Daniel Stih, BSE, CMC, CIEC

Daniel Stih, BSE, CMC, CIEC, mold expert consultant

In a world full of so-called experts, if you're looking for someone who truly understands how buildings affect health — and how to fix problems — there is no one more uniquely qualified than I am.  

You won’t find another expert who checks all of the following boxes:

✅ Aerospace Engineer Turned Building Expert
I’m literally a rocket scientist, with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and  a decade of experience working for a fortune 50 company in high-stakes problem solving. After leaving the engineering world, I founded a construction business and worked hands-on building and repairing homes.

✅ Formally Trained in Building and Health
I’ve taken college-level coursework in Residential Building Construction and Nursing.

✅ Microscopy Since Age 12
My passion started early. I got my first microscope at age 12 when my brothers and I turned the laundry room of my parents' house into a lab. I grew mold by letting milk spoil, hand-drew what I observed under the microscope, and we published it as “Civilian Report 001.” It even landed us in the newspaper. That curiosity never stopped.

✅ Advanced Microscopy Training
I have trained at the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago to identify mold under the microscope — a level of hands-on expertise most laboratory analysts never receive.

✅ I’ve Lived It
I became seriously ill from what some call Environmental Sensitivity. That experience drove me to search for real answers — not theories. I got well again.

✅ Connected to Pioneers of Holistic Health
I had the rare opportunity to learn from the legendary Dr. Hulda Clark through my partner, who served as her personal assistant. That gave me a firsthand understanding of conventional and unconventional approaches to wellness.

✅ Cutting Through the Greenwash
I studied Green Building deeply and discovered a hard truth: green doesn’t mean healthy. What’s eco-friendly on paper can still make people sick. I know the difference, and I teach it. If you're building a new home I can tell you what to do.

✅ Relentless Professional Training
Over the past 25+ years, I’ve attended every serious seminar and certification on Indoor Air Quality, Mold, and EMFs — traveling across the country to learn from the best, so I could become the best.

✅ Published Authority with a Track Record
I’m the author of seven books on mold, EMFs, healthy building practices, and the connection between homes and health. My work has helped thousands of people take control of their environments and recover their well-being.

✅ Trusted by Clients in Multiple States
With offices in five states and a reputation built on integrity, I’ve helped thousands of people create healthier homes — from testing and remediation planning to new construction.

✅ Scientific Collaborator with a National Lab
I partnered with Los Alamos National Laboratory, our country’s premier nuclear weapons lab, to conduct experiments testing whether products marketed to "kill mold"  work — and what safer, more effective strategies to use instead.

✅ Chosen by a Global Brand for a Reason
When the Dyson company was looking for someone to be a spokesperson for public service campaigns on air quality, allergies, and asthma, their research led them to me. They selected me to work with them. They believed I was the most qualified expert to represent their brand.

 

CV

(For legal work, contact me for a recent CV)

As President of Healthy Living Spaces®, Mr. Stih inspects residential and commercial buildings to identify building-related sources responsible for complaints and illness. An aerospace engineer, he left after eleven years at Motorola Inc. and worked in construction before bridging his engineering background with building sciences to start an environmental testing and consulting company. 

His company has had offices in several  states: Arizona, Oregon, California, New Mexico, and Utah, which allowed him to acquire experience working with mold and indoor air quality issues in different climates. 

Stih has owned a microscope since 1979 when, as teenagers, he and his brothers were in the paper for setting up a laboratory in the laundry room of their parent’s home. 

Professional Certifications

  • Certification with the American Council for Accredited Certification granted Emeritus Status, July 2024.
  • Council-Certified Microbial Consultant (CMC) awarded 2005.
  • Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) awarded 2008.
  • Council-Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIE) awarded August, 2007.
  • ARHEA (Asbestos) Building Inspector (Expired)
  • Lead Inspector (Expired)
  • Lead Dust Sampling Technician (Expired)

* The CMC and CIEC are board-awarded by the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC) and accredited by the Council for Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB). A minimum of eight years of field experience, passing a proctored examination, and unanimous approval of the board are required for certification. Re-certification is every two years and requires a minimum of twenty hours of professional development credits.

