Ecoquest

EcoQuest International agreed this week to sponsor “Education Friday” at the Battle of Blue Springs reenactment in October. EcoQuest Building Operations Director Duane Haatvedt, center, is shown Friday presenting an $8,000 check to the battle reenactment’s director, Jim “Pudden” Allen, wearing a Confederate uniform. From left to right are: Mary Gavlik, a member of the reenactment’s planning committee; Jim Richard, manager of EcoQuest’s technology program office, and a reenactor himself; Haatvedt; Allen; Bill Ring, a reenactor with the 8th Tennessee Infantry (U.S.); and Mosheim Alderman Tommy Gregg.

Iowa Courthouse

Johnson County's facilities manager said he thinks an air quality concern at the courthouse has been solved, but some think a problem still exists.
"We do not have the smell down there any longer," county facilities manager David Kempf said. "We've slowly but surely incrementally eliminated any of the items that could be causing the problem. I think we've done everything we can to fix the problem. If it does come back, we will continue to work to solve it."
Kempf said he would present results from an air quality study to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors during its meeting Thursday. Last month, the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory tested for mold and fungi on the first and second floors at the more than 100-year-old courthouse.
Kempf declined to release the study until he presents it to the supervisors. However, he said it showed air inside the courthouse contained substantially fewer airborne molds and fungi than what is found outside. It is at least the second air quality test at the courthouse in two years that yielded no dangerous elements.
"That's not to take away from the fact that there might be individuals who are hypersensitive to the types of molds in the air," Kempf said.
For at least three years, several judges, court reporters and courthouse staffers have reported symptoms including headaches, runny eyes, sinus problems and respiratory congestion. In addition, a musty, basement smell reportedly looms in courtroom 1A.
The smell has prompted about half of the district's judges and several court reporters to refuse to work in the courtroom.
Since last winter, Kempf said some measures have been taken to address the problem including rerouting fresh air intakes, reworking air conditioning condensate lines and installing air purifiers throughout the courthouse.
To date, Kempf estimates the county has spent $3,000 to $4,000 to address the matter.
"I don't believe it will come back," Kempf said about the smell. "I really think we've probably come as close as we're going to get to eliminating the problem."
However, 6th Judicial District Court Administrator Carroll Edmondson said he still thought there were air quality issues at the courthouse and said the air needed to be tested for other possible contaminants.
"(The study) may be right. It's not a fungi problem, but there's still a problem here causing people health issues, and it's not one or two people, it's a number of people," Edmondson said. "We're going to pursue the problem because we think a problem exists."
Johnson County Attorney J. Patrick White, whose offices are located near courtroom 1A, said he was not surprised by the air quality test results.
"We've had people in there for hours at a time without any difficulty," White said. "I don't think it's been a big problem at all."
However, Judge Douglas Russell and court reporter Wilma Porter said they have experienced problems in that courtroom and no longer work there. Russell said he had respiratory problems, nasal congestion and a runny nose that seemed to stem from working in the basement.
Porter said she would get headaches followed by flu-like symptoms -- problems she didn't experience at the district's five other courthouses.
"When half the court reporters are getting sick and half the judges are getting sick, you know it's not in our heads," Porter said.

New Air Purifier

The EPA estimates that indoor air pollutant levels may be two to five times higher than pollutant levels outside. "Home air purifiers are designed to make your living space more comfortable by reducing air pollutants like dust and pollen," says Andy Gamm, brand manager at Quixtar Inc.
The ATMOSPHERE Air Purifier uses the Clarus(TM) Filtration system which combines a pre-filter for larger particles, a HEPA filter for the smaller particles, and a carbon filter to remove odor," says Gamm. "Together these filters effectively remove greater than 99.9% of all airborne pollutants that pass through the filter including airborne bacteria, mold, viruses, fungi, dust mite allergens, asbestos, radon decay products, pet odors, cooking odors, dioxins, formaldehyde and other impurities as small as .007 microns."
"To get maximum performance from your air purifier, make sure you place it near any identifiable source of pollutants and away from walls or furniture that may obstruct the air intake and output areas," says Gamm.

