Updated Healthcare Facility Ventilation Standard Published

The updated edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities offers guidance, regulation, and mandates to healthcare facilities designers.

ASHRAE has released an updated edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. The standard offers guidance, regulation, and mandates to designers of healthcare facilities.

Ventilation Standard
(Credit: Getty Images/ monkeybusinessimages)

The 2021 edition delivers critical guidance for designers and operators of these front-line facilities and incorporates 17 addenda to the 2017 edition of the standard.

Changes include:

  • Expanded requirements to allow airborne infectious isolation room exhaust discharge to general exhaust under certain conditions
  • Revised scope, with improved guidance on thermal comfort conditions provided
  • Extensive modifications to address the Outpatient and Residential sections
  • Extensive revisions to air filtration requirements
  • Addition of new columns in the ventilation tables to prescribe filtration requirement and designate unoccupied turndown
  • Expanded guidance on separation distance requirements for varied intake and exhaust arrangements, coordinating with related ASHRAE Standard 62.1 data
  • Improved guidance related to behavioral and mental health

To purchase ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170-2021, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities, visit the ASHRAE Bookstore.

ASHRAE is a global professional society that advances the arts and sciences of heating ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields. An industry leader in research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE and its members promote a healthy and sustainable built environment through strategic partnerships with organizations in the HVAC&R community and across related industries.

The society is showcasing integrated building solutions and sustainability in action through the opening of the ASHRAE Global Headquarters in Atlanta, GA. The state-of-the-art, high-performing net-zero-energy efficient global headquarters building is a destination venue for industry representatives who are looking to experience cutting-edge engineering and architectural interventions.

Click here for more facility management news related to HVAC.