IAQ Radio

EPISODE478 - Brandon Boor, PhD & Jelle Laverge, PhD

This week we welcome two up and coming researchers and academics to discuss a topic that has recently been getting some much deserved attention. Most people spend about 1/3 of their lives in bed and or sleeping. What are we breathing or absorbing and how does it affect our health and performance? Dr. Boor and Dr. Laverge will tell us what they have learned during their literature review on the topic. We also look forward to learning what these up and coming academics feel are other important IAQ questions and answers we will be discussing over the next decade. Dr. Boor joined us once before with Dr. Richard Corsi for one of our Research to Practice shows Episode 343
Dr. Brandon E. Boor is an Assistant Professor in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. His research group at Purdue is focused on understanding the dynamics of airborne particles (aerosols) in buildings and human exposure to indoor air pollution. He teaches courses on indoor air quality and architectural engineering and advises the Global Air Quality Trekkers undergraduate EPICS team. He has previously worked with indoor air quality and aerosol research groups at the University of Helsinki, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland, as well as the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin in 2015.
Dr. Jelle Laverge (1984) received his engineering masters from Ghent University in 2007. From 2005 to 2007 he was a part-time employee of Bureau Bouwtechniek in Antwerp. Since 2007 he is a fulltime researcher and PhD-candidate at the building physics, construction and building services research group of the department of architecture and urban planning at Ghent University. In 2011 he received a master's degree in Law from the same university. He was a part-time building physics lecturer at KaHo Sint-Lieven Gent for the 2011 spring semester. With the support of the FWO (grant V430911N), he was a visiting scholar at the University of Texas at Austin during the summer of 2011. With a dissertation entitled 'Design strategies for residential ventilation systems', he obtained a PhD in 2013. He is a member of ISIAQ, SRS and ASHRAE.

EPISODE477 - Hurricane Irma Special Report!

This week on IAQ Radio we continue with our coverage of the recent hurricanes and recovery. We will be talking to professionals on the ground in Florida and the US Virgin Islands for their perspective on the recovery from Hurricane Irma. Irma was massive and many IAQ and restoration professionals have been called in to help. Learn from the pros what mistakes and pitfalls to avoid. Also, get first hand eyewitness accounts from your colleagues on the ground.
Harvey and now Irma are the two most powerful storms to hit the mainland United States in over ten years. We all knew sooner or later this type of scenario was possible. Now that it's here how do we deal with it? What should IAQ and Restoration professionals watch for while responding to the needs of those devastated by these storms? How do you help out yet not lose your business by making judgments based on feelings vs. rational thoughts? Do you go to the hot spots or stay put and service your clients and of those of people that left for Texas or Florida? IAQ Radio has lined up some experts to help you make these important decisions.
John Lapotaire, together with his wife Lydia, has owned and operated Orlando Florida based Indoor Air Quality Solutions since 2001. John is a Building Envelope & Indoor Environment Consultant specializing in building product failure investigations, forensic water intrusion investigations, and building envelope failure investigations for commercial and residential structures. John is also the current President of the Indoor Air Quality Association. He is a Florida Licensed Mold Assessors and a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC).
Josh Winton is the owner of Discreet Restoration and Discreet Protect Systems of Pompano Beach, FL. He has over 12 years experience in water damage restoration and mold remediation is considered to be one of the young guns of restoration. His bachelor's degree in Technical Management and Associates in Computer Engineering makes him a rare restoration pro with expertise in Information Technology and over a decade of field experience in water damage restoration and mold remediation. He is becoming a leader of the next generation of restoration pros utilizing time tested field techniques and equipment supplemented with today's technologies.
Addison Christian is owner of ADCON Environmental Services located in Fredericksted, St. Croix US Virgin Islands. He has 20 years experience in the asbestos, IAQ, disaster restoration, HAZMAT, medical waste, waste oil recycling and HVAC cleaning professions. He has also has been a general contractor in the Caribbean for over 30 years. Mr. Christian holds numerous certifications, licenses and titles in the related areas. He also has a degree from American University in Business Administration. He frequently travels to the mainland for training and to expand his knowledge base and provide more services for the Caribbean Islands and S. Florida.

