CHICAGO - Input into the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE's) proposed Guideline 29P, "Guideline for Risk Management of Public Health and Safety in Buildings," will be sought at a forum at the Society's 2006 Winter Meeting, Jan. 21-25, in Chicago.

The guideline is intended to aid in the evaluation, design, and implementation of measures to reduce multiple risks in buildings.

"We want to provide practitioners with a voluntary process by which they can perform vulnerability assessments," said George Glavis, chair of the committee writing the guideline. "Based on the results of these assessments, practitioners can implement the guideline's recommended protective measures that would benefit occupants during normal operations as well as during emergencies."

The forum, "What Guidance Should ASHRAE Provide for Reducing Multi-Hazard Vulnerability," will be held from 9-9:50 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. Expedited development of the guideline is being funded in part through a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

It will build on an earlier report from ASHRAE that addresses health, safety, and environmental security under extraordinary incidents, according to Glavis, lead mechanical engineer for the State Department Overseas Building Operations.

The proposed guideline will contain recommendations for management of the risk of extraordinary incidents in buildings, including fire, seismic events, chemical and biological releases, blast, and other extraordinary hazards. It will address aspects of building performance that affect occupant health and safety, including egress; chemical, biological, and radiological protection; fire protection; smoke removal; filtration; air quality; and building envelope.

Homeland security also will be discussed in a forum that questions how hybrid 100 percent outside air systems improve homeland security and sustainability. The need to develop effective HVACR strategies to protect building occupants against the threat of chemical-biological warfare (CBW) is often seen as having a priority over making those same buildings energy efficient. The forum examines whether hybrid 100 percent outside air systems can reduce the threat of CBW without paying an energy penalty to do so. It takes place at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25.

In addition, a seminar examines analysis, design, and operation of HVACR and supporting systems as a way to protect from natural or intentional events. It is held from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25.

For more information on ASHRAE's work in homeland security, visit www.ashrae.org/homelandsecurity.

Publication date: 12/26/2005