ATLANTA - A new guideline from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has been published to assist building owners and managers in analyzing what measures should be put in place to protect occupants and property from extraordinary events. These include natural (fire, storm), accidental (transportation or building mishaps), or intentional (arson, terrorism) events.

ASHRAE Guideline 29-2009, Guideline for the Risk Management of Public Health and Safety in Buildings, provides guidance for the practical evaluation, design, and implementation of measures to reduce multiple risks in new and existing buildings. The risks relate to fire, seismic events, chemical and biological releases, blasts, and other extraordinary hazards.

“Guideline 29 is the first guidance document on building protection developed by an industry group consisting of a range of stakeholders including engineers, architects, contractors, building owners, and others,” said George Glavis, chair of the committee that wrote the guideline. “It provides a flexible approach to risk assessment for the range of health and safety hazards that may apply to any given building and thereby enables informed decision making.”

The guideline addresses aspects of building performance that affect occupant health and safety, including egress; chemical, biological, and radiological protection; fire protection; smoke removal or purging; filtration; indoor air quality; entrance paths for contaminants; and building envelopes.

The cost of ASHRAE Guideline 29-2009, Guideline for the Risk Management of Public Health and Safety in Buildings, is $54 ($46, ASHRAE members). To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

Publication date: 05/04/2009