmental regulatory criteria. |
| Air Quality Standards: |
In outdoor air, the air quality standars are set for the emissions of an outdoor environment and monitored by the local Air Quality Management District (AQMD). In indoor air the air quality standards and guidelines are set and monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the united States, there are 247 air quality control regions that manage outside air. each region contains at least two urban areas that share actual or potential air quality problems. |
| Air Ventilation and Recirculation: |
Outdoor air plus any recirculated indoor air that has been treated (filtered) for the purpose of maintaing acceptable indoor air quality. |
| Algae: |
A fresh water plant associated with fungi, which forms a scum or film on the surfaces of the ventilation recirculated water apparatus and drain pans, interfering with fluid flow and heat transfer. The presence of algae build up is an indication of poor maintenance and possible poor indoor air quality. |
| Carrier Gas: |
a) When air quality and air pathways are an issue in contaminated buildings, industrial hygienists sometimes use a mixture of visible gas that will travel in cross-current pathways of the building, area or zone. b) The mixture of gases which contains and moves the contaminant material. Components of the carrier gas are not considered to cause or produce air pollution or react with the contaminant material. |
| Daseline Data: |
a) Building and environmental information which are gathered to determine the accumulations of biological, chemical, toxins and other physical properties. b) The baseline data of acceptable indoor air quality, including thermal, physical and respirable measurements. c) The baseline data of acceptable indoor air quality verses outside air quality. d) The efficiency ratio of a ventilation system to operate and separate contaminates from indoor air. e) The energy efficiency of a building over time. See Background Measurements |
| Direct Reading Instruments: |
a) Moisture detection instruments which give an immediate reading and indication of the percentage of moisture content in or on a material. b) Humidity and temperature recording instruments give an immediate readout of the temperature and humidity in ambient air. Some humidity and moisture instruments will automatically calculate dew point. Other humidity and moisture sensors readout on strip charts, while more scientific equipment can datalog. c) Single and multi-gas instruments will provide an immediate indication of the concentration of oxygen, flammable and explosive gases and vapors. Other direct reading instruments measure certain aspects of indoor air quality and comfort levels. |
| Dispersion: |
In indoor air quality, the general term describing contaminates consisting of particulate matter suspended in air; also, the mixing and dilution of a contaminant in the ambient environment. |
| False Negative: |
a) Erroneous test results that infer a room or building does not have contaminates or they are not in the levels anticipated. b) A building reportedly having no chemical or indoor air contaminate concerns, when in fact, it actually does have chemical and indoor air quality concerns. Health Note: False negative results cannot take into consideration certain lower detection levels, which some persons may sense and identify, where scientific equipment cannot. |
| False Positive: |
a) Erroneous test results that infer a room, environment or building does have contaminates higher than anticipated. Liability Note: b) A building that has been reportedly diagnosed as having poor indoor air quality, when in fact, it does not have poor indoor air quality. |
| Higher Levels of Building Standard Cleanliness: |
No two buildings are alike and some buildings require more care than others in maintaining good IAQ. Medical-surgical and patient recovery areas, scientific laboratories, and computer chip manufacturing for example, must receive a higher level of maintenance and indoor air quality care, than do most general office buildings and homes. |
| Indoor Air Quality Mission Statement: |
A written statement that particularly speaks about the cleanliness and thermal comfort levels in the building throughout the year. The mission statement must available to building employees along with references to other documents, such as the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and a Total Quality Management Program (TQMP). |
| Indoor Air Quality Profile Survey: |
An IAQ profile survey is a description of the features of the building structure, function, and occupancy that impact indoor air quality. It is best recommended that commercial building owners, managers and engineers have completed the EPA recommendations for an indoor air quality profile, survey or audit, before there become an IAQ problem or complaint. See Phase-1 |
| Methods of Investigation: |
Related to indoor air quality inspections, methods of investigation include a review of the history of the building; an on-site physical review of all parts of the building; and scientific monitoring of various parts of the building. Methods of investigation are similar to discovery of medical patient wellness by medical professionals. EPA recommends a Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) Study and Temporal Indoor Monitoring and Evaluation (TIME) Study as either methods for determining base-lines or in dealing with problem solving. |
| Olfactory: |
A perceived personal air quality term which attempts to quantify a given odour pollutant or pollution load. For example, one person creates 1 olf of bio-effluents. If there are 10 cubic meters of floor space per person, then people create 0.1 olf per m (olf/m). Other sources are compared and quantified by olfs. For example, if 40% of the people smoke, this adds 0.2 olf/m to the load. |
| Phase 1, IAQ Assessment/Audit: |
An indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment is an IAQ audit-survey of a building and its occupants. This audit by management or a professional who will take into account the history of the building, engineering controls to keep it operating safely, HVAC system design, prior building usage, occupancy loads and design. See Environmental Audit, Environmental Assessment |
| Phase 1, IAQ Preliminary Building Assessment: |
A visual fact gathering by management of indoor air quality problems. No professional consulting is required, but depending on the issues, and fact gathering findings, a professional may need to be consulted. If the concerns or problems are obvious, there should be immediate resolution of the problem by management. |
| Phase 2, IAQ Sampling with Analysis: |
The use of ASHRAE standards and suggested EPA recommendations, along with indoor air quality sampling. Sampling may include real-time monitoring and sampling for a laboratory. Testing will include thermal conditions, temperature and humidity monitoring. Building material deterioration, assessment, air flow measurements, carbon monoxide/dioxide, microbiological and VOCs studies are of primary interest to the IAQ/IEQ professional. |
| Safety, Health and an Environmental Indoor Air Quality Plan: |
A written plan that addresses the on-going needs of a building and its occupants. Often this plan incorporates a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and a Total Quality Management Program (TQMP). |
| Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality: |
Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality are the design, engineering, installation and maintenance of a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system as found in ASHRAE Standard 62-1989. The Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality design requirements recommend 15 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) per person of fresh outdoor air into buildings. |