Q&A: Atlas’ National Director of Industrial Hygiene and Building Science Alex Peck shares insights into recent air pollution events.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires settled across the U.S. Midwest and eastern seaboard in June, covering major cities in a hazardous haze.

Federal authorities issued health advisories in multiple regions, urging people to remain indoors and monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) until further notice.

While wildfire phenomena no longer surprise residents of western states, , a smoke-veiled, New York City skyline spurred public health concerns about the future.

Can exposure silently harm your health? We caught up with Alex Peck, the National Director of Industrial Hygiene and Building Science at Atlas, to learn more about the effects of wildfire smoke and how to deal with these unprecedented challenges.

How threatening can smoke that’s traveled hundreds of miles away from its source be to human health?

Canada’s fighting at the moment, so it’s difficult to determine the exact source of the smoke. We can presume that the airborne soot impacting New York state and the East Coast comes from western Canada by way of a storm system in Maine, but it’s likely that these fires are burning more than just vegetation and timber.

While breathing particle pollution from any source, including wildfires, can be harmful, if the fires are burning manmade structures and products containing plastics and rubbers, chemically, there’s no telling what you could be inhaling.

And unlike the wildfire smoke that stays aloft in the west, this particular smoke is lingering at ground level.

What is particulate matter?

Particulate matter (PM) refers to the microscopic solid and liquid particles suspended in the air. Although we can’t see these particles individually, they materialize as haze or smoke when present in high concentrations.

We differentiate sizes on a scale from PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 microns or less) to PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less), or particles 50 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair.

The nose and throat can stop many larger PM10 particles from entering our body. Whereas finer, PM2.5 particles, can penetrate deep into lung linings and cause a host of respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

How do you analyze and rate wildfire smoke?

That’s actually one of the biggest challenges in occupational health and safety: we don’t have a good way of doing that right now.

Of course we can analyze the air in a myriad of ways, but the problem is there’s not really one catch-all solution where, to reference Star Trek, we can use a tricorder to gather, compute, and record air quality data.

We have to identify what we believe is in the air and then order the lab to analyze for it. Fires release thousands of toxic chemicals that are typically present in low quantities, making them difficult to capture. That’s one reason why we always focus on PM2.5, because it’s a good marker for just all the pollution in general. PM2.5 also tends to travel further at harmful concentrations than many of the other contaminants.

What smoke detection devices has Atlas installed for clients?

A lot of buildings, especially older models, weren’t built with ventilation systems that can detect particles that come from wildfires.

We recently started installing low-cost sensors that record air quality data in real time. They look like thermostats. They analyze ambient temperature, humidity, particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon dioxide from people breathing in the building.

It’s new equipment that we can set and forget for 24/7 air quality monitoring. These devices can help our clients understand the impacts of wildfire smoke and other pollution on their indoor environments and employees.

How can Atlas help wildfire-prone properties stay healthy?

Climate scientists expect hotter, drier conditions to extend the fire season. Here’s how Atlas can help: 

1. Develop custom health and safety plans for employees working in hazardous conditions.
2. Perform indoor air quality evaluations amid wildfire events.
3. Conduct indoor air quality evaluations after a wildfire/isolated building fire incident to understand impacts and provide guidance for remediation.

The first entails developing a health and safety program for sectors that are exposed to wildfires. It’s geared towards commercial farmers, groundskeepers, delivery drivers, landfill operators, or anyone who primarily works outdoors. We also help businesses comply with wildfire regulations in applicable states.

The second concerns an assortment of different equipment, sensors and sampling devices, and laboratory analyses to assess ventilation system quality. We help determine if the ventilation systems are functioning at full capacity or if improvements are needed.

The third involves testing building surfaces for soot, ash, and char. In most cases, the smoke particles actually stick to surfaces and settle in the dust, which gives off a lingering smoke odor. We perform wipe samples to determine the level of impact to areas within a building and inform remediation plans. Smoke travels through wall cavities in sneaky ways. Basically, we help rid the building of contaminants and the associated smell.

How can individuals own their safety?

Keep an eye on those AQI numbers at . You can also view various “citizen science” indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring programs online, such as . Some platforms even allow you to opt for a meter that you can set up outside your front door.

If you’re in an area that’s experiencing intense smoke, staying inside is the main recommendation from federal agencies.

Make sure that the air quality inside is as good as it can be. You’ll want to keep windows and doors airtight as best you can. Make sure you’re using the highest rated air filters that your ventilation system allows.

I suggest buying those affordable air purifiers for rooms, too. The one thing that I would note about those is you want to buy one that has a , and you want to pay attention to the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). Get one that’s the right size for the area you’re trying to filter.

