Last Week to Respond - ASHRAE Standard 62 - Sign the Petition to Withdraw Addendum 62b

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http://www-epb.lbl.gov/MHSherman/62b/

VENTILATION IN EXISTING BUILDINGS

Max Sherman

As a Building Scientist, I wish to bring to your attention a problem

regarding ASHRAE Standard 62. I have used and seen people use this standard

extensively and effectively in existing buildings all over the world. In

what I believe is a misguided effort, ASHRAE intends to severely restrict

the use of this standard.

ASHRAE Standard 62, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, is the

consensus standard most used in society to determine whether or not a

building is properly ventilated for the benefit of its occupants. It

currently covers " all indoor or enclosed spaces that people may occupy. " It

sets ventilation rates and/or contaminant levels that " will be acceptable to

human occupants and are intended to minimize the potential for adverse

health effects. "

There is a desire by some in ASHRAE to back away from these noble goals and

restrict the application of the standard to the design of new commercial and

institutional buildings only. In some cases this is being done in a

deliberate way by developing standards more appropriate for specific

occupancies (e.g. residential or health care facilities), but in some cases

wholesale changes are being proposed that would leave many of us users of

the standard without recourse.

Specifically, an addendum currently out for public review (62b) would forbid

the application of the standard to all existing buildings except during

specific renovation activities. The change is strongly supported by Building

Owners, who are looking for a tool to keep regulators from requiring

upgrades. ASHRAE apparently believes that no one uses Standard 62 in

existing buildings and that no one would mind.

If you believe, as I do, that this proposed change is inappropriate, I

encourage you to join the " Petition to Withdraw Addendum 62b " by adding your

name to the list of signatories as part of ASHRAE's public review.

I will send this petition and its list of signatories to ASHRAE as an

official comment to proposed addendum 62b. The official close of the public

review period is December 7, 1999. Joining the petition after December 3 may

result in your name being listed as a late commentor.

This petition is open to all interested or affected parties and not limited

to ASHRAE members. This petition is for the purpose of commenting on the

proposed addendum and is part of ASHRAE's regular process.