EPA & EEF Update

[Guest guest]

Please note this is a response which I received today

from the EPA regarding the Environmental Education Foundation and their

relationship. I looked through the link listed below for further contractual agreements

but was unable to locate any further information.

RESPONSE FROM THE EPA:

Mr. Hall: I was able to

find a Simplified Acquisition awarded to EEF in March 2004 for $49,984 and

valid through 8/21/05 (PO # 4W-2121-NANX) for

providing Specialized Training and Development Services for Indoor Air Quality

Guidance. Our contracts systems do not identify any other purchase orders or

" contracts " or contract like relationships with this organization. If

they are recipients of any EPA Grants you would have to check with http://yosemite.epa.gov/oarm/igms_egf.nsf/HomePage?ReadForm

Bob Hall,

CIE

County of Lexington

Building Services

BServices@...

[Guest guest]

Dear IEQuality Discussion Group,

This is a press type piece I had received a few months ago regarding the EPA and

EEF efforts the conversation thread has been referring to. I hope this provides

you all some useful additional information. If anyone has any knowledge of this

effort I am interested in learning more as it may be complimentary to some

national/international efforts our organization has underway. Please email me

directly to discuss at wjp3@... or call me at 1-.

Respectfully,

J. Parlapiano III

Chief Executive Officer

Building Performance Institute, Inc.

EPA Awards Significant IAQ Contract to Environmental Education Foundation

Foundation to Leverage Insurance and Lending Industries to Adopt New Guidelines

Washington DC - August 1st, 2005 -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) awarded a significant contract to the Environmental Education Foundation

(EEF) to form a coalition of major players in the building design/construction

and property management industry, including insurance and financial

institutions. The purpose of the contract according to Mudarri, Ph.D.,

Indoor Environments Division of the Environmental Protection Agency, " [is] to

promote EPA's indoor air quality guidance and encourage its use as the basis for

managing indoor environmental quality risks. "

" This is an industry-changing initiative, " says EEF Executive Director Troy E.

. " With its' adoption by a myriad of industry partners, this is quickly

becoming the standard for managing indoor air quality in commercial and

multifamily residential buildings. "

Managing indoor environmental quality risks has gained importance in recent

years with the advent of large court settlements for personal injury and for

mold-related damage to homes and buildings. The impact of mold-related

litigation has been most evident in the insurance industry, but recent

developments show an added impact in financial institutions. Lenders are

beginning to closely evaluate the impact mold-related damage can have on the

value of commercial and residential properties and a few cases of lenders

" forgiving " mortgages, as it is less risk than taking ownership of the

properties, are being reported.

Insurers and lenders (including REITs-Real Estate Investment Trusts) want to

reduce risks and are now realizing the importance of quality construction and

the use of appropriate materials in new building construction. In addition,

operations and maintenance of the facility is more critical than ever. In some

instances, borrowers are asked to fill out detailed questionnaires about the

maintenance history of the building and potential problems that could lead to

mold growth. Insurers and lenders have also shown an interest in knowing if

owners and managers have a plan of action in the event of a mold or air quality

problem.

EEF's success in developing its own IAQ program that addresses water intrusion

and mold management has positioned the organization to be a viable force in

EPA's plans for managing indoor environmental quality risks. A combination of

EPA's IAQ Building Education and Assessment Model (I-BEAM) software and EEF's

water intrusion and mold management program are providing new guidance for any

industry dealing with air quality issues. EEF will also develop a process to

pilot test an EPA training module for the Integration of IAQ and Energy

Efficiency in Well Managed Buildings, which is based on the 5-staged ENERGY STAR

program and EEF will review EPA's IAQ Green Building Guidance.

" With the merger of some of the start-up IAQ associations and a growing list of

fly-by-night " IAQ Associations " , who report to be and have the answers to IAQ

issues, the EPA had many of these new organizations clamoring for attention. The

EPA ultimately awarded the contract to the EEF based on our long history of

collaboration with them and because our mold management and water intrusion

program is what lenders and insurance carriers are using today. Applying what we

have learned from developing this existing program, along with the input from

over 30 organizations, is making the expanded program the " beast of the best " .

says . " This process will help the EPA promote good practices, or

improved best practices, using a combination of EPA material, EPA I-BEAM

software and EEF training that is accepted by all. "

EEF efforts are significant because the organization has brought together major

stakeholders in the management of air quality issues including a whos who of

industry professionals as well as mortgage bankers, insurance carriers,

architects, pest management, laboratories, IAQ products & services, trade

associations and other government agencies..

" Our program is recognized by major insurance carriers for meeting certain

underwriter requirements for obtaining mold insurance, " says . " The

commercial building owners and property managers, who want to get mold insurance

for their buildings, can take our course and become a member of our

organization. In addition, the course is also being used by lenders as a

requirement for their borrowers to have in place. "

A complete list of EEF partners and the scope of work for the project is

available from the EEF website at:

http://www.enviro-ed.org/Pages/EPA_letter.html

<http://www.enviro-ed.org/Pages/EPA_letter.html> &

http://www.enviro-ed.org/Pages/partner_listad.html

<http://www.enviro-ed.org/Pages/partner_listad.html> . Some of the organization

included: ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co. L.P., PNC Multi-family Capital, XL

Environmental Insurance, Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA), the

Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), The Air & Waste

Management Association, Cleaning Management Institute (CMI), EMSL Analytical,

Environmental Risk Resources Association, National Air Duct Cleaners Association

(NADCA), Environmental Hazards Management Institute (EHMI), Environmental

Monitoring Systems (EMS), HUD, The National Indoor Air Quality Institute,

Partnership for Environmental Technology Education (PETE), Hixson Architectural,

IQAir, Pest Management Institute, Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc. (HOK), The

Naturalist Network and other organizations that support IAQ best practices, in

working with the EEF's EPA IAQ Advisory Group

About Environmental Educational Foundation The Environmental Education

Foundation (EEF) is a 501© 3 charitable organization dedicated to the

development and dissemination of information regarding hazards to human health

and threats to the environment with particular emphasis on hazards or threats

which are associated with occupying, purchasing, insuring, selling or owning

residential, commercial or industrial property; testing methodologies and

procedures to detect such hazards and threats; and programs and measures which

mitigate or eliminate such hazards. EEF is partners with many government and

non-governmental agencies and sits as Consultants to the United Nations on

Environmental

EPA & EEF Update

Please note this is a response which I received today from the EPA regarding

the Environmental Education Foundation and their relationship. I looked through

the link listed below for further contractual agreements but was unable to

locate any further information.

RESPONSE FROM THE EPA:

Mr. Hall: I was able to find a Simplified Acquisition awarded to EEF in March

2004 for $49,984 and valid through 8/21/05 (PO # 4W-2121-NANX) for providing

Specialized Training and Development Services for Indoor Air Quality Guidance.

Our contracts systems do not identify any other purchase orders or " contracts "

or contract like relationships with this organization. If they are recipients of

any EPA Grants you would have to check with

http://yosemite.epa.gov/oarm/igms_egf.nsf/HomePage?ReadForm

Bob Hall, CIE

County of Lexington

Building Services

BServices@...

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