Indoor Air Quality/Mold Issues

The Issue

Preserving the quality of indoor environments is important to any tenant and building owner. Our health and work environment are paramount to a good quality of life. Building owners and tenants alike desire a work place that is free from health issues.

Recent news stories have focused on indoor air quality, specifically mold that grows within the interior structure of residential and commercial buildings. Mold is not a new issue. Mold comprises approximately ¼ of the world's biomass and is everywhere in our environment. Mold forms in the presence of moisture. Spores thrive on wood, paper, paint, fabric, plants, soil and dust. According to the scientific community, not everyone will react adversely to mold; however, some molds can produce allergens and irritants. Mold exposure can cause asthma attacks in sensitive groups who are prone to asthma and who are allergic to mold. While severe health effects from mold exposure have been alleged in recent litigation, medical research has not been able to prove such a relationship. Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have stated that more research on the issue must be done to understand what mold exposures are acceptable, tolerable or exist at “normal” quantities.

In recent years, there has been an increase in litigation against residential and commercial developers for personal injury and property damages. Litigation has become so prevalent that insurance companies are now classifying mold as a pollutant, thus exempting it from insurance coverage.

Position

NAIOP believes that un-biased scientifically sound research is needed to accurately identify the potential health affects of mold-related exposure in an indoor environment. We strongly support federal funding for research to advance this understanding and provide reliable data. We support education based on substantiated information as a means to prepare contractors, developers, and owners for the prevention of future mold occurrences. Additionally, NAIOP believes policies must be implemented to ensure that insurance coverage for mold is readily available at an affordable cost.

Resources

• To view current legislative activity in your state click here to be directed to NAIOP's state legislative monitoring service.
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Study - The Growning Hazard of Mold
• NAIOP evaluation of “Damp Indoor Spaces and Health,” published by the Institute of Medicine, of the National Academies of Science, Part 1 and Part 2.
• USEPA - Mold Resources
• California Department of Health Services

Contact:
John Bryant
Senior Director for Federal Affairs
(703) 904-7100 ext. 162