Indoor Air Quality Australia Podcast
Have access to some special guests and some content only available through the members portal
Use Of ATP Testing To Assess The Effectiveness Of Cleaning Methods Utilised To Remediate Residential/Commercial Properties That Have Been Affected By Microbiologically High Risk Events
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is a molecule used for energy storage in almost all living cells: this includes humans, animals, plants, bacteria, yeasts, and fungal cells, including mould. Measurement of ATP concentrations may be undertaken on surfaces using a wet swab on a dry surface or a dry swab on a wet surface. The swab is placed into a liquid containing a compound called luciferin that causes bioluminescence (light) to be produced when it reacts with an enzyme called luciferase, which is found in fireflies. The strength of the bioluminescent signal emitted as a result of the reaction is proportional to the amount of ATP present. The signal is measured in units called Relative Light Units (RLU). This test provides a quick and easy method to generate an RLU value that can be utilised to infer the level of biological activity on the surface, or as it is sometimes called “bioburden”.
IAQAA members and industry associated professionals have available to them the use of ATP meters. This submission is applicable to these groups and is the association’s position on its use and purpose for ATP testing to assess the effectiveness of cleaning methods utilised to remediate residential and commercial properties that have been affected by microbiologically high-risk events.
IAQAA 2024 Conference Agenda
IAQAA 2024 Conference: Using Science to Bridge the Gap in Indoor Air Quality and Disaster Response
Rydges Paramatta - Address: 116-118 James Ruse Dr, Rosehill NSW 2142
Sunday 27th October PRE-CONFERENCE TRAVELLERS DINNER
Dinner Information 18:00 at Rydges ground floor restaurant - SOLD OUT
Monday 28th October CONFERENCE DAY 1
Location Phar Lap Room
Time 07:30 – registrations and coffee, 08:30 to 17:00 – Conference speakers
Morning Tea Served with the sponsors
Lunch Ground floor restaurant
Afternoon Tea Served with the sponsors
Evening Drinks 18:00 – Ground floor restaurant
Tuesday 29th October CONFERENCE DAY 2
Location Phar Lap Room
Time 07:30 – registrations and coffee, 08:30 to 16:40 – Conference speakers
Morning Tea Served with the sponsors
Lunch Ground floor restaurant
Bump out 16:00 to 17:00
IAQAA Indoor Environmental Consultancy Values Framework
Our talented members were tasked to create a document that outlined what might be adopted as best practice and conduct within the industry and perhaps to the wider consulting industry.
We would like to honour those who contributed their time to this, especially
Bryan Jepsen - Chair
Jamie Jacobi - Co-Chair
Dr Claire Bird
Daniel Massaioli
David Sauders
Ivi Sims
Jeremy Stamkos
Julien Colangelo
Michael McKenzie
Dr Nicole Bijlsma
Owen Boak
Penny Tralau
IAQAA 2022 Flood and Insurance Response
You can download our submission to the parliamentary inquiry into the insurers' responses to 2022 major floods claims. For all submissions including IAQAA's can be found here.
President's Report 2022/2023
You can download our President's Report here for the 2022/2023 financial year presented at our Annual General Meeting in November 2023
Lunch & Learn #18: IAQA Expo 2023 Aussie Speaker Preview
Please enjoy this free webinar from the 1st of February 2023 where we spoke to our Australian members who are travelling to the USA and presenting at the IAQA Annual Meeting & Expo in Austin Texas.
For more information on the IAQA 2023 Annual Meeting click here
Thankyou to our speakers:
Dr Claire Bird Litmas Pty Ltd
The Impact of Fungal Spore Aggregation on the Interpretation of Direct Microscopy Data for Assessing Remediation and Exposure Risks
Charles Bodas Royal Melbourne Hospital
Respiratory protection for bearded healthcare workers: Evaluation of the under-respirator elastic band beard cover (Singh Thattha Technique)
Jason Green Greencap (proudly part of WSP)
Hazardous Building Materials & Potential Occupant Exposure After Natural Disasters - The Emerging Issues
Respiratory Protection for Exposure Prevention – Our last line of defense in Indoor Air Quality
Gregor Riese Opira Group
Health risks associated with current and emerging air cleaning technologies
Ivi Simms BEW Group
Conference Workshop: Healthy Building Scorecard
Building Science – Bushfire smoke Infiltration, Smoke filtration, Ventilation, and Fire Pressure
Lunch & Learn #18: Dr Laurie Glossop & Dr Nick Agnew: The Importance of Air Flow in IAQ Assessments
It all begins with an idea.
