What the Latest ASHRAE 62.1 Standard Means for You
Written for: Commercial ventilation manufacturer
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Just because you cannot see the air you breathe doesn’t mean that it doesn’t impact your health. And while much of the conversation around air quality examines pollution and the quality of outdoor air, ventilation pros know that indoor air quality is arguably even more significant to our health.
Whether poor indoor ventilation results in negative health effects like dizziness and irritation or causes a decline in office productivity, air quality in commercial spaces matters. Because of this, standards like the ASHRAE 62.1 exist to promote improved air quality and ethical design.
What is the ASHRAE 62.1 Standard?
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 sets the minimum ventilation requirements for commercial and institutional buildings to ensure optimal indoor air quality and minimize negative health effects to occupants.
Overall, the standard includes guidelines for three key processes: IAQ Procedure, Ventilation Rate Procedure and Natural Ventilation Procedure. Most mechanical design engineers are familiar with the standard, using these procedures to satisfy code or permit requirements when specifying HVAC systems for commercial spaces.
However, the standard is constantly evolving to improve IAQ and keep up with the latest industry trends. ASHRAE 62.1-2019 is the latest version, updating the previous 62.1-2016 edition.
What Changes are Included in ASHRAE 62.1-2019?
Emphasis on Efficiency Shifts Focus to Filtration
With an increasing emphasis on energy efficiency driven by ASHRAE Standard 90.1, the latest edition of ASHRAE 62.1 strives to reduce mechanical ventilation rates. Some of the key changes are designed to offset ventilation with better filtration.
“Reliance on mechanical filtration devices is becoming an integral piece of the overall IAQ scheme,” says Bertrand Poirier, Technical Director of Systemair North America. “With certain filtration levels in place, the standard allows you to reduce outdoor ventilation and, ultimately, reduce energy consumption.”
ASHRAE 62.1-2019 includes more details regarding outdoor air quality, mandating both a site assessment and examination of contaminant levels within the region. If outdoor contaminant levels are too high (i.e. nonattainment zones), additional filtration devices will be required. The EPA website offers live data of actual contaminant data in cities across the U.S. to properly assess contaminant levels.
Dew Point Targets Replace Relative Humidity
For years, the industry has been moving towards dew point targets over relative humidity for humidity control requirements. With increasingly efficient cooling systems and tighter building envelopes, buildings have significantly lower sensible heat loads within the building. As a result, temperature set points can be satisfied but humidity levels within the building remain high.
Standards are shifting away from sensible heat ratios and instead looking at dew point targets for two key reasons:
Dew point measures only the moisture levels in the air, whereas relative humidity assesses both temperature and moisture.
Dew point measures can accurately predict the temperature at which moisture will condense and release from the air, which can reduce the risk of mold growth.
Additional Changes with ASHRAE 62.1-2019
ASHRAE outlines several additional key changes, including:
New ventilation rates per unit area for new and existing building ventilation calculations
Simplified version of the Ventilation Rate Procedure to improve calculations for efficiency and zone air distribution effectiveness
Modified Natural Ventilation Procedure calculation methodology for easier determination of Ev and Ez
New requirement that natural ventilation consider the quality of the outdoor air and interaction of the outdoor air with mechanically cooled spaces
How to Satisfy the Latest ASHRAE 62.1 Standard
While the increased reliance on filtration may improve IAQ, there is one area in which the standard falls short: Filters need to be serviced. And unfortunately, filtration systems are rarely serviced – reducing both the filtration rate and ventilation rate.
Systemair’s Topvex FR and Topvex TR ERV series includes features that address this issue, making it easy to both meet the standard and ensure optimal performance. Its control scheme maintains the required CFM rate even if the filter clogs up, guaranteeing that the necessary ventilation air is always provided. Once the fan can no longer support the load, a filter alarm will trigger for the appropriate maintenance.
Whether your application needs a high-efficiency solution or simply needs to meet the minimum ventilation requirements, Systemair offers the guidance and technology to do the job right. Explore our entire lineup of ventilation solutions and contact our pros for expert guidance from concept to completion