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NC-2009 IEQp1:Minimum IAQ Performance

Minimum Air Performance: Ahrae 62.1 vs. Ashrae 170

We are in the midst of certifying a Medical office core and shell building. Our scope includes the landscaping, parking lot, side walks, and building shell. The tenant will be responsible for all interior buildouts including the MEP. The tenant has supplied us with their preliminary drawings for us to review and the design of the HVAC system is in accordance with the ANSI/ ASHRAE/ ASHE 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. Can some one advise me if this design constitute compliance with the mininum IAQ requirement if not exceed it?

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Fri, 09/06/2013 - 17:04

The ASHRAE 62.1-2007 users manual (available through USGBC at http://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/62_1_2007_UM.pdf) says: "While the scope of Standard 62.1-2007 includes laboratory, healthcare, and industrial spaces, ASHRAE recognizes that the minimum requirements of Standard 62.1 may be inappropriate for some spaces. For inst ance, occupational safety or other standards may require the use of special capture ventilation or personal protective equipment that is not covered in this Standard. These additional requiremen ts relate only to spaces with special processes and not to conventional spaces (such as offices) located within these facilities. The latter are covered in the scope of the Standard just like similar spaces in non-industrial facilities. On the other hand, systems and equipment requirements (e.g., drain pans and airstream surfaces) apply to all space types." ASHRAE 170-2008 (paragraph 7.1.1.b.) says: "Ventilation rates for many areas not specified here can be found in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1. Where areas with prescribed rates in both Standard 62.1-2007 and Table 7-1 of this standard exist, the higher of the two air change rates shall be used." There is only a little overlap in the types of spaces covered by the two standards. ASHRAE 170 uses air changes based on room volume and does not have correction factors for air distribution effectiveness, whereas 62.1 uses number of occupants and floor area. I believe the appropriate thing to do is to require compliance with both standards. I've never documented a health care space for IEQp1. I would think the offices, etc. would fall under ASHRAE 62.1, but the health care specialty areas would be covered under Special Circumstances. This must have come up before, so maybe there are some interpretations on this. And someone should have past experience with it too.

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