HVAC & Plumbing
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1 new requirements

New requirements regarding natural ventilation, exhaust systems and the IAQ Procedure are included in the recently published 2010 version of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, according to an ASHRAE press release.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, sets minimum ventilation rates and other requirements for commercial and institutional buildings.

“Since first being published in 1973, the standard has provided the basis for ventilation system design throughout the industry,” said Roger Hedrick, committee chair. “The 2010 standard furthers ASHRAE’s work in ensuring acceptable indoor air quality, while also heeding the need for energy efficiency as we strive to find ways to help designers tailor ventilation system designs to each particular application.”

Among the changes to the 2010 standard are modifications to the Natural Ventilation Rate Procedure. Most buildings designed to meet the natural ventilation requirements are now required to include a mechanical ventilation system designed to meet the Ventilation Rate or IAQ procedures. The mechanical system is to be used when windows are closed due to extreme outdoor temperatures, noise and security concerns.

Another change relocates requirements related to exhaust systems to a new section, clarifying that exhaust requirements apply to all buildings regardless of the procedure used to determine outdoor air intake flow rates.

The IAQ procedure, which allows for the calculation of the amount of outdoor air necessary to maintain the levels of indoor air contaminants below recommended levels, has been made more robust by increasing requirements for using the “similar building” design approach and clarifying other requirements.

The cost of Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, is $69 ($59 ASHRAE members). For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

June 17, 2010  By  John Gilson