Forum discussion

NC-2009 IEQp1:Minimum IAQ Performance

Getting "enough" air into little-used corridors

I'm working on the certification of a completed project in Russia. Russian standards for OA requirements are 60 CFM/person, so I know that there is 'enough' total OA for the occupants (both for IEQp1 and c2). Our challenge arises in a couple of corridors that are designated 'critical zones' in the 62MZ calculators. In most cases, these corridors are only used by service people to access electrical closets and other service/'back of the house' areas. The building is already built, so putting in additional ductwork, etc. ain't gonna happen. (BTW, the design and as-builts showed the necessary equipment in place, but during Cx--now on pause--we found the discrepancy) First question, Do these seldom-used areas need to comply with the p1/c2 requirements? Second question, What are folks' thoughts about suggested fixes? One idea is to install some louvers in doors of adjacent rooms that have net negative air flow so that the corridors will receive the necessary air flow. If we use this strategy, would the use of louvers affect the air flow & how would we account for this? Another idea is to install a small exhaust fan at the end of the corridors to pull additional air in. In all cases, the corridors are partially adjacent to spaces with significant 'extra' supply air. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

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Tue, 04/01/2014 - 16:27

Rob, Non-occupiable spaces do not require ventilation. The best description for this is provided by the ASHRAE 62.1 User's Manual. From the 2007 Manual: Only "occupiable spaces" are required by the Standard to be ventilated. By definition, this excludes "those spaces intended primarily for other purposes, such as storage rooms and equipment rooms, that are only occupied occasionally and for short periods of time." So if an equipment room, for example, is expected to be occupied only occasionally (e.g. for servicing equipment), ventilation is not required...stairs and corridors that are used primarily for emergency egress do not have to be ventilated...

Thu, 04/03/2014 - 15:10

Thanks, Hernando, I think we should be able to demonstrate that these spaces should qualify as 'non-occupiable' by the ASHRAE definition.

Thu, 04/03/2014 - 16:12

Rob, your claim the corridors are not regularly occupied would be strengthened if you can provide a plan view showing that no access is provided to any regularly occupied spaces. I included the statement about emergency egress stairs and corridors from the ASHRAE 62.1 User's Manual (2007 version) because that could prove to be useful to you and other people who use LEEDuser.com. The quote from the User's Manual I provided comes from: "Example 6-E—Occasionally Occupied Spaces" on page 6-14.

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