Most people in the United States spend nearly 90% of their time indoors and rarely breathe fresh outdoor air.

However, indoor air quality (IAQ) is usually very low, with most structures of the past decade designed and built airtight to enhance energy efficiency. This emphasis on airtight design has been shown to a clear downside - the minimal entry of fresh air, which invariably contributes to an increase in the concentration of pollutants in the air within the buildings.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been shown to deteriorate even further when you consider the lack of emphasis traditionally placed upon the maintenance of HVAC units installed in commercial and industrial facilities. This factor, coupled with the absence of air handlers testing and optimization, often leads to conditions the result in the growth of microbiological contamination.

For these reasons and many more discussed throughout our website, it is highly advisable that your commercial and industrial building get their indoor air quality inspected by professionals accredited by Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) or National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).

CORE is market leader and expert in the installation, maintenance, inspection, testing and documenting, and cleaning of HVAC systems on a regular basis for large structures and facilities.

IAQ inspection & Testing Service Standards

IAQ inspection involves checking for humidity, temperature and pollutant levels in the air.

1. Humidity and temperature check: While low humidity often causes well documented irritation in the eyes, nose and throat, high levels contribute to the growth of biological contaminants. An ideal humidity level for your structure is 40% to 60%.
2. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) check: VOC found in common building materials and cleaning agents can vaporize and remain suspended in air. This can result in persistent, low-grade headaches, nausea, and irritation in the eyes, nose and throat.
3. Carbon monoxide check: Carbon monoxide (CO), "the silent killer," is a chemical asphyxiate and hinders the supply of oxygen to body tissues. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 35 parts of CO per million parts of air inhaled every eight hours.
4. Carbon dioxide check: Although carbon dioxide has not been proved to result in specific health problems, the inspection of CO2 levels reveals whether the HVAC system is supplying and distributing fresh air throughout the building.
5. Ventilation check: A minimum of 20 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of fresh air is recommended for a normal office building. To check this parameter, airflow at the diffuser and fresh air intake are measured. In addition, carbon dioxide levels in the air inside the building are checked to determine whether the HVAC system is supplying sufficient fresh air inside the building to dilute the cumulative carbon dioxide concentration.
6. Mold formation checks: Checking for possible mold formations in areas that are most prone to infestations, such as walls, ceilings, floors and HVAC vents, is a must. The area around water outlets should also be checked for any moisture and damp odors.

IAQ inspection and testing of a building should be conducted by the person in charge of the maintenance of the facility, in coordination with an IAQ professional. Enlisting the services of experienced and well regarded professionals is tantamount to properly evaluating IAQ and implementing the requisite improvement measures to resolve indoor air quality problems.

CORE is a recognized, domestic leader in the HVAC market and will proactively employ sophisticated technologies and best in class process and certification to address your IAQ problems head-on.

Comprehensive IAQ Reporting

Upon completion of IAQ testing, CORE provides a personalized IAQ report generated from the data collected through testing. The comprehensive report also includes an assessment of the findings, along with the analytical data, conclusions and recommendations.

IAQ Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM)

I-BEAM was designed to be computer software for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings. I-BEAM updates and expands EPA's Building Air Quality and is designed to be comprehensive state-of-the-art guidance for managing IAQ in commercial buildings.

Sample Comprehensive IAQ Reports:

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