» Role of HVAC&R Systems in Infectious Disease Transmission Addressed by ASHRAE
Role of HVAC&R Systems in Infectious Disease Transmission Addressed by ASHRAE

ATLANTA ? As health and school officials deal with a second wave of the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as swine flu, new information is available on health consequences of exposure to such airborne infectious diseases and the implications on the design, installation and operation of HVAC&R systems.

?While the long-standing public health view is that influenza transmission occurs through direct contact or large droplets, newer data suggests it also occurs through the airborne route, meaning HVAC&R systems may contribute far more to transmission of the disease and, potentially, to reduction of that same transmission risk,? said Gordon Holness, president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineering (ASHRAE) that developed the guidance.

ASHRAE?s Airborne Infectious Diseases Position Document addresses the impact of ventilation on disease transmission, the disease for which ventilation is important for either transmission or control and the control strategies that are available for implementation in buildings. The paper can be read at www.ashrae.org/positiondocuments.

Since the first reported case in the spring of 2009, the H1N1 virus has spread to nearly 170 countries, resulting in 1,154 deaths and some 160,000 illnesses. With a better understanding of ventilation?s effect on the transmission of disease, future incidents of the H1N1 virus may now be easier to prevent, according to Holness. He said several technical solutions are available to assist in avoiding transmission. These include: dilution ventilation, airflow strategies, room pressurization, personalized ventilation, source control, filtration and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.

Airborne transmission through building ventilation systems can be significantly reduced by provision of adequate air filtration and pressurization, Holness said. ASHRAE?s other guidance of relevance includes Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities, and Standard 161, Air Quality Within Commercial Aircraft.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

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» Building Energy Use Highlighted in Newest ASHRAE Certification Program Print This Email This RSS For Release: October 9, 2009 Contact: Amanda Dean
Building Energy Use Highlighted in Newest ASHRAE Certification Program

October 9, 2009, ATLANTA?As building owners and developers become increasingly concerned about rising energy costs and potential obligations under climate change programs, building energy modeling helps provide a preview into a building?s likely energy use and allows decisions affecting energy use to be made before a shovel even hits the ground.

To ensure that professionals modeling a building?s energy use have the skills necessary to produce an accurate model, ASHRAE is launching a Building Energy Modeling Professional certification.
The first exam for the new certification program will be administered on Jan. 27, 2010, at the Winter Conference in Orlando, Fla. To register for the exam, visit www.ashrae.org/BEMP.

?Energy modeling is one of the most effective ways to achieve energy efficiency when designing sustainable buildings,? Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president, said. ?Since buildings consume 40 percent of all U.S. primary energy supplies, and energy modeling is only as good as the consultant who uses it, ASHRAE?s newest certification program strives to ensure that engineers and architects achieve the highest possible standards when it comes to sustainable design.?

Criteria to improve the accuracy of building energy models will help address some of the growing concerns within the building community that building designs do not necessarily translate to actual energy use once a building is constructed.

Additionally, energy modeling will play a vital role in ASHRAE?s soon-to-be launched Building Energy Quotient (bEQ) program, which will feature both an ?As Designed? and ?In Operation? component. While the ?In Operation? rating is based on actual energy use, the ?As Designed? rating is based on the results of a building energy model.

Careful and consistent energy modeling will allow modeling results to be compared with the results of models from other buildings. According to Holness, the certification will be an essential element for guaranteeing the quality of the bEQ program by assuring that there is a competent pool of building energy modelers.

Professionals who pass the certification exam will have demonstrated their ability to evaluate, choose, use, calibrate and interpret the results of energy modeling software, as well as confirm their competence to model new and existing buildings and systems with their full range of physics.

The certification will also highlight a consultant?s ability to act as a leader for projects that focus on energy efficiency, especially projects that deal with green buildings and building labeling programs, such as bEQ.

The Building Energy Modeling Professional program will help the individuals who earn it to distinguish themselves by providing confirmation of their skills and specialties by an internationally recognized engineering society. Professionals with such certifications have better chances of being hired, promoted and/or tapped for working on certain types of design projects.

ASHRAE?s newest certification will become available at testing centers located around the world in March 2010and was developed in collaboration with the U.S. affiliate of the International Building Performance Simulation Association and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

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