IAQ Info

Indoor Air Quality Info
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Indoor air quality (IAQ) has a significant impact on workers and productivity.  Often the cause of simple workplace irritations - headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or respiratory irritation - problematic indoor air pollution is a significant concern for modern business.

The costs of poor IAQ are real, and include:

  • reduced productivity
  • increased sick leave
  • employee retention problems (due to employee discomfort in the workplace)

The good news is that investigating and resolving the IAQ problem probably costs less than you think.

A typical investigation building air quality starts with one day of on-site inspection and measurement. We also place automated monitoring equipment in the selected areas for 1 week to collect air quality readings throughout the day.  From this information, we can often determine the cause of the air quality problem (if one exists), and recommend a solution.

Implementing our recommendations is normally less expensive than people expect. In fact, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) problems are factors in over 60% of indoor air quality problems, and are often addressed with simple "fine tuning" adjustments to the ventilation system. Click to find out more about resolving indoor air quality problems.

We also perform regular air quality audits for progressive companies who want to stay ahead of any potential problems. Whether part of due diligence in a maintenance contract, or simply to catch problems while they're easy to address, consider preventative air quality control.

Contact Christopher Collett & Associates Ltd. for more information about identifying and resolving air quality problems in your workplace.  It costs less than you think, and results in increased productivity and more satisfied employees.

Indoor Air Quality Info
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Sick buildings causes employee discomfort and irritation, reducing workplace productivity and job satisfaction. The cost of not addressing the problem are very real, and the cost of fixing it is probably less than you expect.

Symptoms commonly caused by sick buildings include: 

  • headaches
  • fatigue
  • eye, throat, or nose irritation
  • respiratory or skin irritation
  • difficulty concentrating

These symptoms tend to worsen as the day progresses, and are alleviated when away from the building, and normally affect a handful of employees in a particular area.

To identify the cause of the airborne irritants, we typically investigate the worker complaints, perform a one-day site inspection, and place air monitoring equipment in specific locations for one week. From this information, we either recommend solutions or additional testing if required.

Fixing the source of the sick building syndrome is often easier than most people expect. HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) problems are factors in over 60% of all sick building situations, and are often addressed with simple "fine tuning" adjustments to the ventilation system. Symptoms are often caused,  at least in part, by:

  • insufficient outside air supply
  • poor air distribution (due to HVAC adjustment)
  • inappropriate thermostat settings
  • poor air filtration
  • lack of maintenance
  • location of outside air intakes (i.e. sucking in auto exhaust)

As you can see, many of these problems are quickly addressed without capital expenditure. Click to see some examples of causes and remedies for sick building syndrome.

Contact  Christopher Collett & Associates Ltd. for more information about resolving indoor air quality problems in your workplace.  It costs less than you think, and results in increased productivity and more satisfied employees.

Indoor Air Quality Info
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The cost of investigating, identifying, and resolving indoor air quality (sick building) problems is probably less than you think.  In fact, many problems are addressed with simple adjustments to the heating & ventilation system, and appropriate regular maintenance.

Some common problems include:

  • insufficient outside air supply
  • poor indoor air distribution
  • inappropriate thermostat settings / configuration
  • poor filtration
  • lack of regular & preventative maintenance

Issues that are more difficult to identify and solve include:

  • presence of contaminants from interior furnishings and finishes (paint, carpet, adhesives, etc.)
  • Contaminants from occupant activities and equipment (solvents, cleaning products, copiers, etc.)
  • Microbial contamination (mold, mildew, etc.) from water leakage into the building envelope.

Here are some examples of client experiences in the past:

Example 1

Building:  Bank
Problem:  Staff reporting excessive dust and vehicle odours in part of branch.
IAQ Measurement:  Dust and CO levels were 5 times higher in the area compared to elsewhere.
Identified Cause:  Negative pressure due to inadequate outside air supply from HVAC system, and continuous operation of washroom fans caused infiltration of unfiltered air from street level, and flowed right through area of concern.
Solution:   Increased minimum outside air damper position (increased outdoor air flow).
Outcome: Slight positive pressurization of indoor space, eliminating infiltration of street air. Airborne dust and CO levels were reduced.
Mitigation Costs:  Low cost adjustment of HVAC system, and slight increase in energy consumption with increased air flow.

Example 2

Building:  Suburban Office
Problem:  Occupants reported inconsistent temperatures (primarily cold) and occasional stuffiness in one area.
IAQ Measurement:  Wide variations in space temperatures on a daily basis, and periodically elevated CO2 levels.
Identified Cause:  Inappropriate location and configuration of thermostat. The thermostat was located right above a large copier. Consequently, the thermostat was sensing much warmer conditions than elsewhere in the area. The thermostat was also configured for intermittent operation of the fans, resulting in the periodically elevated CO2 readings.
Solution:   Relocated the copier away from the thermostat, and configured the thermostat for continuous fan operation.
Outcome: Reduced temperature variations and CO2 levels, which eliminated occupant complaints.
Mitigation Costs:  Minimal.

