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ASHRAE Studies Building Safety Under Extraordinary Incidents
Ensuring that America's buildings remain safe is the task of a new presidential
study group created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE).
"Following the events of Sept. 11, we need to take all steps possible to ensure
that America's buildings remain safe, as well as healthy and comfortable," William
J. Coad, P.E., ASHRAE President, said. "We are committed to ensuring the safety
of people inside these buildings.
The Presidential Study Group on Health and Safety under Extraordinary Incidents
will study incidents such as attack from high impact explosives, incendiary
missiles, internal incendiary devices and chemical, biological or radiological
contamination. While the group will focus on HVAC and ventilation systems, Coad
said these systems are integrated with all building systems, which also will
be included in this comprehensive study. "I have asked the group to study what
steps can be taken to improve the health and safety of existing buildings,"
Coad said. "Members will look at retrofit programs that could be implemented
to improve health and safety in existing buildings and what design features
could be incorporated in new buildings to improve health and safety."
The group will address all aspects of health and safety, except structural
integrity and security protection. These include materials, egress, chemical,
biological and radiological protection, fire extinguishing, smoke removal or
purging, filtration, maintenance of comfort and air quality, entrance paths
for contaminants, building envelopes and water supplies.
This will be the first study to encompass all of these aspects in one report,
according to Coad.
Coad has asked the group to present a final report at ASHRAE's 2002 Winter
Meeting in Atlantic City, N.J., January 12-16. Members of the group include
scientists and engineers who will examine all aspects of health and safety in
the built environment.
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