Dr Nick Agnew
Dr Nick Agnew is a Chartered Mechanical and Fire Engineer, with specialist applied fluid dynamics expertise. He is currently Director of Stacey Agnew Pty Ltd, an engineering consultancy which he has operated with co-founder Conrad Stacey for 13 years. Nick has 25 years of professional experience covering industrial and underground fire life safety, industrial and underground ventilation, new product development, forensic engineering, accident investigation and reconstruction, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), computational stress analysis, and machinery design.
A major portion of Nick’s work over the last 15 years has involved Fire Life Safety in underground infrastructure and Tunnel Ventilation. During his career, Nick has extensively employed CFD. He is well-regarded as a seasoned CFD practitioner.
Highlights of Nick’s career to date include modelling of fire and airborne contaminants for the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub in New York, and the forensic investigation of the fatal Childers Backpackers Hostel fire. Nick is currently the lead tunnel ventilation and fire engineer for the $6 billion Cross River Rail project in Brisbane.
Through this session, Nick will help us understand the role that CFD modelling can play in identifying potential routes of migration of airborne particulate and gaseous contaminants, and in informing us where we should be placing our monitors when conducting sampling or real-time monitoring for indoor air quality in our built spaces.
Dr Laurie Glossop
Laurie Glossop is a Certified Occupational Hygienist with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists and has been in occupational hygiene (industrial hygiene for Americans) for 40 years (he is old!). He has a strong background in the physical sciences and a PhD in chemistry. Laurie has also assessed many buildings for ventilation, air quality and impact on performance of people (re carbon dioxide levels, air movement and VOCs).
In terms of prevention of infectious disease spread, Laurie was contracted by the Western Australian Health Department to assess airborne transmission of SARS-Cov-2 in COVID Quarantine Hotels run by the Department. This work identified that COVID was being spread by airborne transmission within some of these hotels when many health experts believed this could not happen. Subsequently he has assessed COVID in relation to ambulances, ambulance call centres, very large tertiary hospitals, multiple prisons and large mining corporations including those operating remote control operations where there is a high density of people. Some of these facilities had indoor environments with poor ventilation and high density of people which has made them high risk of airborne transmission of COVID.
For the last 25 years Laurie has run his own consultancy after initially being an occupational health regulator with the Western Australian Government. Over the years he has assessed virtually every occupational health hazard, but is most recognised for his work relating to fibrous minerals (including asbestos) and respirable crystalline silica. He has written Codes of Practice for asbestos at the national level and performed a major review of respirable crystalline silica for Safe Work Australia which has recently been published.
Several years ago Laurie was granted the highest Award from the AIOH – the Pam de Silva Medal which recognises AIOH Members that have demonstrated their commitment to the principles of leadership and scientific integrity in the field of occupational hygiene.
President's Report 2021/2022
You can download our President's Report here for the 2021/2022 financial year presented at our Annual General Meeting in November 2022
Treasurer's Report 2021/2022
It all begins with an idea.
You can download our Treasurer's Report here for the 2021/2022 financial year presented at out Annual General Meeting in November 2022
Lunch & Learn #17: Dr Jungsoo Kim: Assessing IEQ in buildings: Surveys as a ‘basic’ instrument for data collection
It all begins with an idea.
Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a systematic process of assessing the performance of buildings that have been occupied for a certain period of time, in particular focusing on occupants and their needs.
