Is Air Changes per Hour (ACH) a valid ventilation design parameter?

One question discussed at the recent ASHRAE Winter Meeting in Orlando was whether or not Air Changes per Hour, commonly referred to as ACH, represents a valid design criterion for ventilation systems. There are several design standards that prescribe minimum ACH rates to keep contaminant levels at acceptable levels. In general, it is considered that the best way to decrease exposure to chemicals and pollutants in the indoor environment is to increase the ACH. However some research now suggests that increasing the ACH actually increases exposure rather than decreases exposure. Increasing ACH also increases the energy usage of the system due to fan energy and the need to heat or cool the incoming makeup air. So is this a valid method to use when designing ventilation systems?

The answer is an unqualified "Maybe." Each system and situation is different. Some situations, such as labs with fume hoods, need relatively still air to prevent recirculation of pollutants form entering the operator's breathing zone. Other situations, such as machinery rooms, need large amounts of air to evacuate potentially hazardous gasses if a leak occurs. Suffice it to say that it takes sound engineering judgment in cooperation with the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) department during the design phase to ensure that the correct design criteria are used for each specific system.

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