Related Topics:

Web Conferences and Webinars for Indoor Air Quality in Schools

Over the past few years, EPA has organized several Web conferences to discuss key topics of interest to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) champions. Below (listed in descending date order) you can find information about past Web conferences, including the presentations used, supplemental materials distributed and summaries of each event. If you are interested in participating in future Web events, send an email to IAQ Schools IAQSchools@epa.gov to provide us with your contact information.

Webinar Topic Webinar Date
Creating Healthy Indoor Environments in Schools: The Knowledge Network and Actions you Need On-Demand Webinar Recording
(Recorded April 30, 2014)
Making the Case 12/11/14
HVAC Systems 1/22/15
Moisture and Mold 2/12/15
Energy Efficiency and IAQ 3/12/15
Integrated Pest Management 4/16/15
Asthma Management 5/07/15
Cleaning and Maintenance 6/04/15
Materials Selection 7/16/15
Source Control 8/06/15

Webinar: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Key Findings on School Indoor Environments
(February 27, 2014)

This webinar was hosted on February 27, 2014 by the Indoor Environments Division of EPA in collaboration U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on the 2012 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS). The webinar featured speakers, Sherry Everett Jones, CDC and Brenda Doroski, EPA, reviewed the key findings from the 2012 SHPPS, including information about the progress districts have made in implementing IAQ management programs and other school environmental health initiatives. Participants learned how these statistics could help school districts communicate the value and importance of IAQ management and where they can find technical assistance.

Miss a Recent Webinar?

Webinar: Creating Healthy School Indoor Environments in Tribal Communities: Best Practices from Tribal Programs
(December 9, 2013)

Creating Healthy Indoor Environments in Tribal Communities webinar shared best practices and strategies for working with tribal communities to establish and sustain healthy indoor environments in school facilities, highlighted two tribal environmental programs and demonstrated how EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools guidance can play a pivotal role in helping schools establish IAQ programs, reduce asthma triggers and enhance energy audits. Tribal air quality coordinators discussed the importance of education, training and communication in IAQ management efforts. Featured speakers included Johna Boulafentis (Environmental Outreach Specialist, Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho) and Scott Weir (Air Quality Coordinator, Kickapoo Environmental Office, Kansas).

Webinar: Mold and Moisture Control in Schools: Potential Health Effects and Safe Clean-Up Practices
(November 19, 2013)

This webinar provided information about how to successfully manage an in-house or outside contractor mold remediation. Steven Caulfield with Turner Building Science and Design, and President of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Harrison, Maine addressed strategies for communicating a school’s efforts to the community, with the goal of alleviating any need for crisis communication tactics. Peggy Caruso with Katy Independent Schools District in Texas shared her experience with tackling a potential mold crisis, which resulted in the implementation of long-term mold and moisture prevention policies and procedures.

Webinar: EPA's Back-to-School Webinar: Managing Asthma in Schools
(September 24, 2013)

This Webinar showcased two innovative asthma programs that are grounded in EPA's IAQ Tools for Schools guidance and successfully managed unique challenges that ultimately resulted in improving asthma outcomes in their local schools. This Webinar featured Laura Wheeler, RN, School Nurse, Cedar Rapids School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Teresa Lipsett-Ruiz, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Universidad of Turabo, Puerto Rico, with facilitation led by Tracey Mitchell, RRT, AE-C, U.S. EPA, Indoor Environments Division.

Webinar: Mold and Moisture: Double Trouble for Schools
(August 7, 2013)

This webinar reviewed the most common sources of mold and moisture in schools; discussed practical and cost-effective solutions to prevent and control mold and moisture in school facilities; and provided technical information and resources available to help remediate the mold or moisture intrusion. Attendees heard from Steven Caulfield, Senior Vice President, Turner Building Science and Design, and President of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council and Alyce Swann, Facilities Supervisor, Maine Regional School Unit 21 in Kennebunk, Maine.

Webinar: "Creating Exceptional Learning Environments Through Comprehensive Indoor Air Quality Management"
(May 21, 2013)

The Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency jointly hosted a Webinar that discussed how the award-winning Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kan. proactively manages indoor air quality (IAQ) through facility design, construction and ongoing maintenance and operations — resulting in measurable, improved student achievement.

School Siting Webinar: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities for Communities and Decision-makers
(May 8, 2013)

This Webinar will help districts, schools and communities understand the importance of school siting and the impacts on economic development, communities, public health and the environment. A panel of experts from U.S. EPA, Suzi Ruhl, J.D., M.P.H, Senior Attorney Policy Advisor in the Office of Environmental Justice; Regina Langton, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Sustainable Communities; and Suganthi Simon, Pollution Prevention Coordinator, Region 4, will provide participants with information and tools that can help districts, schools and communities weigh school siting decisions.

