“M6:  Mold, Moisture, Misery, Money, and Myth + MANAGEMENT”

Omni Chicago Hotel, Chicago, IL
July 15-16, 2004

 Program Agenda

Sponsored by the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council (BETEC) and co-sponsored by the U. S. Department of Energy, (DOE), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).  Below are links to Abstracts, bios, sketches and Powerpoint presentations. 

Thursday, July 15, 2004 – Day 1

Welcome and Opening Remarks - David Eakin, Chief Engineer, Office of the Chief Architect, Public Buildings Service, General Services Administration (GSA), Washington, DC.

Introduction to Protocols at Time of Discovery of Mold - Pete Fowler, Pete Fowler Construction Services, San Juan Capistrano, CA – introduction to a sequence of protocols from discovery of mold to post remediation maintenance, that will be expanded upon by the following presenters.

Who Are You Going to Call? – Stanley Yeskolski, Pres., Building Inspection Services, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA – Developed original investigative documentation of facts and first report to owner/manager.  These documents place the event at the beginning of a long and tedious road.

The Second Phone Call – Roger Morse, AIA, Morse Zehnter Associates, Poestenkill, NY – The owner requires a professional assessment of the extent of the problem.  The problem areas are defined, mapping of the affected areas proceeds, and zones of remediation are determined. 

Using Special Tools– Application of Infrared Thermography to Identify Areas of Moisture in a Building Envelope – John Kominsky, MS, CIH, CSP, CHMM, ROH, Vice-President, Director Industrial Hygiene and Safety, Environmental Quality Management, Inc., Cincinnati, OH – Case studies will be presented on analysis of building exterior and the examination of wall construction.  Direct moisture measurements and microbial analyses will be presented.

Tool 2 –Use of Mold Detection Canine’s Hyper-Sensitive Sniffing Techniques – Erik Lundgaard, CEO and Pamela Lundgaard, President, Mold Sniffers, Inc., Las Vegas, NV – The advantages and limitations of the use of mold-sniffing dogs in building investigation.  The importance of training and the animal’s environment.  Trace, the mold detection canine, will demonstrate her techniques.

Stepping Outside the Microbial World – Wendy Aber, Technical Service Manager, Aerotech Laboratories, Inc., Phoenix, AZ– The latest in cutting edge technology and chemical investigations, discussion on PCR, DNA sequencing, and using fecal sterols as sewage contamination indicators.

Interpretation of Key Data from Collection of Specimens – Mark Goldman, Senior Air Quality Scientist, Engineering and Fire Investigations (EFI), Andover, MA

The Creation of a Professional Remediation Plan – Steve Hays, P.E., CIH, Chemical Engineer, Chairman of the Board, Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc., San Antonio, TX – The preparation of a remediation plan by professionals will be explained, and the two primary approaches to writing specifications for this work will be contrasted. The presenter will also address the process of assigning fault for moisture problems and discuss how this process impacts the remediation plan.

Building Plastic Castles: Simplicity vs. Performance - Greg Weatherman, CMI, Vice President, Aerobiological Solutions, Inc., Arlington, VA – Containment is the key during remediation projects.  Positive and negative air pressures in the interior or exterior of the building are essential to the remediation process.   A variety of  “plastic castles” will be demonstrated from the simple to the complex.

Guidance and Tips for Using Indoor Fungicide Products – David Liem, PhD, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency, Anti-Microbial Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington, DC  - Guidance and Tips for Using Indoor Fungicide Products – David Liem, PhD, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency, Anti-Microbial Division, Chicago, IL -   Washington D.C. - This presentation deals with various aspects of EPA registered antimicrobial including fungicide products for combating molds and mildew in the indoor  environment.  Laws, registration, and labeling requirements of ducts, interpretation, terms, exemptions; where to obtain information, online databases, enforcement.

Friday, July 16, 2004 – Day 2

Overview of Day One Session and Introduction to Day Two – Barry Hardman, National Building Science Corp., Temecula, CA

Continuation of a Mold Discovery Event – Pete Fowler, Pete Fowler Construction Services, San Juan Capistrano, CA – continuing a sequence of protocols from discovery of mold to post remediation maintenance, that will be expanded upon by the following presenters.

Mold Remediation, A Practical Approach – There are no regulations for mold remediation, or are there. (Presentation) Steven R. Silicato, REM, CIE, Vice-President, MARCOR Remediation, Inc., Maryland – will provide the audience with an overview of the various “industry accepted / peer reviewed” guidelines for mold remediation with an emphasis on the EPA’s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings guidelines.  The execution of good remediation project requires knowledge of how to choose the right remediators and inspectors.  What companies are doing mold remediation?  Know what they do, their credentials, who is licensed and who is not, by whom, and why.

Prevention – What is a Water Intrusion Management Program (WIMP)? – Brent Kynoch, Kynoch Environmental Management, Inc., Chevy Chase, MD – How do we put one in place?  What training and equipment is involved?  Can it be applied to new construction, existing buildings, and renovation?  How is it different in each instant?  What are the elements of a successful program?  How do we keep the program up to date?

Mold Maladies:  Tips and Strategies to Avoid Costly Mistakes in Mold Claims – Pete Fowler, Pete Fowler Construction Services, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Mortgage Lender’s Perspective and Set of Issues on the Topic of Mold – Charles L. Perry, Jr., Principal, Environmental Assurance Group, West Hartford, CT

Mold Risk Management and Insurance Challenges in the Post-Mold-Related Claims Exclusion Era – David Dybdahl, CPCU, ARM, Senior Consultant, ARMR, Middleton, WI

"Now What? ... What's Working and What Isn't.” - Lew Harriman, Director of Research & Consulting, Mason-Grant, Portsmouth, NH  -  Advances in technology and protocols have been impressive. And yet, according to sources in the restoration industry, more than 90% of mold remediation projects require a mid-project change of scope. Also, assessing the potential future risk of mold in new buildings or in mold-remediated buildings is very complex. This makes it difficult to provide mold insurance or to implement effective mold-avoidance practices for operations and maintenance. Based on what we've learned through this and other NIBS conferences, Lew will generate a consensus summary of what it looks like we need to reduce costs and improve reliability of current technologies and methods.

What Building Science Can and Cannot Do for You - Andre O. Desjarlais, Program Leader for Building Envelope and Materials Research Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory - This presentation will supply a cursory overview of the state of the art of the building science community with respect to understanding and controlling mold growth in buildings.  A quick overview of what precipitates mold growth in buildings will be followed by a review of the tools that are available in the building science community to predict these potential building envelope failures before they occur.  Limitations of these tools will also be discussed.

Buildings & Mold Alliance Update – Steve Hays, Gobbel Hays Partners, Inc.