Is it possible to repurpose polluted land?

Ex-shipyard in Amsterdam houses shops and offices

Polluted land doesn't have to stay
abandoned, experts say.

Although Amsterdam’s latest urban experiment, De Ceuvel, is built on solid ground, there’s much that reminds its denizens — artists, entrepreneurs, designers, sustainability experts — of its past as a commercial shipyard.

Converted rowboats serve as benches, stranded houseboats are used as buildings and — raised 90 centimeters, or 35 inches, off the polluted ground — a quay-like walkway constitutes the sidewalk.

De Ceuvel officially opened this summer after a team of architects, landscapers, sustainability experts and entrepreneurs created 1,250 square meters, or 13,450 square feet, of office, studio and commercial space on a polluted plot of land in the city’s industrial north.

Besides producing its own power and minimizing waste, the design aims to create a fertile ground for community interaction, while letting the area’s physical ground recuperate from its industrial past, explained Pieter Theuws, the lead landscape architect on the project.

“Our challenge is to connect streams of waste and energy and people into a circular city model,” he said.

Commitment to urban experimentation

The project is an example of Amsterdam’s commitment to urban experimentation. A few kilometers north of the centuries-old city center, artist spaces and urban experiments like De Ceuvel and NSDM, another large abandoned industrial harbor space turned into studios, or Ijburg, a community of floating houses moored off reclaimed land, are part of the city’s innovative growth initiatives.

The physical pieces needed to create De Ceuvel were 16 old houseboats, phytoregenerative plants, bio water filters, a thermophilic compost, solar panels and the long pathway. The human contribution, its creators say, included lots of physical labor, a willingness to fight administrative bureaucracy and a desire to share the place with the public.

“All of it is to attract a lot of people, to get a lot of people here, so that they get in contact with the sustainability stories,” said Sascha Glasl, who dreamed up the project and is its lead architect.

De Ceuvel won the Frame Public Dutch Design award in October. The annual prize, ultimately decided by a voting public (both online and at the Dutch Design week) is given to innovative designers. “De Ceuvel gives the impression of a utopia that has actually been accomplished,” wrote the prize selection committee.

Project focused on houseboats

Houseboats were always the soul of the project, Mr. Glasl said. Not only were they ideally suited to be plotted, without foundation, on land best left untouched, but they could be converted into innovative spaces before being towed up harbor and placed on the site by crane. This allowed the designers leeway, since city housing permits are not required to bring houseboats on land.

The original tenants were found through an advertisement on Marktplaats, a Dutch ad site, which asked potential tenants to chose one of the houseboats on sale that week, pretend that they could buy it for one euro and explain what they would do with it.

And, in fact, most of the houseboats were acquired for that nominal sum. As Amsterdam’s canals gentrify, and moorings are being leased by wealthier and more demanding residents, old boats are being scrapped to make way for new.

The offer to take the boats for a euro proved so popular that Mr. Glasl, a principal with the Amsterdam architectural office Space & Matter, and his team had to choose among offers.

The project was funded by the city through a 250,000-euro, or $313,000, start-up grant and a further €200,000 bank loan that it guaranteed. Those funds paid for materials, plants and some of the professional services required to make De Ceuvel a reality. Both volunteers and the development partners invested hundreds of hours of work, ultimately bringing down the price tag.

The tenants, who often share the boats, pay approximately €65 per square meter of workspace each year — a song in comparison with commercially available art spaces which, in Amsterdam, can fetch that much each month. The proceeds, Mr. Glasl said, are being used to pay off the guaranteed loan over the next nine years.

While the houseboats retain their original shapes, much has been done to make the interiors suitable for modern offices. Some roofs have been raised and outside paneling renewed, in some cases using freshly felled Dawn Redwood from a nearby street enlargement.

Designed to ease pollution

Many aspects of the design are positive for the polluted land on which it sits, said Mr. Theuws, an associate at Delva, a Dutch-Belgian landscape architectural firm responsible for landscaping and choosing the area’s flora.

Grasses, fireweed, foxglove, black willow and eastern cottonwood were chosen either to digest pollutants in the ground or absorb metals left behind.

Despite all the pollution — before the area housed a shipyard, Amsterdam dumped its canal sludge there in the 19th century — the ground, he says, is actually not particularly poisonous to humans.

Solar panels have been installed on roofs and biofilters installed to clean waste water from the sinks. Each boat has been equipped with a composting toilet, making them independent from the city sewer system.

Capturing rainwater to make drinking water was blocked by the city because that would have meant licensing the community as a drinking water provider — which was too complex and costly. In the end the community opted to bring in city water, although the ateliers are not connected to the sewer system. Commercial spaces and the cafe are connected.

Source: NY Times; Please note: The article appearing here has been edited for length.

Concerned about pollution outdoors and indoors? Electrocorp's air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA filters can remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants easily and continually. Many industrial and commercial models are available, prices vary. Contact Electrocorp for more information and a free consultation.

Top 25 cities with most Energy Star buildings

Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New York, San Francisco make top five

Healthier buildings can impact employee health
and well-being and benefit the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the sixth annual list of the top 25 U.S. metropolitan areas with the most Energy Star certified buildings.

The cities on this list demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits achieved by facility owners and managers when they apply a proven approach to energy efficiency to their buildings.

The Top 10 cities on the list are: Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; New York; San Francisco; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Philadelphia; and Houston.

"Not only are the Energy Star top 25 cities saving money on energy costs and increasing energy efficiency, but they are promoting public health by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings,” said Administrator Gina McCarthy.

“Every city has an important role to play in reducing emissions and carbon pollution, and increasing energy efficiency to combat the impacts of our changing climate.”

Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year.