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

  • Chapter Director, The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • Current Board Member, The American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC)
  • Past Board Member, Institute for Building Biology.

Education

  • B.S.E, Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, 1991.
  • Certified Nursing Assistant, Gateway Community College, Phoenix, AZ, 1998.
  • Courses in Residential Building Construction with field work building a house for Habitat for Humanity, Yavapai College, Prescott, AZ, 2000 - 2002.
  • Diploma in Bau-Biology (Building Biology) September 2001. Clearwater, FL.

Books in Print

  • Rent Money: The Toxic Mold Handbook for Tenants and Landlords, March 2022.
  • Dust Money: How to clean your home and belongings after mold remediation so you don’t have to throw everything away, October, 2020.
  • What Your Builder Should Know: Best Practices for Building a Healthy Home, July, 2019.
  • Unplugged: How to Find and Get Rid of EMFs in Your Home, April, 2019.
  • How to Build a Healthy Home And Prevent the Negative Impacts on Your Health That Can Result from Poorly Executed Green Building Initiatives, 2018.
  • Mold Money: How to Save Thousands of Dollars on Mold Remediation and Make Sure the Mold is Gone, 2017. Also available on Kindle.
  • Contributing author, Prescriptions for a Healthy House, New Society Press, 2008.
  • Healthy Living Spaces: Top 10 Hazards Affecting Your Health, 2007.
  • Because You Can: How to Succeed Under Difficult Circumstances: Lessons Learned From Climbing Mountains That Had Never Been Climbed, 2021.

Articles in Print

  • Reliability of Wall Cavity Air Sampling Devices, Indoor Environment Connections, November, 2012.
  • Are Green Homes & Natural Building Construction Really Healthy? Indoor Environment Connections, September, 2011.
  • How to Take Better Wall-Check Samples, Indoor Environment Connections, January, 2011.
  • Green Building Codes – In Your Neighborhood, Indoor Environment Connections, November, 2010.
  • Winter Issues with Gas Appliances, EcoDwell™, November, 2008.
  • Finding Your Way Through the Green Jungle, Indoor Environment Connections, July, 2008.
  • When is an Air Filter an Air Cleaner?, Indoor Environment Connections, June, 2008.
  • Keeping the Dust Down, Haciendas Home Design Remodel, Spring 2008.
  • Are They Sick or Crazy? Indoor Environment Connections, December, 2007.
  • Building Green Air Quality – It’s More Than Mold, Indoor Environment Connections, October, 2007.
  • Top 10 Things You Can do to be Green, Journal of Santa Fe,Green Building Expo Supplement , 2007.
  • How to Make a Green Building That’s Healthy, Journal of Santa Fe Green Building Expo Supplement.
  • Clearing the Air, Natural Awakenings, April, 2006.
  • The Sun-News, Santa Fe, May, 2005.
  • Reducing Stress from Electromagnetic Fields, Oregon Family, November, 2003.
  • Got Mold? New Connexion, Portland, Oregon, Nov/Dec 2003.

Papers

  • “A study to evaluate the effectiveness of products used to kill mold or remove mold stains and if their use alters the effectiveness of using surface samples (tape-lifts) to detect residual mold”. Daniel Stih with Health Living Spaces and Kirk D. Rector with the Chemistry Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory, 2014.

Other Publications

  • Chair and contributing author, The Healthy Home Standard, Institute for Building Biology & Ecology (IBE)
  • Consultant and contributing author, Draft Additions to the Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code in regard to indoor environmental quality and electromagnetic fields.

Partial List of Virtual Speaking Engagements

  • Lyme Disease Association of Delmarva Inc, Maryland, September 24, 2018.
  • Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, Design with Nature. Build for Health course, October, 2011.

