scope:

Spaces Covered (§2.1)

This standard applies to all spaces within buildings intended for human occupancy, except for residential dwelling units, as described below.

Residential dwelling units are not included in the scope of the standard, regardless of building height. All residential dwelling units are covered by Standard 62.2. The scope includes the phrase, "where residents are nontransient" when referring to residential dwelling units. This is meant to distinguish apartments, condominium units, and single-family houses from hotels, motels, dormitories, and jails. The latter group is included within the scope of Standard 62.1.

While Standard 62.1 covers a wide variety of spaces, the following scope sections describe limitations on the coverage provided. In instances where other applicable standards and requirements specify higher ventilation rates, the higher rates should be implemented. Such other applicable standards and requirements may include occupational safety and health regulations, information provided in material safety data sheets (MSDSs), and local building codes.

Scope of Requirements (§2.2)

The standard addresses more than just outdoor air ventilation rates. Section 5 includes requirements for the HVAC systems and equipment; Section 7 addresses construction, commissioning, and system start-up; and Section 8 addresses maintenance and operation.

Issues Covered (§2.3)

While the primary focus of the standard is determination of ventilation rates, the standard addresses a number of issues that can affect indoor air quality. These include control of contaminants and contaminant sources, outdoor air as a source of contaminants, control of contaminants generated during construction, and protection of materials during construction. The standard also addresses control of moisture to avoid IAQ issues due to microbial growth.

Laboratories, Healthcare, and Smoking Spaces (§2.4)

While the scope of Standard 62.1 includes laboratories, hospitals, and other health care spaces, ASHRAE recognizes that the minimum ventilation rate requirements of Standard 62.1 may be inadequate for some spaces. For this reason, the standard does not provide ventilation rates for three specific space types:

▪ Spaces where smoking is allowed or where isolation from spaces with smoking does not meet the requirements of the standard

▪ Health care spaces where ventilation rates are specified by ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities

▪ Laboratory spaces containing hazardous materials

The ventilation rates recommended in Section 6 are for spaces where no smoking is allowed or that otherwise do not contain environmental tobacco smoke. These spaces are defined in the standard as environmental tobacco smoke free (ETS-free) spaces. Not only is it necessary to prohibit smoking in ETS-free areas, smoking areas must also be separated from ETS areas as required in Section 5.19. The standard does not provide ventilation rates for these spaces because it is not possible to specify a ventilation rate that will meet the purpose of the standard in these spaces.

Ventilation requirements for health care spaces were removed from the standard beginning in 2010, since ventilation requirements for these types of spaces are covered in Standard 170. Standard 170 requirements reference Standard 62.1, for instance in subject areas including air-handling unit casing, drain pans, and ventilation rates for areas not covered by Standard 170. Some space types are listed in both Standard 170 and Standard 62.1. The ventilation rates for these spaces listed in Standard 62.1 must be met to comply with this standard. Additional ventilation may be specified by Standard 170, and may be required in some cases, but this would not be part of compliance with Standard 62.1 and is not addressed in this user's manual. The 2019 edition of Standard 62.1 added ventilation rates for a number of occupancy categories specifically applied to outpatient health care facilities. These categories are not covered by Standard 170 because infection risk is considered low. Both Standards 62.1 and 170 should be reviewed carefully when designing health care facilities to ensure proper ventilation rates are used.

Laboratory spaces are not specifically defined in the standard, but these may have rooms where hazardous materials are used in scientific research, testing, teaching, or clinical practice. See Example 2-A. Special processes in laboratory spaces may generate contaminants with characteristics and in quantities dictating that principles of worker safety and industrial hygiene be used to define contaminant control strategies, including ventilation. Occupational safety or other standards may require the use of special capture ventilation or personal protective equipment that is not covered in this standard. These additional requirements relate only to spaces with special processes and not to conventional spaces (such as offices) located within these facilities. On the other hand, systems and equipment requirements (e.g., drain pans and airstream surfaces) apply to all space types.

Example 2-A New Administrative Wing of Laboratory Facility

Q

A designer for a new administrative wing of a laboratory facility is following internal policy that all designs meet ASHRAE Standard 62.1. The wing contains a small experimental laboratory. What portions of the new or existing facility are within the scope of ASHRAE Standard 62.1?

A

The new wing is within the scope of the standard, in accordance with Section 2.3. Even the laboratory is covered, since laboratory spaces are not exempted. Not only do the ventilation rate requirements apply in the laboratory and the rest of the addition, but so do all of the other requirements-for example, outdoor air filtration in Section 4 and airstream surfaces in Section 5. However, if the laboratory is designed for use with hazardous chemicals, then the ventilation rates in Standard 62.1 do not apply, and occupational safety or other standards will need to be used to determine ventilation rates.

With regard to the existing facility, there is insufficient information to address its applicability. The standard applies to changes to existing buildings only when such changes are specifically called out in the standard.