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Step 1: Designate an IAQ Coordinator

Reference: Building Air Quality: Section 5, "Managing Buildings for Good IAQ: Select an IAQ Coordinator," Page 33; also, Section 3, "Communicating with Building Occupants," Page 13.

Purpose: To designate someone who is responsible for IAQ activities within a building.

The first step to good IAQ management is to assign the job of IAQ Coordinator. The IAQ Coordinator should be an employee of the building owner or manager and may be responsible for indoor air quality in more than one building. Once designated, the IAQ Coordinator will be responsible for implementing the rest of the Action Plan. The IAQ Coordinator may choose to seek assistance from outside contractors or consultants, but should retain primary responsibility.

Specific Activities
	Choose an IAQ Coordinator to meet criteria in the Building Air Quality guide.
	Educate the IAQ Coordinator on the Building Air Quality guide.
	Have the IAQ Coordinator implement the Action Plan using the Checklist as a final check.

The IAQ Coordinator coordinates all indoor air quality activities in the building. Having overall responsibility makes it easier to manage the building’s IAQ and keep occupants informed and involved.

An effective IAQ Coordinator can come from a variety of backgrounds. Indoor air quality is a field that requires the application of many disciplines to prevent and solve problems, because no single field encompasses all the needed principles and skills. The person selected could be the facility manager, the building operating engineer, the health and safety director, or the employee-relations manager. Whatever the job title, the IAQ Coordinator should be given sufficient authority to make decisions and implement improvements.

Keep in mind that the IAQ Coordinator will be working as a "team leader". Where specific skills are lacking, another team member may compensate. Nevertheless, it is critical that the IAQ Coordinator be familiar with the building’s structure and function and sufficiently conversant with IAQ issues to communicate effectively with occupants, facility personnel, and the building owner(s).

It is essential that the IAQ Coordinator be thoroughly familiar with the principles contained in Building Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers (BAQ) (see Appendix 1 for ordering information.). Additionally, training may be helpful for both the IAQ Coordinator and other staff. Both the EPA and commercial vendors sponsor training on Building Air Quality and IAQ generally. Descriptions of EPA developed training materials are located in Appendix 2. EPA Regional Headquarters IAQ coordinators can help you locate EPA-sponsored training in your area. See Appendix 3 for a listing of the EPA Regional IAQ Coordinators contact information.

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