University of Alaska Anchorage
OP-5: Indoor Air Quality

When building occupants complain about air quality in their buildings, Environmental Health & Safety responds to IAQ complaints usually within an hour or two with trained individuals and state-of-the art IAQ instruments to facilitate quick resolution. No-Idle signs posted at parking lot areas where exhaust can be drawn into building systems are enforced by Parking Services, UPD, and building officials. Our smoke-Free Policy can be found at http://ehsrms.uaa.alaska.edu/SmokeFreeEnvironment.pdf. We also prohibit or minimize the use of scented cleaning products, air fresheners, and scented candles. Our building controls require the infusion of fresh air into buildings even during cold periods. We do not have a written IAQ management program as much as we have a procedure. We do have an “unsafe condition” reporting program in place and my department will respond almost immediately to IAQ complaints. We have multiple gas sensing meters and will use them to determine: 1. If there is an actual concern; 2. If there is a concern, what is the cause; 3. Take immediate steps if health is in jeopardy; 4. Determine and implement whatever corrective action is warranted. We also have very sensitive instruments in our HVAC plenums which can identify even the smallest amounts of smoke and particulates. Those sensors are centrally reporting, so our FMO folks will know very quickly if something is in our air handling systems and will respond accordingly. The UAA system has approx. 2.9 million square feet of conditioned building space. Also see:http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/governance/apt/upload/Campus-Smoke-Free-Environment-2.pdf