ASHRAE Standard 170 Update

(from the ASHRAE 2013 Dallas Winter Meeting)

By
Abdel K. Darwich
PE, CEng, LEED AP BD+C, Homes, HFDP
Associate Principal
Guttmann and Blaevoet Consulting Engineers
Sacramento, CA

Disclaimer : The information in this presentation does not constitute ASHRAE or committee SSPC 170 official position.
 Next Publication Date

• Std 170 last issue was 2008.

• The new edition will be issued in the summer
or fall of 2013 in order to make it to the 2014
FGI guidelines
• The 2013 edition will incorporate all the
approved addenda till June 2013.
 Standard Scope

• Std 170 purpose as stated in it is to “ define

ventilation system design requirements that
provide environmental control for comfort,
asepsis, an odor control in health care
facilities”
• Should Std 170 cover thermal comfort?
• Majority of the committer think it needs to
• Note : for example, patient room mandated 6
total ACH is based on thermal comfort !
 Endoscopy Room Pressure

• Currently listed as Positive in the standard

• Lots of queries about this requirement
• No research to justify it being negative or
positive.
• SGNA and ASGE (endoscopy nurses and
physicians) contacted. They do not have a
preference for either positive or negative
• Committee voted to change the requirement
for endoscopy rooms from Positive to N.R.
• No pressure switching. If room used for
bronchoscopy, must be Negative.
 N.R Definition

• N.R as a pressure regime – No Requirement

• Some jurisdictions is interpreting this as
Neutral
• N.R was specified for spaces to which the
committee could not find any research to
justify the space to be positive or negative.
• N.R ≠ Neutral. The space can be either
positive or negative
• FGI issued an interpretation in this regard
 Flues on Gas Fired Packaged
Units

• An unofficial interpretation was received

whether the flues on roof top packaged units
need to meet the 25’ clearance form OA
intake on the same unit.
• A equipment vendor conducted and shared
unofficial research. Flue gases were
undetected at 4’ from the flue on the units.
• More research is needed but committee
voted to exempt packaged units from the 25’
requirements if they meet NFPA 54
requirements (same as what 62.1 requires)
 ACH is patient rooms

• Current Total ACH in patient rooms is 6

• Based on research conducted in the late 90s
by a committee member with NIH
• Research concluded that 6 ACH is best but 4
is acceptable (thermal comfort was the
governing criterion).
• Air distribution technology has improved
since the late 90s
• Committee voted to reduce total ACH in
patient rooms to 4 to save energy.
 Chilled Beams

• ASHRAE is about to finalize the first US test

standard for chilled beams (ASHRAE 200).
• NIH is conducting research on the use of
chilled beams in patient rooms.
• Induction rates found to be slightly less than
what the vendor are claiming
• The initial results are indicating that chilled
beams are accomplishing good mixing similar
and in some cases better than conventional
systems.
 Individual Temperature Controls

• Currently required for OR only in the standard

• Committee votes to add them in patient
rooms and ER treatment/exam rooms
 ACH definition

• Still controversial
• Majority believe it is air replaced from/to the
space. It does not need to be removed from
the space.
• Recirculating units where allowed can have
their airflow count towards meeting the total
ACH
 Other items

• Interpretation that ORs need to be more positive

that central sterile storage. In the future maybe
issue a list of which spaces have priority when
spaces with the same pressure relationship
requirement are located adjacently
• A presentation about natural ventilation in
healthcare facilities will be given to the
committee in the next meeting
THANK YOU !