Mold Growth Risk in a Newly Built Hospital Building in Malaysia – Problems and Solutions

Abstract

Post Construction Assessment (PCA) provides critical feedback for project stakeholders to be able to evaluate and design construction processes as well as building maintainability. This paper aims to evaluate the problems caused by indoor environmental quality (IEQ) contaminants, particularly mold growth during PCA in a newly built hospital and to identify the potential solutions. Mold growth risk analysis which is a part of IEQ monitoring during PCA has not been widely emphasized, and thus leads to the creation of uncertainties in many new public hospitals in Malaysia. IEQ exercises were not prioritized during PCA not until when new mold growth occurred and were alleviated. Questionnaires were distributed to hospital projects’ stakeholders to identify the criteria of PCA with regards to mold growth in the new hospital’s indoor air. Results showed that post construction defects coupled with building design and construction quality as well as building operational issues was significant criteria that should be evaluated during the PCA of a newly built hospital. Stakeholders’ firm viewpoint on the key criteria is to be applied as a valuable input for identifying possible solutions as significant inputs in PCA for a newly built hospital.