Example 3

Building:  School
Problem:  Musty odours in a classroom
IAQ Measurement:  Elevated airborne fungal concentrations in the room.
Identified Cause:  Swab samples showed elevated surface fungal levels on the carpets. Review of cleaning practices showed that moisture was probably left in carpets post cleaning during summer recess.
Solution:   Remedial cleaning using a dry vacuum (HEPA) did not remove the contamination, so they replaced the carpet with a linoleum surface.
Outcome: Elimination of the odour problem (although the teacher reported increased noise with the hard floor surface!)
Mitigation Costs: 

Costs associated with the carpet replacement. The district revised its carpet cleaning program to stress the importance of moisture removal to minimize the potential for microbial growth.

Contact  Christopher Collett & Associates Ltd. for more information about identifying and resolving air quality problems in your workplace.  It costs less than you think, and results in increased productivity and more satisfied employees.

Indoor Air Quality Info
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  1. Banks Recognize Financial Benefits of Proactive IAQ Audits
    Indoor Environment Connections, Pages 25-27, August 2009.
    (C.W. Collett)

  2. SMACNA'S Indoor Air Quality Guidelines and LEED Environmental Quality Credits
    Sheet Metal Journal, Winter, 2009
    (C.W. Collett)

  3. Quality Assurance Strategies for HVAC System Cleaning Projects, 
    Sheet Metal Journal, Spring 2008.
    (C.W. Collett)

  4. Indoor Air Quality (Section 6.7), 
    CSA-Z412 Guideline on Office Ergonomics, Canadian Standards Association, December 2000.
    (C.W. Collett)

  5. The Impact of HVAC System Cleaning in Surface Dust and Fungal Concentrations, Indoor Air 99, Proceedings of 8th International Conference, Edinburgh, U.K., 1999.
    (C.W. Collett, T. Nathanson, J.Scott, K. Baer, J. Waddington)

  6. Dilution Ventilation to Accommodate Smoking: A Case Study. Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning, November 81-88, 1996
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  7. Assessment of Non-Smokers’ Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke Using Personal-Exposure and Fixed-Location Monitoring. Indoor + Built Environment, 5:112-125, 1996
    (E.M.Sterling, C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  8. Controlling Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Offices. Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning  May:76-83, 1996
    (J.A. Ross, E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  9. The Building Commissioning/Quality Assurance Process in North America. ASHRAE Journal, October:32-36, 1994.
    (E.M.Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  10. Quality Assurance Strategies for Investigating IAQ Problems. ASHRAE Journal, June:42-51, 1994.
    (C.W.Collett, J.A. Ross, E.M.Sterling)

  11. Review of Strategies Used to Investigate Indoor Air Quality Problems. pp.129-135 in Building Design, Technology & Occupant Well-Being in Temperate Climates. E.M. Sterling, C. Bieva, C.W. Collett (eds), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, GA, 1993.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross, E.M. Sterling)

  12. Estimation of Risks for Indoor Exposure to Environmental Substances. pp.341-350 in Building Design, Technology & Occupant Well-Being in Temperate Climates. E.M. Sterling, C. Bieva, C.W. Collett (eds), American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, GA, 1993.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, W.L. Rosenbaum, J.J. Weinkam)

  13. Building Design, Technology and Occupant Well-Being in Temperate Climates. E.M. Sterling, C. Bieva, C.W. Collett (eds) Proceedings for the International Conference on Building Design, Technology and Occupant Well-Being in Temperate Climates, Brussels, Belgium, February 17 - 19, 1993.

  14. Comments on the Health Effects Institute-Asbestos Research (HEI-AR) Report: "Asbestos in Public and Commercial Buildings," With Emphasis on Risk Assessment Methods Used. American Journal of Industrial Medicine.  1993
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, W.L. Rosenbaum, J.J. Weinkam)

  15. Sick-Building Syndrome Problems and How They Can Be Solved. Washington State Bar News, October 1993
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  16. Strategies for the Investigation of Indoor Air Quality Problems and Findings from Their Implementation. ASHRAE Transactions, DE-93-19-2, 1993.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross, E.M. Sterling)

  17. Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in California (Letter to the Editor) Journal of the American Medical Association, 269:1388, 1993.
    (C.W. Collett)

