In the Spotlight: A Computer Program That Can Help Building Managers Prepare for Chemical, Biological, Radiological Threats

A team of researchers at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has developed an interactive computer program that building managers and owners can use to assess their vulnerability to ' and to prepare for ' chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) weapons attacks or accidental toxic releases. The Building Vulnerability Assessment and Mitigation Program (BVAMP) can be obtained free through a Web site established by Berkeley Lab, which provides advice on CBR responses for buildings. (www.lbl.gov) CBR threats can include deliberate terrorist attacks, resulting in the release of hazardous materials, or accidents such as freight-train derailments and refinery releases. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) is often the first line of defense in the case of airborne CBR agents. Consequently, according to one of Berkeley Lab's principal investigators, preplanning and manipulating the HVAC system can significantly reduce the severity of a release.

With funding from the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program, Berkeley developed the field-tested program that can be used to assess vulnerability and get specific recommendations for a given building while minimizing energy penalties sometimes associated with improving HVAC system security. BVAMP leads the user through several sets of questions about the building, focusing on four major topic areas: emergency response plan, building access, HVAC systems, and HVAC controls. It then produces a building vulnerability assessment report that details any areas where the manager could increase the protection of the building and prioritizes recommendations, both in terms of relative cost (high vs. low) and threat level.

Reducing the vulnerability of a facility requires actions in three areas: HVAC system control and operation, building system security, and emergency response planning. BVAMP has recommendations on both indoor and outdoor releases. In the case of an outdoor CBR release ' for example, a refinery accident causing a chemical plume ' modifying the operation of the HVAC system can significantly reduce its impact, potentially saving lives and reducing property contamination. The occupants of a building subject to outdoor contamination are more likely to survive if the building's HVAC system can be quickly shut down to reduce indoor exposures. Reducing the air exchange rate, or leakiness, of a building can further reduce occupant exposure. During the indoor release of a CBR agent, a different response is needed. Increasing the outside air supply and eliminating recirculation of return air into the building will reduce both the spread of the chemical via the HVAC system and the concentration near the chemical source. Berkeley Lab conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California.