Partial List of Live Speaking Engagements

  • The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, Stain Removers, Antimicrobials and Biocides - What Can Go Wrong and How to Make a Project Go Right When Their Use is Deemed Essential, San Diego, California, March 20, 2018.
  • Annual IAQA Conference, Stain Removers, Antimicrobials and Biocides - What Can Go Wrong and How to Make a Project Go Right When Their Use is Deemed Essential, Chicago, IL, January 24, 2018.
  • “Mold Money & Healthy Living Spaces”, Lecture and Book Signing, Changing Hands Bookstore, Phoenix, Nov 2017.
  • “Stain Removers, Antimicrobials and Biocides - What Can Go Sideways and How to Make a Project Go Right When Their Use is Deemed Essential.” the Phoenix Chapter of the Indoor Air Quality Association, Phoenix, AZ, November 14, 2017.
  • The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 16th Annual Meeting and Indoor Environmental & Energy Exposition, An Experiment Performed to Evaluate Wall Evaluate Wall Cavity Air Sampling Devices and Their Reliability to Assess for Hidden Mold Growth, Orlando, Florida, March 1, 2013.
  • The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, Wall Checks - How to Accurately Assess for Hidden Mold Using Wall-Cavity Samplers, San Diego, CA, March, 2012. Includes audio/visual presentation at the conference and a paper with abstract regarding an experiment that was performed to evaluate various brands of devices and techniques used taking air samples from wall cavities.
  • Instructor for Seminar IBE 314: Grading and Certifying a Home to IBE's Healthy Home Standard. 2 day seminar, Tucson, Arizona, September, 2011.
  • Panel discussion: Indoor Air Quality: Toxins Exposure, Mitigation Options and Issues, 2011 North American Building Biology Conference, Tucson, Arizona, September, 2011.
  • Asbestos, Lead Paint and Other Hazards, Presentation and group discussion regarding home heath hazards including those related to the weatherization of residential homes, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Taos, New Mexico, June 2011.
  • The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, Are Green Homes Healthy? What Can Go Wrong with Green & Natural Construction in Regard to VOCs and Indoor Air Quality, Savannah, Georgia, March, 2011.
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference, The Healthy Home Standard, Augusta, Maine, March, 2011.
  • The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 14th Annual Meeting and Indoor Air Expo, Assessments for EMR (Electromagnetic Radiation) from Cell Phone Towers, Power Lines, and Electrical Wiring Errors, San Antonio, Texas, February, 2011.
  • The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 14th Annual Meeting and Indoor Air Expo, Are Green Homes Healthy? What can Go Wrong with Green and Natural Building Construction in Regard to VOCs and Indoor Air Quality, San Antonio, Texas, February, 2011.
  • The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 13th Annual Meeting and Indoor Air Expo, The Healthy Home Standard: IAQ, EMF, Water, Tampa, Florida, March, 2010.
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference, Choosing Green Building Programs & Products, Augusta, Maine, March, 2009.
  • Why “Green” May not mean Healthy, Environmental Information Association (EIA), Nashville, TN, March 2009.
  • Being Green and Staying Healthy , College of Santa Fe, November, 2008
  • National Kitchen and Bath Association, Nebraska/Kansas City Chapter, Kansas City, November, 2008. Taught two-day course on air quality and selecting healthy building materials to it’s members: Indoor Air Quality- It’s More than Mold. How to Design & Build Homes that are Green and Healthy.
  • Building Biology Conference, Nashville, TN, April, 2008
  • KBIS Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show, Chicago, IL, April, 2008. Taught 1/2 day course, Healthy Designing.
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference, Augusta, Maine, March 2008
  • The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, Albuquerque, NM, March 2008.
  • Bio-neers, Electromagnetic Factors in Health, Santa Fe, October, 2007.
  • National Home Builder’s Association, Santa Fe, NM, September 18, 2007.
  • Indoor Air Quality Association Workshop, Santa Fe, NM, July, 13, 2007.
  • Santa Fe Association of Realtors, May, 2007.
  • Toxic Mold & Indoor Air Quality, 2006 Facility Managers Training Workshop, Albuquerque, NM.
  • What are the Solutions for Healthy Indoor Air?, Public forum, Santa Fe Design Week, October, 2006
  • Cleaners, Disinfectants and Pesticides: Safe, Natural and Fun Alternatives to Chemicals, Kids Expo of Learning, Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, October, 2006.
  • Indoor Air Quality, The National Home Builder’s Association Remodeler’s meeting, September, 2006.
  • Toxic Mold- A Growing Concern, The Radisson Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Open to the public. Approved by both the American Indoor Air Quality Council and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) for continuing educational credits. September, 2005.
  • HOPES Ecological Design Conference, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 2004.
  • Yavapai College Department of Construction, Guest speaker, various times 2003-2004.
  • Indoor Environmental Quality and Mold Mitigation, City of Scottsdale Green Building Lecture Series, Scottsdale, Arizona, March, 2003.
  • Guest speaker, Prescott College Department of Environmental Studies, Prescott, Arizona, 2003.
  • Training for Plant Maintenance, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona
  • Green Building Expo, Phoenix City Hall, Phoenix, Arizona, 2002.
  • Sick Building Syndrome – Pollution in the Indoor Environment, Prescott Public Library, Prescott, Arizona, 2002.

