This is a Subjective Evaluation of Environmental Factors Known
to have Important Medical Consequences from common insults while
occupying the typical home, school, or office building. Size, age,
location, and construction materials are irrelevant. This survey is
formulated from well over 35 years environmental experience in
Chemical, Physical, and Biological monitoring, a B.S. in Chemistry,
and five years as a Chemist with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency conducting research for the Clean Water Act, and 'Clean Soils
Act' that was killed, in 1985, by a movie actor in the White House.
The survey purpose is to establish how much an environment is
detracting from good health and longevity, and narrow down changes
will make efficient improvements. It also reveals what Architects,
HVAC Engineers, building materials manufacturers, real estate
brokers, and financiers are really up to, don't want you to
know, and provide some corrective action tools.
The goal is to get as far above 100 points as possible. Fear
not when scores are low. Properties scoring low usually show more
gain per dollar spent!
If printed version of this survey is cut off by the paper, change
your web browser printing setup from `portrait' to
`landscape'.
Evaluation Questions to
Estimate Risk - Higher is better
If
yes, start with 5 points.
If no, start with 4 points.
If
yes, was the Architect a green builder?
Yes
No
If
yes add 5 points.
Did
the Architect have Industrial Hygiene monitoring and make
recommended modifications prior to move in?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 30 points.
Was
the philosophy of the designer something like: "The design must
implement all known methods of optimizing IEQ currently available,
starting with selection of non toxic building materials
throughout to protect users and occupants as much as possible from
known insults. It will employ common, active ventilating hardware
& techniques as well as properly selected air purification media"?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 15 points.
Was
this home purchased recently with full and complete disclosure
of former users' health complaints that were subsequently
used by an IH to optimize the structure?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 15 points.
Was
the home tested twice (with & without frozen ground) for radon
and results showed levels below 4 pCi/L?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 4 points.
Did
test results reveal higher levels and remediation, with follow up
monitoring, was implemented to control all other things that proper
radon remediation will reduce?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 20 points.
Does
the remediation design and modifications implement solar heating and
cooling of make up air (which comes from outside)
with as few moving parts & maintenance as possible
minimizing energy consumption with an R.O.I. of less than 7 years?
(This will make resources available for other improvements
as well as demonstrate solar viability. )
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 7 points.
Were
previously wetted area(s) fully remediated with an established flood
or disaster remediation firm?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 4points.
Was
the wetted area fully remediated under IH oversight with follow up
monitoring?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 24 points.
Was
all lead remediation based on results of final air analyses?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 35 points.
Was
all asbestos remediation based on results of final air analyses?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 35 points.
Are
all windows operable?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 14 points.
Does
one have a large, frequently used window fan with an opposite window
that is always open during use?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 5 points.
Has
the home had a comprehensive IEQ assessment; load analysis by a professional
engineer; all recommended, necessary modifications, including
a purifying make up air supply system, with no tool access, proper
lighting; and follow up I.H. monitoring to verify performance and
ascertain if any other insults remain?
Yes
No
If
Yes, add 35 points.
Deduct
from Your Score:
Was
the home priced over $500,000? (Such a home will have the `best' windows,
doors and caulking making it air tight most of the time. Such a structure
will worsen with time.
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 18 points.
Was
the home built without environmental site audits, level I & II?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Is
the potable water supply a well that serves fewer than 25 families?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Does
the home or yard have green, pressure treated lumber?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 8 points.
Is
the home built over an unvented dirt crawl space, with or without
access? This includes newer homes built on expansive soils with the
bottom floor built above an excavated, unvented pit to prevent heaving.
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 24 points.
Was
the home built between 1910 and 1980, and has no asbestos (ACM)
inspection?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 20 points.
Was
ACM found but not remediated?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 22 points.
Was
the home built before 1987 and has not had a lead inspection or was
loose lead paint found but not remediated?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 25 points.
Was
the remediation done improperly?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 35 points.
Is
this home built with the best windows, doors and sealants, and is
air tight by a leak test?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 25 points.
Does
the home's furnace have a combustion air supply duct from the outside?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 12 points.
