Mold and the Changing Climate

I addressed the issue of mold in the college campus setting in a previous post, here.  The widespread nature of the problem and its relationship to the changing climate, make it an issue that should be included in any hazard mitigation plan.  I researched a number of existing campus 'HazMit' plans, but mold wasn't identified as a distinct issue in most of them.

One plan, however, prepared by Eastern Michigan University (EMU Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, here), listed mold, not only as a distinct "natural hazard," but actually pulled it out for special consideration as a hazard of its own. The table of contents lists hazards as follows:

• Natural Hazard
• Mold
• Technological Hazards
• Societal Hazards

The EMU plan describes the nature of this particular hazard as one that affects, not only the facilities themselves, but lurks as an unseen danger to public health.  The plan makes note of climate "events" as the potential causation mechanism for mold growth, but does not limit their discussion to mold as the aftermath of such events.  Rather, the plan states:

"Continued humid and damp conditions contribute to further growth of molds; this is likely to occur as the result of the effects of natural hazards such as tropical storms, hurricanes, and floods. However, once mold spores are formed, they have the ability to thrive in the absence of moist and humid conditions.... Indoors, mold tends to grow where humidity levels are the highest, such as basements and showers. Molds digest organic material, and they usually grow on surfaces such as wood, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, plants, food, and insulation."

The EMU plan lists three mitigation measures to help address the potential for mold growth:

1. Buildings with known water intrusion issues should be inspected to identify all possible sources of water infiltration and corrective actions identified.
2. Improving back-up power sources to insure continuous HVAC System operation necessary to control temperature and humidity. (I'd add here that HVAC systems should likewise be improved in all buildings to inhibit mold growth at all.)
3. It may also be possible to reduce the use of “mold friendly” materials in favor of “mold unfriendly materials such a concrete block, concrete board, treated wood and new “sheet rock” materials. However, utilizing mold unfriendly materials in new construction or to replace materials removed for other reasons may be justified. 

The danger posed by mold will undoubtedly be a continuing problem throughout the country with schools and other public buildings. It's another serious, long-term consequence of climate change, exacerbated by aging infrastructure. We should be addressing it as a hazard in our campus hazard mitigation plans. And it's yet another reason to meet the deferred maintenance challenge head on.