Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/1416362
4 | September 2021 Bob Krell Founder & Publisher Publisher's Rant I t seems that those of us in the indoor environmental industry are constantly trumpeting how consumers need to be educated so they can make "good choices" regarding buying IAQ-related products and services. We warn of snake oil salesmen, unproven technologies, and the like, but for the most par t, we fall shor t of providing consumers with clear guidance. In an online sea of marketing propaganda, how on ear th are those in the public (or commercial consumers, for the matter) supposed to make informed buying decisions? That last point cannot be stressed enough. The internet is awash with of- ferings for improving the quality of one's indoor spaces. The current pandemic has created somewhat of a double-edged sword for indoor environments in our buildings: It has brought an unprece- dented focus on indoor air quality (IAQ/ IEQ), but it has also spawned a multi- tude of questionable practitioners with purpor ted solutions, and general confu- sion about what we should be doing to combat this existential threat. This is true for our workplaces, schools, homes, and most every built indoor environment we spend our time in. There is an underlying sense of, "We need to do something—but what?" It is indeed difficult to discern the good from the bad, the hype from the credible, and ultimately the fact from the fiction in these matters. Having us industry pro- fessionals regurgitating caveat emptor ad nauseam doesn't really help buyers to ac- tually beware, either. We need to be pro- viding actionable intel that consumers can understand. And we need to do it now, as this current global crisis is also a golden oppor tunity to drive the message of how impor tant the quality of our indoor envi- ronments is to our health and well-being. We simply cannot squander this chance to promote substantive enhancements that usher in a better way of doing things. Let's not allow the snake oil to tarnish all the positive changes we can make. Making Good Choices Bob Krell Bob Krell is president of IAQ Technologies, Inc., a Syracuse, NY-based indoor environmental firm he founded in 1990, offering consulting, mitigation and training services to a variety of clients throughout the country and abroad. He co-founded IAQNET, LLC in 2013, and serves as publisher of its Healthy Indoors Magazine. Bob is the Producer/Director for the online video series, The Healthy Indoors Show, along with numerous other industry video projects and online events, and is Training Director for live distance learning offerings through IAQschool.online. Contact him at: bob@healthyindoors.com