ASHRAE Guideline 10-2023 -- Interactions Affecting the Achievement of Acceptable Indoor Environments

Guideline 10 provides users with currently available knowledge on the effects of interactions on achieving acceptable indoor environments. In contrast to ASHRAE Standards 55 and 62.1, which address thermal comfort and ventilation/indoor air quality (IAQ), respectively but separately, this documentemphasizes interactions among these and other indoor environmental factors with the intention of increasing readers’ awareness and understanding of how to improve the acceptability of the indoor environment. Current knowledge on interactions between and among factors that most affect occupants of indoor environments is limited. Meeting the requirements of standards for various aspects of indoor environments, such as air quality, thermal conditions, acoustics, or illumination, is not always sufficient to ensure the acceptability of the environment to all relevant parties. This guideline represents a preliminary effort to describe the interactions relevant for achieving acceptable indoor environments that can provide further assistance to building design professionals and building operators as well as investigators and researchers.To a lesser extent, Guideline 10 also addresses mechanical energy (including noise and vibration) and electromagnetic radiation (including environmental lighting and ultraviolet and infrared radiation) as important factors affecting the acceptability of the indoor environment.