The Virtual School Walkthrough: Identifying and Responding to Common IAQ Problems webinar was held on February 26, 2013, and provided participants with a comprehensive and effective process for identifying, diagnosing and solving common IAQ issues.

  • Due to the large file size of this webinar's presentation slides, we will not be posting a PDF of the webinar slides online. However, you can watch a video of a school walkthrough on Northwest Clean Air Agency's website Exit to gain access to the pictures and images that were used during the webinar.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Schools - Basics for Winter
(November 28, 2012)

Speaker: Dion Lerman, Environmental Health Educator, Penn State Integrated Pest Management Program, Facilitator: Cristina Schulingkamp, U.S. EPA Region 3
This webinar focused on the seasonal opportunities to control indoor pests in schools. Wintertime means more time indoors, which means more exposure to allergens and asthmagens, especially from indoor pests. Winterization allows increased opportunities to prevent and exclude pests. We will examine the effects of pests on both indoor air quality (IAQ) and human health, especially asthma. Interventions to control pests will be presented: what is effective and what is not. The reduction in the use of chemicals and the use of Environmentally Preferable Chemicals will be examined. Successful reductions in allergens and asthma incidents will also be highlighted.

Asthma in Schools Webinar: How to Form Strategic Collaborations to Improve Student Asthma Care
(September 12, 2012)

The Asthma in Schools Webinar Archive is now available. Exit

This Webinar featured leading asthma experts who discussed best practices for asthma management in schools and how they collaborated with key partners to expand the reach of their school-based asthma management programs. Speakers included Teresa Lampmann, Coordinating Manager, The Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey; Marilyn Hammett, Coordinator of Health Services, Louisiana Recovery School District and Kitty Hernlen, Assistant Professor, Georgia Health Sciences University.

Green Strides Webinar Series: Technical Webinar - Reducing Radon in Schools
(July 18, 2012)

This one hour Webinar provided technical guidance on effective radon testing and control strategies for schools, including how to operate and install a radon mitigation depressurization system. Radon experts Josh Miller (Research Scientist) and Josh Kerber (Environmental Research Scientist) of the Minnesota Department of Health, both specialists in radon control in school environments, were featured in this Webinar.

Download the Full Presentation

You may also download and listen to the following segments:

Part 1: Radon Introduction Overview
Part 2: Expert Speakers Presentation
Part 3: Questions and Answers and other Resources

Green Strides Webinar Series: Discover Why Good IAQ is Essential for Green and Healthy Schools
(June 21, 2012)

The Indoor Environments Division in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) sponsored the first Webinar of the ED Green Strides Webinar Series entitled "The Role Indoor Air Quality plays in a Healthy School Environment." Several school districts that received the 2012 ED Green Ribbon Schools award were also from EPA IAQ Tools for Schools award-winning districts. The Webinar acquainted school districts on the use of the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance to help maintain healthy and green learning environments in schools and how the guidance can contribute toward the Green Ribbon Schools designation in preparation for the next Green Ribbon Schools award cycle.

The Virtual School Walkthrough Webinar 2.0: Responding to Common IAQ Issues and Concerns
(January 26, 2012)

This Webinar investigated how IAQ management teams can effectively respond to issues/concerns, and communicate IAQ assessment findings to the school community. Tips and techniques on properly using common instruments, data collection and interpretation and effectively reporting results were discussed. IAQ assessment experts Richard Prill (Building Science and IAQ Specialist at Washington State University) and David Blake (Environmental Specialist at the Northwest Clean Air Agency) presented.

Tribal Schools Webinar Series sponsored by U.S. EPA Region 8

Part 1: School Chemical Cleanout & PCBs in Tribal Schools - January 18, 2012
Part 2: Asbestos & Lead Repair, Renovation and Painting Rule in Tribal Schools - January 25, 2012
Part 3: Integrated Pest Management & Green Cleaning in Tribal Schools - February 1, 2012
Part 4: Waste Reduction, Recycling, Composting & Gardening in Tribal Schools - February 8, 2012
Part 5: Indoor Air in Tribal Schools - February 15, 2012
Part 6: Energy & Water Conservation in Tribal Schools - February 22, 2012

Get more information on this Tribal Schools Webinar Series.