Conducting an occupant survey is the most prevalent method of collecting building performance data, providing a snapshot of occupant satisfaction and workplace effectiveness. Therefore POE surveys are recommended by professional and regulatory bodies (e.g. ASHRAE, USGBC and CIBSE) as a ‘basic’ instrument for evaluating a building’s Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). Various forms of POE questionnaires are in use across the globe.
The most widely used questionnaires, including BOSSA (Building Occupant Survey System Australia), are introduced, and how such a tool enables comparisons between buildings, design features, or operational strategies is discussed. Interesting patterns and phenomena revealed by POE studies conducted around the world are also discussed.
About our speaker
Dr. Jungsoo Kim is a Senior Lecturer in Building Science at the University of Sydney where he runs a postgraduate program High Performance Buildings aimed at producing built environment professionals with a grasp of the challenges of building design and operation.
He’s a researcher at Indoor Environmental Quality Lab, a major international hub for the research community and the broader building sector to study how different environmental factors affect human comfort, performance and health.
Jungsoo is also a active member of international working group under International Energy Agency’s Energy in Buildings and Communities Program (IEA-EBC).
Asset Download - Survey Method PDF
Lunch & Learn #16: Dr Ashak Nathwani AM: The role of air conditioning and ventilation systems in potential minimisation of COVID-19 infections in indoor settings
It all begins with an idea.
In our October Lunch and Learn session we will hear from Dr Ashak Nathwani AM, Director of the Air conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services (ARBS) Education & Research Foundation and Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney, School of Architecture, Design and Planning.
Dr Nathwani will present outcomes of the practical tests carried out by professionals from ARBS Education & Research Foundation in association with the IEQ team from the University of Sydney at the Australian National Maritime Museum. They were performed in the Theatre, Restaurant, and the Entry Lobby. They involved utilisation of a unique breathing manikin, named Laura.
The results showed how air moves when we exhale and even how things change when we switch on the air conditioning. We will learn what this means about potential transmission of airborne pathogens. Importantly the presentation will discuss case studies of how some of the outcomes have resulted in various practical applications.
About our speaker
Ashak is Director of ARBS Education & Research Foundation and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture, Design & Planning at the University of Sydney, Australia.
Prior to joining the University in 2011, Ashak was in the Property Industry for 39 years of which he was with Norman Disney & Young (NDY) for 33 years - where he was a Director for 16 years.
He designed and project managed the building services, including the different types of air conditioning systems, of the unique Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) Laboratory at the University and contributed to establishment and launch of a new degree – Master of Architectural Science - High Performance Buildings.
Downloadable Asset - Living with Covid the focus of expertise has shifted from epidemiology to airconditioning and ventilation
Lunch & Learn #15: Lisa Coulburn - Mould-affected housing in Australia: What we know, what we don’t know and who’s at risk?
Mould-affected housing in Australia: What we know, what we don’t know and who’s at risk?
Australian homes have previously been seen as less problematic for damp housing conditions due to relatively mild climate compared to that of other countries and a younger and better condition of housing stock. However, recent studies, a parliamentary inquiry, prolonged wet weather, flooding and media reports have highlight concerns for a potential widespread problem of mould-affected housing.
The first step in addressing the problem of mould affect housing, is by gathering and synthesising available studies from both government, industry, academia and advocacy groups.
Based on the recently published paper by Coulburn and Miller, 2022 (available here for free), Lisa will unpack and summarise the current state of literature on the prevalence, risk and impact of mould affected housing in Australia and share some surprising insights about what we know, what we don’t know and who’s at risk?
About our speaker
Lisa is currently undertaking a PhD at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her current research explores the root cause, risk and impacts to health and economic wellbeing related to dampness and mould in Australian housing.
Prior to the PhD, Lisa practiced interior design for commercial and residential clients for over 25 years. Lisa’s specialist interest is in creating healthier indoor spaces.
Lunch & Learn #14: Dr Nigel Goodman - IAQ & Fragranced Consumer Products
Fragrance is used in consumer products around the world. However, it has been associated with adverse effects on indoor and outdoor air quality and human health. Also fragranced consumer products can emit and generate potentially hazardous compounds including formaldehyde and fine particulate matter. This talk will present findings from recent studies on the volatile emissions from fragranced consumer products and strategies on how to improve to indoor air quality.
