Timeline of ASHRAE Standard 62: ventilation for acceptable indoor air quality
| Standard | Year | Activity | Notes | Tobacco industry actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANSI, American National Standards Institute; ASHRAE; American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers; BOCA, Building and Official Code Administrators; EPA, Environmental Protection Agency; TC, technical committee. | ||||
| 62-1973 | 1970s | Revised | Revised because it established minimum and recommended levels for indoor ventilation, in conflict with energy conservation standards (90-1975) which mandated adoption of minimum rates only | |
| 62-1981 | 1981 | Revision finished | Determined ventilation rates based on whether or not smoking was allowed; ventilation rates 2–5 times higher for areas where smoking is permitted (at least doubling the cost for heating and cooling) | The beginning of tobacco industry involvement with ASHRAE |
| 1981 | Approval | Standard approved by ASHRAE | ||
| 1983 | Submitted to ANSI | ANSI does not approve the standard because it considers it “controversial” | The Tobacco Institute (and the Formaldehyde Institute) opposed the standard | |
| 1983 | Submitted to BOCA | BOCA does not adopt the standard | Philip Morris convinced BOCA to reject 62-1981. Industry starts using the argument that “to single out” tobacco smoke as a source of indoor air pollution is inaccurate, unfair and not scientifically sound | |
| 62-1981R | 1983 | ASHRAE revision of Standard 62-1981 begins | ||
| 1985 | Northeastern University law professor and tobacco control advocate Richard Daynard requests that scientific information regarding the health effects of second hand smoke be considered by the 62-committee. Daynard questions the involvement of the Tobacco Institute in the process. Committee chair expresses reluctance in create conflict with the tobacco industry | |||
| 62-1981R | 1988 | Ready for public review | Ventilation rates increased from 5 cfm to 15 cfm; 20 cfm for offices, and 60 cfm for smoking lounges. No two tier approach—that is, no different ventilation rates based on whether or not smoking is permitted. It assumes a “moderate amount of smoking” for most building areas. Daynard appeals the Standards Committee (appeal denied) | |
| 62-1989 | 1989 | Approved by ASHRAE | Daynard appeals decision to publish the standard (appeal denied). Approved by the ASHRAE Board of Directors as Standard 62-1989 | |
| 1990 | ANSI’s approval | ANSI approves 62-1989 as an American standard. Daynard appeals the decision. The appeal is sustained | The Tobacco Institute denies having influenced the committee | |
| 1991 | ANSI’s reversal | ASHRAE appeals ANSI’s decision favourable to Daynard, and wins. ANSI’s board of standards review approves 62-1989 | ||
| Endorsement | 62-1989 is endorsed by the Southern Regional Standards Association, making it more likely to be incorporated into building codes | |||
| 62-1989R | 1991 | Revision | A committee is created to revise standard 62-1989. Gene Tucker, from EPA, is appointed to chair the committee. He indicates that it will focus on source control and secondhand smoke | |
| 1995 | Change in chair | Tucker’s term as chair expires (but he stays as non-voting member), Steve Taylor is new committee chair. | Congressional investigation of EPA and its relationship with ASHRAE | |
| Review by TC9.1 | The technical committee, which members includes industry consultants, opposes the release of the standard draft for public review | |||
| 1996 | Ready for public review | Ventilation rates prescribed assume non-smoking. Different recommendations if smoking is permitted | ||
| 1997 | Withdrawal | Standard is not approved, but rather placed under continuous maintenance by the ASHRAE board of directors. The proposed standard is withdrawn | Philip Morris lobbied the board of directors. It considered it a victory to have the standard placed in continuous maintenance | |
| 1998 | New draft for review | A new draft of the standard is submitted to public review. It includes addendum 62e, removing moderate amount of smoking allowance from the ventilation rates prescribed | The industry mounts a major campaign to submit comments opposing addendum 62e. It appeals and loses; the ASHRAE board approves the addendum | |
| 62-1999 | 1999 | Publication | Standard published. With addendum 62e that establishes that the standard ventilation rates are for non-smoking areas only, with the exception of bars, casinos and cocktail lounges | The industry opposes the inclusion of the addendum and appealed ANSI. It loses the appeal at all levels |
| 2000 | Approval | ANSI approval of standard | The industry is campaigning to have a separate standard, allowing for smoking, for the hospitality industry | |