Energy Star certified office buildings cost $0.50 less per square foot to operate than average office buildings, and use nearly two times less energy per square foot than average office buildings.

Cities with more Energy Star buildings are increasing efficiency,

protecting health and battling pollution

The data also show that more than 23,000 buildings across America earned EPA’s Energy Star certification by the end of 2013.

These buildings saved more than $3.1 billion on utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use from 2.2 million homes.

First released in 2008, the list of cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings continues to demonstrate how cities across America, with help from Energy Star, are embracing energy efficiency as a simple and effective way to save money and prevent pollution.

Los Angeles has remained the top city since 2008 while Washington, D.C. continues to hold onto second place for the fifth consecutive year. Atlanta moved up from the number five to number three. For the first time, Philadelphia entered the top 10, ranking ninth.

Commercial buildings that earn EPA’s Energy Star must perform in the top 25 percent of similar buildings nationwide and must be independently verified by a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect.

Energy Star certified buildings use an average of 35 percent less energy and are responsible for 35 percent less carbon dioxide emissions than typical buildings.

Many types of commercial buildings can earn the Energy Star, including office buildings, K-12 schools, hotels, and retail stores.

Products, homes and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. In 2013 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved an estimated $30 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual electricity use of more than 38 million homes.

From the first Energy Star qualified computer in 1992, the Energy Star label can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories, with more than 4.5 billion sold. Over 1.5 million new homes and 23,000 commercial buildings and industrial plants have earned the Energy Star label.

The 2014 Energy Star Top Cities are:

1. Los Angeles
2. Washington, DC
3. Atlanta
4. New York
5. San Francisco
6. Chicago
7. Dallas-Fort Worth
8. Denver
9. Philadelphia
10. Houston
11. Charlotte
12. Phoenix
13. Boston
14. Seattle
15. San Diego
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul
17. Sacramento
18. Miami
19. Cincinnati
20. San Jose
21. Columbus, Ohio
22. Riverside, Calif.
23. Detroit
24. Portland, Ore.
25. Louisville

Source: EPA

Concerned about indoor air quality in your building? While a major reconstruction project may be out of the question, you can easily improve your building's IAQ by using an industrial-strength air cleaner from Electrocorp. The air purifiers feature many pounds of activated carbon as well as HEPA and particle filters to remove the widest range of indoor air contaminants. Check out our air cleaners for offices, air purifiers for facility management and various other applications. For more information, contact Electrocorp.

Facility management: Humidity reduces airborne flu

Better facility management can reduce
sickness and absenteeism rates.

A recent study carried out by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) has shown that the airborne transmission of the influenza virus is significantly reduced by maintaining an atmosphere of 40% relative humidity (RH) and above.

To test the effects of humidity on airborne influenza, aerosols of flu virus were “coughed” into a room’s atmosphere by a mechanical manikin at humidity ranging from 7-73%RH, while the air intake from a breathing manikin in the room was monitored.

The air inhaled by the breathing manikin showed that at ≤23%RH the airborne flu virus retained 71-77% infectivity, while at ≥43%RH infectivity dropped to just 15-22%. The study showed that inactivation of the virus at the higher humidity occurred rapidly after coughing with most of the decline occurring in the first 15 minutes.

The study concluded that maintaining relative indoor humidity at 40%RH and above will significantly reduce the infectivity of an aerosolized influenza virus.

It is estimated that over 7.6million working days are lost in the UK each year as a result of flu-related sickness, costing the UK economy over £1.35 billion per annum. Most experts think that flu is spread by tiny droplets created when people with flu cough or sneeze, which can remain in the air for hours.

“This study shows how important it is to maintain an optimum humidity in the workplace to reduce absenteeism and especially in areas of high risk to airborne viruses, such as hospitals and doctors’ surgeries,” said Tim Scott, a humidification specialist.

“Although many professional bodies, including BSRIA, CIBSE and HSE, all recommend maintaining indoor humidity at above 40%RH it is not uncommon to see humidification systems being turned off to reduce operating costs. A low humidity is not as noticeable by employees as a low temperature, so it can go unnoticed. However, the true cost of not maintaining indoor humidity can be poor staff health and an increase in absenteeism, which can far outweigh the cost of operating the building’s humidification system.” Scott said.

Source: Mousetrap Media Ltd

Provide cleaner and healthier air at the workplace

Apart from the flu virus, there are many other airborne contaminants that can affect employees' health, well-being and productivity.

Air cleaners for offices and other
work spaces provide cleaner and
healthier air.

Many workplaces expose employers and employees to airborne chemicals, particles, dust, allergens, mold, viruses, bacteria, odors and gases. 

Most of these contaminants can be controlled with adequate ventilation, best facility management practices and air cleaning.

Electrocorp offers versatile and efficient air cleaners for industrial and commercial use, which provide cleaner and healthier air at the workplace.

The air purifiers strip the air of chemicals, particles and biological contaminants by forcing the air through a deep-bed activated carbon air filter, a HEPA filter and various pre-filters as well as an optional UV germicidal filter.

The air cleaners come in many different sizes and with a variety of options. They are custom-built to provide the protection that is needed.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and a consultation with an IAQ specialist.

Researchers tackle office air problems

Scientists develop intelligent door seal that prevents poor indoor air quality

Heated debates and no agreement in sight: the eight employees sitting in a small conference room have come together to get an important project moving. But after an hour, some of them have trouble focusing on the discussion, and some are even beginning to become drowsy.

Conference room meetings can lead to poor IAQ

No wonder: the air in the conference room is stuffy and stale, and increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are making them tired and robbing meeting participants of their concentration.

There's only one solution: air the room out. Or else rely on the intelligent door seal system that has now been developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS in cooperation with the Athmer Company.

