Talking Stick - November/December 2008 - (Page 24)

Facilities That can cause problems.” Her advice is to pay attention to where air intakes are and to the filtration of incoming air. She advocates using high quality filters to condition this air because good filters can also protect equipment. Thorne believes that the number one quality of a top performing HVAC system is the quality of the makeup air, which is the outside air coming into the building and then being conditioned to replace air exhausted from the building. Location of fresh-air intakes is critical. If they are placed near loading docks or other vents, polluted air will permeate the building and can cause health problems for the occupants. If poor air quality is caused by inadequate ventilation, increasing the amount of makeup air can lower the overall level of pollutants in the air, but this is only a temporary solution; the root problem still needs to be addressed. Prevention: High Quality Maintenance The key to good indoor air quality is to perform regular preventative maintenance on the building HVAC systems. There is no single set of best practices for achieving this. Optimal performance may be unique to each system, based on environmental factors, according to Jim Rupp, maintenance and custodial manager at Boise State University in Idaho, who has 35 years of experience overseeing housing, including a number of facilities in the Hilton family of hotels. Rupp cleans and maintains cooling towers on a regular basis, about every 30 or 45 days. Routine maintenance includes balancing pumps and maintaining filters, but how frequently this is done depends on the building, as Rupp explains: “It varies by building. In my experience I’ve overseen buildings in which the wind curls around between them. Based on that pattern, filters need to be changed more often.” His warning to facility managers is simple: “Don’t get lazy or the equipment won’t work, and you’ll end up spending more money.” Thorne agrees with the importance of routine maintenance that involves systems being thoroughly inspected inside and out. Some of the obvious questions that need to be asked include the following: Do filters or evaporator or condenser coils need to be replaced? Is there standing water near air intake areas that might promote mold? Are temperature and humidity sensors protected from tampering? Are filters being routinely changed out? A less obvious but no less important question may be, Is there a way to register complaints about air quality, and are occupants aware of it? Thorne emphasizes the importance of awareness: http://www.pdqsupplyinc.com http://www.pdqsupplyinc.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - November/December 2008

Talking Stick - November/December 2008 Contents Online Now Vision Just In Your ACUHO-I Transitions Res Life Facilities Business Special Focus Calendar Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places The Evolving Role of the Resident Advisor Conversations First Takes Reporting Out New Members Snapshot

Talking Stick - November/December 2008

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