Roots of Mold Problems and Humidity Control Measures in Institutional Buildings with Pre-Existing Mold Condition

摘要

Humidity control and mold in buildings hasbecome an increasingly important problem. Once abuilding has experience mold growth on walls,ceilings, and other surfaces, it does not take longtermexposure to moisture for mold to re-grow in thebuilding. Some commercial buildings on the TexasA&M University (TAMU) campus have sufferedwith humidity problems for many years. TheContinuous Commissioning (CCSM) group of theEnergy Systems Lab in collaboration with theUtilities Office of Energy Management, and theTAMU Physical Plant, was dispatched to performContinuous Commissioning on these commercialbuildings in order to find viable solutions to thehumidity problem. The CC group performedextensive field tests and analysis on building airhandling unit (AHU), exhaust systems, buildingconstruction, and the Energy Management ControlSystem (EMCS). Based on the field studies andanalysis, a four-category (Design, construction,building retrofits and alterations, and poormaintenance) system was set up to classify sourcesfor high humidity problems. This paper presents theinvestigation and follow-up efforts, which identifiedreasons and corrective measures for the highhumidity levels in these buildings, turning theseinefficient and humid commercial buildings intocomfortable environments. Recommendations fordealing with such possible problems are provided.