Depositions - Mold & Microbial

  • Case No. D-202-CV-2018-03571, State of New Mexico, County of Bernallio, Second Judicial District Court, Stephen P. Weiss, M.D., Plaintiffs, vs. Georgia Gardens, LLC and Somana, LLC, Defendants.
  • Case No. CV 2007-01695, State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court, Daniel and Patricia Finn, Plaintiffs, vs. Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Co. and Chad Petty, Defendants.
  • Case No. CV 2008-00771, State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court, Allstate Insurance Company, et al. vs. R.C. Greene and Company, Inc., et al.
  • Case No.? (Deposition taken March, 2011) (Need a copy of the subpoena)
  • Case No. No.D-0132-CV-2006-00102, State of New Mexico, County of Los Alamos, First Judicial District Court, Carriage House Homeowners Association, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs, vs. Odmark Communities, Inc.; Carriage House Builders, et al., Defendants, and Odmark Communities, Inc., Ted Odmark, Warner Walker, Dorthy Starr, and Starr & Associates, LTD. Third-Party Plaintiffs, Vs. Excel Excavating, Will Do Construction, et al.

Depositions - Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / VOCS / Indoor Air Quality

  • Case No. CV 2008-00991, State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District, Nancy Fischer, Plaintiff, v. Rudy Segura, Individually and as Partner and Employee of Done right Construction, LLC., and Santa Fe Propane, Inc., Defendants. Depositions taken May 6 and May 8, 2010.

Other Expert Witness Work

Three cases regarding mold in apartments in New York. The judge instructed those in the cases to get a second opinion regarding the testing and remediation that was performed. I prepared a report after reviewing the laboratory results and reports provided to me:

Civil Court of the City of New York, County of Queens, Part C.

  • Marcus Plieninger, HP 6188/2018
  • Anthony Amen, HP 6189/2018
  • Martha and Alex Gold-Dvoryadkin, HP 6190/2018

Subpoenas other than depositions and testimonies noted above

  • (Deposition was scheduled, cancelled, pending) Case No. D-101-CV-2010-3663, State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court, John Shapiro, Plaintiffs, vs. Barker MGT, LTD., John Barker, Tony Jones, and John Does 1-5, Defendants.
  • Case No. CV 08-00662 WDS/CEG, United States District Court, District of New Mexico, Priscilla Gilbert and Charles Gilbert v. Safeco Insurance Company of America
  • No. D-101-CV-2008-03235, State of New Mexico, County of Santa Fe, First Judicial District Court, The Board of Directors of Zocalo Association, Inc., a New Mexico non-profit corporation v. Donald Dwore, Catherine Dwore, and Bank of America, N.A (a National Bank Association).

Courses Designed & Taught for Professionals Requiring Continuing Education

  • Contracted by RedVector to create a 3-Hour on-line course, It’s More than Mold - Health Effects Associated with Mold and Water Damage. The course was approved by the State of Florida to be taken by mold assessors and mold remediators in the State of Florida for continuing education. Completed May, 2014.
  • Contracted by RedVector to create a 2-Hour on-line course, Minimum Standards and Practices for Florida Mold Assessors and Remediators. This course may be taken by mold assessors and mold remediators in the State of Florida as part of continuing education required by Florida Rule 61-31.701 Minimum Standards and Practices for Mold Assessors and 61-31.702 Minimum Standards and Practices for Mold Remediators. Completed in February, 2014.
  • Contracted by the Nebraska/Kansas City Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) to teach a two day course on air quality and selecting healthy building materials. Presented in November, 2008 in Kansas City: Indoor Air Quality- It’s More than Mold. How to Design & Build Homes that are Green and Healthy.
  • Contracted by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) to teach a 1/2 day course, Healthy Designing, during the Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show (KBIS) in Chicago, IL, April, 2008. This course was video tapped and subsequently made available in NKBA ‘s catalogue for members to take for continuing education credit.