  18. Estimation of Outdoor Air Ventilation Rates Using CO2 Concentrations. ASHRAE Transactions, CH-93-22-4, 99(1), 1993
    (K.B. Levine, E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  19. Commissioning to Avoid Indoor Air Quality Problems. ASHRAE Transactions, CH-93-5-4, 99(1), 1993.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, S. Turner, C. Downing)

  20. Are Indoor Air Quality Regulations Required For the White Collar Workplace? pp187-192, in Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation, F. Haghighat (ed), 5th International Jacques Cartier Conference, Montreal, 1992.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  21. Commissioning to Avoid Indoor Air Quality Problems. ASHRAE Journal, October: 28-32, 1992.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, S. Turner, C.C. Downing)

  22. Measurement of CO2 Concentrations to Estimate Outdoor Air Ventilation Rates. Proceedings, AWMA 85TH Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Kansas City, MO, June 21 - 26, 1992.
    (K.B. Levine, C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  23. Nicotine, RSP, and CO2 Levels in Bars and Nightclubs. Environment International, 18:347-352, 1992.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross, K.B. Levine)

  24. Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Modern Office Buildings Under Different Conditions of Ventilation and Smoking Regulation. Proceedings, AIRAH Conference, Perth, Australia, 1992.
    (C.W. Collett, T.D. Sterling, J.A. Ross, E.M. Sterling)

  25. The Impact of Increased Ventilation on Indoor Air Quality. pp.97-100 in Healthy Buildings, ASHRAE IAQ '91, Washington, D.C., 1991.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ventresca, S. Turner)

  26. The Impact of Increased Ventilation on Indoor Air Quality. pp.297-303 in Ventilation '91, 3rd International Symposium on Ventilation for Contaminant Control, Cincinatti, OH 1991.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ventresca, S. Turner)

  27. Epidemiologia dos "Edificios Doentes". Rev. Saude Publ., S. Paulo, 25(1):56-63, 1991.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, D. Rumel)

  28. Indoor Air Quality in Two Buildings in Ecuador. pp.395-400 in Indoor Air '90 (Vol.3), D.S. Walkinshaw (ed), Fifth International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Toronto, 1990.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  29. Indoor Air Quality in Two South American Office Buildings. pp.269-278 in Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation, F. Lunau, G.L. Reynolds (eds), Selper Ltd., London, 1990.
    (C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  30. Indoor Air Quality and Health in Brazilian Homes. pp.301-304 in Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation, F. Lunau, G.L. Reynolds (eds), Selper Ltd., London, 1990.
    (D. Rumel, C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  31. Indoor Air Quality and Health in Two Office Buildings With Different Ventilation Systems. Environment International, 15:115-128, 1989.
    (A. Hedge, T.D. Sterling, E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, D.A. Sterling, V. Nie)

  32. Ventilation Inadequacies and the Sick Building Syndrome. pp.367-371 in Ventilation '88, J.H. Vincent (ed), Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1989.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  33. The Infiltration of Environmental Tobacco Smoke From Designated Smoking Areas to Smoking Prohibited Areas.
    pp.397-404 in Ventilation '88, J.H. Vincent (ed), Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1989.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  34. Indoor Air Quality in 12 Schools: A Case Study. pp.104-108 in The Human Equation: Health and Comfort, ASHRAE IAQ '89, San Diego, 1989.
    (D.M. Cousins, C.W. Collett)

  35. Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke in the Non-Industrial Workplace Under Different Conditions of Ventilation and Smoking Regulation. pp.111-118 in Present and Future of Indoor Air Quality, C.J. Bieva, Y. Courtois, M. Govaerts (eds), Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1989.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  36. A Database of Problem Buildings: Learning by Past Mistakes. pp.413-420 in Present and Future of Indoor Air Quality, C.J. Bieva, Y. Courtois, M. Govaerts (eds), Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1989.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling, T.D. Sterling, J.J. Weinkam)

  37. Ventilation System Retrofits as a Method of Solution for the Sick Building Syndrome. pp.301-308 in Present and Future of Indoor Air Quality, C.J. Bieva, Y. Courtois, M. Govaerts (eds),Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 1989.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  38. An Indoor Air Quality Study of Twelve Alberta Schools. Proceedings, APCA Specialty Conference on Chemical in the Environment, Whistler, 1988.
    (D.M. Cousins, C.W. Collett)

  39. A Strategy for Diagnosing and Solving Air Quality Problems in Office Buildings. Proceedings, APCA Specialty Conference on Chemical in the Environment, Whistler, 1988.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  40. Levels and Control of Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Mechanically Ventilated Office Buildings. Proceedings, World Energy Engineers Congress, Atlanta, 1988.
    (E.M. Sterling, T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  41. Levels of Environmental Tobacco Smoke Under Different Conditions of Ventilation and Smoking Regulation. pp.223-235 in Combustion Processes and the Quality of the Indoor Environment, J.P. Harper (ed), Air & Waste Management Association, Niagara Falls, 1988.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, J.A. Ross)

