ASHRAE News

ASHRAE Addendum Addresses Recirculation of Air

KANSAS CITY, MO. - A proposed addendum to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE) ventilation standard that limits recirculation of air in buildings has been approved for a fifth public review.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, sets minimum ventilation rates and other requirements for commercial and institutional buildings. Addendum 62y was approved for a fifth review at ASHRAE's 2003 Annual Meeting held here June 28-July 2. Public review dates will be announced later this summer.

 The proposed addendum adds a new section that defines four classes of indoor air and limits recirculation of lower quality air into spaces that contain air of higher quality. The proposed addendum would create requirements for recirculation of air, making it clear to designers what can and cannot be recirculated to where, according to David Butler, P.E., committee chair. The foreword to the addendum describes the classifications and recirculation criteria, which are: 

• Class 1: Air with low contaminant concentration and inoffensive odor and sensory-irritation intensity, suitable for recirculation or transfer to any space. 

• Class 2: Air with moderate contaminant concentration, mildly offensive odors or sensory-irritation intensity. It also includes air that is not necessarily harmful or objectionable but which is inappropriate for transfer or recirculation to spaces used for different purposes. 

• Class 3: Air with significant contaminant concentration or significant offensive odor or sensory-irritation intensity that is suitable for recirculation within the same space. Class 3 air is not suitable for recirculation or transfer to any other spaces. 

• Class 4: Air with highly objectionable fumes or gases or potentially containing dangerous particles, bioaerosols, or gases at a concentration high enough to be considered harmful, not suitable for recirculation or transfer within the space or to any other space. 

The addendum does not address recirculation or transfer of air from smoking areas to no smoking areas. To be notified when reviews take place, subscribe to the ASHRAE Standards Action list server at http://xp20.ashrae.org/STANDARDS/stdsact_subscribe.htm.

Addendum Recommended for Public Review ASHRAE Proposes Locations for Outdoor Air Intakes

KANSAS CITY, MO. - Changes to proposed requirements for the location of outdoor air intakes relative to contaminant sources outside a building are included in a proposed addendum to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE) ventilation standard. 

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62-2001, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, sets minimum ventilation rates and other requirements for commercial and institutional buildings. Addendum aa was recommended for a third public review at ASHRAE's 2003 Annual Meeting held here June 28-July 2. The addendum will be issued for review as an independent substantive change, meaning only limited portions of the draft will be open for public comment. Minimum separation distance requirements between common outdoor contaminant sources, such as exhaust vents and loading docks, and outdoor air intakes are specified in addendum aa, according to David Butler, P.E., committee chair. 

The proposed addendum contains changes from an earlier version regarding location of outdoor air intakes relative to contaminant sources outside a building as well as for the prevention of rain entrainment into outdoor air intakes. These changes are focused primarily on combustion vents, making it clear that other applicable standards can be used to determine these distances. In addition, with respect to rain entrainment at air intakes, the addendum clarifies how existing rating procedures can be used to meet the requirements. To be notified when reviews take place, subscribe to the ASHRAE Standards Action list server at http://xp20.ashrae.org/STANDARDS/stdsact_subscribe.htm.

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