Users of the system not only spare themselves the effort of regular airing: the door seal is also cold air's worst enemy, insulating to provide a perfect indoor climate.

Indoor concentrations of CO2 are still a problem, particularly in newer buildings.

"Modern buildings are becoming increasingly airtight," according to Hans-Jürgen Schliepkorte, group manager at Fraunhofer IMS in Duisburg. On the one hand, better windows and construction materials provide effective insulation - an issue that was long a major concern. But air quality was overlooked in the process.

"In many cases, the supply of fresh air still comes through an open window," Schliepkorte points out. "This has consequences for the energy efficiency."

Sensor measures CO2 concentration in the air

The electronically controlled door seal developed by IMS engineers opens or closes based on the CO2 concentration in a room. A CO2 sensor records concentrations in the air.

If this value exceeds a certain threshold, a tiny motor moves a spring to open the door seal at the bottom of the door leaf. The seal raises to permit an exchange of air inside the room. At the same time, the system uses building based measurement and control technology to activate the ventilation system to extract stale air from the room.

"Our standard is based on the Pettenkofer value of 1000 ppm (parts per million)," Schliepkorte explains.

It was Max von Pettenkofer who investigated indoor air quality in the middle of the previous century and identified the CO2 value that, if met or exceeded, makes people begin to feel unwell indoors.

Opening a window is not always
desirable or possible in offices.

Today's rules and guidelines based on DIN for the workplace set 1500 ppm as the upper limit and recommend a CO2 concentration of 1000 ppm.

"We can achieve this with the aid of the intelligent door seal – without having to open doors or windows," Schliepkorte observes.

The door seal system is electronically coupled with building measurement and control systems. If a ventilation system or for that matter a heat recovery system has been installed, they can additionally be activated based on indoor CO2 concentrations and temperatures.

"The system always calculates the best compromise between good indoor air and optimal utilization of energy efficiency," Schliepkorte says.

Beginning in June of this year, it will be in use in the Fraunhofer inHaus-Center in Duisburg, an innovation workshop for application oriented and market based research for systems in rooms and buildings.

Indeed, Fraunhofer researchers have already set their sights on further applications: in the future, the door seal may well also help regulate humidity in residential and commercial buildings. This may soon make mold in the home and dry eyes in the office a thing of the past.

Source: EurekAlert! and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft 

Improve office air quality for higher productivity

Poor indoor air quality at the office has been linked to higher rates of absenteeism, but also to decreased productivity and lower morale.

Short of renovating or installing a new HVAC system, office managers and employers can help provide cleaner indoor air by using one or more of Electrocorp's air cleaners with activated carbon, HEPA and UV. 

With the air cleaners for offices, Electrocorp controls airborne contaminants such as volatile organic compounds, dust, mold, chemicals, bacteria, viruses and other particles and odors. Specially designed air cleaners for larger office printers remove toxic chemicals and particles right at the source.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Workers unhappy with open offices: Study

Employees in open offices complain about increased noise
and less privacy, researchers say.

Recent trend of activity-based office spaces not popular with workers

A study by researchers at the University of Sydney has found that many employees feel activity-based working environments, which feature open-office plans designed to foster teamwork, are disruptive to their productivity.

Jungsoo Kim, one of the study's authors, said open-office layouts, which have been a growing trend in recent years, have been touted as a way to boost workplace satisfaction and team effectiveness.

"We found people in open-plan offices were less satisfied with their workplace environment than those in private offices," Kim said. "The benefits of being close to co-workers in open-plan offices were offset by factors such as increased noise and less privacy."

The research was based on surveys of more than 42,000 office workers in the United States, Finland, Canada and Australia.

In addition, researchers analyzed a University of California database that measures indoor environment quality in office buildings, factoring in things such as indoor air quality, temperature, lighting, noise, privacy and the amount of space an individual perceives they have.

Researchers said that the data further validated earlier findings that uncontrollable noise and loss of privacy are the main sources of workplace dissatisfaction in open-plan offices.

Kim said open-plan offices dominate modern workplaces, yet there is little solid evidence they improve interaction between co-workers.

The study, co-authored by professor Richard de Dear, was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Source: BusinessNewsDaily 

Ways to improve the office atmosphere

Disgruntled workers don't have high productivity ratings, but there are many things employers can do to improve the situation -- short of remodeling the entire office.

• Enforce office rules to respect privacy and work hours. Make sure employees know that they should concentrate on their work during office hours instead of interacting with each other unnecessarily.

  

  Electrocorp air cleaners feature
  carbon, HEPA and optional UV.

• Tell facilities management to monitor the indoor environment closely. Conditions such as temperatures that are too high or too low, humidity that is too high or too low and poor indoor air quality can affect employees' health, well-being and productivity. Listen to their concerns and make the necessary changes.
• Use portable dehumidifiers, heaters and air cleaners where needed. Some offices require extra help, especially when the existing HVAC system is unable to do the job. The air cleaners should have activated carbon, HEPA and possibly UV germicidal filtration for best results. These filters can remove airborne chemicals, particles, odors, fumes, mold, bacteria and viruses.
• Make sure the office is well lit and ventilated.
• Make some private offices or meeting rooms available to workers. 

Want to know more about indoor air quality in offices and how it affects worker productivity and attendance records? Have a look at some previous posts or contact an Electrocorp IAQ specialist for more information. Electrocorp has designed a wide range of indoor air cleaners with carbon, HEPA and UV for offices
and printers.

VIDEO: Office air quality and possible health effects

Hundreds of thousands of people spend the majority of their days in an office environment.

Not everyone is lucky enough to work in a green, bright, healthy building - most offices are situated in older, less environmentally friendly structures.

Working in an office with poor indoor air quality can have an impact on the health, well-being and productivity of workers.

