About this program:

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The mold and moisture industry exists to protect buildings and the people who occupy them—but are all recommended services truly necessary? In an environment where fear, liability concerns, and health anxieties often drive decision-making, building owners and occupants can find themselves facing costly recommendations that may exceed what the science supports.

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This lively panel discussion brings together experienced professionals from across the industry to examine controversial practices and ethical challenges, including conflicts of interest when the same organization performs both assessment and remediation, excessive sampling strategies, unnecessary demolition or remediation, routine use of biocides and antimicrobial chemicals, use of AI in development of proposal plans, and "one-size-fits-all" approaches that fail to account for building-specific conditions.

 

Through real-world examples, panelists will explore how professionals can balance occupant protection, scientific evidence, business realities, and ethical responsibilities. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for identifying when interventions are justified—and when they may cross the line into over-treatment, over-testing, or unnecessary expense.

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​What You'll Learn:

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By attending this session, you will learn how to:

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• Identify common mold assessment and remediation practices that may lack sufficient scientific justification or provide limited value to clients.

• Evaluate potential conflicts of interest and ethical concerns associated with assessment and remediation services performed by related entities.

• Distinguish between necessary and excessive sampling, remediation, and chemical treatment approaches.

• Apply risk-based and building-specific decision-making principles instead of relying on standardized or "cookie-cutter" recommendations.

• Communicate evidence-based recommendations to clients while managing concerns about liability, occupant expectations, and business pressures.​​​

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About the Moderator:

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Erin Wright is the Laboratory Director at EMSL’s South Portland Maine branch, and is the current President-elect for the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council. Over the past 10 years, Erin has played an active role in the IAQ industry through legal advocacy and best-practice education. This includes activities such as being a co-author for ACGIH’s Bioaerosols 2nd edition textbook and helping draft Maine’s new legislation for mold and moisture in rental properties. Ultimately, it is these works that Erin bridges the gap between science, education, and policy to create healthier indoor environments.

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Program Level: Basic/Intermediate/Advanced

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Content Areas: All Buildings

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