Presenter Bio: Lisa Rogers
LISA J. ROGERS has been a science nerd since she could crawl but it was when, at four years old, she made mudpies with poison ivy that lay the foundation of a lifelong focus in the environmental health and safety field. She has been very fortunate over her decades long career to rub elbows with kind and brilliant icons in the EHS and IAQ disciplines. Although she declines to be a name dropper, her experience earned her an invitation to participate on a NATO Science Advisory Committee developing international guidelines for indoor air quality issues. Other things that occupy her time include: • ASTM Fellow and Chair of ASTM committee, D22, Air Quality, and Chair of subcommittee D22.08 Assessment, Sampling, and Analysis of Microorganisms • Head of US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for TC 146 SC6 to the International Standards Organization (ISO). • Member of the AIHA and the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Committee, • President of Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) • Emeritus Director for the Board of the Environmental Information Association (EIA). • Former member of ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality for 12 years Since 2007, Lisa has served as President of Mycometer Inc. the US subsidiary of a Danish based firm.
Presentation Description:
In an ongoing pilot study, consultants collect air samples and answer some questions related to the building and to possible health problems of occupants. Health problems that are to be reported are asthma or other respiratory problems and nose bleeding or running nose. The samples are then analyzed and interpreted with the Fungal to Allergen Index protocol (FAI). FAI is based on biochemical surrogate measurements of total allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mold, dander. To date, 122 samples in 67 buildings have been collected in this study. Despite the relatively small number of samples, the data indicate a substantial difference in the FAI index between samples from building with and buildings without reported respiratory problems. The percentage of samples that are outside the normal range is 55% and 17% respectively, in samples from buildings with and without reported respiratory problems. Study data will be presented representing the conclusions from different buildings and to show the strengths and weaknesses of the approach. This concept is interesting for two reasons, first, it helps to correlate health problems to mold sources, not just accumulating allergens and second it can still be predictive regardless if it is a very dirty or very clean spaces.