The IAQ Video Network and Cochrane and Associates have produced a new video about the dangers of indoor air pollution at the office to raise awareness:


The 3-minute video talks about common indoor air pollution sources as well as health effects.

Air cleaners for offices

Since it is often impossible for office workers to change an entire building's air quality, a room air purifier with the right filters can help provide cleaner and healthier air in their immediate surroundings.

Electrocorp has developed powerful air cleaners for the office that can tackle indoor air pollutants such as chemicals, volatile organic compounds, mold, bacteria, viruses, fine particles and allergens.

The air cleaners feature a complete multistage filtration system with a deep-bed activated carbon filter, a HEPA filter and optional UV germicidal filtration.

For large office printers and equipment, Electrocorp also offers air cleaners for office printers, which will capture irritating chemicals and particles at the exhaust with a custom-made intake hood to protect nearby workers from exposure.

For more information and a personalized consultation, please contact Electrocorp today.

Show your support for greener and healthier working environments by following this blog.

Workplace IAQ: How important is air duct cleaning in offices?

Offices can expose workers to dust, mold and chemicals.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many people don’t mind being indoors in their air conditioned offices during the hot summer months, but office buildings have to be well maintained in order to avoid indoor air quality problems.

Spending day after day in offices with poor indoor air quality can lead to reduced productivity and health effects such as chronic coughs and sneezing, scratchy throats, itchy eyes, headaches and aggravated respiratory conditions like asthma.

When it comes to indoor air pollution, a lot of people tend to blame mold for health issues, occupational hygienists say.

However, mold may not be the cause of the IAQ concerns – in many cases the culprits are airborne chemicals and dust.

Health effects of dust exposure

Dust, which contains fine particles of fibers, skin scales, insect parts, pollen, cobwebs, dirt, dander and more, settles on surfaces everywhere in the office.

Regular cleaning can help control this aspect of indoor air quality, although companies should insist on non-toxic cleaning agents to avoid the spread of irritating chemicals throughout the office.

Unfortunately, experts note that even with regular cleaning, dust may settle in areas that are inaccessible, including the building’s air ducts.

Once dust gets in the air ducts, it can stay there for years, or it might be circulated throughout the office where it can affect employees’ health and well-being.

Since people spend so much time in offices and there could be a lot of dust, yearly air duct cleanings are recommended, as long as they are done by professionals with the right equipment.

Source: Digital Journal press release

Removing pollutants from the office air

The PrintSafe features a custom
source capture hood that removes
pollutants from the printer exhaust.

Dust, allergens, fine particles, chemicals, VOCs, odors, gases and biological contaminants can be removed easily and efficiently with Electrocorp’s air cleaners for offices and air cleaners for office printers.

As an industry leader in air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications, Electrocorp offers some of the largest adsorbent surface areas, the most customizable options and features and the most relevant filtration media at the best price. The air cleaners contain a multistage filtration system with activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV germicidal filtration.

The company’s portable and HVAC-compatible air cleaners can help keep the office air clean and healthy.

Contact Electrocorp to talk to an IAQ expert about your concerns and space.

Is the air in your office making you sick? We’d like to hear from you.

Show your support for green and healthy working environments by becoming a follower of this blog.

Workplace issues: Dust can become a health risk

Ventilation and air cleaning are important for better
indoor air quality and higher productivity.

Indoor air pollution can affect anyone working indoors for the majority of the day, including office workers, police officers, social workers and court employees.

Common symptoms are

• Chronic coughs and sneezing
• Scratchy throats
• Itchy eyes
• Headaches
• Recurrent bouts of sinus infections, bronchitis, allergies and asthma

The symptoms may only be apparent in some workers, while other remain unaffected, making it difficult for sufferers to be taken seriously.

The health effects can be caused by indoor air pollutants such as mold, chemicals and dust.

In fact, dust is often overlooked as a main irritant in indoor environments, according to an occupational hygienist working at Connecticut’s OSHA division.

Every indoor environment will be polluted by dust, which is generally comprised of fine particles, skin dander, insect parts, pollen, cobwebs, dirt and other contaminants. Dust can also be a source of exposure for chemicals and bacteria that have attached themselves to the particles.

Indoor air pollution - a hidden danger at the workplace

With less money available for cleaning services and similar tasks, indoor air quality has become a growing problem in most buildings.

Workers may be too busy or unwilling to clean their own work spaces, and the rising occurrence of extreme weather events leads to increased leaks and flooding and possible mold infestations.

According to the EPA, poor indoor air quality costs tens of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and health care.

Source: The Day Connecticut

Tips for a healthier and cleaner office

1. Keep offices free of clutter and obstructions. Airflow is essential to good air quality, so an overcrowded and cluttered office will be a challenge
2. Maintain heating and air conditioning equipment. This includes regular cleanings or at least spot checks to ensure that there is no mold or other biological growth. Air vents and intakes should not be obstructed.
3. Regular dusting and cleaning of the office space should include the walls and floors behind desks and all surfaces, regardless of whether people like to have their things moved or not.
4. Keep it healthy. Do not use scented air fresheners or harsh cleaning products
5. Use an air cleaner with activated carbon and HEPA. This combination of air filters can remove airborne pollutants such as dust, particles, mold, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, odors and fumes.

Want to know more about air cleaners for offices and large buildings? Electrocorp offers a wide range of air cleaners for commercial and industrial applications that feature an activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV filter combination. Contact an IAQ specialist from Electrocorp for more information and recommendations.
  

How to create a healthy indoor environment at the workplace

Poor indoor air quality can affect workers' health
and productivity, studies show.

The indoor air in offices and other types of workplaces has long become a major concern to health officials – it exposes employees to many different pollutants and toxins that can affect health and well-being as well as working performance.

