IEQ R1: Minimum Outside Air Requirements

Requirement

PURPOSE

According to the EPA, air inside buildings can be more polluted than outside air. Provide sufficient filtered outside air to promote acceptable indoor air quality to building occupants.

CRITERIA

Provide outside air either for prescriptive default occupant density or for known density per ASHRAE 62.1-2016.

Select one option below:

Option A. Default Occupancy Prescriptive Outside Air Requirements

Introduce outside air based on space type and square footage. Refer to Appendix E: Prescriptive Outside Air Requirements for a table of prescriptive outside air CFM requirements according to space type.

Example Calculation: A small office building has the following space types and determines the outside air required using the table in Appendix E: Prescriptive Outside Air Requirements.

Option B. Meet ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2016, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality

Provide documentation to demonstrate the requirements for outside air as outlined in ASHRAE 62.1-2016 have been met.

MAJOR RENOVATIONS: Deliver 10 CFM outside air per person.

VERIFICATION 

• Construction Documents include a table for outside air requirements 
• Outside air flow rates confirmed by Test and Balance Report (per IEQ R7:Third Party Test and Balance Report)

RESOURCES

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/inside-story-guide-indoor-air-quality

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) https://www.ashrae.org/