IAQ Radio

Robert J. DeMalo, M. Sc. & Michael P. Menz, CIH, CHMM - Unique Perspectives; Asbestos, COVID, Lead, Mold, Soot, Silica and More

This week we welcome Rob DeMalo M. Sc. and Michael Menz, CIH, CHMM for a discussion about their unique perspective on industrial hygiene and IEQ. Having spent many years as executives at the largest lab in the country and being in the field now gives them a unique perspective into the big picture around IH and IEQ. In addition to getting their thoughts on the past, present and future of IH and IEQ, we will go into a few traditional IH topics that have not gotten a lot of attention recently including asbestos, lead, mercury and PCB’s. And of course we will talk about mold, COVID, and other current events in IH and IEQ. Join us for a great discussion and LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+.
 
Robert J. DeMalo, M.Sc
 
Robert J. DeMalo, M.Sc. joined Indoor Environmental Concepts (IEC) as Vice President and Partner in November 2020. In this role, he is responsible for business development and strategic company growth in keys areas, including staffing, breadth of services and territories served. Rob holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Hygiene and has over 30 years’ experience in the industrial hygiene and environmental health and safety industries. Prior to joining IEC, he was Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services and Business Development at EMSL Analytical, Inc. in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, where he spent 25 years coordinating and implementing expansion strategy, business development and overseeing the laboratory technical operations. He was instrumental in assisting the company grow from approximately 100 employees and 7 branch offices in 1995 to the present 1,000+ employees and 46 branch locations in North America while working side-by-side with EMSL founder and president/CEO in daily operations of the company in the U.S. and Canada. 
 
Over the past decade, Rob has become a well sought after writer and presenter on industry-related topics. He co-authored the peer-reviewed published paper “Internal Standard Addition Method for Identifying Asbestos Containing Materials In Bulk Samples Containing Low Levels of Asbestos” and has been published in various publications and government-issued standard operating procedures, including for the USEPA, Region 8. Rob has shared his knowledge and expertise at countless events and national conferences, most recently to include presentations on asbestos measurement methods at the 2019 American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) National Conference, PFAS in drinking water and asbestos inspection training at the 2020 Pillar to Post Brand Conference as well as the new OSHA silica rule at the 2019 Southern California Joint Technical Symposium Annual Conference, which had a shared audience of attendees from AIHA and the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).
 
Michael P. Menz, CIH, CHMM
 
Michael P. Menz, CIH, CHMM founded Indoor Environmental Concepts (IEC) in 2011, which for a time held his own name, Menz Industrial Hygiene Services. IEC provides industrial hygiene and IEQ services including asbestos investigations, silica exposure assessments, mercury in rubberized gymnasium flooring, mold and IEQ investigations and more. Mr. Menz is an American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) Certified Industrial Hygienist, a licensed EPA/Pennsylvania Asbestos Building Inspector and Pennsylvania Management Planner and an Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) Certified Hazardous Material Manager. He also has extensive experience teaching Asbestos, Lead, and Hazardous Waste Operations courses.
 
Prior to launching IEC, Mike was the Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager/Radiation Safety Officer at EMSL Analytical, Inc. in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. He spent seven years ensuring organizational safety to include being responsible for proactive safety practices, investigation of injuries, in-house new hire employee and annual safety refresher training. In his role, Mike also prepared and presented various environmental/industrial hygiene training classes, worked with facility manager and Vice President of Engineering on the design of new laboratory spaces and provided technical support for clients in various areas. Mike’s career also included two decades as General Manager with Synertech, Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was responsible for daily operations with seventeen (17) employees and approximately 2.75 million dollars in annual sales. 

Patricia L Harman - A Journalist’s Perspective on the Evolution of the Insurance Property Restoration Industry

This week we welcome Patti Harman, editor and chief of the PropertyCasualty360.com group for a discussion on the past, present and future of the insurance property restoration industry. There continues to be big changes in the property restoration insurance marketplace. We will look at how we got were we are today and what the future looks like with a long time industry journalist Patti Harman.
 