Indoor air pollution can come from

• Office equipment (e.g. printers)
• Building materials (paint, finishes, stain repellents)
• Personal care products and air fresheners
• Cleaning products
• Poor ventilation
• Poor air exchange
• Water damage (mold) or other indoor air quality problems

When a workplace exposes employees to poor indoor air quality, common complaints include headaches, sneezing, discomfort, lower productivity, respiratory conditions and other ailments.

Studies have confirmed that a healthier indoor environment can increase productivity and benefit a company’s bottom line.

There are certain things every workplace can do to provide a cleaner and healthier indoor environment:

1. Ban smoking indoors and close to the building
2. Make sure garbage is regularly and properly disposed of
3. Act quickly to fix water leaks and spills to avoid active mold growth
4. Use an air purifier – the best air purifiers contain activated carbon, HEPA and UV filtration technologies to remove the widest range of contaminants
5. Avoid clutter in the workplace for best circulation of air
6. Make sure fresh air can get inside the building
7. Get professional help if there is a serious indoor air quality problem

Source: Wamda

Air cleaners with carbon and HEPA filters

Air cleaners and air purifiers are invaluable tools when it comes to improving the air quality at the workplace.

Electrocorp specializes in air filtration systems for industrial and commercial applications and has developed portable as well as HVAC-compatible or wall-mountable air cleaners for the office, office printers, and air purifiers for facility management.

The air cleaners feature a large activated carbon filter for gaseous pollutants and odors, a HEPA filter for particles and optional UV germicidal filtration for pathogens.

Electrocorp also works with environmental consultants and other experts to solve indoor air quality concerns in all types of environments.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.
  

Attention, building managers: Clean has no scent

Synthetic chemicals in cleaning products can affect
building occupants' health and well-being.

Many people and workers identify a clean room or building with a “fresh” scent, especially when it comes to washrooms, lobbies, cafeterias and general office and classroom areas.

But the fragrances used in many scented products contain a wide range of potentially harmful chemicals.

In addition, a growing number of people suffer from allergic-type reactions when exposed to these fragrances. Those with sensitivities have reported respiratory problems, nausea and other health effects.

A clean building is a must – but overpowering scents such as floral, lemon or pine are not, no matter what advertising spots and the media will have us believe.

Products that clean without leaving a fake scent are also often better for the environment and just as effective for cleaning purposes.

No scent cleaning products are now much more common, meaning they won’t be too costly to use (plus, buying in bulk helps to offset costs, too).

Facility management experts have compiled a list of steps to go from chemical hazards to a scent-free policy:

1. Draft a No Scent Policy: The policy should involve a number of key managers, human resource staff and health and safety employees. For a sample policy, go to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
     
2. Open communication channels with building occupants: Everyone should be aware of the policy and the reasons behind it. This can be done with brochures, flyers, newsletters, presentations or other processes.
     
3. Set a realistic deadline: Building managers will need time to remove fragrance dispensers in rooms, research no scent cleaning products and train the cleaning staff in how to use the new products.
     
4. Make a list of approved unscented cleaning products available. This will avoid confusion as to what is and isn’t allowed in the building.
    
5. Put up signs that alert building occupants and visitors that the building is now scent-free.
     
6. Anticipate complains and concerns. Make a plan on how to deal with non compliant building occupants.

Source: Wood Wyant Sanitation Solutions

Control odors and indoor air pollutants with portable air cleaners

Cleaning chemicals are a major culprit for indoor air pollution, so switching over to scent-free, greener alternatives will go a long way in reducing exposure for workers.

The air in office buildings and other workplaces often still contains airborne chemicals and contaminants from building materials, electronic equipment, printer ink, paint fumes, dust, mold, bacteria and viruses.

That is why Electrocorp has developed powerful portable air cleaners for facility management, office buildings, office printers and other industrial and commercial applications.

The air cleaners feature a highly effective activated carbon + HEPA filtration system that can remove irritating chemicals, gases, odors, fumes, bacteria, viruses, mold, particles, allergens and more.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and available options.

Men’s offices worse than women’s for workplace bacteria

Men's phones and chairs feature the
highest levels of bacteria: researchers.

All things are not equal when it comes to the bacteria in the office – men’s office spaces (especially their chair and phone) have a much higher bacteria count than women’s, a new study shows.

Researchers couldn’t find a significant difference in the office bacterial communities of New York and San Francisco, but in both cases, men’s offices had higher bacteria counts.

There are a lot of different bacteria present in our indoor environments, the researchers say. They identified more than 500 bacterial genera in offices in three cities.

They say most bacteria come from human skin or the nasal, oral or intestinal cavities.

Other bacteria may be brought in from soils and other sources.

While most workers may instinctively name their desktop, keyboard and mouse as bacteria-harboring devices, the researchers found the highest abundance of bacteria on chairs and phones.

The study appears in the open access journal PLoS ONE. It was funded by university grants as well as commercial sources (Clorox Corporation).

Source: Public Library of Science

Air cleaners for bacteria, viruses, mold and other pollutants

Workers are spending so much time indoors that poor indoor air quality has become a serious concern for companies and healthcare professionals.

The air in offices and other commercial and industrial workplaces can be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, molds, particles, dust, chemicals, gases, odors and fumes.

Existing ventilation systems may not be enough to provide adequate fresh air exchanges.

Electrocorp has developed portable yet extremely powerful air cleaners for industrial and commercial applications that can tackle the indoor air concerns mentioned above.

The air cleaners feature an efficient activated carbon + HEPA filter combination as well as optional UV germicidal filtration, which helps neutralize biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and mold.

Browse Electrocorp’s air cleaners for offices, office printers, facility management and more, or contact an IAQ specialist from Electrocorp for more information and suggestions.

