Sick Buildings Microorganisms are all around us, indoors and outdoors. Some do us a lot of good. Some can harm us. Most are benign. The question is: does your building act as a microbiological garden, growing the "contrary" microbes that will make tenants, employees, and you ill? If you think you have a problem, have a professional test your indoor air quality. Ideally, the microbes inside your building should be about the same as the ones outside. When testing shows something significantly different, you know you have a problem. Keep in mind that microbes are living things. If you cut off what they need to live, then your building won't be a breeding ground for the wrong kinds. Contact your cleaning contractor to discuss green cleaning programs. Using green products and equipment can reduce airborne particulate matter, eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from your cleaning products, and remove many of the harmful microbes in the indoor environment. Also consider cleaning your HVAC system to remove particulate matter from your ducts and filters as well as a thorough cleaning of your carpets.