What Is ASHRAE Standard 62.1?

ASHRAE Standard 62.1, titled “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality,” addresses criteria for achieving and maintaining acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) in commercial or institutional buildings, including industrial environments. The standard provides guidelines regarding air cleaning and filtration to mitigate particulate and gaseous contaminants. While ASHRAE 62.1 is primarily concerned with HVAC and ventilation systems rather than industrial dust collection, there are principles that can apply more broadly to industrial air filtration. This includes the specification of minimum efficiencies for air filters (using MERV ratings), which can guide the selection of cartridge filters in dust collection systems within industrial settings. ASHRAE standards should be considered along with other requirements, such as OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for industrial air pollutants.