NEWSWATCH​
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
New EPA Guidance Helps Schools Protect and Improve IAQ during Renovations

In mid-October, EPA released new guidance to help protect and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in school buildings during upgrades, particularly building renovations and energy efficiency upgrades. The guidance is written to help risk managers, school facility managers, building operators, and others prevent and control potentially harmful conditions during building renovations and construction activities that can create dust, introduce new contaminants and contaminant pathways, create or aggravate moisture problems, and result in inadequate ventilation of occupied spaces. The document addresses 23 priority issues and contaminants identified by EPA to be commonly associated with building upgrades, including moisture control and mold, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), exhaust ventilation, protecting IAQ during construction, and job-site safety. 

EPA estimates that about half of U.S. schools have adopted IAQ management plans; however, approximately 25 million children in nearly 60,000 schools remain unprotected by IAQ management programs.
View Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades on EPA’s website at http://bit.ly/epaiaq.
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