ASHRAE 90.1 — Insulation

ASHRAE 62.1 / ISO 14644-4

Clean room ductwork must NOT have internal fibrous liner. Fibers shed into the airstream and contaminate the clean space. Use smooth galvanized or stainless steel duct.

ASHRAE 62.1 Section 5.9 / OSHA 1910.94

Industrial exhaust systems require adequate makeup air to replace the exhausted volume. A closed makeup air damper creates negative building pressure, reducing exhaust hood capture velocity and potentially causing backdrafting of combustion appliances. ASHRAE 62.1 and OSHA require balanced ventilation in industrial facilities.

ASHRAE 62.2

Long flex duct runs with multiple bends severely reduce airflow. Each 90° bend in 4" flex adds ~15 equivalent feet of duct. This run has excessive pressure drop.

ASHRAE 90.1 / ASME B31.9

Chilled water piping insulation must have a continuous vapor barrier (vapor retarder) on the exterior to prevent moisture from migrating through the insulation and condensing on the cold pipe surface.

ASHRAE 90.1 / IECC

Economizer operation using outdoor air for free cooling is not only allowed but required by energy codes for most commercial systems. Using enthalpy (temperature + humidity) control is the preferred method. The 55°F changeover and 100% OA capability are standard economizer settings. The 20% minimum OA ensures ventilation is always maintained.

ASHRAE 90.1 Section 6.5.1

This fails ASHRAE 90.1 requirements. ASHRAE Standard 90.1 Section 6.5.1 requires economizer systems for cooling equipment above certain capacity thresholds in climate zones with sufficient free cooling hours, and Climate Zone 5A (Chicago) easily qualifies with thousands of annual hours where outdoor conditions can provide free or assisted cooling. A PUE of 1.8 indicates that 44% of total facility energy is consumed by non-IT overhead, which is very poor by modern standards. With a properly designed air-side or water-side economizer, this facility could achieve a PUE in the 1.2 to 1.4 range, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual energy costs. The economizer requirement is not optional regardless of cost justification arguments.