Safety Tidbit 4.28 - General Indoor Air Quality

Safety Tidbit 4.28 – General Indoor Air Quality

Reference: ASHRAE 62.1-2016

The quest for acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) is significant, especially with the design of “air tight” and energy efficient buildings.  Usually this term is applied to non-manufacturing spaces where it is not expected that significant release of toxic contaminants occurs.  Carbon dioxide has become used consistently as an "indicator" of air quality since it will tend to "build up" in spaces that are not provided with sufficient amounts of outside, dilution air.  ASHRAE has recommended that carbon dioxide levels not exceed 1000 ppm above the ambient levels, i.e., those of outside, "fresh" air.

ASHRAE also recommends other guidelines as measures of indoor air quality, among them are volumetric flow rates or outside air per occupant, relative humidity levels, air temperature ranges and maximum air velocities across occupants.  ASHRAE recommends 20 cubic feet per minute of outside air per person in most indoor spaces. They recommend relative humidity should range between 30% and 60%. Winter temperatures should be kept between 68-76 degrees Fahrenheit and 72.5-80 degrees during the summer.

ASHRAE contends that compliance with their guidelines will assure that at least 80 percent of the occupants will be "satisfied" with the air quality.

Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan

P.S. If you have a new safety or health question, please let me know.