Speaker Biography
Dr Nigel Goodman is a Vice-Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT University. His research aims to create healthier indoor environments. Nigel is currently investigating the types and concentrations of air pollutants within locations such as green buildings, high-rise apartments, and prefabricated structures. He is also evaluating strategies and technologies to improve indoor air quality. Nigel completed his PhD in Infrastructure Engineering at the University of Melbourne in 2019. His research identified primary indoor air pollutants and understudied locations, such as educational environments. Prior to his PhD studies Nigel was employed as a scientist at CSIRO. He contributed to experimental programs in electrochemistry and corrosion and led projects on water recycling and water purification. Nigel has published journal articles on topics that include indoor air quality, volatile organic compounds emissions, electrochemistry, desalination, water recycling, and pollutant exposures and effects.
Lunch & Learn #13: SafeTraces: Proving Indoor Air Optimisation using Aerosol Tracer Technology
Like never before, facility managers, employers, and indoor air quality professionals are held to the highest standards of safety and rapidly evolving health regulation. Harnessing the power of DNA, veriDART by SafeTraces verifies engineering controls and HVAC performance for airborne pathogens to keep people safe in any indoor environment.
Lunch & Learn #12: The RESET Standard
RESET® Air is the world’s first sensor-based, performance-driven building certification program where indoor air quality is monitored and measured in real-time. Buildings and/or spaces are required to consistently maintain healthy indoor air quality at all times, as defined by the Standard. RESET Air is comprised of comprehensive standards for hardware or sensor performance, installation, maintenance and data communication. Learn more about the RESET Air Standard here: https://reset.build/standard/air.
IAQAA Logo Policy and Files
Download our IAQAA Logos and Logo Policy here
Members in good standing may utilize the IAQAA logo for the sole purpose of identifying themselves as a member of the IAQAA, within the restrictions defined in the policy.
Corporate Members may use the IAQAA logo on their company website, company social media, emails, business cards, stationery, invoices, statements, vehicle signage, billboards, signs and promotional items.
Individual, Student, and Government Members may use the IAQAA logo on individual business cards, individual company pages, individual social media pages, personal email, and stationary.
Last updated January 2022
Treasurer's Report 2020/2021
You can download our Treasurer's Report here for the 2020/2021 financial year presented at out Annual General Meeting in January 2021
President's Report 2020/21
You can download our President's Report here for the 2020/2021 financial year presented at our Annual General Meeting in January 2021
Lunch & Learn #11: Geordie Galvin - Odour Assessments
Geordie Galvin, the Director and Principal Consultant at Astute has 20 years’ experience in air quality. He has completed numerous studies including projects involving landfills, hydrogenation plants, ethanol plants, boat repair and manufacturing operations, refineries, chicken farms, piggeries, cattle feedlots, rendering plants and wastewater treatment plants. He has consulted to state and local government agencies throughout Australia and collaborated with universities in the United States including the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and West Texas A & M University. Geordie has also given numerous invited workshop presentations on air quality sampling, analysis and assessment both in Australia and the United States.
Since forming Astute Environmental Consulting in 2017, Geordie has completed projects at sites throughout Australia and is currently an expert witness in numerous legal matters in Queensland and New South Wales. Geordie has been an expert in over 60 different matters.
In his former role at Pacific Environment, Geordie performed air quality studies all over Australia at sites ranging from Darwin through to Cygnet in southern Tasmania. He has also completed projects in New Zealand and the USA.
From June 2010 to November 2014 Geordie was the Deputy Chair of the odour special interest group (OSIG) within the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ) and from November 2014 to March 2021 Geordie held the role of Chair until stepping down in early 2021. Geordie currently sits on the OSIG committee which assists the current OSIG chairs.
Geordie has Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Environmental Engineering and is a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia, a Member Engineer of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (as an Accredited Professional).