ASHRAE has conducted research and published information on fire safety and accidental incidents in buildings for a number of years, according to Lawrence Spielvogel, P.E., chair of ASHRAE's Presidential Ad Hoc Committee on Homeland Security.

"In response to the need for responsible and balanced technical information on protecting the occupants of buildings since 9/11, the scope of ASHRAE research has been expanded to include safety under extraordinary incidents," he said. "We expect to do research and publish guidance on methods for dealing with chemical, biological, and radiological attacks to serve our members and the public."

ASHRAE will spend $2.3 million in fiscal year 2004-05 on research, with $110,000 budgeted initially for projects related to homeland security issues. ASHRAE has been in contact with government and private groups to sponsor additional research in this field, according to Spielvogel.

More information about ASHRAE's work in homeland security can be found at www.ashrae.org/homelandsecurity.

Publication date: 07/05/2004