| Newsletter of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council |
| Digest version. Want the full version? Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter at the bottom of this page! |
| President’s Message 2020 has arrived and looks to be a great year for MIAQC and its members. We’ve already have started planning for our 2020 IAQ & Energy Conference being held in October in Portland. Our board held a strategic planning session in November to set our workplan and project goals for the next 3-5 years. We are excited about this process. Some of our goals include: Updating our public policy policy position statements on matters that are critical in improving and maintaining the indoor air quality in our homes, offices and public environments. We will be reviewing, updating these policy papers and sharing these with our members. Improving our public communications and increasing our social media presence. This includes more engagement and messaging to the public about strategies to improve IAQ, and creation of a MIAQC YouTube channel to showcase some of the great information we have available.Want to help? If you are interested in assisting our organization, please reach out and let us know your thoughts. Contact christy@maineindoorair.org or 207-626-8115. Dick Rollins, PE, President Maine Indoor Air Quality Council |
| Feature Article: A Practical, Easily-Built Wall System: R-30 and Beyond |
| Contributed by MIAQC Members David Johnston of David Johnston & Co. and William Turner, of Turner Building Science and Design. |
| The adoption of the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code has special ramifications for Climate Zones 6, 7, and 8. As shown in Table R402.1.2, IECC 2015, Zones 6,7, and 8 are effectively precluded from using “Cavity only insulation”. The minimum requirements of code compliance are written as “20+5” or “13+10” in the Wood Frame Wall R-Value column. The first number refers to cavity R value, and the second number refers to a continuous layer of insulation. Non-insulation elements of the wall system, such as gypsum wallboard, plywood sheathing, or air films are not useable in the insulation calculations. The 2009 IECC did allow an option for “cavity only insulation”, written as “20” or “13+5”.The obvious intent of the 2015 IECC is to manage conductive heat loss by minimizing thermal bypasses in the wall systems, thereby improving overall system performance. Continuous insulation methods that comply with the Code include standard stud construction with insulated exterior sheathing, standard stud construction with insulated interior sheathing, Zero Stud Construction such as Structural Insulated Panels or Insulated Concrete Forms, and finally Double Stud Construction. This paper will explore one such Double Stud Construction method, which the authors refer to as “Wrap and Strap” Construction.Read more… |
| 390 Attend IAQ & Energy 2019 |
| The tally is in: more than 390 people participated in the recent IAQ & Energy Conference, including live program attendees, online attendees, presenters, exhibitors, and staff. It was a wonderful event, and we give a humble thank you to everyone who donated their time, energy, and expertise to make it happen.Did you miss IAQ & Energy 2019? No worries! We recorded almost all of the presentation sessions. Click here to purchase access to the 2019 video content. |
| IAQ Stuff to Do |
| Design Considerations for All-electric, Mass-timber Passive House Buildings Evening Lecture Monday, Feb. 17, 2020 Gilsland Farm, FalmouthLearn More Design Solutions for Large, High-Performance Buildings Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020 Gilsland Farm, FalmouthA one-day workshop on how to successfully design, construct, and certify large Passive House buildings. Learn More Indoor Insanity 5k! Due to weather-related closures at USM in January, the 2020 Indoor Insanity 5k race has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2020. Because of the date switch, registration for the race is still open!Learn More |
| Residential Construction Training Series St. Joseph’s College, Standish, MEIn-person and online attendance available. Remaining sessions:HVAC: Friday, February 14, 2020RENOVATIONS: Friday, February 28, 2020All programs focus on management of air flow, heat flow, water, and water vapor.Learn More 2020 High Performance Building Conference March 26, 2020 Holiday Inn by the Bay, PortlandA jam-packed day of learning and networking on air barriers, the building envelope, new building materials, technologies, building strategies and more in effort to help share best practices and what is new in the building industry. Learn More Legionella!Dates TBA:An overview of legionella and legionnaires disease, including how it forms in building hydronic systems, how to test for it, and how to fix it. A practical session for building managers, health professionals, legal personnel, investigations/remediations professionals, water treatment companies, and plumbing/mechanical engineers. Learn More |
| Trek Across Maine |
| It’s not too late to register to participate in the 2020 Trek Across Maine, the largest fundraising event of its kind in the nation. Join more than 700 other bikers for 1, 2 or 3 days of riding scenic Maine roads, all to support lung health and research.Learn More October 27-28, 2020 Holiday Inn by the Bay Portland, MaineLearn More |
| Mark your calendars: October 27-28, 2020 Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, MaineOur signature, two-day event that explores design, construction, operations, maintenance, investigation, and remediation of buildings–all for the health of the people in them. Want to present at IAQ & Energy 2020? Presentation applications now being accepted. Go to iaqandenergy.com for more information.Learn More |
| Out and About with MIAQC We don’t sit around! What’s MIAQC been up to lately? |
| On October 31-November 1, 2019, 300 professionals gathered at the Holiday Inn by the Bay for the 2019 IAQ & Energy Conference. An amazing day exploring energy efficiency and indoor air quality *** On November 18, 2019, members of the Board met with facilitation consultants Elizabeth Hall and Mary Beth Luce for a full day Board retreat at the Maine Beer Company in Freeport. The work of the day was on development of the next 3-5 year strategic plan for the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council. *** On November 25, 2019, MIAQC Executive Director gave a presentation on our mold in rental properties grant project to the members of the Maine Asthma Coalition. *** On January 14, 2020, the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council was the featured nonprofit at the Portland Greendrinks meeting. In spite of snowy weather, more than 150 professionals gathered to learn more about indoor air quality and sample some of Maine’s finest brews. *** On January 24, 2020, the 2020 Residential Construction Training series kicked off at St. Joseph’s College in Standish, ME. *** Get Involved!Contact MIAQC Executive Director Christy Crocker to find out how you can participate in and support the work of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council: 207-626-8115; christy@maineindoorair.org. |
| Interesting Reading and Viewing… From AIHA: AIHA and Five International Associations Join Forces for a Better Indoor Environment From the Journal of Light Construction: 3 Common Sillpan Mistakes and How to Correct Them From Building Science Insights: Drain the Rain On the Plane, the Drainage Plane Flow Through Assemblies From EPA: Indoor Air Plus Construction Specifications From the New York Times: Evolution, Air Pollution, and the Fate of Billions of Humans From The Guardian: Can Air Purifiers Improve Students’ Academic Performance? From The Pensacola News Journal: Epidemic of Legionnaires’ Disease Prompts Florida Senate Bill From NAHB: Study: Builders Increasingly Focusing on High-Performance Building Practices From the CDC: Maintaining Acceptable Indoor Environmental Quality During Construction and Renovation Projects Have some interesting reading to share? Send it to MIAQC Executive Director Christy Crocker and we’ll post in a future issue of The Informer. |
| Support MIAQC! Support the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council each time you shop on Amazon. Start at https://smile.amazon.com.Contact MIAQC Executive Director Christy Crocker to find out how you can participate in and support the work of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council: 207-626-8115; christy@maineindoorair.org. |
