(Intro text)Founded over 25 years ago, we are a privately held consulting firm, wholly owned and managed by senior professionals actively involved in the practice. Colden is committed to building partnerships with clients to understand and provide solutions to health, safety and environmental issues while helping achieve their business goals.
Project Experience
Fortune 10 Retail Store Industrial Hygiene and Safety Services
Colden professionals have conducted over 70 indoor environment quality, industrial hygiene and safety assessments for a Fortune 10 retailer through a master services agreement. The stores are located in enclosed malls, strip malls and urban street-front locations. With high customer traffic, extreme demands are placed on existing HVAC and other systems. Service requests have centered around:
- Employee complaints of illness, odors, allergens, and temperature control
- Water leaks from broken domestic water pipes and associated microbial amplification
- Floods due to stormwater, sewage backups and roof and other leaks
- Entrainment of odors from adjacent restaurants, loading docks, parking lots and other adjacent urban operations
- Pest infestations
- Microbial amplification in HVAC systems due to poor maintenance
- Insufficient outdoor air supplies due to excessive occupancies
- Hazardous materials assessments and abatement designs for new construction and renovation
- Drinking water concerns and assessments
- Noise from excessive occupancy, in-house equipment, and adjacent construction
- Electromagnetic radiation from server banks
- Community noise complaints lodged against our client due to rooftop HVAC operations
- Employee exposure to housekeeping chemicals and adjacent tenant materials
Assessment methodologies have included visual observations, microbial sampling, industrial hygiene monitoring and short and long term data logging of indoor air quality data for particulates, gases and vapors. Detailed reports were prepared that included findings and recommendations for corrective action. Colden has also assisted in developing and implementing risk communication plans for affected stakeholders.
Indoor Air Quality Assessment and Sustainability/LEED Consulting for NYC Real Estate Owner/Developer
For this over 100-year-old NYC based owner and developer, Colden completed an indoor air quality assessment of a new 978,000 sq ft, 71-story high-rise luxury residential tower in Long Island City. This was the first LEED v4 BD+C: NC Platinum Multifamily Residential project in the world. Colden completed the work in three phases concurrent with the construction schedule, with 20 total locations, in a range of space types. IEQ parameters included total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), the LEEDv4 volatile organic compound (VOC) list, aldehydes, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, ozone, and ammonia.
Indoor Environment Quality Assessment and Risk Communication in a College Office Building
Colden Corporation assessed microbial contamination in a college administration building. The one hundred plus year old building had a history of water intrusion problems from various sources and was outfitted with 300 wall mounted unit ventilators. Over 20 employees experienced respiratory and immunologic sensitivities, several complained of foul odors and many others were fearful of potential building contamination. Colden designed and conducted an extensive IEQ study to assess comfort parameters and investigate odors. This included the collection of over 200 microbiological samples. We prepared a comprehensive report that contained recommendations for correcting the water intrusion issues and repairing and cleaning unit ventilators. Critically, Colden developed a risk communication strategy for addressing employee concerns, including crafting written communication, holding individual employee and all stakeholders meetings, and communicating with the local media.
