The importance of ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) in buildings has long been recognized for its critical role in creating a comfortable and productive environment for building occupants. While hospitals and other healthcare facilities have been addressing ventilation and IAQ as it relates to infection control for years, following COVID, building owners and operators of all types of buildings are now also challenged to create safe indoor environments that mitigate exposure risks to airborne diseases as never before.
 
Recognizing this, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued its Clean Air in Buildings Challenge. It is a call to action and a set of guiding principles and best practices to assist building owners and operators with reducing risks from airborne viruses and other indoor contaminants. The challenge highlights a range of recommendations and resources available for improving ventilation and indoor air quality, which can help to better protect the health of building occupants and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
 
Four key actions outlined in the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge include the following:

• Create a clean indoor air action plan that assesses IAQ, plans for upgrades and improvements, and includes HVAC inspections and maintenance.
  
• Optimize fresh air ventilation by bringing in and circulating clean outdoor air indoors.
  
• Enhance air filtration and cleaning using the central HVAC system and in-room air cleaning devices.
  
• Conduct community engagement, communication and education by communicating with building occupants to increase awareness, commitment and participation in improving indoor air quality and health outcomes.
  

“For many years we've championed the value of good indoor environmental quality.  Energy efficiency seemed to steal the environmental show for a long time. But, since the pandemic, the role of the built environment in maintaining health and wellness rocketed into the spotlight,” said Derrick A. Denis, Vice President of Indoor Environmental Quality for Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Providing a healthful environment is a vital mission for building owners and operators. All environmental risks cannot be eliminated, but a thoughtful, practical and well-executed plan that adopts EPA guidelines goes a long way towards minimizing risk.”
 
CSC's infection control, building science, industrial hygiene and IAQ professionals help to create optimal indoor environments in buildings of all types. They offer building inspections, testing and monitoring services for microbial, chemical and comfort issues. CSC also provides employee training services associated with air quality, occupational safety, filtration, ventilation, infection control and emergency response programs. They recently sponsored an educational video about the EPA's Clean Air in Buildings Challenge that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/AJczPwv8jzc
 
To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, building science, infection control, environmental, health and safety services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational, environmental, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.

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