Is
the home located within 30 kms of a nuclear, military, government
facility or a government contractor's facility?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Has
this facility been in the news for environmental problems
or violations?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Has
this place or parts of it ever been wet for more than 72 hours?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 24 points.
Was
the home pretreated with pesticides during construction, subtract 15 points; well after
construction?
Yes
No
If yes, subtract 13 points.
Was
a realtor used?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 6 points.
Are
they a friend? (No laws force realtors to sell homes
that are in fact free of life shortening, preventable insults. Realtors
are in the business for only one reason.)
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 2 points.
Total:
____________________________
For Offices/Schools:
(Note
the differences as one spends much more time at home than work.)
Build
Your Score:
Was
the philosophy of the designer something like: "The design must
implement all known methods of optimizing IEQ currently available,
starting with selection of non-toxic building materials
throughout to protect users and occupants as much as possible from
known insults. It will employ common, active ventilating hardware
& techniques as well as properly selected air purification media".
Yes
No
If
yes, add 15 points.
Was
this facility purchased recently with full and complete
disclosure of former users' health complaints
that were subsequently used by an IH to optimize the structure?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 15 points.
Does
the facility have an IEQ management plan? Add 4 points. Is this
a written plan created under the direction of an I.H.
that is in continuous use?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 25 points.
Does
the remediation design and modifications implement solar heating and
cooling of make up air (which comes from outside) with
as few moving parts & maintenance as possible minimizing
energy consumption with an R.O.I. of less than 7 years? (This
will make resources available for other improvements as well as demonstrate
solar viability.)
Yes
No
If
yes, add 7 points.
Is
this a school implementing all parts of the U.S. E.P.A.'s
"Tools for Schools Program"?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 6 points.
Has
the maintenance staff been trained in IPM, add 5; and implement
it with adequate funding?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 17 points.
Has
this facility implemented the GSA routine building IEQ assessment
plan, mandated by taxpayers in 1989, with an I.H. implementing
findings promptly?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 25 points.
Do
the facility maintenance staff have respect, adequate funding,
and the discretionary authority to bring in professional Industrial
Hygienist(s)?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 25 points.
Was
the building designed to handle the three different kinds of
IEQ problems, i.e., expected long term exposure to insults;
short term unexpected insults; and immediately harmful, unexpected
substance spills?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 20 points.
Was
the area fully remediated with a well established flood or disaster
remediation firm?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 4 points.
Was
the wetted area fully remediated under IH oversight with follow up
monitoring?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 24 points.
Were
previously wetted area(s) fully remediated with an established flood
or disaster remediation firm?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 4 points.
Was
the wetted area fully remediated under IH oversight with follow up
monitoring?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 24 points.
Was
all lead remediation based on results of final air analyses?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 20 points.
Was
all asbestos remediation based on results of final air analyses?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 20 points.
Are
all windows operable?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 4 points.
Does
one have a large, frequently used window fan with an opposite window
that is always open when the fan is in use?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 5 points.
Has
the building had a comprehensive IEQ assessment; load analysis
by a professional engineer; all recommended, necessary modifications,
including a purifying make up air supply system with no tool
access and proper lighting; and follow up I.H. monitoring to
verify performance?
Yes
No
If
yes, add 35 points.
Deduct
From Your Score:
Has
this place or parts of it ever been wet for more than 72 hours?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 24 points.
Is
the landlord indifferent in responding to IEQ complaints from occupants?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 28 points.
Was
the facility built without level I & II environmental audits?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Was
the facility built between 1910 and 1980 and has no asbestos assessment,
I & M program, nor removal.
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 25 points.
Is
the potable water supply a well that serves fewer than 25 families?
Yes
No
If
yes, subtract 15 points.
Total:
____________________________
It should not be forgotten that the above algorithm only addresses
IEQ and not sources of other very important insults that are
clearly known to reduce good health, e.g., other future development
up wind of the facility of concern that has the potential to degrade
your's. This is common in most urban settings. This algorithm
ignores the age, medical condition and individuals' propensity
for harm from an insult. We expect questions and clarifications
on the above. Our phone number, since 1978, is still (303)
421-3383, from 0800 to 1700 Mountain Time, Monday thru
Friday. Sorry, we do not accept collect calls.