The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently updated its guidelines regarding ventilation and air quality practices for within the built environment. The changes come following the agency’s announcement last month that the global COVID-19 pandemic has concluded.
While the CDC had offered updated guidelines during the pandemic for the removal and mitigation of viral particles, these new changes further refine the agency’s recommendations, setting clear targets and goals for professionals looking to adopt better air quality practices.
These new guidelines were developed in conjunction with a new standard from the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
New CDC Ventilation Guidelines Outline Ideal Ventilation Rates, Expected Costs
As part of the new recommendations, the CDC states that air quality experts should strive to have five air changes occurring per hour within a space meant to be occupied for an extended period. This, the agency notes, fits the average change rate a portable air cleaner is capable of, provided it is properly sized for the space.
CDC guidance also recommends using MERV-13 filters in HVAC systems (something that has become common practice among several wellness-focused homebuilders) while air purifiers and cleaners using standard HEPA filters can be used in situations where HVAC systems are not present. Additionally, the CDC has included updated information on the up-front, maintenance, and energy cost considerations for air quality strategies within buildings.
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These guidelines come following the CDC’s announcement that the agency has officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be over in the United States. However, experts have been quick to point out that the recommendations themselves need not specifically relate to mitigation of viral particles.
As Joseph Allen, director of the Harvard Healthy Buildings Program in an article with CNN, this guidance can be used to mitigate viral flu particles as well as allergens and wildfire smoke, a topic of increasing importance in certain areas of the United States that has driven many homebuilders to adopt increased ventilation standards for homes built in these locations.
Even now, areas of the northern US continue to experience poor air quality conditions due to wildfire smoke from Canada drifting into the region. At the same time, officials in the state of Washington have already begun to advise residents that now is the time to prepare for wildfire smoke. Experts have also warned that as the world’s climate continues to change, issues such as wildfires will become more frequent and more intense over time.
For those interested, the updated guidelines can be found on the CDC’s official page for ventilation. Additionally, the ASHRAE standard can be viewed over on the association’s website as well.
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