In the built environment, it has been our experience that the best intentions often overlook both unwanted and unanticipated consequences. As such, occupant fears and health-concerns often arise and create a situation where their trust disappears and as a result, business operations become jeopardized. When this occurs, we have found that the only way to re-establish trust with the building occupants is through the introduction of an independent, credible, and believable environmental advocate. BHS is regularly engaged to fill this role of environmental advocate for the protection and reassurance of occupants’ safety and health.

What We Do as Environmental Advocates

In the role of Environmental Advocate, we focus on the activities and building dynamics which triggered the crisis and issue(s) of concern. Our integrated understanding of the situation permits BHS to administer effective and credible risk communication related to the occupants’ specific concerns.

In one instance, the occupants of buildings at the National Security Agency (NSA) were sufficiently concerned that the built environment was harmful to their health that a Congressional mandate was issued for environmental advocacy services of a physician-led team. The purpose was to determine if a group of government buildings’ indoor environmental and/or other work-related conditions were adversely affecting some employees, manifested as either health symptoms, illnesses, and / or impaired performance. Among other activities, 57,000 environmental data points were collected in 71 study areas within 12 buildings. Data was derived from three sources: (1) an epidemiological questionnaire; (2) extensive indoor environmental and air quality sampling; and (3) individual Health Hazard Evaluations of volunteers and workplace testing. In the final report, as independent, credible environmental advocates, we were able to utilize our health-based approach to resolve the occupants’ concerns and dispel their fears based on factual findings. See additional details in the published article entitled Indoor Environmental and Air Quality Characteristics, Building-Related Health Symptoms, and Worker Productivity in a Federal Government Building Complex, Published: 2014-09-25, in the Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health.