IAQ and Air-Handling

The IAQ Issue

People spend a lot of time indoors (90% +)

People expect the air to be reasonably comfortable,

which usually means reasonable temperature and
humidity; avoiding drafts or stuffiness; and absence of
unpleasant odors or irritation.

Studies Have Proven That Poor IAQ can effect

peoples
Health
Productivity
Happiness

How IEQ Affects Health, Productivity

Source of
Productivity Gain

Potential Annual
Health Benefits

Potential U.S. Annual

Savings or Productivity
Gain (1996 U.S. $)

16 Million to 37
Reduced
Million Avoided
$6 Billion to $14 Billion
Respiratory Illness Cases of Common
Cold or Influenza
8% to 25% Decrease
in Symptoms within
Reduced Allergies
53 Million Allergy
$1 Billion to $4 Billion
and Asthma
Sufferers and 16
Million Asthmatics
20% to 50%
Reduction in SBS
Reduced Sick
Health Symptoms
Building Syndrome
Experienced
$10 Billion to $30 Billion
Symptoms
Frequently at Work
by ~ 15 Million
Workers
Improved Worker
Performance from
Changes in
Not Applicable
$20 Billion to $160 Billion
Thermal
Environment and
Lighting

Estimated potential
health and productivity
gains from improved
IEQ.
In many non-industrial
workplaces, workers
salaries and benefits
exceed energy costs by
approximately 100:1.
Source: ASHRAE Journal

A Growing Concern
An estimated 30 percent of the more than four
million U.S. commercial buildings have IAQ
problems.
Although serious health problems related to IAQ
are rare, the perception of adverse health effects
associated with IAQ is common.
Since 1991, US courts have seen a marked
increase in cases in which plaintiffs claim
injuries due to IAQ issues.

Information About IAQ Is

Everywhere..

The IAQ Issue What To Do?

Comply with building codes

Mandatory

Comply with ASHRAE 62.1

Voluntary unless written into building codes

Properly install & maintain building & HVAC equipment

Education & training
Stay current on what is happening in the industry

Document Everything!

How ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004

Addresses IAQ
Provides guidelines to designers
Proper IAQ is more than providing 15 or 20 cfm of OA
air per person

Also addresses other 3 components; contaminant

source control, filtration and managing relative
humidity

Establishes the standard-of-care of the industry,

however is not an all encompassing document.
Structured more towards the HVAC industry.

Lets look at some of the key areas of 62.1-2004

You have to look at the standard as a whole!

Ventilation Control
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.4 Ventilation System Controls. system shall be

designed to maintain the minimum outdoor airflow as
required by Section 6 under any load condition.

Implies OA should be measured in VAV systems.

Good idea for CV systems also.

Energy savings in multipurpose buildings - movie theaters,

classrooms, etc.

Specify airflow monitoring dampers that meet

AMCA 610 & 611.

Mold
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.5.1 Resistance to Mold Growth. Material surfaces

shall be determined to be resistant to mold growth in
accordance with a standardized test method, such as
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) 181 Mold Growth
and Humidity Test, ASTM C 1338 Standard Test
Method for Determining Fungi Resistance of Insulation
Material and Facings, or other comparable test
methods.
Exception to 5.5.1. Sheet metal surfaces and metal fastners.
Note: Even with this resistance, any airstream surface that is
continuously wetted is still subject to microbial growth.

Double Wall Liner

For Cleanability

Wet fiberglass insulation

under
perforated
liner
Double
wall solid
62.1-2004 Implies
surface
should
is an
ideal
medium
liner
prevents
be cleanable
for
mold
growth!
mold
growth
and
Specify double airstream
wall soliderosion.
liners,
especially on all interior wet
areas

Make sure you can readily access

areas that will need to be
periodically cleaned

Make sure specifications call for

the entire unit to be insulated and
not just the panels!

Prevent/Manage Water Intrusion

ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.6.2 5.6.5 OUTDOOR AIR INTAKES

Limit rain entrainment by selecting properly sized and/or
rated outdoor air louvers or hoods.

Manage any water that does penetrate outdoor air

intakes with drains and/or moisture removal devices.

Where snow entrainment is likely, provide drains and

doors in outdoor air sections to permit cleaning and
drainage.

Provide corrosion resistant bird screening over all outdoor

air intakes.

Minimize Infiltration
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.8 Particulate Matter Removal Minimum MERV

6
2 - 30%
filters upstream of all cooling coils and wetted
surfaces.

Specify performance that minimizes

infiltration of contaminants.

Panel deflection limit of L/240 and 1% leakage at

8 w.c. reduces the chance of dust, dirt and
microbes bypassing the filters.

Less bypass reduces maintenance costs

associated with cleaning coils.

Examples Of

Microbial Contamination

Photos courtesy of Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics & NIOSH

http://www.ohb.org/ieq-home.htm

Control the Humidity

ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.10.1 Relative Humidity. Occupied space RH shall be limited

to 65% or less at either
the peak outdoor dew-point design conditions and the peak indoor design
latent load or

the lowest space sensible heat ratio expected to occur and the concurrent
outdoor condition.

Occupant comfort is optimal at 30% - 60% RH

Relative humidity levels outside this range...

Support microbial growth & produce unpleasant odors

Cause occupant health problems
Lead to equipment and furniture damage
Can cause building structural damage

Condensate
Management
This drain pan can
be
easily visually inspected
ASHRAE
62.1-2004
Requires:
and physically
cleaned!

