The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, administered in Canada by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), includes credits for indoor air quality (IAQ) management, which are intended to reduce IAQ problems resulting from construction or renovation to promote the comfort and well being of construction workers and building occupants.

LEED v4 and v4.1 provide projects with an opportunity to gain 2 LEED points, rather than 1 point under earlier LEED versions.  The IAQ testing procedures for LEED v4.1 are documented under Environmental Quality Credit: IAQ Assessment (Option 2),  This LEED credit provides two paths, which can be completed individually for 1 point, or can be combined for 2 points.

Path One: Particulates & Inorganic Gases includes Airborne Particulates (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Ozone (0₃).

Path Two: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) includes Total VOC's, Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde and 11 other Target VOC's.

Contact Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. to learn more about the latest LEED v4.1 IAQ testing requirements.

Many companies across North America are recognizing the benefits of integrating proactive indoor air quality audits into their preventative maintenance programs for their building portfolios.  A typical proactive IAQ audit program includes for components:

• Walkthrough inspection and review of the HVAC system operational configuration
• Instantaneous IAQ measurements at multiple locations on a typical working day
• Continuous IAQ monitoring for one week at a central location
• Analysis and reporting, including comparison with past IAQ audit data

Companies can accrue multiple benefits form the implementation of a proactive IAQ audit program, including assurance that their staff and clients are working and doing business in healthy and comfortable buildings; their buildings are being effectively maintained; and are being operated in a cost effective and energy efficient way.

For more information, click the following link to read an article about Proactive IAQ Audits written by Chris Collett, and published in Indoor Environment Connections

Building occupants sometimes report discomfort and an increased prevalance of health related symptoms, which they associate with poor IAQ conditions within the indoor environment.  Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. offers a thorough approach to the investigation of these reported IAQ concerns.  A typical IAQ investigation includes the following steps:

• Walkthrough inspection to review occupant activites, use of the space, and to identify visisble sources of IAQ issues
• Review of occupant concerns through meetings with staff representatives
• Reviw of HVAC system design, operation and maintenance
• Monitoring of indoor pollutants and thermal conditions
• Analysis and reporting, including comparison with established regulatory requirements, engineering standards and IAQ guideline criteria.

 If you are getting reports of poor indoor air quality in your workplace, contact Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. for help.

Moulds are found in nature and are necessary for the breakdown of vegetation.  Moulds can be present within buildings from the infiltration of spores of the outdoor air or can grow on interior surfaces because of the presence of moisture from flooding, plumbing and roof leaks and excessive humidity conditions.

The key to addressing mould problems in buildings is to control moisture.  Mould can grow almost everywhere on any surface providing moisture is present.  

Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. works with our clients to investigate, assess, manage and remediate mould related concerns.  Our services include:

• Inspection and moisture meter testing
• destructive testing to search for hidden mould sources
• surface and airborne testing for total and culturable mould spores
• developement and implimentation of mould remediation strategies
• preparation of project remediation specifications
• coordination and management of remediation work with contractors
• post remediation quality assurance inspections and clearance testing

A useful document which provides guidance to owners and building managers when they are addressing mould issues is the Canadian Construction Association's Mould Guidelines.

Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. works with building owners and operators to help guide them through the HVAC system cleaning process.  It is important for a building operator to know that their HVAC systems have been properly  cleaned in a cost effective manner.  We assist our clients to develop thorough specifications for the HVAC system cleaning process, which build in quality assurance actions and accountability into the project completion requirements.

Many building operators are now including cleanliness verification requirements within their project specifications,which require a third party to assess whether the cleanliness criteria for a project have been met.  Not only does Christopher Collett and Associates help to develop the project specifications, we also conduct post cleaning inspections, and surface dust testing using the North America Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) surface vaccuum test procedures.  By using a third part assessor, a building operator can know with confidence that the HVAC cleaning project has been successful. 

Christopher Collett and Associates Ltd. provides training programs to educate facility managers, building engineers and building operations staff about IAQ issues. Training programs have been delivered in the classroom setting, and out in the field to provide practical, hands on information. Topics have included Indoor Air Quality Assessment Methods, Proactive IAQ Management Programs, Mould Assessment and Remediation, HVAC Systems Cleaning Specifications, and IAQ Management for LEED Projects.