Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Services: Asbestos Surveys, Lead-Based Paint Inspections, Abatement Specifications, Air Monitoring, Clearance Testing and Renovation Support

Leaaf Environmental provided comprehensive asbestos and lead-based paint consulting services to support mechanical upgrades and capital improvements at the historic Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

The renovation program involved multiple areas of the occupied hotel, including mechanical and boiler rooms, basement spaces, interior common areas, select guest rooms, rooftop systems and HVAC equipment areas. Leaaf worked closely with the hotel, mechanical contractor and abatement teams to identify hazardous building materials, develop practical abatement requirements and help keep the renovation moving safely and efficiently.

Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint Surveys

Leaaf performed a series of limited, baseline and supplemental asbestos surveys throughout the hotel. Our Louisiana-accredited asbestos inspectors collected bulk samples of suspect materials, including:

  • Thermal system insulation
  • Pipe and tank insulation
  • Plaster and wall finishes
  • Flooring and mastics
  • Roofing and weather barrier materials
  • Mechanical-room debris and insulation

Samples were analyzed by accredited laboratories using Polarized Light Microscopy, or PLM. Supplemental surveys were completed as renovation plans advanced and previously inaccessible materials became available for inspection.

Leaaf also conducted X-ray fluorescence, or XRF, lead-based paint inspections in representative renovation areas. The survey results provided room-by-room information that the project team could use for demolition planning, contractor coordination and environmental compliance.

Asbestos Abatement Design and Specifications

After asbestos-containing materials were identified in mechanical and boiler room insulation systems, Leaaf prepared detailed asbestos abatement specifications and environmental drawings for the renovation.

The documents established requirements for:

  • Work-area containment and negative pressure
  • Worker and respiratory protection
  • Decontamination procedures
  • Removal of friable and non-friable asbestos-containing materials
  • Packaging, transportation and disposal
  • Visual inspections and final clearance testing

The bid-level specifications gave abatement contractors a clear, practical scope for safely completing the work while complying with Louisiana asbestos regulations and applicable OSHA requirements.

Air Monitoring and Asbestos Clearance Testing

Leaaf provided third-party asbestos air monitoring and clearance services during multiple phases of the hotel renovation. Our field personnel conducted visual inspections, perimeter monitoring and final air clearance sampling following abatement activities.

Phase Contrast Microscopy, or PCM, and Transmission Electron Microscopy, or TEM, were used as appropriate to verify that airborne fiber concentrations met applicable clearance criteria. Leaaf documented each event through field records, equipment calibration information, laboratory results and formal asbestos clearance reports.

Clearance services were completed in mechanical and boiler rooms, basement renovation areas and interior work zones, helping the contractor return completed spaces to normal hotel use without unnecessary delays.

Responsive Environmental Support for an Active Hotel

Renovation work in an occupied, historic hotel requires careful coordination and quick decision-making. Leaaf provided ongoing project management, expedited laboratory analysis, supplemental sampling and technical consultation as conditions changed in the field.

By combining hazardous materials inspections, abatement design, contractor support and final clearance testing, Leaaf delivered a turnkey environmental solution that reduced risk and supported the continued renovation of one of New Orleans’ best-known hotels.

Leaaf Environmental helps hotels, commercial property owners, contractors and design teams manage asbestos, lead-based paint and indoor environmental concerns throughout renovation and demolition projects.