ASHRAE has announced its newly approved standard for airborne infection risk mitigation in indoor spaces. ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of disease transmission by exposure to infectious aerosols in new buildings, existing buildings, and major renovations.
Infectious aerosols are tiny, exhaled particles that can carry disease-causing pathogens and are so small that they can remain in the air for long periods of time and be inhaled. According to ASHRAE, use of this standard would reduce exposure to SARS-COV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19), influenza viruses, and other pathogens that cause major personal and economic damage every year. Standard 241 provides requirements for many aspects of air system design, installation, operation, and maintenance.
Key aspects of the standard include:
- Infection Risk Management Mode. Requirements of Standard 241 apply during an infection risk management mode (IRMM) that applies during identified periods of elevated risk of disease transmission. AHJs (authorities having jurisdiction) can determine when the enhanced protections of Standard 241 will be required, but its use can also be at the discretion of the owner/operator at other times—for example, during influenza season. ASHRAE said this aspect of Standard 241 introduces the concept of resilience—the ability to respond to extreme circumstances outside normal conditions—into the realm of indoor air quality (IAQ) control design and operation.
- Requirements for Equivalent Clean Airflow Rate. Other IAQ standards, including ASHRAE Standards 62.1 and 62.2, specify outdoor airflow rate and filtration requirements to control normal indoor air contaminants. ASHRAE said Standard 241 breaks new ground by setting requirements for equivalent clean airflow rate, which is the flow rate of pathogen-free airflow into occupied areas of a building that would have the same effect as the total of outdoor air, filtration of indoor air, and air disinfection by technologies such as germicidal ultraviolet light. This approach allows the user of the standard flexibility to select combinations of technologies to comply with the standard that best satisfy their economic constraints and energy use goals.
- Requirements for Use of Filtration and Air-Cleaning Technology. Dilution of indoor air contaminants by ventilation with outdoor air can be an energy-intensive and expensive way to control IAQ. ASHRAE said Standard 241 provides extensive requirements for use of filtration and air cleaning to effectively and safely achieve equivalent clean airflow requirements efficiently and cost effectively. These include testing requirements to establish performance and to demonstrate that operation does not degrade IAQ in other ways—for example, by elevating ozone levels.
- Planning and Commissioning. Standard 241 provides assessment and planning requirements culminating in the development of a building readiness plan, which is a concept carried over from the work of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force. It also describes procedures for commissioning systems to determine their installed performance.
“Standard 241 represents a significant step forward in prioritizing indoor air quality,” said 2022-23 ASHRAE President Farooq Mehboob. “By implementing the requirements outlined in this standard, we can improve the health, well-being, and productivity of building occupants. This standard empowers building owners, operators, and professionals to take proactive measures in safeguarding indoor environments. It’s an essential tool for creating healthier indoor environments and promoting sustainable practices.”
Standard 241 available now for presale in the ASHRAE Bookstore. Other related resources, such as courses and factsheets, will be introduced in the future.