Healthier workplaces becoming the norm

Healthier workplaces are better for worker
comfort, well-being and productivity.

Watch out, Sick Building Syndrome – you may be on your way out if this trend of healthier offices continues.

The term Sick Building Syndrome was coined in the 1970s, when increasingly airtight construction and potentially harmful indoor air pollution caused many employees to experience fatigue, headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation, sensitivity to odors and more.

The indoor air pollution often came from contaminants emitted by carpeting, furniture, printers, building materials and other products, personal care products, cleaning agents, and outdoor sources such as allergens, vehicle or industrial exhaust, bacteria, viruses and molds.

The problems were made worse by a lack of ventilation or malfunctioning heating systems, over-staffing and little control over the physical environment (locked windows etc.).

Widespread air quality problems in buildings

At some point in the time World Health Organization reported that up to 30 percent of new or remodeled buildings around the world had sick-building complaints.

Now a growing public awareness, initiatives like the EPA’s “Healthy Buildings Healthy People” and the green movement including LEED buildings certification, buildings are finally becoming healthier again.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification incorporates standards for energy and water conservation, indoor environmental quality and more.

Building ventilation standards are being revised and facility managers and administrators are looking for ways to improve the indoor air quality - but of course, there is still a long way to go for many buildings.

Source: Mercury Daily News

Remove indoor air pollutants with air cleaners

Whether office buildings are healthy or not, indoor air quality can become a problem in any environment that accommodates a lot of people over an extended amount of time.

That’s why Electrocorp has designed portable air cleaners for offices that feature the most effective air filters and help provide cleaner and healthier air.

The air cleaners’ activated carbon filters remove irritating odors, chemicals, VOCs, gases and fumes, the HEPA filter takes care of particles and dust and the optional UV germicidal lamp neutralizes biological contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for office printers are made specifically for larger photocopy machines and printers that are common in offices. They feature the same types of air filters and a custom intake hood, intercepting harmful chemicals and particles at the printer exhaust before they can spread and affect workers.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and recommendations.
  

Office air quality affecting employees and profits

AQA's free webinars offer information on
air quality indoors and ways to improve it.

We recently attended a free webinar offered by Air Quality Academy about the indoor air quality issues faced in offices.

Not only can there be VOCs, chemicals, mold, particles (and dust), bacteria and viruses, but the long-term or even short-term effects of this type of exposure were something of an eye opener.

Many people spend 40 hours or more in the office each week, often close to electronic equipment, big photocopiers and printers and no say in how the air quality is handled.

They can experience eye nose and throat irritation, respiratory problems and many more health effects that not only affect them personally but also have an impact on the company’s bottom line.

The pollutants can also come from building materials, furnishings, paint, personal care products and perfume, air fresheners, harsh cleaning products and other sources.

How to improve air quality in offices

When offices are well ventilated practicing source control, exposure may not be so bad, but most ventilation systems don’t provide enough fresh air for the number of people on the floor.

That’s when air filtration becomes an invaluable tool.

The webinar delved into the most commonly used air filters and gave a brief description of how they worked.

Turns out the off-the-shelves air purifiers you can buy in the big department stores only offer half the protection because they usually feature only a HEPA filter (the best for particle filtration, but no effect on VOCs, chemicals and odors).

A good office air purifier does need a lot of activated carbon as well, a message we have been spreading, too.

Office air cleaners need activated carbon and HEPA filters

In fact, Electrocorp’s air cleaners for offices feature some of the largest adsorbent surface areas in the industry, the longest-lasting activated carbon filters and best overall protection from indoor air contaminants.

Electrocorp has even designed special air cleaners for office printers that feature a custom-built source capture attachment covering the exhaust of big photocopiers and printing machines, drawing the air through activated carbon + HEPA filters and removing the chemicals and particles before they can spread.

For more information on office air cleaners, contact Electrocorp. For more information on IAQ webinars, contact Air Quality Academy.
  

Top 5 tips to green up your office

A green office environment can save money and resources.

A leaner, cleaner and greener office can help the environment and a company’s bottom line.

Especially small businesses can make certain choices to “reduce, reuse and recycle” and thereby save money and resources.

Here are the top 5 easy-to-implement tips for a greener office:

1. Make recycling easy and effective
   Separate bins or containers for paper, waste and cans/bottles will make it easy for everyone at the office to recycle.
   Ink and toner cartridges should be recycled and some companies offer a pickup program,
    
2. Use less virgin paper and reuse old paper
   Most people realize that printing every e-mail or document they get is a waste of paper – with backup systems, e-mails are bound to remain in your inbox unless you delete them intentionally.
   Using recycled paper is much more environmentally friendly, and finding other uses for misprints and old papers can go a long way to green up your office. For example, some people staple old misprints and use them for notes. Others turn old papers into small stacks of papers for notes, telephone messages and other quick messages.
    
3. Use refillable, recycled or biodegradable pens
   A refillable pen means less plastic and metal waste. Buying in bulk can also make buying recycled pens possible – some companies offer pens made from 89% post-consumer waste like beverage bottles. Some companies offer pens that can land on the compost after a simple disassemble (since not all parts may be biodegradable).
    
4. Avoid paper handouts
   In meetings and for presentations, a lot more people are relying on electronic methods like a projector and PowerPoint, rather than bulky handouts. Company memos and other information can be sent out by e-mail as well.
    
5. Use less toxic cleaners in the office
   Conventional cleaning products often contain harmful chemicals and fumes that can add to poor indoor air quality and lead to headaches and other possible health effects. Eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning supplies are available that are not as strongly scented and won’t add more indoor air pollutants.

Source: The Toronto Star

A greener office can be a healthier office

Using less toxic products and materials can help improve the overall air quality in an office, which is often the reason for poor productivity, absenteeism and other problems like Sick Building Syndrome, for example.

