The short version is that my employer, a non-profit foundation, is going to build us a new office building, here in the retirement community where I work. The building will be near the site of the old one, which will be demolished soon. Some of you might remember that we were flooded out and it turns out I was exposed to very high levels of stachybotras mold and we evacuated the day the report came back with the findings. I did have some health issues that I THINK were related, but it’s very hard to prove.
Here’s the problem. My supervisor has told me that this modest, one-story building, situated in the middle of two golf courses, surrounded by beautiful trees and nature, is going to be a closed ventilation building with no functioning windows. She won’t go to the mat for her employees to have something as priceless as fresh air on demand and it’s been left to the employees to make the case on our own.
I have gone online and searched and searched through long, detailed sites about “mixed-mode” ventilation systems in green buildings. It’s the thing to do, but I have to somehow prove it. I don’t think the architect is particularly flexible and will not be winning awards for green building techniques as they show no interest in our requests to at least swap a few windows for openers. I think they are cheapin’ out, possibly to have gotten the bid and keep prices low.
Does anyone here have a site or info resource that is concise, convincing and readable; one that will convince the non-expert BOSSES above the architects to do the right thing? They are being conned into thinking they are getting a “green” building, but I know that this is just talk. How can I subtly make info available to them to realize that it’s worth doing?
I tried histrionics, including Legionairres’ disease, fire evacuation issues, etc, but I need a closer..
There was something on the UK news this week about someone having breathing difficulties of some sort because of the air conditioning in the place she was told to work. I think it was something to do with the Tate gallery?? someone else might pick this up and tell you more. If that helps. Sorry I don’t have any more details.
Yeah, the problems with many buildings are well-documented but they are minimizing that argument by saying, well, this is a NEW building, state-of-the-art equipment (b.s. I bet) and as long as we change the filters, bla, bla, bla.
To which I point out: we are at the mercy of some maintenance guy to do his job, which has been proven to be an arguable point on this jobsite.
If we were next to a freeway or airport or whatever, I would likely accept and understand that constant filtration is a necessary thing. But the air is pretty sweet here. I can think of a million ways to make my point once the thing is built, like accidentally spillin’ a whole bottle of cologne in the bosses office and lettin her live with her damn apathy. But that’s too late.
Wow … This sort of thing always makes me think of driving through Yosemite while watching nature videos on the in-car DVD. Or sitting with a group of friends while yakking on a cell phone. How screwed up are we, anyway? Good luck, Weeks!
I wish I had some advice to offer, Weeks, but I got nothin’. Best of luck, though. I work in a building that doesn’t have windows of any kind, and I hate it.
The closer that you need is an anonymous threat, since I have found that most people don’t take you seriously when you just talk about indoor air quality. I have been forced to leave several jobs because with my multiple chemical sensitivity I couldn’t tolerate the work environment. I would have loved to have had a window that I could have opened in my high school classroom with 30 students wearing perfume and deoderant plus all of the cleaning product vapors from the nightly cleaning of the classroom.
Is California still subject to brown-outs? That would be enough to ring warning bells, I thought. No electricity means no ventilation, if it’s all mechanical.
The greenest HVAC system I know of is the geothermal heat pump. It’s a conventional heat pump, but it exchanges heat with water that’s been circulated underground rather than with ambient air. This is good because the underground is at the average temperature of the area, which would be in the 60’s in most parts of the US. So the amount of heat that needs to be moved is much less than if you try to get heat from 30 degree air in the winter and cool from 90 degree air in the summer.
If you look up “geothermal heat pump” on the web or wiki, you’ll find plenty of information.
They ought to think about a green (sod, garden) roof, too.
Something else to investigate is the California Energy Commission, they might have links to HVAC consultants and HVAC information specifically for your area. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was Fed. stimulus dollars available for a good up-to-date system.
Thanks everybody. I have been officially told to give up on it because everyone quakes in fear of disturbing the CEO because he screams at people. So, my hope now, is that he’ll “move on” before they start construction for being so abusive towards his supervisors. And it could happen…
At to brown-outs, no, but I guess we’ll just have to go home… it’s really a good talkin’ point, tho, thanks!
PS. I did contact the city planning commission asking about stimulus dollars to go green; no response yet, but building won’t go till next year, so we’ll see. I did it somewhat anonymously, using my name, but not naming the employer… so we’ll see…