Patricia L. Harman is the editor-in-chief of the PropertyCasualty360.com group, which includes Claims Magazine, National Underwriter Property & Casualty Magazine and the PropertyCasualty360.com website, and chairs the annual America's Claims Executive Leadership Forum (ACE), which focuses on providing claims professionals with cutting-edge education and networking opportunities. She covers auto, property & casualty, workers' compensation, fraud, emerging risks and cybersecurity, hosts the Insurance Speak podcast, and is a frequent speaker at insurance industry events. She has 20+ years of experience covering the property restoration and insurance industries.
 
LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+.

Lisa M Brosseau, ScD, CIH - Masking and Respirators; Lessons from COVID-19

This week we welcome back Dr. Lisa Brosseau for a discussion on respirators and masking. After 2 years of COVID-19 research and real world experience what have we learned? Dr. Brosseau, now retired, was a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health from 2015 to 2018, where she was director of the Illinois Education and Research Center, which supported graduate and continuing education for occupational health and safety professionals and community outreach activities. She was also director of the UIC Center for Healthy Work.
 
Dr. Brosseau began her career as an academic researcher and educator at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, where she directed the Industrial Hygiene Program. Her early research focused on the performance of respirator filters when exposed to hazardous aerosols such as silica and asbestos, and later expanded to include biological and infectious organisms. Her more recent research focused on respirator fit, using real-time methods and simulated workplace tasks to better understand how fit is influenced by realistic head and body motions. She continues to serve as a mentor and technical advisor on research projects and for businesses and organizations, including The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). CIDRAP is a center within the University of Minnesota that focuses on addressing public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response.
 
Dr. Brosseau has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, delivered numerous platform research presentations, and has been an invited speaker at numerous local, national and international conferences and workshops. She has written several articles for CIDRAP focused on respiratory protection for healthcare and other workers during outbreaks and pandemics.

J David Miller PhD - The Life and Times of an IEQ Founding Father - It’s Hard to Run Away from Evidence

This week we welcome Dr. David Miller for our first "Founding Fathers of IEQ" shows. Dr. Miller is a Distinguished Research Professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. He and some others we will talk about have been instrumental in getting Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) recognized as a public health issue. We will learn about his career and how he and others were able to help ensure that IEQ is recognized as a public health issue that has science based guidance from cognizant authorities. When it comes to affecting change Dr. Miller says: “It’s hard to run away from evidence”. 
 
Prof. J. David Miller Dr. Miller received his secondary education at the University of New Brunswick, before studying at the University of Portsmouth in England, where he was also a NATO Science Postdoctoral Fellow. His post-university career at Agriculture Canada, and became head of the Fusarium mycotoxin program. He became a Professor & NSERC Research Chair in fungal toxins and allergens at Carleton University in 2000. In 2020, he was appointed as a Distinguished Research Professor. From 1999-2008, he was a visiting scientist and science advisor at Health Canada in the air health effects division. Among other tasks, Dr. Miller helped to draft the guidelines for mold and dampness published by Health Canada. Over the past several decades, he has co-managed many large studies of housing and health including in First Nations Communities.
 
Dr. Miller has published >350 papers on fungi and fungal toxins and has co-written 10 books on the public health aspects of exposures to fungi, and has several patents. Miller has served on many national and international committees on mold and dampness in the built environment including on the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology committee that produced practice parameters for environmental allergens. He was chief editor of the American Industrial Hygiene Association “Green Book” (2008, 2020) and “Field Guide” (1996, 2005) that lay out guidelines for addressing mold and dampness in public buildings.
 
