School HVAC: Lesson in Curing Mold Problems PDF

A large school district near coastal Texas has been having a significant problem with mold growth since it began an upgrade to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable IndoorAir Quality. After the addition of 15 cfm (7 L/s) per student into existing facilities with less than optimal HVAC equipment, noticeable mold growth occurred in the school facilities. Is it possible that the upgrade in the ventilation system caused the mold growth or could operation and maintenance issues within the school district be the cause? This article will provide specific data on the findings and remediation of several of the 36 facilities involved in this issue.