Over the last 20 years, moisture damage in some North American commercial buildings became a serious problem. Responding to industry concerns, ASHRAE, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Gas Technology Institute jointly funded a project to produce a "Design Guide for Humidity Control in Commercial Buildings" (ASHRAE research project 1047-RP). The resulting book is 512 pages long and is printed in color. Its primary audience is intended to be the HVAC designer who "...has to get the project done by Friday." This paper describes the development and contents of the book, along with a brief summary of the key elements of successful humidity control systems for commercial and institutional buildings. The authors encourage designers to: (a) focus on adjusting the humidity of any incoming ventilation air, (b) install dedicated humidity control equipment that operates independently of the cooling and heating equipment, and (c) seal up all ductwork and air handlers to avoid pulling untreated outdoor air into building cavities.

Authors: Lewis G. Harriman III, G. W. Brundrett, Ph.D., C.Eng., R. Kittler, P.Eng.

Citation: Indoor Air Quality 2001 Moisture, Microbes, and Heath Effects: Indoor Air Quality and Moisture in Buildings Conference Papers

Keywords: November, California, 2001, IAQ