Electrocorp also offers portable and very effective air cleaners for the office environment, which help keep the air clean and free of irritating pollutants.

Electrocorp's air cleaner for office printers.

The air cleaners feature a deep-bed activated carbon filter for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs, for example from printing and toner cartridges, electronic equipment, treated textiles on office furniture, carpets, cleaning products), chemicals and odors, a HEPA filter to control dust, particles and pollen and optional UV germicidal filtration for the neutralization of bacteria, viruses and molds.

For offices with large printers and copying machines, Electrocorp has also designed air cleaners for office printers that feature customized intake hood for the removal of chemicals and particles right at the machine’s exhaust.

For more information, contact Electrocorp today!
 

Allergies at work – how to control symptoms

Allergies can lead to poor productivity
and missed work days, experts say.

Allergies are on the rise, and economists are warning about the impact they have on a company’s bottom line.

A study published in Current Research and Opinion reported that about 55 percent of employees experienced hay fever symptoms for an average of 52.5 days and they missed an average of 3.6 days per year because of their allergies.

During the allergy seasons, they could be unproductive for about 2.3 hours per workday because of their symptoms.

A different study, published in the American Journal of Managed Care, estimated that allergies cost companies more than $601 million in total lost productivity each year.

Lost productivity and missed work days were common when it came to allergies because the symptoms could be pretty rough on workers.

Beside sniffling and sneezing (which workers might have been able to ignore), many employees suffer from sore throats, headaches, sinus infections, itchy eyes, fatigue and general malaise.

According to allergists, many workers could treat their allergies more aggressively to prevent these symptoms from interfering with their work.

Treatment possibilities include

• Begin taking medications earlier: Instead of waiting for allergy symptoms to become almost unbearable, taking allergy medications earlier can help prevent complications. Earlier means a few weeks before allergy season starts.
    
• Stick with your meds: Some medications (like nasal sprays) take up to five days to be effective, so stopping after a few days won’t do. Ask your health care provider if nothing seems to be working.
    
• Don’t forget nights: A good night’s sleep is important for productivity and well-being. Experts suggest taking an antihistamine at night. Opt for one that can make you drowsy.
    
• Keep eye drops handy: Prescription antihistamine eye drops can help control symptoms when you first feel an itch coming on.
    
• Use an air purifier to control airborne allergens and pollen: Keeping an air purifier with a HEPA filter in the bedroom and at work can help control exposure to allergens and other pollutants.

Source: Fox News

Air cleaners for the office and home

Electrocorp offers highly efficient and portable air purifiers for those suffering from allergies and asthma.

They can be used in the office or at home and they provide maximum particle and allergen control with the best HEPA filters as well as deep-bed activated carbon filters and other filters to remove pollutants that might cause or aggravate allergic symptoms.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.

How sick building syndrome can affect workers (Video)

Sick building syndrome is a contemporary ailment related to the demand of energy-efficient buildings and unregulated ventilation standards.

Many office buildings, hospitals, schools, and other buildings can suffer from sick building syndrome - meaning the air inside is a toxic soup of chemicals, particles and possibly other contaminants such as mold, bacteria and viruses.



Want to know more about indoor air quality issues at the workplace and cost-effective solutions? Electrocorp offers complete air purification solutions with activated carbon, HEPA and optional UV germicidal air filters.  
Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
   

Offices can be healthy and provide great indoor air quality

Natural light and good indoor air quality help
make a workplace healthier and more productive.

We often write blog posts to warn readers about the dangers of poor indoor air quality, which can be a problem in many office buildings.

But there are also a number of exemplary offices with outstanding indoor air quality, so we decided to focus on the things many companies and organizations do right when it comes to their offices.

One such example is the Earth Rangers Centre for Sustainable Technology, which houses a non-profit group that helps children become environmental stewards.

The building received a LEED Gold certification and was recently featured in a Globe and Mail article.

Here are some of the features that make this building a healthy and safe place to work:

• Open-concept workspace: It helps work flow and collaboration and also helps with the heating and cooling from the exposed concrete ceilings.
  
• Natural light and green views: Most of the workers don’t need to use electrical lamps, since there is a lot of natural light flooding into the building. About 90 percent of the floor space offers a view of the conservation area surrounding the building.
  
• Low-VOC products: The interior walls were painted with low-VOC or no-VOC paints, so they won’t off-gas harmful volatile organic compounds.
  
• Healthy furniture: The office furniture has been certified by Greenguard to contain no toxic materials that emit harmful gases.
  
• Ventilation: The building gets a constant supply of fresh outdoor air, which is either warmed or cooled in underground earth tubes.
  
• Filtration: The air also passes through UV filtration to neutralize airborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms).
  
• Building automation: The centre is working on another innovation that keeps track of how many employees are inside the building to adjust the air-handling unit and lights in certain areas.

These types of systems and innovations help keep energy bills low and turn the office space into a much healthier environment, which can help with absenteeism figures and productivity, experts say.

It’s good to know that office planners, employers, workers and others are getting savvier and more interested in advanced workplace technologies and design.

Source: Globe and Mail

Not working in a LEED certified building yet? Most office buildings have a long way to go to provide the best possible working environment when it comes to indoor air quality and other factors. Electrocorp’s air cleaners for offices and for office printers provide the right air filters and technologies to indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and other chemicals, particles, dust, allergens, bacteria, viruses and mold. Contact Electrocorp for more information.
  

When going to work can make you sick

Labor Department workers blame poor indoor air quality and black mold for health issues

Indoor air pollution can lead to a range of health effects.

Sometimes, the realization of how important indoor air quality is only dawns when people start feeling sick.

