THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

40

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH TO DO A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THE QUALITY OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM OF THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING.

 

WHEREAS, in a myriad of invisible and often unsuspecting ways, chemicals and contaminants emitted by a host of everyday objects contribute to a health problem as pervasive as it is serious - indoor air pollution; and

WHEREAS, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has said that indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially sensitive populations, and ranks among the top four environmental risks in relative risk reports; and

WHEREAS, indoor air pollution is believed to be responsible for as many as thirty thousand deaths annually; and

WHEREAS, the increasing use of synthetic building material and the move toward energy efficiency, spurred by the energy crisis of the mid 1970s, has resulted in many climate-controlled buildings with inadequate ventilation; and

WHEREAS, the air in these buildings, which have no natural ventilation or operable windows, can be one hundred times as polluted as the air outside; and

WHEREAS, it has been estimated that as many as forty per cent of all buildings pose a serious health hazard due to indoor air pollution; and

WHEREAS, moreover, according to the American College of Allergists, fifty per cent of all illnesses are caused by, or aggravated by, polluted indoor air; and

WHEREAS, "sick building syndrome" describes a space in which twenty per cent or more of the occupants complain about acute flu-like symptoms, including stuffy head, runny nose, and irritated eyes that occur when they are in the building but subside once they leave; and

WHEREAS, "building-related illness" is a clinically defined phenomenon in which a building occupant can be diagnosed with a disease or illness traceable to a specific culprit in the building, such as bacteria from a dirty ventilation system; and

WHEREAS, many sick buildings operate entirely on recycled air - a combination of exhaled carbon dioxide, cigarette smoke, ozone from copying machines, formaldehyde from furnishings, dust, and a host of other contaminants - with air intake vents that should bring in fresh air shut down to reduce cooling costs; and

WHEREAS, lack of maintenance compounds this problem as filters clog, dirt accumulates, and condensed moisture turns ducts and passageways into breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria; and

WHEREAS, in fact, according to a study of four hundred forty-six sick buildings by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, inadequate ventilation and just plain dirty heating and cooling systems account for more than half of all indoor air quality problems; and

WHEREAS, although the practice of keeping fresh air intake to a minimum or closing valves completely can cut electricity bills by twenty-five per cent, savings are an illusion; and

WHEREAS, a study by the Walter Reed Army Medical Center showed that a fifty per cent increase in absenteeism occurs among workers in poorly ventilated environments; and

WHEREAS, productivity losses from Sick Building Syndrome symptoms are estimated to be around two percent among office workers, costing an estimated $50 billion annually; and

WHEREAS, given the overwhelming evidence that dirty filters and the concomitant build up of dust, mold, fungi, and mildew in the air-conditioning system of buildings are major contributors to sick buildings, it would seem that keeping air conditioning filters and ducts clean would significantly reduce indoor air pollution; and

WHEREAS, reducing the effects of sick building syndrome on state employee absenteeism and reduced productivity should result in considerable savings to the State; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 321-413 states that the Director of Health may "assist any manager, owner, or occupant of a publicly owned building to identify, assess, and correct indoor air pollution problems" and "establish a program for the approval of plans to construct ventilation systems, the inspection of ventilation system construction, and the monitoring of existing ventilation systems for proper maintenance;" now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-First Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, that the Director of Health conduct a thorough investigation into the quality of the air conditioning system of the Hawaii State Capitol Building for the purposes of identifying, assessing, and correcting indoor air pollution problems, especially with regards to the filters, duct work, evaporators, and vents; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Health provide the Legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2003, on the findings of the investigation and any remedies pursued; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Health.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

State Capitol Building; Air Quality; Air Conditioning