Flood Recovery & Air Quality Updates
Summary: Facilities Services and RMEHS are jointly overseeing the phased reopening of the Biological Sciences Building following a flood event. Together, the teams are coordinating cleanup, environmental testing, air quality monitoring, and containment efforts to ensure safe re-occupancy.
Last updated:
Current Status
Building Access:
| - Open in areas not affected by water intrusion |
|---|
| - Flooded areas remain closed under containment |
HVAC:
System supplies fresh outside air and exhausts return air to the outside; air is not recirculated between sections of the building.
Phased Reopening Plan
Phase 1 – Drying & Containment
- Moisture readings are being taken within the flooded areas to monitor drying progress.
- Containment barriers and negative air machines remain in place during this process to prevent cross-contamination.
Phase 2 – Baseline Air Testing (Pre-Reopening)
- Baseline air testing was conducted on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
- Testing confirmed that air quality outside the affected containment zones remained normal.
- Testing inside containment areas that are not accessible to the public showed slightly elevated spore levels.
- With baseline results confirming normal air quality, unaffected areas have reopened. Flooded areas and adjacent rooms and hallways within the containment remain closed until drying and clearance are complete.
Phase 3 – Early Reopening Verification & Ongoing Monitoring
- Additional air testing will be performed in the coming weeks, using the same sampling locations for consistency.
- Visual checks and moisture verification will continue to confirm conditions remain stable.
Phase 4 – Clearance Testing (Prior to Removing Containment)
- Once affected areas are fully dry, cleaned, and final air testing is complete, areas not directly impacted by flooding but within closed zones will reopen.
- Rooms that experienced flooding will remain closed for repairs until further notice.
Testing Schedule
RMEHS will continue to track results and update this page as testing progresses.
| Date | Type | Status | Results & Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2025 (Tue) | Baseline air testing | Completed | Baseline Report (PDF) |
| Nov 7, 2025 (Fri) | Follow-up air testing | Completed | Report (PDF) |
Note: Air testing is conducted inside the relevant areas; sampling locations are repeated for consistency.
Posting of Test Results
For transparency, RMEHS will post air quality test results online as they become available. Links to reports and sampling summaries are provided in the table above.