Live Trainings, Courses, and Seminars Attended for Continuing Education.

  • Advanced Testifying Skills for Experts, SEAK, March 9-10, 2019, San Diego.
  • Courses in Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA), Regression Analysis and hazardous material handling,Motorola Inc., 1990-1998.
  • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Building Materials, Institute for Building Biology (Bau-Biologie), Clearwater, Florida, 2001.
  • Courses in the Measurement and Mitigation of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR/EMF), Institute for Building Biology (Bau-Biologie), Clearwater, FL, 2001.
  • Strategies for Conducting Meaningful Microbial IAQ Investigations, American Indoor Air Quality Council, Glendale, AZ, 2002.
  • Certified Microbial Consultant Study/Review Course, American Indoor Air Quality Council, Glendale, AZ, 2003.
  • Arbitration: Theory, Practice and Rules for Dispute Resolution, Conducted at the University of New Mexico, State Bar of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 2008
  • Advanced Arbitration, training course conducted at the University of New Mexico, State Bar of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 2008.
  • AHERA Building Inspector Course, The Asbestos Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 2003.
  • Mold Remediation in a Nutshell, 1-day technical seminar, Newport Beach, CA, 2005.
  • Mold, Allergens, Sampling, and Report Interpretation, 1-day technical seminar, Newport Beach, CA, 2005
  • Current Understanding & Advances in Mold Assessment, Sampling & Analysis, Aerotech P&K, Phoenix, AZ, 2005.
  • Certified Indoor Environmentalist Course (CIEC), 4-day course, Chelsea Training, Sacramento, CA, 2006.
  • EPA Lead Inspector Course, 24 hours of training, ACME Environmental, Albuquerque, NM, 2006.
  • Indoor Environmental Quality and Mold, 1-day seminar, IAQA workshop, Santa Fe, NM 2006.
  • Sewage and Mold Remediation, 1-day seminar taught be Peter Sierck, 2006.
  • Applied Thermography Training, 2-day course, Restoration Consultants, Sacramento, CA, 2007.
  • Mold in New Mexico, 1-day workshop, Santa Fe, NM, 2007.
  • Radon Measurement Training, Southern Regional Radon Training Center, by Auburn University, 2007.
  • 2007 Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, Various seminars attended, Las Vegas, NV, 2007.
  • New Asbestos Regulations & All About Radon, IAQA chapter workshop, Santa Fe, NM, 2007.
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Annual Conference, various seminars attended, Augusta, Maine, 2008.
  • Conference and Exposition of the Environmental Information Association (EIA), various seminars attended, March 16-19, 2008.
  • Seeing Green, Making Sense of the New Green Building Codes, 1 day workshop, Santa Fe, NM 2008.
  • 7-hour technical workshop regarding the ANSI/IICRC S520 Second Edition, 2009.
  • Conference and Exposition of the Environmental Information Association (EIA), various seminars attended, Nashville, TN, March 15-18, 2009.
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Annual Conference, various seminars attended, Augusta, Maine, 2009
  • Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting and Expo, various seminars attended, Tampa, FL, 2010.
  • Mycology and Fungal Spore Identification (40 Hour course), McCrone Research Institute, Chicago, 2010
  • EPA Lead Paint Renovation training (8 Hours), May, 2010
  • EPA Lead Dust Technician training (8 Hours), June, 2010
  • 2011 Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting and Expo, San Antonio, Texas, 2011. Various seminars attended including:
    • A Systematic Approach to Examining the Building Envelope (and) Should You Really Believe the Instruments? 1 Hour
    • Building Pressures Generated by Ambient Sources, 1.5 Hours
    • Case Study: Rapid Assessment Strategies for Expediting Remediation in a Hospital Environment 1 Hour
    • Determine and Successfully Clea Up Condition 2 Settles Spores - Update,1 Hour
    • Excess Humidity in Buildings - Building Pressure and Equipment Performance,1 Hour
    • Factors Correlated to Fungal Bioaerosols,1.5 Hours
    • Green Building Rating Systems and Standards: How Do They Impact the Indoor Environment? 1 hour
    • IAQ for LEED and Beyond, 1 Hour
    • The Fungal Ecology of Engineered Wood, 1.5 Hours
    • The Summit for Healthy Home & Healthy Building Professionals (Part 1) 4 Hours
    • Determine and Successfully Clean Up Condition 2 Settles Spores - Update, 1 Hour
