Air Quality Testing
Air quality testing is done for a variety of reasons, including to establish better quality indoor air in a particular location during demolition, during and after construction, or simply during normal building occupancy. JLC Environmental has completed thousands of projects involving a wide variety of air quality testing protocols for both interior and exterior environments.
According to the EPA, Americans spend on average about 90 percent of their time indoors where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Most pollutants affecting indoor air quality come from sources within a building (although some can originate outdoors). Typical pollutants include combustion products such as CO2, particulates, and environmental tobacco smoke. Buildings can also contain substances of natural origin such as radon; pesticides; ozone (from some air cleaners); and various volatile organic compounds from a variety of products and materials. JLC has conducted testing within hundreds of buildings to determine baseline air quality. If a problem exists, we assist building owners and managers in developing an indoor air quality (IAQ) management plan and help them implement it.
Indoor Air Quality Investigation (IAQ)
There are many sources of indoor air pollution in both offices and homes. Before beginning our indoor air quality investigation, JLC's staff of IAQ investigators ask questions to narrow down the list of possible causes of concern. Questions generally include what types of symptoms are being experienced by the occupants, if they are detecting any odors or smells that would indicate a problem, and if they have a particular concern about activities taking place in the surrounding area (e.g construction activity nearby space or recent water leakage or damage from fire or smoke).
LEED EQ Testing
LEED Environmental Quality (EQ) testing is one component of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. LEED EQ points can be achieved if the building is seeking US Green Buildings Council status by testing for certain parameters after construction ends and before occupancy begins. This testing requires that the owner and/or their representatives conduct baseline IAQ testing using LEED protocols for all occupied spaces. JLC has worked on a wide variety of buildings conducting LEED testing – from new commercial real estate construction (4 Times Square) to renovations at institutions of higher learning (State University of New York at Purchase).
Community Air Monitoring
JLC has a multitude of experiences monitoring the outdoor environment. One of our most memorable projects was the community air monitoring we conducted during the decommissioning of the Elmhurst Tanks in Queens. These 400-foot tall expandable gas storage tanks held up to 10 million cubic feet of natural gas and stood sentinel over the Long Island Expressway from 1910 until their removal in 1993. JLC tested in the air in the surrounding neighborhoods during the demolition of the enormous tanks to ensure levels of particulates in the air were within safety standards for ambient air quality. Another large project we worked on included particulate testing along a stretch of Park Avenue from 110th Street to 135th Street as part of the Metropolitan Transit Authority renovation of the Metro North commuter rail line.