Stay away from ionizers. Basically, avoid products that advertise ionization capabilities or ionizing the air. They’re known to produce ozone and other pollutants that you don’t want to breathe. Just stick to HEPA filters. They’re tried and true.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — In February, two investment firms purchased the Diplomat Beach Resort for a historic $835 million.

Situated between two international airports, the 39-story hotel overlooks 10 acres of Atlantic Ocean beachfront and comes fully equipped with modern amenities designed for year-round use.

However, as , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that Hollywood will experience flooding above six feet by the end of this century.

Before closing , the buyers needed to understand what environmental stressors would impact the property and what actions they could take to prevent downtime, ultimately protecting the viability of their investment.

Alongside sustainability consulting firm partner, Shift Sustainable, Atlas deployed a Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment to review the resort’s risk levels for experiencing various climate hazards through 2050.

In under three weeks, Atlas’ task force:

• Outlined specific climate risks that could impact the property for the next 27 years.
• Detailed proactive measures with calculated costs to increase resiliency to recognized climate threats.
• Illustrated the cost of proactive versus reactive measures by event for better capital improvement planning.

But for investors looking to establish return-oriented assets in Florida, one of the top tourist destinations in the world, resiliency to natural disasters is critical.

Protecting assets against climate threats

Heat Stress

Hot days are expected to increase over the next 27 years as the global climate continues to warm.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program predicts that Broward County will see an increase in days over 95° F from a recorded five days in 2022 to 60 days per year in 2050.

In a higher greenhouse gas emissions scenario, the most vulnerable elements of the Diplomat Beach Resort are the mechanical systems.

First Street Foundation, a research and technology group helping define America’s climate risk, estimates that the expected temperature increases in Hollywood will result in a 7.7 percent energy use increase over the next 30 years.

Because the central plant was sized to accommodate an adjacent condominium but was never directly connected to that site, Atlas expects the central plant to have ample capacity to handle an increased cooling load.

Cooling won’t exceed the available capacity. However, an increased use of the cooling systems will mean additional wear and tear on HVAC equipment, resulting in more frequent cooling-related equipment maintenance and a potential reduction in expected useful life of HVAC equipment.

Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) national risk index considers Broward County to have a relatively high risk of hurricanes when compared to the rest of the U.S.

FEMA Flood Map Service Center categorizes this property as an area within the 100-year floodplain, an area with a one percent annual chance of being inundated by a flood event.

Flooding is possible due to hurricanes and heavy storms, as well as sea level rise. By 2050, sea levels are expected to potentially rise by approximately three feet. In the event of a hurricane, climate projections indicate the property could see a storm surge of nearly six feet.

Anything near or below this elevation would be at risk of significant damage.

Fortunately, the Diplomat Beach Resort was built to withstand flood risk. On the beach side of the property, an almost 10-foot-tall bulkhead provides a barricade against water incursion. In fact, most levels of the campus sit above six feet of elevation; even the lower pool deck sits at almost 11 feet.

Tornadoes and High Wind

To assess tornado risk, Atlas reviewed historical tornado records for Broward County and FEMA’s National Risk Index.

According to the NOAA Storm Events Database, Broward County has experienced 40 tornadoes since 2000.

Only one was categorized as an EF2 storm, which is considered strong, but not “severe (EF3),” “devastating (EF4),” or “incredible (EF5).”

FEMA classifies Broward County as having a “relatively high” risk of tornadoes. The frequent occurrence of severe thunderstorms, tropical storms, and hurricanes is a likely contributor.

Long-term tornado projections are sparse due to the sporadic nature of these storms, but it’s possible that an increase in hurricane and thunderstorm intensity with a warming climate could result in more conditions that support the formation of tornadoes.

During high wind events, the building frame and envelope are the most vulnerable building elements. And windows, doors, and roof structures are at risk of detaching or sustaining damage from airborne objects.

The site walkthrough and evaluation revealed that the Diplomat Beach Resort was designed to meet or exceed the ASCE-7 standard, the design standard that governs wind loads and pressures that a structure should be able to withstand.

Making data-driven investment decisions

Real estate investors deploy climate risk and resilience assessments to uncover property histories, susceptible building components, and asset performance projections.

At Atlas, we take it a step further by providing our partners with a comparison of preventive and reactive costs per climate hazard, so buyers can get a full picture of their financial exposure before closing.

Our knowledgeable team of assessors crunch energy expenditure data and savings methods to create a custom chart of one-time preventive costs (e.g., implementing resilient tech), storm-by-storm reactive costs after significant damages (like full replacements), and loss revenues due to operational downtime.

The owners can use this data to pinpoint capital improvements that could boost the Diplomat Beach Resort’s lifecycle, keep occupancy rates healthy, and establish the hotel as a modern, luxury paradise.

To learn about our full suite of due diligence services, contact us today.