A new proposal by ASHRAE would require multifamily buildings of any height to fall under ASHRAE’s residential ventilation standard, 62.2. The association says the change is designed to provide consistency of ventilation requirements.

Currently, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2013, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, has responsibility for multifamily residential buildings four stories or more, while ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2013, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, has responsibility for residential buildings three stories and less.

“The Standards 62.1 and 62.2 committees are proposing scope changes that would result in the dwelling units of all multifamily buildings being covered by Standard 62.2,” said Paul Francisco, chair of the Standard 62.2 committee. “Common areas would be covered by 62.1. This will provide consistency of ventilation requirements for dwelling units regardless of building height. For new construction, this will result in a change of requirements for dwelling units in 4-plus story buildings. For the retrofit market, this change will result in coverage by ASHRAE ventilation standards for the first time in 4-plus story buildings.”

The proposed changes are being made via addendum to Standard 62.1-2013 and addendum g to Standard 62.2-2013, which are open for public review until May 4, 2014. For more information or to submit comments, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.

The ventilation rates for dwelling units in Standard 62.1 are different from the rates in Standard 62.2, and this inconsistency has caused concern for some, according to 62.1 committee chair Roger Hedrick. Additionally, Standard 62.1 does not address modest retrofits whereas Standard 62.2 does.

“The retrofit market is a major user of ASHRAE ventilation standards,” he said. “This will allow for consistency across dwelling units and also allow application of ASHRAE ventilation standards to the multifamily retrofit market.”

Francisco agreed, saying, “Given the growth of the retrofit industry in multifamily dwellings it is important to ensure that these situations are covered in ASHRAE’s ventilation standards.”