Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2, v2 - Schools 2007, v2 - LEED 2.0, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2008

Inquiry

We are designing an archival storage facility for The Smithsonian Institution (SI) in Suitland, MD to house a variety of their collections including skeletal samples, artwork, paintings, biological samples, mineral cores, meteorites, negatives, magnetic film, etc. While we are providing outside air in compliance with the 2006 International Mechanical Code and ASHRAE 62.1-2004 in all other spaces, there are several refrigerated boxes (ranging from a hundred square feet to several thousand square feet) with temperatures between -4 and 55 degree F. SI practice forbids outside air supply to cold boxes based on their experience. The contents of the cold boxes are infrequently used, and given SI\'s mission of protecting national treasures, the institution has determined that the reliability of the boxes is better ensured by eliminating the complication of supplying these storage devices with OA. The Smithsonian Institution has assured us that no hazardous off-gassing will occur within the refrigerated boxes. SI intends to add small filters in the cold rooms to absorb odor. Question: Based upon the Ruling dated 9-24-07 for the CIR dated 8-30-07 under INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: Minimum IAQ Performance: Please confirm that the cold boxes "are excluded from the Standard, since they cannot be considered as "occupiable space" by the Standard\'s definition (page 4 of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004)".