On December 7, 2022 ASHRAE’s board of directors announced its commitment to support the expedited development of a national indoor air quality (IAQ) pathogen mitigation standard. The goal is to finalize the consensus-based, code enforceable standard within six months.

“The health and well-being of building occupants are crucial factors that must be considered during the design, construction and operation phases of the building process,” said 2022-23 ASHRAE President Farooq Mehboob, Fellow Life Member ASHRAE. “ASHRAE’s long history of leadership in IAQ science and technology, will provide broad-reaching guidance through this standard to help ensure the use of best practices for pathogen mitigation, which will assist in creating safer indoor spaces for us all.”

ASHRAE will set up a balanced team of internationally recognized experts to work on an accelerated timeline to develop the standard. Delivery of the standard will include:

• Both design and operation
• Alternative paths (prescriptive or performance), in which equivalent clean air would be the goal
• Testing, verification, documentation (commissioning) and periodic re-commissioning

>> More information can be found here.