ATLANTA - Control of airborne infectious diseases, the value of indoor air quality (IAQ) programs, and challenges faced by the design community will be addressed by keynote speakers at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE's) IAQ 2004 conference.

IAQ 2004 Critical Operations: Supporting the Healing Environment Through IAQ Performance Standards will be held March 15-17, 2004, at the Tampa (Fla.) Convention Center. The conference will address the critical role that IAQ performance standards provide in support of health care facilities.

The conference will take place with the American Society of Healthcare Engineering's (ASHE's) conference and exhibition on health facility planning, design, and construction.

Keynote speakers and topics include:

Michael Hodgson, M.D., occupational health program, Veteran's Health Administration, Washington: "Engineering and Health: Do We Know Where We Are Going." He will discuss the challenges faced by the design community in the health care setting.

John F. McCarthy, Sc.D., Environmental Health & Engineering Inc., Newton, Mass.: "Defining the Healing Environment: Risk, Reward, Reality." He will discuss the value of IAQ programs in the hospital setting by reviewing the aspects of IAQ in the health care environment and the stress placed on infrastructure and those who are responsible for maintaining it.

Andrew J. Streifel, hospital environment specialist, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.: "Preparation for Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Healthcare Environment." He will lead a panel discussion addressing infectious disease preparedness and the control of airborne infectious diseases through design and operation.

The conferences will feature 30 scientific papers, tutorials, and six panel discussions on IAQ in hospitals, ventilation requirements, infection control issues, chemical/bioterrorism, technical aspects of ventilation in hospitals, and risk management.

Registration for the IAQ 2004 conference is $500 prior to Feb. 20. After Feb. 20, the registration fee is $580. For more information or to register, visit www.ashrae.org.

Publication date: 01/12/2004