Virtual School Walkthrough Webinar: Identifying and Solving Common IAQ Problems
(December 9, 2011)
Participants were provided with a comprehensive and effective process for identifying, diagnosing and solving common IAQ issues. The webinar is part of the IAQ Tools for Schools webinar series of technical solutions for schools addressing a comprehensive IAQ management program in their districts. Presenters Richard Prill (Building Science and Indoor Air Quality Specialist at Washington State University) and David Blake (Environmental Specialist at the Northwest Clean Air Agency) provided insightful knowledge about the importance of prioritizing IAQ issues and the power of effective communication when responding to reports and concerns. Over 250 attendees participated in this event.

Additional Resource:
Northwest Clean Air Agency online training website entitled "The Virtual School Walkthrough: Identifying and Solving Common Indoor Air Quality Problems". Exit Watch the video chapter links located on the right hand side bar: Getting Started, Walk-through, Outside, Inside, Classrooms, Fixes and Debrief.

Discover how to properly manage radon in your schools.
Webinar: Radon in Schools: What You Need to Know
(August 24, 2011)
This one hour webinar provided a basic overview of radon as an environmental health threat then gave a practical look at how Colorado Springs School District 11 applied the IAQ Tools For Schools' Six Key Drivers to radon testing and mitigation. The intended audience consists of state and local radon program directors, school facility and health staff, and private sector IAQ professionals.

Mold and Moisture: Double Trouble for Schools Webinar
(July 20, 2011)
As part of a series of technical solutions for schools addressing a comprehensive IAQ management program in their district, this Webinar on mold and moisture issues was attended by over 350 individuals. Presenters reviewed the most common sources of mold and moisture in schools, discussed practical and cost-effective solutions to prevent and control mold and moisture, and provided in-depth technical information about remediating mold or moisture intrusion. Peggy Caruso, IAQ Coordinator for Katy Independent School District in Texas, and Todd Spore with PBK Architects were featured speakers.

State-Based School IAQ Management Initiatives (August 25, 2010)
Featured: Kenny Foscue from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Dan Tranter from the Minnesota Department of Public Health and Tobie Bernstein from the Environmental Law Institute – all of whom have helped promote effective, collaborative models for advancing IAQ management programs in schools statewide. The speakers shared their experiences for integrating IAQ Tools for Schools guidance into state initiatives to improve school environments, obstacles facing state initiatives and resources to propel success and strategies to leverage the success of other state initiatives.

Integrated Pest Management in Schools Webinar (June 3, 2010)
The Webinar, the latest in a series designed to highlight key aspects of The Framework for Effective School IAQ Management, focused on the importance of addressing integrated pest management (IPM) in schools. The Webinar featured integrated pest management (IPM) speakers Sherry Glick (U.S. EPA), Dr. Thomas Green (The IPM Institute of North America, Inc.), Gregg Smith (Salt Lake City School District) and Bob Stoddard (EnviroSafe, Inc.) who shared their expertise, best practices and resources schools can use to develop an integrated pest management program.

Resources:

Managing Asthma in the School Environment Webinar (May 13, 2010)
The Webinar, the latest in a series of technical web conference calls, provided expert advice, practical steps and new resources for reducing exposures to environmental asthma triggers in schools. The Webinar featured pediatric environmental health experts Drs. Robert Geller and Leslie Rubin, Director and Co-Director of the Emory Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Resources:

Finding Solutions: The Virtual Walk-through (March 25, 2010)
The Webinar, first in a series of technical web conference calls, provided the fundamentals and best-practices for conducting a school facility walk-through. Attendees left empowered to perform a close evaluation of the state of their school district's facilities overall IAQ and learned strategies for identifying and addressing common IAQ issues.

Resource:
Northwest Clean Air Agency online training Web site entitled “The Virtual School Walkthrough: Identifying and Solving Common Indoor Air Quality Problems". ;Exit Watch the video chapter links located on the right hand side bar: Getting Started, Walk-through, Outside, Inside, Classrooms, Fixes and Debrief.

Leading Edge IAQ Tools for Schools Assessment Strategies - April 2007

This is one in a series of technical web conference calls whose purpose is to assist schools with the most important part of their schools IAQ management plan -- the school walkthrough. Learn the secrets to performing easy school walkthroughs from national school assessment experts - and featured IAQ Tools for Schools Symposium speakers, Rich Prill (Washington State University) and Dave Blake (NW Clean Air Agency) and two recent award-winning school IAQ management programs, Blue Valley Schools (Overland Park, Kansas) and The School Board of Broward County (Broward, Florida).

Leadership in School IAQ Management: How to Effectively Tell Your Story - June 2006

How to Involve Students in Your IAQ Program - May 2005

Real Experience Working with the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program - September 2004

Implementing IAQ Tools for Schools: Proper Building Maintenance for Summer Months - July 2004

Implementing IAQ Tools for Schools: Resolving the Disconnect Between School Districts/Administration and School Personnel - April 2004

​

Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.