June 13, 2005: ASHRAE Guideline Addresses IAQ And Thermal Comfort
ATLANTA - Interactions between various factors, such as indoor air quality and thermal comfort, can make an apparently acceptable building environment less acceptable to a substantial fraction of the occupants. A proposed guideline from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) calls attention to many interactions that designers might not have previously recognized or understood. These interactions can strongly influence occupant reactions to and perceptions of the quality of the indoor environment, according to Hal Levin, chair of the committee writing the guideline.
Guideline 10P, "Criteria for Achieving Acceptable Indoor Environments," is open for public comment until June 20. It specifies indoor environmental criteria that are acceptable to human occupants and are intended to minimize the potential for adverse health effects.