ASHRAE Journal - March 2021 - 6

INDUSTRY NEWS

Epidemic Task Force Update
Building Readiness Guidance
Addresses Flushing, More

ETF Chair Testiﬁes
Before Congress

ATLANTA-
A-ASHRAE's Epidemic Task Force (ETF) has updated

ATLANTA-ASHRAE Epidemic Task
Force Chair William Bahnﬂeth,
Ph.D., P.E., Presidential Member/
Fellow ASHRAE, provided witness testimony in a congressional
hearing on COVID-19 risks and response in transportation systems.
Bahnﬂeth was one of six witWilliam Bahnﬂeth, Ph.D., P.E.,
nesses who testiﬁed before
Presidential Member/Fellow ASHRAE
the U.S. House Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure on February 4. The
hearing examined COVID-19 safety gaps in the protection of transportation workers and passengers.
Bahnﬂeth spoke about the need to take an " end to
end " approach in assessing the exposure risks related
to transportation, including ground facilities associated with travel. He shared a perspective on HVAC system upgrades, design strategies and safety measures.
" For the safety of those who must travel, it may be
possible to upgrade the HVAC systems of some modes
of transportation by improving ventilation, increasing
ﬁlter efﬁciency and adding air cleaning technologies
where applicable, " said Bahnﬂeth in a press release.
View the hearing at https://tinyurl.com/1a42dukl

Industry Roundup

ther reduction in thermal energy would cause occupant discomfort, which could dramatically lower the
energy required for heating and cooling buildings.
Source: Tech Xplore

its reopening guidance for HVAC systems to help mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The Building Readiness Guide now includes information and clariﬁcations
that help designers and commissioning professionals.
Major updates include pre- or post-ﬂushing strategy methodology, ﬂushing time calculator, heating
season guidance and adjustments to align with core
recommendations.
" The Building Readiness Guide includes additional
information and clariﬁcations to assist designers
and commissioning providers in performing pre- or
post-occupancy ﬂush calculations to reduce the time
and energy to clear spaces of contaminants between
occupancy periods, " said Wade Conlan, P.E., Member
ASHRAE, leader of the ETF's Building Readiness team.
People can now download the new ﬂushing time calculator as a view-only Google Sheet. The calculator can
help determine the available equivalent outdoor air
changes and time to perform the ﬂush. This sheet is
based on a typical mixed-air air-handling unit with ﬁlters, cooling coil, with potential for in-AHU air cleaner,
and in-room air cleaning devices.
Download the guidance: https://tinyurl.com/lkgokipc
Visit www.ashrae.org/covid19 for more information.

Study: Framework Could Reduce Building
Energy Demand for Heating, Cooling
BERKELEY, CALIF.- Some researchers are concerned that

lowering building energy demand only through
energy-efﬁcient technology and design will reach its
practical limits. In a study researchers from Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and University of California,
Berkeley make the case for calculating the theoretical
minimum thermal load. By calculating this baseline,
researchers are identifying the point at which fur-

ASHRAE JOURNAL

ashrae.org

MARCH 2021

Starbucks Builds Modular Store in 6 Days
ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA-Starbucks has built in

six days a drive-thru location using an energy-efﬁcient
modular system with near-zero construction waste. The
building's insulated panels are coated on both sides with
a material made of sand and other materials, creating a waterproof, ﬁre resistant building system. Source:
Construction Dive

https://www.tinyurl.com/1a42dukl https://www.tinyurl.com/lkgokipc http://www.ashrae.org/covid19 http://ashrae.org

ASHRAE Journal - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - March 2021