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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
AIRAH has applauded the Australian 2023–24 Federal Budget and its strong investment in a net zero future. It also notes that success will require ambition, as well as continued cooperation between government and industry. AIRAH CEO Trish Hyde says the federal government has wisely combined short-term relief with investments that will bring energy bills down […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is calling for input in reviewing and updating the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Handbook to reflect the latest scientific evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The importance of IAQ in buildings has recently been highlighted through the COVID-19 pandemic,” says the ABCB, “since adequate IAQ can help to minimise the […]