  42. Typical Pollutant Concentrations in Public Buildings. pp.399-404 in Indoor and Ambient Air Quality, R. Perry, P.W. Kirk (eds), Selper Ltd., London, 1988.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, S. Kleven, A.V. Arundel)

  43. Changing Sick Buildings into Healthy Buildings: Improving the Ventilation System. pp.55-60 in Healthy Buildings '88 (Vol.3), B. Berglund (ed), Swedish Council for Building Research, Stockholm, 1988.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling, A.V. Arundel)

  44. Reduction of ETS in Offices Through Designated Smoking Areas. pp.603-610 in Healthy Buildings '88 (Vol.3), B. Berglund (ed), Swedish Council for Building Research, Stockholm, 1988.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett)

  45. Sick Building Syndrome and Inadequate Ventilation. Proceedings, 81st Annual Meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, Dallas, 1988.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  46. The Building Performance Database: An Analytical Tool for Indoor Air Quality Research. pp.426-430 in Indoor Air '87 (Vol.2), B. Seifert (ed), Fourth International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Berlin, 1987.
    (C.W. Collett, E.M Sterling, E.D. McIntyre, J.F. Steeves, J.J. Weinkam)

  47. Low Relative Humidity and Eye, Nose, Throat and Skin Irritation. pp.650-654 in Indoor Air '87 (Vol.2), B. Seifert (ed), Fourth International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Berlin, 1987.
    (A.V. Arundel, C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling, J. Steeves)

  48. Indoor Air Quality Investigation as a Psychological Stressor. pp.552-556 in Indoor Air '87 (Vol.2), B. Seifert (ed), Fourth International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Berlin, 1987.
    (A. Hedge, E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, B. Mueller, R. Robson)

  49. A Five Phased Strategy for Diagnosing Air Quality and Related Ventilation Problems in Commercial/Large Buildings. Proceedings, 80th Annual Meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, New York, 1987.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, J. Meredith)

  50. Comparison Between the Use of Effective and Actual Volumes in the Conversion of Air Changes Per Hour to Volumetric Data. pp.211-216 in Practical Control of Indoor Air Problems, ASHRAE IAQ '87, Washington,  1987.
    (E.M. Sterling, D.A. Sterling, S. Relwani, D. Moschandreas, S. Theno, C.W. Collett, E.D. McIntyre)

  51. Case Studies of Ventilation System Retrofits Resolving and Not Resolving Air Quality Problems in Office Buildings. pp.308-318 in Practical Control of Indoor Air Problems, ASHRAE IAQ '87, Washington, D.C., 1987.
    (E.M. Sterling, C.W. Collett, B. Mueller, J. Meredith, T. Blomfield)

  52. The Effect of Instituting Smoking Regulations in Office Buildings on Indoor Contaminant Levels. pp.66-71 in Practical Control of Indoor Air Problems, ASHRAE IAQ '87, Washington, D.C., 1987.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, B. Mueller, E.M. Sterling)

  53. Field Measurements for Ventilation, CO and CO2 in Office Buildings: A Three Phased Approach to Diagnosing Building Performance Problems. pp.46-65 in Sampling and Calibration for Atmospheric Measurements (ASTM STP957), J.K. Taylor (ed), American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 1987.
    (E.M. Sterling, E.D. McIntyre, C.W. Collett, J. Meredith, T.D. Sterling)

  54. Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Indoor Air Quality in Modern Office Work Environments. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 29(1):57-62, 1987.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, E.M. Sterling)

  55. Dose-Response Effects of UFFI. Proceedings, 79th Annual Meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, Minneapolis, 1986.
    (T.D. Sterling, C.W. Collett, A.J. Nantel)

  56. Results of a Mailed Questionnaire Study on the Health Effects of UFFI. Proceedings, 79th Annual Meeting of Air Pollution Control Association, 1986.
    (A. Arundel, A.J. Nantel, C.W. Collett, T.D. Sterling)

  57. A Phased Technique for Diagnosing Air Quality and Related Ventilation Problems. pp.453-464 in Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management, O. Brown, Jr., H.W. Hendrick (eds),  Amsterdam, 1986.
    (E.M. Sterling, E.D. McIntyre, C.W. Collett, J. Meredith, T.D. Sterling)

  58. Sick Buildings: Case Studies of Tight Building Syndrome and Indoor Air Quality Investigations in Modern Office Buildings. Environmental Health Review, 29(3):11-19, 1985.
    (E.M. Sterling, E.D. McIntyre, C.W. Collett, T.D. Sterling, J. Meredith)

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