Rev 007 8/26/2008 Lab Ventilation- Air Changes in Laboratories Executive Summary: Laboratories are complicated spaces with

significant infrastructure designed and operated to allow researchers to work safely with a vast and dynamic array of hazardous materials. EH&S does not endorse a standard air change rate (Air Changes/ Hour, ACH); instead it supports a collaborative, site-specific process among building users knowledgeable in all planned work, lab designers, and EH&S to establish the most efficient and effective ventilation design. The air change rate in a laboratory building is not as important as: the proper design, operation and maintenance of the building HVAC system; researchers access to appropriate dedicated exhaust systems (fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, slot hoods, for example); proper programming of space for specific type of research; the ability of researchers to use built-in controls coordinated with safe practices; and, the flexibility of the buildings design to support renovations and alterations, ultimately allowing research to be conducted in a safe manner. Reduced ACH capacity will require increased operational controls and surveillance to respond to new users and processes. Designing or limiting air change rates to absolute minimums may reduce a buildings capacity to the point where future research flexibility or expansion is compromised. Air changes per hour (ACH), is a simple calculated rate of how often the air in a total volume of a space is exchanged. Another rate discussed is actual or effective air changes per hour, which is the actual air exchange rate and includes short-circuiting of air and other limitations to actual system function. Although the air change rate is one of the most commonly discussed numbers in lab ventilation, typically it is neither a useful measure of lab ventilation effectiveness nor a measure of occupant protection. There is no known correlation between lab ACH and disease. Labs are particularly complex facilities which must be designed and maintained for working safely with hazardous chemicals, biological agents, radiological materials and physical hazards. Protecting the health and safety of lab personnel is the first priority, and, as stated above, does not necessarily correlate with ACH. Air changes per hour alone is not as important a safety consideration as the control of hazardous emissions at the source during both commissioning and the inevitable changes that will occur over the life of the building. The joint goals of safety and efficient use of energy and resources require thoughtful design, trained researchers who apply appropriate hazardous material control techniques, and skilled facility managers who understand and operate ventilation systems with great care. Reducing the number of fume hoods or other dedicated exhaust equipment in a lab can cause research staff to conduct activities with hazardous materials on the open bench instead of a fume hood and drive the need for a potentially higher ACH rate (if hazardous emissions are not captured at their source they will be diluted by general exhaust). . The following are standards, guidelines and codes related to laboratory ACH. Rev 007 8/26/2008 Standard/Guideline Recommended Air-Change Rate ANSI/AIHA Z9.5-2003 The specific room ventilation rate shall be established or agreed upon by the owner or his/her designee. NFPA-45-2004 Minimum 4 ACH unoccupied, occupied typically greater than 8 ACH. ACGIH Ind. Vent 24th Ed., 2001 The required ventilation depends on the generation rate and toxicity of the contaminant not on the size of the room in which it occurs.

ASHRAE Lab Guide-2001 OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910-1450 Code Ventilation Rate Comment IBC 2004

4-12 ACH 4-12 ACH

1 CFM/ft2

for H-5 Section 415.9.2.6

IMC 2004 1 CFM/ft2 Rate required for storage areas that exceed maximum allowable quantities of Hazardous materials. Section 502.8.1.1.2 UBC 1997 1 CFM/ft2 for H-6 Uniform codes have been replaced by International codes beginning in 2000. Section 1202.2.5 OSHA 29 CRF 1910.106 (d)(4)(iv) 6 AC/HR Flammable storage rooms. Design and Use Considerations: The preceding table reflects a lack of consensus among standards for ACH in laboratories. More important than the ACH is the overall effectiveness of the buildings ventilation. In the laboratory, factors that influence ventilation rates include: Toxicity and properties of a wide range of hazardous materials in use (chemical, biological, radiological); Rev 007 8/26/2008 Availability and use of local ventilation capture (e.g.: direct venting of equipment, slot or canopy exhaust); Work practices in the lab (is all hazardous material work performed with local exhaust ventilation designed for the specific tasks, or is it performed on the open bench?); Use of gases, volatile liquids and fine powders or aerosols requires specialized exhaust. Fume hoods have been used in the past. In some cases gas cabinets, equipment enclosures and other specialized exhaust devices are necessary to control these materials; Is the space occupied and can that determination be made with a high degree of certainty and with feedback to the HVAC system? What is the potential for chemical release, either through non-ventilated, non-enclosed procedures or spills? Have the lab spaces been programmed (i.e.: the process of coordination of layout of equipment, infrastructure, and furnishings to suit the activities to be conducted within the space) with knowledge of, and attention to, the specific type of research and the needed density and hood size both for the current program and occupants and future research activities, materials and equipment, and inevitable changes to research methods? What is the intended life of the building? What operational procedures and controls are in place to verify that hazmat use is evaluated as part of the current and future space re-allocation processes? Control contaminants at source. One of the tenets of good EH&S design is the principle of capturing materials at their source to prevent exposure. It is much more efficient to capture a hazardous material in a fume hood, for example, instead of ventilating the entire lab at a higher rate. Process to identify safer substitutes for toxic materials whenever possible Ongoing training program for all existing and future occupants Compliance with procedures and requirements by all occupants;. Continuous evaluation and hazard assessment by expert hygienists and other resources.

 Flexibility and design capacity to adequately respond to changes in current and future uses. Certain occupancies (i.e. chemical storage) allow no ventilation set backs. When no occupancy setbacks (e.g.: nighttime) are installed, they must have conspicuous visual feedback panels to communicate system status that can be overridden. Prior approval required for any change in materials and work. Minimum ASHRAE 62 requirements for fresh air Minimum ASHRAE 55 recommendations for thermal comfort Meeting fume hood performance set forth by ASHRAE 110 or a variation thereof. Research access to adequate fume hoods/enclosures/Local Exhaust Ventilation Restrictions for Lab/Building must be determined and communicated. Best Practices: Current best practices for lab design include: Construct a working mockup for unique situations or energy saving innovations Perform Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling of supply and dedicated exhaust and effective air changes Conduct computer and wind-tunnel receptor modeling for all new facilities studies. Model occupant exposure for hazardous equipment or activities Rev 007 8/26/2008 Conclusion: It is not prudent to specify an air change rate for a building by policy or guideline. Instead, this decision must be based on site-specific information about the various spaces and intended uses of the areas. A more appropriate design goal is: What ventilation considerations will be necessary to enable current and future users of this space to work safely? That question may be answered only after extensive programming and inter-disciplinary collaboration among users, building designers, building operators, and environmental health and safety professionals.