ASHRAE Standards.
The first ASHRAE Standards were issued in 1932
The development of ASHRAE Standards began in 1895 when The predecessor organization, the Society of American Heating and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE), was just beginning to create the first versions of the ventilation standard for all classes of buildings.
Founded in 1894, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an international organization with approximately 55,000 members.
ASHRAE engineers see their mission as promoting new and promising technologies for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and air refrigeration. ASHRAE conducts research, issues standards, and publishes educational materials and training.
In 1932, another predecessor organization, the Association of American Refrigeration Engineers (ASRE), issued the Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration (currently accepted as the safety code for mechanical refrigeration equipment, ANSI/ASHRAE 15 -1994).
Since then, ASHRAE has issued more than one hundred standards and guidelines that have received worldwide recognition and define heating, ventilation, and air conditioning standards used throughout the world.
ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines provide procedures for testing and evaluating HVAC equipment. in terms of safety and efficiency, equally suitable for both residential and industrial buildings. Each standard and collection of recommendations is developed in accordance with specific needs.
Every published ASHRAE standard and guideline has undergone a rigorous peer review process. Particular effort has been made to evaluate the views of parties interested in or referenced in proposed standards. The result of the work is the finished product, obtained on the basis of the consent of all interested parties. Agreement between the parties to these standards is voluntary, since only the regulatory body has the authority to insist on the adoption of a particular standard as mandatory. However, the ASHRAE standard-setting process itself has proven to be so authoritative that many other standards are developed based on it.
Advantages of ASHRAE Committee Membership
Membership on the ASHRAE Standards Development Committee or Guidelines Development Committee allows a professional to advance professionally by sharing ideas with peers and contributing to the development of HVAC codes. Moreover, membership in the ASHRAE committee provides the opportunity to advance technical and scientific knowledge for the benefit of humanity.
What do the standards include?
The standards developed by ASHRAE define properties, processes , dimensions, materials, relationships, concepts, test methods, recommended designs and accepted practices within the HVAC industry. These standards provide a common basis for different groups to work together and also have an impact on resource conservation.
Standards developed through the collaboration of all interested parties are often adopted by other national and international organizations.
What do the guidelines include?
When developing standards for testing, operation and evaluation of special equipment, as well as concepts, collections of recommendations are used. While not as strict as the standards, ASHRAE’s recommendations address areas where a variety of approaches are acceptable and no one approach is considered preferable. These recommendations are intended to help professionals working in the field of creating climate control equipment.
The main difference between recommendations and standards is the degree to which agreement between the parties is required. Whereas in the case of guidelines, agreement between the parties is desirable, in the case of standards it is necessary.
How many ASHRAE standards and collections of recommendations are there and what topics do they cover?
There are currently more than one hundred ASHRAE standards and collections of guidelines issued. Moreover, there are also more than a hundred committees developing new documents and revising old ones. One of these standards, “Energy Efficient Design of New Buildings (Except Low Rise Residential Buildings)” (see Energy Standard for New Buildings Except Low Rise Residential Buildings, ANSI/ASH-RAE/IESNA 90.1-1989R) formed the basis for the creation of building codes in fifty states of America within the framework of the regulatory document Energy Policy Act. Currently, this standard is accepted at the international level.
Other ASHRAE standards and guidelines set standards for energy-efficient design of low-rise new buildings and also address energy conservation in existing buildings. There are also documents on ventilation and heating that determine indoor comfort, as well as documents on communication protocols for data exchange for building automation, and methods for assessing the seasonal efficiency of thermal power plants. A number of documents are devoted to refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. Additional standards and recommendations have been created on issues such as the reduction of freon emissions and the development of energy monitoring systems with a system of graphic symbols used in the climate control equipment industry.
The most recent ASHRAE standards are planned to be devoted to air quality in airliner cabins, and also issues related to the creation of environmentally friendly facilities.
Who is responsible for developing ASHRAE standards and guidelines?
The ASHRAE Standards Development Committee is comprised of members who work externally and are supported by full-time staff. The latter reports to the standards manager, whose task is to monitor the implementation of the program for the formation of standards and recommendations. ASHRAE Standards Drafting Committees are formed by the Standards Development Committee and are constantly working to develop new documents, as well as revise existing ones, in order to incorporate the latest advances in the field of climate control equipment.
How are standards and collections of recommendations prepared?
Each ASHRAE standard and guideline is prepared by a separate, designated committee (hereinafter referred to as a «project committee»), the chairman and vice-chairman of which must be members of ASHRAE. ASHRAE membership is not required for other committee members, but all members must have the required technical qualifications. The focus is on balancing interests within the committee.
The time frame for preparing a standard or recommendations varies according to the complexity of the new document and the number of suggestions and comments received during the discussions. Guidelines typically require less time to develop.
What is the procedure for forming a committee for a particular standard or guideline?
1. It is necessary to obtain approval for the name, goals and scope of activity of the newly created project committee.
2. A liaison is appointed between the Standards Committee and the Project Committee.
3. The Standards Manager posts an announcement on the ASHRAE website announcing the establishment of the project committee and provides an application form for new members. The US National Standards Institute (ANSI) and other relevant organizations are notified regarding the proposed name, purpose and scope of the new committee and suggestions and comments are accepted from these organizations.
4. A member of ASHRAE must be appointed as the chairman of the project committee.
5. When forming a project committee, the task is to establish a balance of interests, previously divided into categories, and the appointed chairman recommends the most knowledgeable member of the committee as an expert.
6. A list of project committee members is formed and approved, as required by the project committee management procedure.
7. The Standards Manager notifies the committee chair and each member that they are assigned to the committee.
8. Work on the draft standard begins.
What are ASHRAE’s general procedures for developing standards and recommendations?
1. After the project committee completes its work, its report is submitted for approval.
2. During a specially allotted time, the project is put up for discussion, and during this time all interested parties can give their comments on it.
3. The Standards Manager posts a notice on the ASHRAE website to open discussion on a new project. 45 days are usually allotted for review and comments.
4. The Project Committee reviews the comments and seeks to resolve discrepancies by responding to the authors of the comments.
5. The draft committee, which is responsible for the technical content of the standard or recommendation, revises the draft if the need arises during the discussion. If the changes are considered significant, then a second round of discussions opens. Otherwise, the project committee submits the text for approval for subsequent publication.
6. The project receives approval as required by the procedure and is then submitted to the US National Standards Institute (if it is a standard).
7. The project committee is released from obligations from the moment the standard or collection of recommendations is published. (Standing committees, such as those working on ASH-RAE/IESNA 90.1, are not dissolved.)
8. For five years after publication, each standard or set of guidelines undergoes a review process with the possibility of improvement, updating, or retirement.
Can ASHRAE project committees include entire organizations?
Yes, but not all.
How long does it take to work on a standard or guidelines as part of a draft committee?
The Standards and Guidelines Project Committee typically schedules a meeting during the annual ASHRAE Winter Convention. The advantage of working as part of such meetings is that participants have the opportunity to access the archives of the society. Additional time between meetings is usually devoted to solving problems that arise.
Employer support equals success
Because ASHRAE does not reimburse committee members for expenses incurred, their support is strongly encouraged employer. This can be in the form of compensation for travel and living expenses, work schedule benefits, and other administrative support. Committee members who are supported by their employer tend to be more productive at ASHRAE, while at the same time their qualifications are constantly improving, which is in the interests of the employer.