Expensive and highly publicized litigation has turned mold into a major issue for the construction industry. In an effort to stem the tide of troubling news, AGC and the University of Florida have developed this online Training and Education on Mold and Moisture Control.

The goal of this online program is to provide building contractors with the background information they need to identify the environmental conditions under which mold will grow, to prevent moisture from getting into building materials and assemblies, and to mitigate the effects of any mold that does appear. The program features graphics, video clips and actual case studies highlighting the material delivery, storage and installation practices that can put a building contractor at risk.

The information and features are built into five training modules, and a comprehensive final exam follows the last one. The first module covers the "basic facts" about mold and moisture control, including the common types of mold and moisture problems. The next three modules identify best management practices during pre-construction, construction and post-construction, respectively. The last module provides actual case studies.

AGC's Moisture Control Construction Checklist (MC3) is a useful companion to its online Training and Education on Mold and Moisture Control. The MC3 is an interactive program capable of generating a custom checklist for contractors seeking to control the moisture that may penetrate or accumulate in individual projects. The MC3 provides several different options, including standard checklists, a "guide me" option, a "keyword" option and a "CSI code" option for generating the appropriate checklist.

AGC is deeply indebted to the AGC Education and Research Foundation for funding the research needed to develop this program on mold and moisture control.

It was in 2004 that the Foundation made a William A. Klinger Memorial Research Award to the Rinker School of Construction at the University of Florida for that important purpose. During that year, that the Chair of the Foundation's Klinger Task Force during that year was F. W. "Bud" Madigan, Jr., of F.W. Madigan Co. in Boston, MA. The other members of that hardworking task force included:

• Thomas Burleson, Burleson Construction Co., Johnson City, TN
• Ken Carpenter, Construction Management Associates, Washington, NC
• Ken Robson, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK

AGC also appreciates the support that members of its Construction Education Committee provided for this research project.

The principal investigator for the University of Florida representative was Dr. Kevin R. Grosskopf.