People spend most of their time indoors. The indoor environment, and in particular, indoor air, can be many times more polluted than the outdoor environment and can contribute to health problems such as asthma exacerbations, respiratory illnesses, and eye, throat, and nose irritations. The IEQ unit will be looking for ways to educate professionals and the public about how to improve the indoor environment in homes, schools, and workplaces. The unit also coordinates and manages the EPA Tools for Schools Program. For those that want more information, the IEQ Unit contact number is 860-509-7742.

IEQ vs. IAQ

Traditionally the indoor environment has been termed, IAQ or indoor air quality. However, the indoor environment is more than just air contamination. It encompasses factors such as ergonomics, lighting, settled dust, and acoustics. Therefore, the terminology is changing from IAQ to IEQ to more accurately describe the scope of the problem. The terms are often used interchangeably.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Green Cleaning

Executive Order No. 14, issued on 4/17/06, states that:

• “all state agencies in the executive branch shall, wherever feasible, in a manner that is financially feasible, commercially reasonable and practicable, immediately transition to environmentally and health-friendly cleaning and/or sanitizing products".

DPH is working with DAS and DEP to establish a policy for the use of environmentally preferable cleaning and sanitizing products. Municipal governments, political subdivisions and school districts are encouraged to comply with the provisions of this Executive Order. Information on environmentally preferable products (EPP) products can be found at http://www.das.state.ct.us/Purchase/New_PurchHome/Busopp.asp or http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/index.cfm.

Tools for Schools (TFS)

As of 10/01/06, 625 schools in 100 school districts in CT have been trained. This translates into 2900 school staff, parents and teachers who have been informed regarding IAQ in schools. A map of the towns currently conducting TFS can be found at http://www.dph.state.ct.us/BRS/EOHA/iaqcm.htm.

2006 and 2007 trainings are being scheduled now. Call Kenny Foscue at 860-509-7742 for more information. The IAQ School Law states that all school districts must have a program in place that addresses indoor air in schools by January 2008. The TFS program fulfills that requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Are there any regulations regarding temperatures in buildings?

A The only temperature regulations are CT General Statute (CGS) Sec. 19a-109, which states that “When any building or part thereof is occupied as a home or place of residence or as an office or a place of business…, a temperature of less than sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit in such building or part thereof shall, for the purpose of this section, be deemed injurious to the health of the occupants…”. There are no regulations pertaining to elevated building temperatures.

Helpful Web Links

http://www.epa.gov/iaq
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Information on a broad range of indoor air topics including green buildings, mold, asthma, and schools.

http://www.iaqa.org
Indoor Air Quality Association Inc. Information on how to find IEQ professional, resources, consumer information, and IEQ courses.

http://www.dph.state.ct.us/BRS/EOHA/iaqcm.htm
CT Department of Public Health.  Indoor air quality and radiation and healthy environments in our schools.

http://www.dph.state.ct.us/Publications/brs/eoha/schoolteam.pdf
CT School Indoor Environment Resource Team.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/toolkit.html
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit.
 

Remember the best way to insure good IAQ/IEQ in your school is to keep the classroom clutter free so that proper cleaning can be done on a regular basis. Remove all furniture, books, papers that may be blocking air vents and report any leaks, moisture incursion, odors or potential IAQ/IEQ issues immediately to the TFS team at your school so immediate action can be taken to investigate the potential problem. The sooner an issue is addressed, the less likely a larger problem will result. TFS is a team approach and that team includes all building occupants.