Office of Audits, Office of Inspector General, U.S. General Services Administration A201018/P/4/R2308. Audit of GSA’s Response to COVID-19: PBS Faces Challenges to Meet the Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality Standard in GSA-Owned Buildings.

GovExec: “The federal government’s landlord has struggled to maintain air quality standards in its buildings thus putting occupants at risk for exposure to COVID-19, a report said on Monday. “Ventilation in buildings owned by the General Services Administration is subject to various industry standards and federal guidance, such as from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Between November 2021 and November 2022, the agency’s watchdog conducted an audit of how a “judgmental sample” of 20 of GSA’s 1,477 owned buildings in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia complied with these standards. “[GSA’s Public Buildings Service] is struggling to meet the [American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineer] ventilation standard and to comply with CDC and OSHA guidance,” said a GSA inspector general report. “We found that PBS is not meeting—or does not have complete information to determine if it is meeting—the [society] ventilation standard for the majority of GSA-owned buildings. We also found that PBS has not consistently implemented CDC and OSHA recommendations to improve ventilation in GSA-owned buildings. Overall, the IG said, “these deficiencies increase the risk that building occupants will be exposed to airborne viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19.” The IG made five recommendations to remedy the issues it identified, such as taking on a thorough review to determine if air handlers in GSA owned buildings meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineer ventilation standard and making sure PBS staff who have ventilation system responsibilities are trained properly.”