  • Maine Indoor Air Quality Council, Annual Conference, Augusta, Maine, 2011. Various seminars attended including:
    • IAQ in Wood Burning Homes, Presented by Daniel Martinez, Ph.D., University of Southern Maine
    • Investigating Strange Building Odors, Presented by Jeffrey May, May Indoor Investigations, MA
    • Building for the Environmentally Sensitive, Virginia Salares, Ph.D., Senior Researcher for CMHC
  • Conference and Exposition of the Environmental Information Association (EIA), Savannah, Georgia, March, 2011. Various seminars attended including:
    • New ASTM Fungal Assessment Guide - In Detail
    • Aggressive vs Passive Mold Air Sampling - What Does the Data Tell You & When Should It Be Used
  • Addressing Lead-Based Paint, Mold & Other Health Hazards in Housing, California Department of Public Heath, Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, San Diego, CA, March 21, 2012 (3.5 hours)
  • Professional Development Seminar - Healthy Buildings: An Introduction to the New HUD Healthy Homes Rating System, San Diego, March 21, 2012.
  • Conference and Exposition of the Environmental Information Association (EIA), San Diego, CA, March 21-23, 2012. Various seminars attended including:
    • Legally Defensible Combustion By-Products Analysis Associated with Wildfire Investigations
  • 2013 Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 16th Annual Meeting and Indoor Environment & Energy Exposition, Orlando, Florida, February 26th - March 1st. Various seminars attended including:
    • Environmental Allergy Scans: It May More Than Mold
    • Investigating Odors
    • Identifying and Assessing Information About Flame Retardant Chemicals, Including the Effects and “Everyday” Sources of Exposure.
    • Sustainable Home Health: An Integrated Approach to Address Mold-Related Indoor Air Quality and Illness.
    • ISIAQ / Healthy Buildings Update
    • The “New” Concept in Collecting and Interpreting Airborne Mold Samples
    • Florida Mold Laws and Conducting Assessments, Clearance Testing and Remedial Objectives Under These Laws
    • Legally Defensible Data for Airborne Fungal Spore Count
    • Asbestos: Debunking Myths, Spreading Truths & Sharing Advice for the Real World
    • Sustainable Construction - IAQ Obstacles during New Building Construction
    • Spray Polyurethane Foam Remediation: Needs, Challenges and Opportunities
    • Benefits and Costs of Building Ventilation
    • Defining Clean and Green
    • Post-Remediation Verification (PRV) Mold Sampling for the IICRC S520 Condition 2 and 3 Surface - A More Realistic and Agreeable Approach than Conventional Air Sampling
  • 2013 RESNET Building Performance Conference, Orlando, Florida, February, 2013. Various seminars attended including:Finally, the Truth About Condensation. Presented by the Dow Chemical Corporation.
  • Green Gone Bad: Examples of Unintended Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Consequences, 1/2 day joint meeting of the New Mexico Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and the Santa Fe chapter of IAQA, December, 8, 2015
  • 2018 Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting and Indoor Environment & Energy Exposition and ARH Expo, Chicago, January 21 - 24. Various seminars attended including:
    • “Drafting a Post-Remediation Verification Consensus Standard for Fungi: What are the Issues?” by Lisa Rodgers.
    • “Meeting IAQ Needs with Enhanced Filtration, A Review of ASHRAE Standards Related to Building Air Quality” by Brian Monk, P.Eng.
    • “Envelope Sealing Breakthroughs Prove A Game Changer For Controlling IAQ”, by Neal Walsh.
    • Regulatory and Legislative Update Presented by the IAQA Government Affairs Committee.
    • LEED IAQ Assessment Procedures
    • Particle Counting for IAQ Investigation and Particulate Behavior
    • IAQ in Rapid Urbanization & Its Constraints on Energy Efficiency, by Barun Aggarwal.
    • “Wood and Tile Floor Failures: A Forensic Approach”, by Jeremy Beagle.
    • “VOCs and Cannabis” by Peter Maguire.
    • “Negative Pressure: An Insidious Threat to Structures” by Ralph Moon, Ph.D.
    • “Solving Moisture Mysteries with a Psychrometric Chart” by Ian Cull, PE, CIH
    • “A Breath of Fresh-Air! Best Practices in Residential Ventilation in 2018”, Trina Scott.
    • “Ventilation and Occupants’ Activities Impact on Indoor Air Quality in New California Home”, Yang-Seon Kim.
    • The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, San Diego, California, March, 2018.

