Overview
What type of professionals do environmental mould and/or building inspection?
Indoor Environmental Professionals (IEPs) are the primary consultants involved in investigating . These may include mould-testing technicians, building biologists, hygienists, and mycologists. Additionally, they should have a history of training or experience that is appropriate to investigating the biological causes of a sick building (i.e., dampness and mould).
For more information, refer to Part 7 of the FAQ.
Should the mould remediator be different from the mould/building inspector?
Yes, they should be separate from the remediator according to Australian Standard AS-IICRC S520 (2025) and the Code of Practice for Managing the Risks of Biological Hazards at Work (2026). The primary reason for an independent assessor is to ensure that the remediator follows the standard of care and does not deviate from best practice. Furthermore, separating the assessor from the remediator helps ensure that the customers receives the appropriate level of rectifications according to the governing standards. Any conflict of interest must be disclosed in writing.
For more information, refer to Part 7 of the FAQ.
Australia-wide Organisations
Building Biologists & Indoor Environmental Professionals (IEPs)
W: www.asbb.org.au/
Building Biologists will generally inspect a property not only for water damage and microbial growth but for building design, EMFs, geopathic stress, water quality and other toxins and toxicants. Building Biologists and IEPs trained through the Australian College of Environmental Studies (ACES) must undertake nationally accredited training in testing water-damaged buildings (a TAFE-level workplace-ready course).
Occupational Hygienists
W: www.aioh.org.au
The AIOH professional membership grades are Fellow (FAIOH), Full (MAIOH) or Provisional. Fellow and Full members can sit a further examination to become a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH). It is internationally recognised and signifies a high level of professional competence and experience.
Indoor Air Quality Association Australia (IAQAA)
Indoor Environmental Professionals
W: https://www.iaqaaustralia.org.au/
IAQAA are a not-for-profit organisation developed to ‘prevent and solve indoor environmental problems’. They have a membership that includes a diverse array of IEPs specialising in testing, training, and remediation.
AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, and Heating)
Mechanical Engineers and Service Providers
W: https://www.airah.org.au/
AIRAH represents professionals and practitioners working in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) and building services industries. AIRAH is also a key body developing and providing standards and guidance on the testing, management, and control of moisture and mould, as a result of how HVAC systems operate. This organisation may be appropriate in the instance where there is concern around contamination of HVAC system.
Other Mould Inspection Professionals
MAC used to recommend a number of professionals for mould inspections across Australia. We no longer make specific recommendations. Instead, MAC advises to look for professionals who are accredited, follow standards of care, and who can demonstrate a strong track record of previous results.
Trained mould inspection professionals who meet those criteria can come from a variety of backgrounds including: independent remediators, mycologists, microbiologists, building biologists, industrial and occupational hygienists, naturopaths, plumbers, and more.
In addition to the organisations listed above, two international organizations also recommend mould-inspection professionals in Australia. These are:
- International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness (ISEAI)
W: iseai.org/find-a-professional/ - National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors (NORMI)
W: www.normipro.com
DIY Testing
DIY mould test kits are inexpensive and convenient, but the results can be misleading. While DIY testing can save on costs, there are limitations to each type of testing that need to be understood first.
DIY mould test kits allow you to collect samples yourself. In some cases, they will give direct results and, in other cases, the samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis. Knowing how and where to sample for mould requires an understanding of science, buildings, and moisture. Getting reliable and meaningful results can be challenging and ultimately increase risks to health, as well as potentially costing more than engaging a professional or getting the right advice in the first place.
Levels and types of mould naturally vary widely outdoors, and indoor air is heavily affected by outdoor air. For this reason, a simple “presence/absence” check or basic identification of mould types may be misleading. However, results are heavily affected by how and where samples are taken, so they’re often unreliable and hard to interpret. Because spores are everywhere, some tests such as sampling plates almost always grow something, which can cause unnecessary alarm, while a “clear” result can give false reassurance and delay proper investigation.
Most importantly, DIY test kits can’t find hidden moisture or the actual source of mould, and they don’t provide the level of evidence needed for health decisions, insurance, or legal disputes.
When there are health issues, musty odours, or signs of water damage, a thorough inspection by a trained professional is far more appropriate.
| Method | What it samples / measures | Typical purpose in buildings | Key strengths | Key limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air sampling (spore traps / cassettes) | Airborne spore counts (culturable and total concentrations) over a short time period | Identifying a source or reservoir of mould; examining exposure levels; pre- and post-remediation checks | Provides snapshot of airborne spore types and relative levels; widely used and understood; directly see everything in the samples; standardised methods available for sample collection and analysis | Very time limited; results vary with activity and level of dust disturbance, weather, type and rate of ventilation; cannot directly link values to health-risk threshold; mould can only be identified to broad genera so harmful species cannot be separated out |
| Culture-based air sampling (agar plates) | Viable airborne spores that grow on media | Identify potentially viable mould types where infection or other conditions require active mould; sometimes used in research or niche investigations; useful where antibiotic resistance or a particular infection outbreak has occurred in a vulnerable patient or setting | Can culture and identify living fungi to genus and often to species; may recover some unusual species | Misses non culturable spores and fragments; biased by mbiased by competition between fast and slower growing colonies and in response to competition on the agar plate; slow and often low sensitivity |
| Surface tape lift | Spores and hyphae on surfaces (visible growth or dust film) | Confirm if discolouration is mould and identify basic taxa | Simple and inexpensive; preserves structure for microscopy; good for characterising growth | Only represents sampled spot; not quantitative for exposure; may miss low-level contamination |
| Surface swab | Spores and fragments on a defined area of surface | Similar to tape lifts; sometimes used on porous or irregular surfaces | Easy to use; can be cultured or analysed by microscopy or molecular methods | Small area; technique dependent; not representative of room-wide contamination |
| Bulk sampling | Pieces of material (plasterboard, insulation, carpet, dust) | Assess contamination of building materials; support remediation decisions | Direct assessment of suspect material; can show depth of colonisation | Destructive; limited to sampled locations; lab analysis can be more expensive |
| ERMI dust testing (MSqPCR on 36 species) | DNA from dust (selected indicator species) | Research and some clinical contexts to characterise “mouldiness index” of a dwelling | Sensitive; detects specific water damage indicators; integrates history via settled dust | Developed for population studies, not individual diagnosis; cannot locate current sources or distinguish past vs active growth |
| HERTSMI-2 dust testing (MSqPCR on 5 species) | DNA from dust (subset of water damage fungi) | Screening for specific water damage toxigenic species, often in medically complex patients | Focuses on key species of concern; relatively simple scoring | Same limitations as ERMI; narrow species panel; no spatial/location data |
| DIY settle plates / home kits | Gravity-settled spores that land on agar plates | Consumer-level check for “is mould present?” | Cheap and easy; may prompt further investigation | Non-quantitative; heavily technique- and location-dependent; often misleading and hard to interpret |