5.11.4. Drain pan sufficient to collect water droplets across

the entire width of the water producing device and extending
This drain pan design
downstream from the leaving face of the device either:

makes it difficult to
(a) clean
one half
installed vertical dimension of the device, or
orthe
inspect
(b)under
as necessary
limit carryover to .0044 oz/ft2 of face area per hour
the coiltoand
under peak sensible and peak dewpoint design conditions,
the coil supports
considering both latent load and face velocity.

Specify corrosion resistant condensate drain pans,

sloped a minimum of 1/8 per foot with drain outlet(s) at
the lowest point(s) of the pan and minimum access
under coil for visual inspection and cleaning.

Access, Access, Access...

ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

5.12.2. Finned-Tube Coil Selection for Cleaning

Air pressure drop of individual finned tube coils, or multiple finned tube coils in
series without at least 18 between them, is limited to 0.75 in-wc. at 500 fpm
dry coil velocity.

Unless clear and complete instructions for access and cleaning of the coils is
included.

5.14.3. Access for Inspection, Cleaning, and Maintenance

Outside air and mixed air plenums, coils, drain pans, air cleaners,
humidifiers and fan sections

Specify minimum access dimension along with door size

and specify equipment location for full accessibility.

Coil Spacing Requirements

Filter Contaminated Air

ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

4.1 4.3 OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY

Investigation and documentation of outdoor air quality
prior to completion of ventilation system design.

6.2.1.1 Particulate Matter. If outdoor air is

unacceptable, minimum MERV 6 filters or air
cleaners are required for outside air before it
reaches occupied spaces.

6.2.1.2 Ozone. Air cleaning devices may be

required where high ambient ozone levels are
common.

MERV?

MERV
ASHRAE
MERV:
Efficiency
ParticleMinimum
size efficiency (PSE)
% Min. final Rating
Typical Value
MERV
9
10
11
12

Range 2
52.1 dust
Introduced
1 to 3 m
spot
40 to 45%
E2 < 50

Range 3
resistance
controlled
by
52.2. Application Filter type
3 toASHRAE
10 m
(in. Standard
WG)
contaminants
85 < E3
1
Nebulizer drops, Commercial Box filters
Particle Size Based Efficiency - the filters ability
welding fumes
to remove airborne particles in specific size
Coal dust,
Superior
50 to 55% 50 < E2 < 65
85 < E3
1
Residential
ranges from 0.3
to 10 microns.
auto emissions residential EACs
Leadof
dust,ASHRAE
Better
60 to
65%The
65 <dust
E2 < 80spot85efficiency
< E3
1rating
Box filters
milled flour
commercial
Standard 52.1 does not account
for particle
size
70 to 75%and80does
< E2 not use
90 < E3a controlled,
1
repeatable
test Bag filters
Legionella,
Hospital
humidifier dust laboratories
medium.

Ventilation Procedures
6.2 Ventilation Rate Procedure

Prescriptive procedure in which outdoor air intake rates are

based on space type, occupancy level and floor area.

Rates are based on contaminant sources and source

strengths that typical for the space type.

6.3 Indoor Air Quality Procedure

Alternate design procedure in which outdoor air intake rates

and other parameters are based contaminant sources and
concentrations.

Lower ventilation rates than the Ventilation Rate Procedure

may be required as a result of using filtration or other design
techniques.

Keep it Clean!
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 Requires:

7.1.3. Protection of Materials. When recommended by

the manufacturer, building materials shall be protected
from rain and other sources of moisture by appropriate
in-transit and on-site procedures.

Specify shrink-wrapped to protect indoor units

from road dirt & microbial contamination.
Specify that indoor units without shrink-wrapping
should be fully tarped for shipping or shipped in
an enclosed truck and adequately protected from
rain and contamination during storage at the
jobsite.

IOM Requirements
ASHRAE 62-2001 Requires:

TABLE 8-1 Minimum Maintenance Activity & Frequency

Visual inspection or remote monitoring of OSA dampers &
actuators every three months.

Cleaning of humidifiers every three months.

Regular (no less than once/year) visual inspection of
dehumidifying coils and drainpans, and cleaning when
necessary.

Biannual inspection of OSA louvers, birdscreens, etc.

Specify that IOMs highlight the requirements of

ASHRAE 62 and include a maintenance
schedule and recommended procedures.

 ENERGY STAR Label Requires IAQ Compliance

... Then a professional engineer needs to submit

verification that the building meets 3 standards for
the indoor environment: ASHRAE Standard 62-2001;
ASHRAE Standard 55-1992 for thermal comfort; and
IESNA Lighting Handbook for lighting quality. The
ENERGY STAR Label for Buildings is offered to the
top 25% of buildings. The Label recognizes one year
of performance, and encourages facility managers to
apply annually. The Label was introduced in
January, 1999.

The Future of
ASHRAE Standard 62.1
ASHRAE Standard 62-2004 is under continuous
maintenance:

Addenda are considered on a semi-annual basis and regularly

submitted for Public Review (check www.ashrae.org).

All approved addenda will now be published simultaneously in

a periodic supplement to the standard rather than as soon as
they are approved as they were in the past.

Approved addenda are available for free download

on the ASHRAE website and are essential for a
complete & accurate understanding of the standard.

Summary
ASHRAE 62.1-2004 provides sound direction and
establishes the standard-of-care for ventilation system
design, however, there are many factors that contribute to
poor IAQ that are not addressed in 62-2004!
Specify equipment and systems which do not compromise
the requirements of ASHRAE 62.1
Stay current on IAQ news in the industry
Remember that IAQ applies to the entire building, not just
the HVAC system

Look for updates to the standard

Contact industry leaders for help

Thank You for Your

Attention
Are There Any Questions?