Events and conferences

A closer look at ASHRAE Standard 241

Since the recent approval of ASHRAE Standard 241 Control of Infectious Aerosols, international interest has grown in how the standard could be applied. That includes Australia. Responding to this interest, Prezant Environmental Managing Director and 241 Committee member Brad Prezant, Affil.AIRAH, is running two breakfast sessions in Melbourne to provide an introduction to and summary of […]

News

ASHRAE approves infectious aerosol control standard

ASHRAE has announced the approval for publication of its airborne infection risk mitigation standard for buildings. ASHRAE Standard 241 Control of Infectious Aerosols establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of disease transmission by exposure to infectious aerosols in new buildings, existing buildings, and major renovations. The standard has been developed to reduce exposure to […]

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Professor Morawska wins Women in Science award

The Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has announced that world-leading air quality expert and Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska has received the prestigious 2023 L’Oréal–UNESCO for Women in Science Award for Asia and the Pacific. An Australian Laureate Fellow, Australian Academy of Science Fellow, and Director of the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Prof. Morawska is one […]

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ASHRAE releases draft pathogen mitigation standard

ASHRAE has announced the completion of the first draft of its standard for maintaining healthy indoor air quality (IAQ), with final approval expected in June and publishing anticipated in July. ASHRAE Standard 241P, Control of Infectious Aerosols provides minimum requirements for HVAC-related measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, influenza, and other airborne […]

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Fast-track pathogen mitigation standard under development

ASHRAE has convened a project committee to develop an indoor air quality (IAQ) pathogen mitigation standard. The goal is to finalise the consensus-based, code-enforceable standard within six months. “The health and wellbeing of building occupants are crucial factors that must be considered during the design, construction and operation phases of the building process,” says ASHRAE […]

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Updated advice on indoor air quality

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) with support from AIRAH has released an updated handbook on indoor air quality. The handbook, last updated in 2021, has been revised to align with NCC 2022 and assist in understanding the indoor air quality (IAQ) verification methods in NCC Volume One and Volume Two. “The handbook contains explanations […]

Events and conferences News

World Ventilation Day set for November 8

November 8 has been confirmed as World Ventilation Day, with the theme for the inaugural running to be “celebrating ventilation”. The initiative was established by a group of ventilation professionals in the UK from CIBSE, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), and academic researchers within the Future Urban Ventilation […]

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Landmark Australian ventilation study

A recent City of Melbourne research project has found that simple changes to ventilation systems can significantly decrease the transmission of COVID-19 and reduce energy consumption in office buildings. ​The City of Melbourne BREATH pilot tested and evaluated three different ventilation systems in a vacant CBD building over three months: displacement ventilation air conditioning, in-ceiling […]