IAQ U by Build Equinox

MFAN (Military Family Advisory Network) issued a survey in 2019 to determine military family satisfaction with housing due to continuing complaints from military families regarding poor housing. Within one week, MFAN received 16,000 responses. Unlike housing contractors' self-reported 80% satisfaction, which enabled private contractors to receive bonuses, MFAN's survey result indicated very low satisfaction.

The survey also revealed how poor quality housing for our service personnel is making them and their families sick, degrading our military's performance. Most likely, these survey results would be similar to other rental housing with poor maintenance practices.

Survey results were conveyed to the US Military, however, no reports or follow up surveys have been conducted that indicate efforts to improve housing. Beyond the direct impact on our Military, the results show how poor housing environmental quality degrades health of a home's occupants, costing residents time and money for medical expenses and repairs.

Endotoxins are small molecular fragments from bacteria. They are extremely potent toxins that impact health and productivity in very tiny amounts.

This episode introduces endotoxins and discusses their impact on our health and well-being, and what we can do to manage endotoxins in indoor environments.

Particulates pollute the air we breathe, creating havoc in our lungs and throughout our bodies. Sometimes outdoors is dustier than indoors, and sometimes indoor environments have more particulates. As we've sealed our homes for improved energy efficiency, indoor environments have increased in particulates in homes without effective air quality management.

In this podcast we discuss the impact of particulates and how to manage them.

Today's ventilation standards (ASHRAE 62.1 and 62.2) are inadequate now. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide will further push the need for higher ventilation levels to keep indoor air healthy and productive. Join our discussion of current and future ventilation needs.

The late Professor Ole Fanger was a visionary in air quality and comfort. He asked a simple question: is air that doesn't smell healthy? Further, does odorless air quality impact human performance?

This podcast discusses an overview paper by Professor Fanger discussing air quality.

The late Professor Ole Fanger was a pioneer who demonstrated the importance of indoor air quality on human health and productivity. Ty Newell recounts having dinner with Ole 25 years ago in Istanbul Turkey, and the importance of Professor Fanger's work.

Carbon monoxide, from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, and radon indoor air quality standard are discussed. Carbon monoxide is poisonous, and must be actively monitored in any home with fossil fuel (eg, natural gas, propane) usage. Radon, a soil gas that can vary widely house by house, is a significant source of lung cancers.

Particulates impact health in multiple manners and must be controlled to keep indoor environments healthy. We discuss Build Equinox recommendation for particulate management in this podcast. Two particulate measures are important: Particulate Mass, or "PM", and a newer parameter, Particulate Count, or "PC".

PM is important for larger particulates (greater than 1 micron), such as road dust and cooking. PC represents smaller (less than 1 micron) such as human released particulates (microbes) and wildfire smoke.

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and recommended limits for healthy air based on human VOC outputs are discussed. VOCs should be maintained less than 125ppb, which in association with keeping carbon dioxide below 800ppm, are air quality levels than avoid SBS (Sick Building Syndrome), minimize airborne disease transmission, and improve sleep and cognition.

Carbon dioxide is a primary indicator of air quality. This podcast discusses carbon dioxide and Build Equinox's recommended 800ppm limit for its healthy IAQ Standard.

Build Equinox is a company located in Urbana Illinois that develops technologies for healthy, comfortable and sustainable living.