Miller is an elected member of the International Academy of Indoor Air Sciences. Among other awards, he received the AgExcellence Award from Agriculture Canada, the Toxicology Forum Scott Award for contributions to toxicology, the Applied Research Award from the Ottawa Life Sciences Council, an AIHA award for contributions to the field of industrial hygiene and the 2017 Award of Merit from the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association. In 2013, Miller was elected as a Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association. In 2016, he received the prestigious NSERC Synergy Award for his research partnership with JD Irving, Limited. In 2021, he received the inaugural Philip R. Morey award from the ACGIH for contributions to bioaerosol guidance.
 
LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+.

John Lapotaire, John Downey, Jon Isaacson, Ken Larsen - Highlights from “THE Florida Mold Conference!” Moisture, Materials, Mold and Methodologies

This week we look forward to hearing highlights from THE Florida Mold Conference aka AEML Winter Break. The event was a big success with full house attendance and excellent feedback. We will hear the highlights from each module's moderator about each of the domains the event focused on. We will look at current thoughts on Moisture with John Lapotraire, Materials with John Downey, Mold with Jon Isaacson and Methodologies with Ken Larsen. We will also hear from Pete Consigli and of course the Z-man Cliff Zlotnik who attended the event for IAQ Radio+. For the roundup we have invited a few other attendees for their unique perspective on what was learned at THE Florida Mold Conference. This show is designed to focus on key highlights and information for those that could not attend. LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio+.
 
John P. Lapotaire, CIEC is a Building Envelope & Indoor Environment Consultant providing IAQ consultation for commercial and residential properties. He is a Florida Licensed Mold Assessor, a Council-certified Environmental Thermography Consultant, CETC. Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant CIEC. John’s professional experience has led to appointments and elected positions to several international industry association committees and boards.
 
John Downey is a fourth-generation carpet cleaner and veteran of more than 45 years in the cleaning industry. He is currently the executive director of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI), a nonprofit cleaning science research organization. In addition, Downey is president of Downey’s Carpet Care of Granville in Granville, Ohio. Downey first gained notoriety as the founder, editor, and publisher of CleanFax magazine from 1989 until he sold CleanFax in 1997.
 
Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer, is a contractor, author, and host of The DYOJO Podcast. Jon speaks, writes, and coaches through his organization The DYOJO. He helps start-up phase owners and growth-minded restoration professionals to shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development. Jon recently released, “So, You Want To Be A Project Manager?” written to help restorers develop the mindset and habits for success with project management.
 
Ken Larsen, CR , WLS , FLS , CLS , CMP , CSDS has been in the restoration industry since 1978. He holds RIA, ACAC and IICRC advanced designations. Recipient of the 32nd RIA Martin L. King Award for his many contributions and sincere dedication to the Restoration Industry, his career includes 18 years as an independent property restoration contractor, consultant to restorative drying during catastrophes and large loss drying coordination, expert witness, Director of Education for North America’s largest disaster restoration contracting organization, and now the author of one of the industry’s leading technical resource book on the subject of structural restorative drying – Leadership in Restorative Drying. 

The Z-man Live from The Florida Mold Conference - “Odor Hunters”

This week the Z-man is in Florida at the AEML Winter Break aka The Florida Mold Conference. We look forward to talking to him and going through his “Odor Hunters" presentation. The Z-man has been hunting odors for going on five decades. He is a pioneer in developing processes for finding the source of odors and for correcting the issue once it’s discovered. This presentation will go over what odors are, how they are perceived, how material porosity affects odor, fire related odors, odor events, microbial odors, the odor patch test and odor hunter devices

Ed Light, CSP, CIH - Practice to Research: IEQ Lessons from the Real World

This week we're going to explore some Practice to Research with real world examples from Mr. Ed Light. Ed has been doing research on his own projects and has some interesting results to pass along to our audience. We'll be discussing mold growth and climate change, MERV 8 vs. MERV 13 for particulate control and a critique of research support for COVID response measures in buildings.
 
