 this study was conducted in a school center that had been the focus of intense public concern over 2 years because of suspected mold and health problems . 
 because several attempts to find solutions to the problem within the community were not satisfactory , outside specialists were needed for support in solving the problem . 
 the study group consisted of experts in civil engineering , indoor mycology , and epidemiology . 
 the studies were conducted in close cooperation with the city administration . 
 structures at risk were opened , moisture and temperature were measured , and the causes of damage were analyzed . 
 microbial samples were taken from the air , surfaces , and materials . 
 health questionnaires were sent to the schoolchildren and personnel . 
 information on the measurements and their results was released regularly to school employees , students and their parents , and to the media . 
 repairs were designed on the basis of this information . 
 moisture damage was caused mainly by difficult moisture conditions at the building site , poor ventilation , and water leaks . 
 fungal genera ( concentrations < 200 colony - forming units ( cfu)/m(3 ) , < 3000 cfu / cm(2 ) ) typical to buildings with mold problems ( e.g. , aspergillus versicolor , eurotium ) were collected from the indoor air and surfaces of the school buildings . where moisture - prone structures were identified and visible signs of damage or elevated moisture content were recorded , the numbers of microbes also were high ; thus microbial results from material samples supported the conclusions made in the structural studies . 
 several irritative and recurrent symptoms were common among the upper secondary and high school students . 
 the prevalence of asthma was high ( 13% ) among the upper secondary school students . during the last 4 years 
 , the incidence of asthma was 3-fold that of the previous 4-year period.imagesfigure 1 
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