Guidance that explains the “why” and “how” behind requirements in ASHRAE’s residential indoor air quality standard is contained in a newly published user’s manual.

The 62.2-2010 User’s Manual is a complete guide to meeting the requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2010, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings. The manual provides explanations and examples showing how to meet all parts of the standard and includes background material explaining why many of the requirements are included. The User’s Manual covers nine sections of the standard and three appendices.

“While the standard is written to be as simple as possible, it can still be challenging to apply in some situations to ensure that all the requirements are met,” Steve Emmerich, chair of the Standard 62.2 committee, said. “The example calculations and system drawings are particularly helpful. In addition, since the standard is written in code language, it does not address the ‘why’ behind any requirements. So the User’s Manual provides the ‘how’ and ‘why’ while the standard gives the ‘what’.”

The standard has undergone significant changes since it was last published, so the updated User’s Manual allows users to stay up to date with those changes.

“One of the most important changes is the addition of alternate means for existing buildings to comply with the standard,” Roger Hedrick, lead author of the User’s Manual, said. “Many new examples are provided to illustrate these new compliance paths.”

The Manual is written for residential HVAC&R contractors and installers as well as residential builders, developers and architects. The new sections related to existing buildings are meant to make the standard more useable as part of weatherization programs or retrofit projects. It also may be useful to code officials and to those homeowners who are technically knowledgeable.

www.ashrae.org/bookstore