ATLANTA - Ventilation for smoking areas returns to center stage through a proposed addendum to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers' (ASHRAE's) Standard 62.1.

Proposed addendum i will be open for public comment until Nov. 6. To read the proposed addendum and comment, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, specifies minimum ventilation rates and indoor air quality requirements for commercial and institutional buildings.

The proposed addendum removes the existing requirement for an increase to the ventilation rates prescribed in Table 6-1 (and/or an increase in air cleaning) for smoking areas. It also strikes informative language explaining why specific rates for smoking areas cannot be prescribed, adds a reference to Section 5.18 smoking-related separation requirements, and strikes a requirement in Table 6-1, Note 2, to determine smoking-permitted area rates using means other than the table.

"The proposed changes, based in part on recent position statements issued by World Health Organization and the U.S. Surgeon General, reflect the opinion of cognizant authorities that no safe level of environmental tobacco smoke exists," said Dennis Stanke, chair of the 62.1 committee. "Whether the proposed changes also reflect the opinions of Standard 62.1 stakeholders will be determined during the public review process. The eventual content of the standard depends on the valuable participation of all interested parties."

Publication date: 10/02/2006