Virtual Trainings, Courses, and Seminars Attended for Continuing Education

  • 40 hour course, Advanced Indoor Air Quality: Advanced Fungal Spore Identification, on-line, McCrone Research Institute.
  • EIFS Inspector Certification Course, 2017, Exterior Design Institute.
  • Report generation training, Environmental Data Resources (EDR), 2007.

Employment

  • President, Healthy Living Spaces LLC, approximately 2001 - Present
  • Received a registered trademark for Healthy Living Spaces by the Australian Government IP Australia, August 5, 2019. Trade Mark Number 1926886.
  • Incorporated the business Healthy Living Spaces LLC in the state of Arizona on July 21, 2002.
  • Incorporated the business Healthy Living Spaces LLC in the state of Oregon on August 6, 2003.
  • Incorporated the business Healthy Living Spaces LLC in the state of New Mexico on March 10, 2005.
  • Filed for a Federal Trademark for Healthy Living Spaces (U.S Serial No. 78/808,535) on February 7, 2006 which claims a first date of use in commerce on October 1, 2001.
  • Re-filed for a Federal Trademark for Healthy Living Spaces on August 31, 2012.
  • Received a Certificate of Registration for “Healthy Living Spaces” on February 5, 2013, U.S. Registration No. 4287102.
  • Registered the domain name hlspaces.com on November 6, 2002.
  • Registered the domain name healthylivingspaces.com on June 4, 2004.
  • National Coalition for Alternative to Pesticides, Volunteer, Sept 2004 - October, 2005. Managed press-clippings and maintained database of press-releases.
  • 1998 - approximately 2001: Employed by various companies, contractors and sub-contractors in the construction industries including Man Power
  • Handy Man Dan (Official business name on Schedule C tax return), 1998 - approximately 2001.
  • Nursing assistant, Las Fuentes Care Center, Prescott, Arizona, 1998.
  • Motorola Inc, Phoenix, Arizona, 1988 - 1998. Various positions held. Last title held: Process Engineer II. Relevant duties included air monitoring, pollution control, and worker health and safety.

Additional Court Appearances as an Expert Witness

  • Los Alamos, New Mexico, Magistrate Court, approximately 2002
  • Prescott, AZ, Magistrate Court, approximately October 18, 2002, Honorable Dave Parker

Telephonic Appearance

  • D-101-DM-2016-00170, Bruce Gollub v. Leah Morton, September 1, 2016

Other

  • Albuquerque, NM, at Sheehan & Sheehan, P.A. office, with Mr. Sheehan acting as umpire. I was  a consultant is process for agreement between two appraisers in regard to the scope and value of needed repairs in regard to a loss that resulted from water damage and subsequent mold growth in a residence. February 15, 2012.