EPISODE476 - Hurricane Harvey Special Report! - Ed Ranieri & Sam Simon

This week on IAQ Radio we go into disaster mode and talk to professionals on the ground in Texas plus the JonDon Director of Marketing for their perspective on the recovery from the devastating hurricane that recently hit southeast Texas. Hurricane Harvey was massive and many IAQ and restoration professionals have been called in to help. The recovery will take years and many of our listeners will be involved. Learn from these pro's what mistakes and pitfalls to avoid. Also, get first hand eyewitness accounts from your colleagues on the ground and one of the major companies helping with supplies, materials and expertise in the recovery.
Harvey and now Irma are the two most powerful storms to hit the mainland United States in over ten years. We all knew sooner or later this type of scenario was possible. Now that it's here how do we deal with it? What should IAQ and Restoration professionals watch for while responding to the needs of those devastated by these storms? How do you help out yet not lose your business by making judgments based on feelings vs. rational thoughts? Do you go to the hot spots or stay put and service the clients of those that left for Texas or Florida? Radio Joe and the Z-man have lined up some experts to help you make these important decisions

EPISODE475 - FLASHBACK FRIDAY - Jeff May - IAQ, Mold and Sick Buildings...

This week on IAQ Radio we Flashback to two of three shows we have done with author and indoor environmental professional Jeff May. Radio Joe has gone back to show 25 and show 117 with to put together a highlight show with Jeff May. Mr. May is Principal Scientist of May Indoor Air Investigations, LLC in Tyngsborough, MA. He is the author of four books on IAQ (published by The Johns Hopkins University Press), including My House is Killing Me and The Mold Survival Guide, Jeff has been investigating building problems in homes, schools and office for over 25 years, and has examined by microscopy over 35,000 air and dust samples. A nationally recognized speaker on IAQ topics, Jeff is a member of IAQA, the Pan American Aerobiology Association, American Chemical Society, and the New England Chapter of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, among others. He is a Certified Indoor Air Quality Professional (CIAQP, Association of Energy Engineers), and is a licensed Mold Assessor in the state of Florida. He holds a B.A. from Columbia College (chemistry) and an M.A. from Harvard University (organic chemistry), and has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Work Environment at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. LEARN MORE with Jeff May this week on IAQradio!

EPISODE474 - Pawel Wargocki - Is CO2 a pollutant or merely an index for IAQ

We are back live this week with a special guest, Pawel Wargocki, PhD of the Technical University of Denmark. Dr. Wargocki is a prolific researcher and has Chaired or been on just about every important IAQ committee and association in the world. Radio Joe got a chance to hear him speak at the 2017 IAQA Conference and had to get him on the show. Today we will discuss the questions, is CO2 a pollutant or merely an index for IAQ?
Dr. Wargocki is an Associate Professor at the Technical University of Denmark; Past President of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate; Past Chair of ASHRAE Environmental Health Committee and the Position Document Committee; Vice President of Indoor Air 2008 Conference; Secretary of Academy of Indoor Air Sciences; incoming Director of the International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy. He is a widely respected indoor climate scientist and expert, teacher at undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. courses; supervisor of several Ph.D. and numerous M.Sc. students. His research has influenced development of indoor air sciences not least because of his studies on the effects of indoor environment on mental performance, on office work by adults and on schoolwork by children. He has carried out numerous laboratory chamber experiments with human subjects (equivalent to 5,000 subject hours) and field experiments (in more than 100 buildings).

EPISODE473 - FLASHBACK Claude Blackburn -Founder Dri-Eaz Products

Today on IAQ Radio we bring out of the archival vault the Z-mans favorite episode from 8-13-2010, Episode 177 with Claude Blackburn. We are calling this one "From humble beginning to raging success, a candid conversation with the Dri-Eaz Products Founder". Radio Joe and the Z-man will be back live next week but do not miss this classic. Claude Blackburn became involved in the cleaning and restoration industry in 1972. Through a combination of courage, determination, hard work and creativity he founded and built Dri-Eaz Products (based in Burlington, Washington) into a business and brand recognized globally as a leader in structural drying. When Claude sold Dri-Eaz in 2006 it had almost 200 employees, 150 distributors and sales of 50 million. LEARN MORE about this remarkable man and how he built his company this week on IAQ Radio!

EPISODE472 - FLASHBACK FRIDAY - Jeffrey Siegel Ph.D.

Dr. Jeff Siegel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at The University of Toronto. Prior to accepting his current position he was an Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Austin. His interests and research have focused on healthy and sustainable buildings, ventilation and indoor air quality in residential and commercial buildings, control of indoor particulate matter, secondary impacts of control technologies and strategies, aerosol dynamics in indoor environments and HVAC systems. He is also keenly interested in ensuring that good research works its way into practice and this week we want to focus on that theme. Dr. Siegel's Ph.D. is in Mechanical Engineering (2002) from the University of California, Berkeley, he also has an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (1999) from the same institution and a B.S. in Engineering (1995) from Swarthmore College. He is a prolific researcher and speaker and a very active member of professionals societies and associations including ISIAQ and ASHRAE.

