Dear Sandels Building Colleagues and Students,
I’m reaching out to provide an update on the status of the Sandels Building. As mentioned in my most recent message, I will be providing these updates on a weekly basis to stay in constant communication and maintain maximum transparency.
We are currently in Phase 1 of the response plan to complete all necessary repairs, renovations, and remediations by the start of the Fall Semester.
Since my last message to you, we’ve met with the industrial hygienist hired by the university to evaluate the mold and HVAC system in the building to review their assessment and determine the best protocol for cleaning and remediating the HVAC system. Under the guidance of subject matter expert recommendations, it has been determined that the entire HVAC system will be thoroughly cleaned, and any portions that cannot be completely remediated will be replaced.
Duct cleaning has already begun by a third-party university contractor. During cleaning and repairs, the HVAC system will have intermittent operational status. Anyone with the need for limited access to the building during this time should submit a request for access to Provost@fsu.edu.
Facilities will closely examine the building exterior to determine the places in the building envelope where water might be entering the building. Once that assessment is completed, they will develop recommendations for correcting any of these issues.
With the results of the professional commercial radon testing conducted by the licensed independent contractor, Radon Professional Services, we are working with public health experts, facilities engineers, and the industrial hygienist to determine the radon mitigation system best suited for the basement of the building.
The basement was the sole location in the building that the Continuous Radon Monitors (CPM) or charcoal canisters found levels of radon elevated above the 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) the EPA recommends for residences. Tests conducted in the basement averaged 5.5 pCi/L for 9 samples of both types.
I appreciate your continued patience as we navigate this together. I assure you that the health and safety of the campus community remain our top priority. I will continue to provide weekly updates on the progress of the Sandels Building to you and the sandelsresponse.fsu.edu website. If you have questions that have not been addressed in an update or FAQ, please email sandelsresponse@fsu.edu.
Best regards,
Jim Clark Provost