Case 9

BuildingStore room in office
LocationWall to air-conditioned area
Ventilation ModeNone designed
Sampling MethodTape sampling, Culturing
No. of Tape Samples1
No. of Cultured Samples (from tape)4
Medium UsedPotato Dextrose Agar (PDA)

Temperature (°C): 26.9
Relative Humidity (RH): 64.1
Wind Speed (m/s): 0.02

9-1

Building

9-2

The room in study is used to store unused appliances and wooden furniture. No form of ventilation was designed for the store except natural ventilation through crevices and cracks.

The store is next to an air-conditioned recreation lounge. Condensation occurs on the the wall which separates the two as the cooled inner wall surface contacts the warm, humid air. The walls of the maintenance store in the main office have been plagued with excessive mould growth. No mode of ventilation was observed to be designed for the room.

Observation

9-3

Dark-coloured mould is observed to be seen on the wall amongst the water stains. Cracks are also revealed by the water stains as such defects can retain the water condensed on the wall.

Mould infection has spread to the stores by the side of the wall. Contents of the boxes are exposed to contamination risks and damage may result in loss of economic value.

Identified Fungus

9-4