Royal Hospital and Nurses' Home, Wolverhampton 

EBS was commissioned to carry out a detailed diagnostic, non-destructive, Mould, Mycoflora and Environmental Survey, at the Royal Hospital and Nurses' Home in Wolverhampton, forming an Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment.

The purpose of the investigation was to identify mould infestation including toxic mould (Stachybotrys chartarum) and pathogenic mould, timber decay including dry rot (Serpula lacrymans) and wet rots, damp, hygroscopic salts, residual moisture and to carry out timber stress grading.

Conclusion

During a period of monitoring, EBS identified the type and extent of the various problems, including finding toxic and pathogenic mould infestation, identifying the causes of the infestation and associated health effects. Once cause and extent were established, EBS made appropriate recommendations for conservation repairs and stabilisation of the environment to control moisture and infestation.

EBS's philosophy was that sources of moisture should be located and eliminated, to allow natural drying of the structure.  In areas of active mould infestation and decay, EBS recommended free air movement around the timbers in walls, roofs and suspended floors.  EBS advised that all active fungal material, and any timber affected to the extent that its function was compromised, must be removed from the building.

A chemical free and an environmentally friendly sustainable approach to building conservation is greatly preferred by EBS because the damage caused whilst applying remedial chemical treatments often creates more harm than the original infestations, as these methods tend to rely on extensive exposure work, drilling and irrigating. No remedial chemical treatments were used or recommended in this case, saving a great deal of unnecessary expense.