Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
United States Environmental Protection Agency Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Intended Audience This Guide is written primarily for school facility managers, energy managers, risk managers, building operators and school administrators to help them collaboratively manage the relationships between energy efficiency upgrade activities and indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools. Other audiences that may find this Guide applicable to their work include architects, design engineers, and con struction contractors who can apply the principles of this Guide during design and construction; commissioning authorities who can ensure that the design, construction, and testing are appropriate to meet energy efficiency and IAQ-related goals and requirements; sustainability coordinators; other decision makers who help to oversee and direct the work of building managers and other practitioners in schools; and parents and others in the school community. Table of Contents Section 1: Introduction and How To Use the Guide Purpose 3 Background 3 Fundamental Principles of IAQ 4 How the Energy Savings Plus Health Guide Is Organized 4 The Business Case for Integrating Energy Efficiency and IAQ 17 Section 2: Assessment Protocols and Recommended Actions Integrated Process 23 1.0 Project Planning/Integrated Design 23 2.0 Commissioning 26 Moisture and Mold 29 3.0 Moisture Control and Mold 29 Hazardous Materials 33 4.0 Asbestos 33 5.0 Lead 36 6.0 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 37 Outdoor Contaminants and Sources 39 7.0 Radon 39 8.0 Belowground Vapor-Forming Contaminants (Except Radon) 41 9.0 Vehicle Exhaust 42 10.0 Local and Regional Ambient Air Quality 44 11.0 Pests 45 12.0 Tracked-In Pollutants 47 Indoor Contaminants and Sources 48 13.0 Building Products/Materials Emissions 48 14.0 Vented Combustion Appliances 51 15.0 Unvented Combustion Appliances 53 16.0 Ozone From Indoor Sources 54 17.0 Environmental Tobacco Smoke 55 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) 56 18.0 HVAC Equipment 56 19.0 Outdoor Air Ventilation 58 20.0 Exhaust Ventilation 60 Energy Savings Plus Health | INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL BUILDING UPGRADES i Table of Contents Safety 61 21.0 Building Safety for Children and Other Occupants 61 22.0 Protecting IAQ During Construction 63 23.0 Jobsite Safety 65 Abbreviations and Acronyms 66 References 67 Section 3: Appendices Appendix A: Project Planning and Developing a Project Team 75 Appendix B: Communication and Education 81 Appendix C: Worker Protection 98 Abbreviations and Acronyms Used in Appendices 102 References Cited in Appendices 103 Section 4: Master Verification Checklist 109 ii Energy Savings Plus Health | INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL BUILDING UPGRADES Section 1 Introduction and How To Use the Energy Savings Plus Health Guide Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) 2 Energy Savings Plus Health | INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL BUILDING UPGRADES Section 1: Introduction and How To Use the Energy Savings Plus Health Guide Purpose see the section of this Guide entitled The Business Case for Integrating Energy Efficiency and IAQ. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Energy Savings Plus Health Guide It is important to incorporate best practices for healthy to protect and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in and sustainable schools into energy efficiency up schools during building upgrades, particularly ener grades and building renovation activities at schools. gy efficiency upgrades and building renovation ac Schools can benefit, from both fiscal and facility tivities. Energy management and protection of IAQ management standpoints, by taking advantage of the both should be critical priorities for school facility complementary nature of many IAQ and energy- management. As school districts pursue energy cost efficient building practices. Integrating energy efficien savings and occupant health-protection goals, there cy and IAQ improvements—whether they involve the can be a mistaken impression that the two goals are building structure, equipment or ongoing maintenance at odds with each other. In fact, when energy effi and operations—helps to streamline facility manage ciency and IAQ protection goals are integrated and ment and saves staff members’ time. Typically, many addressed holistically, schools can achieve strong of the same personnel are involved in planning and results in both areas. Alternatively, if careful atten implementing energy efficiency and IAQ programs at tion is not paid to the interaction between energy schools. School energy managers, facility managers management and IAQ, occupant health can suffer. and IAQ coordinators should work together through out the entire building upgrade process, from the Background design phases through construction and occupancy. A school’s indoor environment can have a significant Energy management and protection of IAQ both should impact on health and learning. Children, in partic be critical priorities for school facility management. ular, are more vulnerable to the negative health and As school districts pursue energy cost savings and performance effects of poor environmental condi occupant health-protection goals, there can be a tions, including IAQ. Children often are more heavily mistaken impression that the two goals are at odds exposed to toxic substances in the environment than with one another. In fact, when energy efficiency and adults because they spend more time on the ground IAQ protection goals are integrated and addressed and engage in more hand-to-mouth behavior. Chil holistically, schools can achieve strong results in both dren also breathe more air, drink more water, and areas. Alternatively, if careful attention is not paid to eat more food per pound of body weight than adults the interaction between energy management and IAQ, (American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environ occupant health can suffer. Energy management activi mental Health, 2003). A child’s respiratory, immune, ties can disturb hazardous materials, such as asbestos, nervous, reproductive, and skeletal systems continue lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); create to develop throughout childhood. Exposures to envi dust; introduce new contaminants and contaminant ronmental contaminants that occur early in life can pathways; create or aggravate moisture problems; and cause adverse health impacts in children that can result in inadequate ventilation in occupied spaces. have implications well into adulthood (EPA Office This Guide focuses primarily on opportunities to protect of Research and Development, 2007). Furthermore, and improve IAQ during building upgrades by prevent some children with disabilities face unique challeng ing and controlling exposure of occupants to contam es that might make them particularly vulnerable to inants that may be disturbed or introduced during the effects of an unhealthy school environment (EPA upgrade projects, controlling moisture, and ensuring State School Environmental Health Guidelines, 2012). that occupants are provided with adequate ventilation Examples of symptoms caused by poor IAQ include to promote health and comfort. This Guide does not respiratory irritation, sore throat, asthma attacks, (1) set new EPA regulatory requirements or in any way drowsiness, headaches and inability to concentrate. modify or supersede existing EPA regulatory require Studies demonstrate associations between IAQ and ments, (2) provide guidance on diagnosing occupant the health and performance of students and staff health problems or building-related illness, (3) address members in U.S. schools. The research linking poor emerging issues that have not been linked to adverse IAQ to children’s health problems and reduced ac health effects, (4) make training or training documents ademic performance shows the critical role that a unnecessary, (5) provide detailed implementation guid school’s indoor environment plays in student achieve ance on how to achieve the intent of each recommen ment. For example, good physical conditions in the dation in all situations, (6) identify funding availability school and adequate outdoor air ventilation can or which programmatic funding sources should be used, reduce absenteeism and improve test scores. For more or (7) provide guidance for prioritizing building-specific information, examples and supporting references, projects during the upgrade process. Portions of this Energy Savings Plus Health | INDOOR AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL BUILDING UPGRADES 3 Important Basic Considerations for • Providing adequate outdoor air ventilation. Protecting IAQ During Building Upgrades • Providing filtration and air cleaning to supplement pollutant source control and ventilation. Several energy retrofit and building upgrade ac • Protecting building elements, occupants and work tivities can cause or aggravate IAQ problems as ers during construction projects. described in detail throughout this publication; however, these important basic considerations must • Ensuring that there is a strong communications always be kept in mind: plan in place to share the project’s IAQ goals with occupants and other stakeholders, with a clear • Occupants’ and workers’ exposure to airborne process for addressing feedback and concerns. contaminants generated during and after energy This includes, for example, ensuring that building retrofits and building upgrades activities should be occupants are aware of the availability of