Ed Light holds degrees in Environmental Science from the University of Massachusetts (B.S.) and Marshall University (M.S.), is a Senior Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, has authored over 40 scientific publications on assessment and control of the indoor environment and has chaired several national scientific committees. In the 1980’s, Ed established the West Virginia Department of Health IAQ Program, pioneering efforts to resolve exposure issues related to formaldehyde, asbestos, and termiticides. In the 1990’s, he developed widely used protocols for addressing IEQ complaints (published by EPA, NIOSH and ISIAQ) and managing air quality in occupied buildings under construction (for SMACNA, promulgated by ANSI). As a consultant, Ed has directed more than 1000 multi-disciplinary IEQ investigations, ranging from the White House to the South Pole Station. He has been admitted as an expert witness in numerous litigations.

Kishor Khankari, Ph.D. FASHRAE - Computational Fluid Dynamics & Indoor Environmental Quality

This week we are going to explore how computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can help visualize indoor environmental quality (IEQ) with a widely respected proponent Dr. Kishor Kahnkari. How can we use this tool when designing, building and maintaining a buildings indoor environmental quality?
 
Dr. Kishor Khankari is the president and founder of AnSight LLC. He is a specialist in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Kishor has several years of experience in providing consulting services that have resulted in optimized solutions to a wide variety of engineering problems. A noted expert in his field, he has a Ph.D. in CFD from the University of Minnesota and has regularly published in several technical journals.
 
Dr. Khankari is an ASHRAE Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer. He has received the ASHRAE Distinguished and Exceptional Service Awards and is past President of ASHRAE Detroit Chapter. He is also currently serving on the ASHRAE Board of Directors. 

New Years Sponsor Show - Thoughts, Predictions and Plans 2022

This week on IAQ Radio+ we look at the Thoughts, Predictions and Plans for our sponsors in 2022. We have been pre-recording these and will play them back live today. I am always impressed with what I learn during these types of shows and this one is no exception. LEARN MORE about what the leading associations, suppliers, and other players in our industry are thinking about 2022 and beyond. This is always a good show with lots of interesting discussion about the past, present and future of IAQ, disaster restoration and building science.
Guest List:
ACGIH - Frank MortlAEML - Brittany GordonAIHA - Larry SloanAprilaire - Jens HousleyCIRI - John DowneyFIRST ONSITE - Adrian FulleHealth Indoors - Bob KrellIAQA - Jay StakeIICRC - Michael DakdukInstascope - John LovettParticles Plus - Jim AkeySunbelt - Kirk Steward

Terry Brennan - The Life and Times of an IAQ Legend

This week on IAQ Radio+ we welcome Terry Brennan for a look back and forward with a true legend in the building science and IAQ world. Terry Brennan is a building scientist and educator, who has studied buildings since the 1970’s. Because of his background in physics, biology and building construction, Mr. Brennan combines theory and practice in a unique and integrated way. He was president and senior building scientist at Camroden Associates, Inc in Westmoreland NY from its founding in 1984 until 2019.  
 
Terry began his career as a physics major at Northeastern University, but somehow, some way got diverted into building science, working on the earliest research into radon problems and radon behavior in buildings, and moved on to energy and moisture issues. For the last 40 years, he’s spent more time crawling around damp basements and hot attics than most normal people would find pleasant. But in return for those decades of investigation, Terry knows a LOT about what makes buildings tick… how they go wrong… and how to make sure they don’t.
 
Mr. Brennan has provided research, training, curriculum development, and program support for the USEPA, the National Center for Healthy Housing, building owners and managers, individual homeowners, and several state health departments. He is the primary author of the USEPA Moisture Control For Commercial Building Design, Construction, Operations And Maintenance Guidance; A contributing author to the ASHRAE Indoor Air Quality Guide, the ASHRAE Residential Indoor Air Quality Guide, and the USEPA Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Managers. He has also served as a member of several ASHRAE and ASTM committees in addition to being a consultant to the National Academies of Science Committee on Dampness and Health in Buildings.