Over the last five years, workers at the Department of Labor and Workforce Development building have submitted multiple health complaints and brought indoor air quality to the forefront of priorities.

The building, which was nicknamed Plywood Palace (plywood emits VOCs such as formaldehyde and other chemicals), has been subject of mold mitigation efforts, renovations to fix leaks and re-wrapping with an aluminum façade, but many employees are still reeling from the health effects.

Some employees have developed allergies or experienced severe allergic reactions to pollutants in the building. Others have reported irritated eyes and throats, difficulty breathing, headaches, confusion, memory loss, swollen glands, sinus infection, chest pressure and other symptoms.

Not only are these symptoms distracting and affecting morale, they have also led to an increase to the absenteeism rate due to sick leaves, for example. Employees are moved around in the building as mold is found and covered up with plastic to prevent the release of spores.

The building was constructed in the 1980s and is suffering from major construction problems, including leaks, breached vapor barriers and more.

The employees say their symptoms subside when they leave the building, which is a major sign for poor indoor air quality issues and sick building syndrome.

Source: Juneau Empire

Improve indoor air with quality air filters

The right air filters can help remove irritating and potentially harmful indoor air contaminants.

Electrocorp offers industrial-strength air cleaners for offices, mold & asbestos remediation and facility management.

The air cleaners contain a large activated carbon filter for the removal of chemicals, gases, odors and fumes, HEPA filters to trap particles and dust as well as optional UV germicidal filtration to neutralize mold, bacteria and viruses.

For more information and options, contact Electrocorp.
  
Related posts:

• Will new building codes lead to sick buildings?
• Allergic reactions at work
• Facility management and chemical toxins
• Health and safety issues: Mold in the workplace

Polluted office air affects workers’ health and productivity

Newly renovated offices can expose workers to high levels
of toxic chemicals.

The indoor air quality in offices can have a profound effect on the well-being, morale and output of office workers.

In fact, a recent study involving office workers in Boston, researchers found that the indoor air in offices exposes workers to potentially dangerous substances emitted by carpets, furniture, paint and other items.

The toxins studied were polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and researchers showed that a high level of PFCs in the office air was reflected in the blood of the people working there.

PFCs are chemicals used in water-repellent coatings on carpet and furniture. They are widespread in the environment and in human beings and scientists are concerned about potential adverse health effects.

Exposure may occur through food, water, indoor air, indoor dust and direct contact with PFC-containing objects.

In the study, the researchers found that concentrations of one PFC called fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH) were 3-5 times higher in the office air than what was previously measured in household air, meaning that office could constitute an important exposure environment.

The higher levels were reflected in the blood of the office workers.

The study also found that workers in newly renovated office buildings are exposed to higher levels of PFCs than workers in older buildings.

The study was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The results appeared in the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology.

Source: American Chemical Society

Take a breath of fresh air at the office

Maintaining good indoor air quality at the office can be challenging – especially if the existing ventilation system is unable to provide enough fresh air exchanges for a crowded space or if the building has some other IAQ issue.

Apart from regular building maintenance, restricted use of harsh chemicals and ventilation, office and facility managers can help improve the indoor air quality in offices by using simple yet highly effective air cleaners.

Electrocorp’s air cleaners for offices feature a large activated carbon filter, which is the most important filter media for the removal of airborne chemicals, gases, fumes and odors, and they also trap 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns with their HEPA and pre-filters.

Air cleaners for office printers grab
toxic chemicals and particles at the source.

Optional UV germicidal filtration can help neutralize bacteria, viruses and molds, which may otherwise make the rounds in the office environment.

One of the worst offenders of office IAQ is the technical equipment – the big printers, copiers and other machines. They can emit harmful toxins and ozone, and it is not recommended to sit too close to one.

In fact, these machines should operate in an area that is well ventilated, or they can be outfitted with an air cleaner for office printers that features a customized hood intake. The air cleaner called PrintSafe grabs toxins at the exhaust and draws them through a multistage filtration system containing activated carbon and HEPA.

These air cleaners are built for 24/7 operation, they are energy efficient and they last for a long time, depending on the indoor air quality in the office.

For more information, contact Electrocorp today.
  

Laser printers as bad for the lungs as cigarettes, studies show

Printers and copiers may emit VOCs.

Large-scale laser printers are a common sight in office buildings across North America - but their emissions may be putting employees at risk.

A 2008 study on laser printer emissions by the German research company Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft measured numerous pollutants that were emitted during laser printing, including

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as ozone
• Silicon oil
• Paraffin
• Tiny particles

In an Australian 2007 study, 17 out of 62 laser printers were "high particle emitters" because they released such elevated quantities of particles, which the researchers believe to be toner, the ultra fine powder used in laser printers instead of ink to form text and images. One of the printers released particles into an experimental chamber at a rate comparable to the particle emissions from cigarette smoking, the report stated.

The ozone emitted by laser printers is a concern because it can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

When toner cartridges are new, they are emitting more particles than when they are old.Tiny particles have been shown to penetrate deep into the lungs, where they can cause permanent damage.

Other printers that do not use toner but some other form of high heat printing mechanism were also found to emit certain types of chemicals.

The researchers concluded that office laser printers contributed to high levels of indoor air pollution in certain office buildings, especially when they were used in unventilated spaces.

Electrocorp's PrintSafe air cleaner

PrintSafe for a cleaner office environment

Electrocorp realizes large office printers can lead to poor indoor air quality and has designed a number of industrial-strength air cleaners for the office.

One of the specialized air cleaners for office printers is the PrintSafe, which features a custom-built intake hood that covers the exhaust outlet of the printer and draws the air through a deep-bed activated carbon filter as well as a HEPA filter to remove a wide range of VOCs, chemicals, particles and odors.

Contact Electrocorp for more information.