EPISODE471 - FLASHBACK FRIDAY - In Memoriam Larry Robertson

This week we go back in the archives to a few shows we did with an IAQ and Mold pioneer Larry Robertson. Larry joined us twice over the years and Radio Joe has gone back through those shows to put together a highlight real. LEARN MORE this week on IAQ Radio!
Larry Robertson, the Indoor Air Quality Association's 1st President and founding Board Member. Mr. Robertson was a leader in IAQ research and services for over 3 decades. He is known for establishing Mycotech Biological, Inc. (MBI), one of the first environmental laboratories that specialized in the identification of fungi associated with HVAC systems. He also contributed in the initial development of the CIE and CMR certification programs and served on the Texas Mold Task Force relative to the development of mold regulations in the State of Texas. Larry published many papers in peer reviewed journals along with a mountain of other papers, articles and presentations. He was a prolific volunteer to industry associations and received numerous special recognition's and awards.

EPISODE470 - Andrew Streifel -Environmental Infection Control

This week on IAQ Radio we welcome Andrew Streifel. Andrew J. Streifel is a Hospital Environment Specialist with the Department of Environmental Health & Safety at the University of Minnesota. Whenever there is a high profile hospital acquired infection one of the first names that comes to mind is Andy Streifel. Mr. Streifel has been involved in the investigation of over 80 clusters of infection related to hospital air quality. He has served as a consultant in over 400 hospitals worldwide on a variety of indoor air quality issues, water microbial contamination and has investigated clusters of bacterial infections due to unsanitary clinical practice. His current research interests involve energy management impact on infection prevention and validation of the air and water safety in healthcare facilities.
Andy is a registered Environmental Health Specialist in Minnesota. He currently serves as an invited nonvoting member on the Maintenance Committee for the SSPC 170: ASHRAE Standard for Ventilation of Health Care Facilities 2008 - present. Mr. Streifel is also serving on the revision committee for the 2014 edition of the FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities. He has served on this committee since 1994 and has participated in the development of the 1996, 2001, and 2006, 2010, 2014 & 2018 editions. In addition Mr. Streifel has served on the Special Project committee that authored the HVAC Design Manual for Hospitals and Clinics. He was an author on ASHRAE published articles on Ventilation for the Protection of Immune Compromised Patients-1988, Construction Impact on Indoor Air Quality-1995 and Air Leakage Analysis of Special Ventilation Hospital Rooms-2008. Mr. Streifel has assisted University of Minnesota Institute of Technology & School of Public Health as technical advisor on filtration, patient room airflow studies and particle management projects. He also serves on the National Air Duct Cleaners Association Standards Committee. In addition, he is an author in over 50 articles, published in the academic and professional journals, related to ventilation and water quality in health care.

EPISODE469 -Kristy & Justin Sifford -Listen Better, Plan Better, Hire Bett

This week on IAQ Radio we welcome two people with a rare combination of credentials in the industry. Kristy and Justin Sifford both have extensive experience in the construction and flooring industry and are also experienced professionals on hiring, promoting and retaining employees along with other business operations issues. Just about every business has to wrestle with employment issues and very few business owners are also experts in hiring and recruitment of employees. Some will hire a company like Wylander and others will learn as much about the process as possible and do it themselves. Whatever your style you will learn more during this show.
Kristy Sifford founded the company after years of flooring industry experience that included an excellent track record of finding and placing top talent in both flooring and restoration positions. She is a highly successful matchmaker in this business. Kristy started working in her family owned flooring store in college, and grew to develop a flooring company, which was part of a large Disaster Restoration and Carpet Cleaning Company in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. In addition to recruiting, she has worked with many clients in the flooring industry on process improvement and handling remote accounting for flooring companies.
Justin Sifford worked in the flooring industry for over 20 years and the restoration industry for over a decade. Having owned flooring companies in the past he has a unique perspective that allows him to appreciate the struggles his clients have owning a business and employing and keeping top talent. He previously worked as the Vice President of Operations for a company that offered consulting and recruiting services to the flooring and restoration industries. He worked with a wide range of companies, from companies as small as $500,000 up to $20 million. He was able to successfully streamline processes for other companies, identify KPI's, and was the chief architect in the growth of our own company