Indoor air quality best management practices - reduce particulates in air distribution

Intent

To reduce exposure of building occupants and maintenance personnel to potentially hazardous particulate contaminants, which adversely affect air quality, human health, building systems and the environment.

Requirements

In mechanically ventilated buildings, each ventilation system that supplies outdoor air shall comply with the following during the performance period:

• Particle filters or air cleaning devices shall clean the outdoor air at any location prior to its introduction to occupied spaces.
• These filters or devices shall meet one of the following criteria for all outside air intakes and inside air recirculation returns:
  • Filtration Media is rated a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 13 in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 52.2 or greater

  • Filtration media is Class F7 or higher, as defined by CEN Standard EN 779: 2002, Particulate air filters for general ventilation, Determination of the filtration performance
  • Filtration media has a minimum dust spot efficiency of 80% or higher and greater than 98% arrestance on a particle size of 3–10 µg
• Establish and follow a regular schedule for maintenance and replacement of these filtration media according to the manufacturer’s recommended interval.