September 8, 2008—A new standard from ASHRAE and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) will help ensure a consistent minimal level of HVAC&R maintenance and inspection to preserve a system’s ability to achieve acceptable thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality in commercial buildings.
ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2008, Standard Practice for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Building HVAC Systems, is the first standard to address inspection and maintenance of HVAC systems, says ASHRAE. Robert Baker, chair of the committee that wrote the standard, noted that inconsistencies exist within the building industry when it comes to inspection and maintenance of HVAC systems, with some facilities following rigorous policies while others have adopted a run-to-failure approach.
In addition, much of the information that will be required to prepare the maintenance program can be obtained from building commissioning documents, which provides a basis for identifying failures.
The cost of ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180-2008, Standard Practice for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Building HVAC Systems, is $31, or $25 for ASHRAE members.
To order, contact ASHRAE Customer Service at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide), fax 404-321-5478, or see the ASHRAE Web site.
