Residents of Puerto Rico Should Benefit from $1 Million HUD Grant to Further Develop a Mold Classification Tool

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced the agency awarded close to $16 million to 18 universities, public health and housing organizations to conduct housing-related hazard and energy efficiency research studies. The funds were provided through HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH).
 
Each of the research grants aims to identify and improve methods for detecting and controlling housing-related health and safety hazards, and will incorporate weatherization into residential lead and healthy homes interventions. One of the recipients, the University of Tulsa, was awarded just under $1 million to further develop a mold classification tool (a DNA-based/machine learning approach for classifying the dampness/mold status of a building based on analysis of mold in settled dust samples) into a broadly applicable tool for home mold inspection and assessment of remediation effectiveness. The study has three objectives:

1. Determine if the tool accurately tracks the return of a home’s fungal condition from water-damaged/moldy to normal after thorough, standardized remediation has been conducted.
2. Explore associations between tool scores with quantitative metrics of observable dampness and moldiness previously correlated with health.
3. Collect pilot data for planning a future study linking successful mold remediation (assessed by the tool) and improved health among asthmatic children.

“The tropical climate and the impact of hurricanes and powerful storms results in many residents of Puerto Rico living in apartments and houses that have moisture and mold issues,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “HUD’s funding announcement for additional research into tools to assess mold contamination and remediation should result in long-term benefits for countless residents. At Zimmetry, our indoor environmental quality and industrial hygiene professionals have been helping to identify mold issues and other indoor contaminants in the region for the past 20 years. We offer comprehensive building inspections, testing and monitoring for mold, moisture and other challenges. If an issue is discovered, our experts can provide the know-how to have it resolved.” 
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their mold, water damage, indoor air quality, environmental, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals, and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs, and general environmental consulting services.

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