Summary

As President of Healthy Living Spaces®, Mr. Stih inspects residential and commercial buildings to identify building-related sources responsible for complaints and illness. An aerospace engineer, he retired after eleven years at Motorola Inc. and worked in construction before bridging his engineering background with building sciences to start an environmental testing and consulting company. His company has had offices in three states: Arizona, Oregon and New Mexico, and allowed him to acquire experience working with mold and indoor air quality issues in different climates.

Stih has owned a microscope since 1978 when, as teenagers, he and his brothers were in the paper for setting up a laboratory in the laundry room of their parent’s home.

Stih studied at the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago and holds a certificate for completing the 40 hour course, Indoor Air Quality: Fungal Spore Identification. His microscope was calibrated for him by Los Alamos National Laboratories.

He has taken college courses in construction and green building during which he helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity.

Based on his experiences investigating complaints related to indoor air quality and mold, Stih wrote his first book, Healthy Living Spaces: Top 10 Hazards Affecting Your Health. It became a best-seller after Stih was interviewed on 92 KQRS, Minneapolis’ most listened to morning show. He has been interviewed on over one-hundred FM radio stations.

Stih is an expert on the testing method referred to as the Wall-Chek(TM). In partnership with a laboratory accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, he performed experiments to characterize the methods and equipment mold assessors might use to collect wall-cavity air samples. He has published the following articles regarding the method and experimental results:

  • “Reliability of Wall Cavity Air Sampling Devices”, Indoor Environment Connections, November, 2012.
  • “How to Take Better Wall-Check Samples”, Indoor Environment Connections, January, 2011.

He presented on the subject of wall cavity air sampling at The Indoor Air Quality Association’s (IAQA) 16th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, March, 2013, and at The Environmental Information Association’s (EIA) Annual Conference in San Diego, March, 2012.

Testing for VOCs and odor investigations are also areas of Stih’s expertise. Relative articles authored include:

  • “Green Building Codes – In Your Neighborhood”, Indoor Environment Connections, November, 2010.
  • “Are They Sick or Crazy?” Indoor Environment Connections, December, 2007.
  • “Building Green Air Quality – It’s More Than Mold”, Indoor Environment Connections, October, 2007.

Relevant air quality presentations include:

  • “Are Green Homes Healthy? What Can Go Wrong with Green & Natural Construction in Regard to VOCs and Indoor Air Quality” Presented at The Environmental Information Association (EIA) Annual Conference, Savannah, Georgia, March, 2011, and presented at The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) 14th Annual Meeting and Indoor Air Expo, San Antonio, Texas, February, 2011
  • “Choosing Green Building Programs & Products” Presented at the Maine Indoor Air Quality Conference, Augusta, Maine, March, 2009.
  • “Why ‘Green’ May Not Mean Healthy” Presented at the Environmental Information Association (EIA) conference, Nashville, TN, March 2009.
  • “Indoor Air Quality- It’s More than Mold. How to Design & Build Homes that are Green and Healthy” A two-day course designed for and taught to the Nebraska/Kansas City Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, Kansas City, November, 2008.
  • “Healthy Designing” A course designed for the National Kitchen and Bath Association taught at the KBIS Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show, Chicago, IL, April, 2008.

In 2014, he developed on-line study courses for the company RedVector, courses approved for mold inspectors and remediators in the State of Florida to take for continuing education credits in accordance with Florida Rule 61-31.701.These include:

  • “Minimum Standards and Practices for Florida Mold Assessors and Remediators”
  • “It’s More than Mold - Health Effects Associated with Mold and Water Damage”

Through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program, from 2012- 2015, Stih worked with Los Alamos National Laboratories (LANL) to study products used to treat mold. In 2014 Stih and Kirk Rector of LANL, wrote the paper, “A study to evaluate the effectiveness of products used to kill mold or remove mold stains and if their use alters the effectiveness of using surface samples (tape-lifts) to detect residual mold”.

In 2017 he published his second book, “Mold Money: How to Save Thousands of Dollars on Mold Remediation and Make Sure the Mold is Gone”.

He presented, “Stain Removers, Antimicrobials and Biocides - What Can Go Wrong and How to Make a Project Go Right When Their Use is Deemed Essential”, at the Annual Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) conference, Chicago, IL, January, 2018 and the EIA conference in San Diego in March, 2018.

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