March 13, 2006
The latest environmental hazard plaguing new construction and existing buildings is mold. While there is no consensus on the deleterious health effects of mold, there has been sufficient personal injury litigation to warrant precautionary steps by builders and owners. There is, of course, no question that mold causes serious property damage and must be controlled.
Mold and its reproductive spores can be found in both indoor and outdoor air and settle on all surfaces. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; however, indoor mold growth can be limited by the control of moisture, and knowledgeable builders are now requiring their contractors to establish mold prevention programs as part of their contractual obligations. Construction programs should then be followed by operations and maintenance programs. This has become particularly important in view of the virtually universal exclusion of claims for damages due to mold under commercial liability insurance policies. (While endorsements can be found adding mold as an insurable risk, the endorsements carry a high price.)
The following is a typical mold prevention program that can be implemented at a reasonable cost. The program itself should be developed by an environmental engineer and should consist of a preconstruction assessment (where existing buildings are involved), periodic mold assessments during construction, and an operations and maintenance plan for the building once construction is completed.
The preconstruction investigation is performed in order to establish baseline conditions prior to the start of construction. The investigation should consist of a site walkthrough, collection of various environmental parameters and moisture readings, photo documentation of impacted areas, and the collection of air samples. Air and surface sampling would serve to identify the type and relative quantities of mold spores in areas of the building which may be affected by construction.
The environmental engineer should discuss the project design and schedule with the interested parties (design professionals, contractor, insurance professionals and developer) and review building plans and drainage designs to identify potential areas of concern. Upon completion of these activities, the engineer should develop a preconstruction remedial plan, which should address: the proper delivery, inspection and storage practices for materials being brought on site; methods and materials which should be utilized to limit the potential for mold growth within the building during construction and postconstruction phases; inspection schedules; identification of potential problem areas and how monitoring should be conducted in these areas, as well as a response approach if water infiltration or water damage should occur.
During the course of construction, periodic site inspections should be completed by a certified microbial consultant, consisting of a site walkthrough to assess the presence or absence of mold growth and document any potential areas of concern (e.g. standing water or water damaged materials). Visual inspection and photo documentation will serve to identify existing conditions. The inspector should also collect various indoor air quality environmental parameters relating to mold growth, including temperature and relative humidity. Moisture level measurements should be collected to verify that building materials are within the acceptable range provided by the manufacturer.
After the completion of construction, an operations and maintenance plan should be developed to provide information and guidance on mold issues to onsite facility personnel. The plan should address strategies for controlling moisture and mold growth within the building and set forth response actions that should be followed if water damage occurs once the facility is in operation. The operations and maintenance plan should also include awareness training for onsite personnel to recognize potential sources of moisture and problem locations where mold growth may occur, and prescribe practices and personnel which can be used to evaluate the presence and moisture of such growth.
While there is no absolute protection against moisture infiltration and mold growth, following a mold prevention program is perhaps the best insurance against property damage and personal injury claims.