Air Purifiers in Europe

Affordable UV Air Purifiers now available for Commercial and Industrial environments throughout Ireland UK and Europe.Air Care Technologies, a provider of high quality Ultraviolet Air Purification systems, is pleased to announce they we have commenced operations throughout Ireland. Air Care Technologies specializes in UV Air Purification devices for Residential and Commercial marketplace such as: Surgeries, Clinics, Laboratories, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Offices, Hospitality trade, Food service and Food manufacturing trades and also for Industrial environments.Our range of Ultraviolet air purifiers are so powerful, that they decontaminate and sanitize the air and surfaces by destroying biological contaminants like bacteria, viruses, mould, mildew, fungi, and their spores, harmful fumes, smoke and chemical gases, removing harmful particulates and neutralizing all unpleasant and offensive odours.Our air purifiers for Refrigerated environments and Food Services applications are engineered for the harsh conditions of cold with high levels of humidity and are ideal for use in food processing and storage areas. These food service air purification units will improve hygienic conditions by significantly reducing the level of biological contaminants including bacteria, viruses and mould and are effective in neutralizing unpleasant odours and eliminating odour transference between products.Our air purification units improve the shelf life of food and other products by destroying spoilage organisms and other biological contaminants and pathogens. This increase in shelf life of food has also been demonstrated in meats, poultry, eggs, fish and fresh produce products, such as oranges. Today's business environment can contain micro bacterial contaminants and organisms such as germs, viruses, bacteria, mould, fungi and other pollutants. Our goal is to provide the highest quality products and services at affordable prices. Our air purifier units are virtually silent, portable, cost just a few cents to run and are maintenance free.Business owners will find dramatic improvement in indoor air quality using our products for cleaning the air of biological contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and mould, destroying hazardous fumes, removing harmful particulates and neutralising unpleasant odours.When combining Purifying Plasma with ultraviolet light, the air and surfaces can be cleaned 2000 times quicker than ozone alone and 180 times faster than just ultraviolet light alone. Our air purifiers are the most effective purifiers on the market, utilizing the most scientifically advanced technology in the industry. The ‘Ultra-Pure’ air is circulated back into the room carrying with it the full power of our purifying Plasma that will continually seek out and destroy contaminants and unpleasant odours regardless of were they hide.

Indoor plants make great air purifiers

Planters were contracted by the Sheraton to execute the interior landscaping in the recent major refurbishment project of the Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, one of the oldest five star hotels in Dubai. The aim of the project was to update the property, in keeping with current trends in the hotel industry, by turning the interior of the hotel into an exotic, contemporary and stylish environment.Planters brief was to enhance the overall ambience and aesthetic sense of tranquility of the hotel with interior landscaping. The project consisted of removing the existing planting in the lobby and replacing it with more interesting and colourful plants. According to Jonathan Pardoe, General Manager of Planters, “In order to accomplish this we imported several types of bromeliad and codiaeum plants from top quality nurseries in Holland, as well as high quality replica plants from Europe, to replace the displays currently in place”. “Careful planning went into the selection of the plants due to the challenge of the restricted lighting in the lobby, which is always a major consideration when choosing the appropriate plants” said Mr. Pardoe. “Low level planting was also required together with brightly coloured plants to bring the displays to life. The planting arrangement now acts as a focal point that considerably lifts the atmosphere in the lobby and creates a positive impression for visitors” Mr. Pardoe went on to add.Interior landscaping has become an important feature for creating an environment that looks aesthetically pleasing. Mr. Pardoe stated “A well designed interior space is enhanced considerably with the addition of plants, plants keep you in touch with nature, reflecting beauty and the changing seasons. In addition, indoor plants are great air purifiers, creating a healthier and cleaner environment.” The refurbishment also included the introduction of a new electronic card system, parquet floors, room upholstery from curtains, bed linen through to sofas and in-room redecoration.

Air conditioners can be air purifiers

Air conditioning can be an expensive venture but you should always think of it as an investment, says Kyle Lumsden, president of Clearview Plumbing and Heating. “The resale value of your home not only increases, but you have to put your comfort first. With central air conditioning, there will be no more sleepless nights,” he says.
Few people realize air conditioners also act as air purifiers.
“They allow you to condition and filter the air which is really important to your health and comfort.”
It is really important to take your time picking a company that guarantees quality.
“You should always have a professional come to measure your home so that you have the appropriate system. If you have a system that is too big for your home, you are wasting your money. Your utility bills will be higher and the system just won’t be efficient. If you choose a system that is too small, you won’t condition your home effectively — you will waste money as well.”
As the heat rises, many companies come out of the woodwork claiming to install air conditioners but it is important to choose one wisely, says Lumsden.
“Check out the Better Business Bureau. Make sure that they are licensed and that they have good references. It’s very important to choose a company that knows what they are doing.”
More money doesn’t always mean a better central air system. “It is not all about the brand when it comes to air conditioners. It is about choosing the correct size for your home and having it properly installed.”
So just how much should you spend on a central air system?
“It really depends on the size of your home. The larger your home, the more it will cost you. It also depends on how many rooms you want to control. Some people may only want to air condition a few rooms rather than the whole home,” says John Senycz, service manager at Arpi’s Industries Canada Ltd.
The average costs of central air conditioning systems vary, but you should expect higher costs in a very large home.
On the low end, a central air system will cost you about $2,200 for a smaller home. A larger home could cost you about $6,000. These figures might seem steep but you have to remember it is all about comfort.
“Central air systems are an investment,” says Senycz.

Natural Air

Designing the very best purification products possible – that has been the mission of Natural Air Systems' team of scientists, engineers and air quality specialists since the company's inception. Now after nearly three decades of research and development, we are excited to introduce Natural Air™ -- the world's first dynamic air regenerator, with the ability to purify the air of an entire home up to 3,000 square feet.