ATLANTA – ASHRAE and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) have agreed in principle to join forces, combining resources to improve indoor air quality in the built environment.
Pending a three to six month period of due diligence, IAQA will become a part of the ASHRAE organization while maintaining its own brand and Board of Directors. IAQA will operate independently within ASHRAE’s organizational structure. Plans call for IAQA headquarters to relocate from Rockville, Md., to Atlanta, Ga., home of ASHRAE’s international headquarters. The agreement was reached between the leadership of both associations and confirmed at ASHRAE’s 2014 Annual Conference that concluded earlier this month in Seattle, Wash.
“This merger is beneficial to both ASHRAE and IAQA in that it strengthens the programs and services of both organizations,” Tom Phoenix, ASHRAE president, said. “The work of IAQA complements the work of ASHRAE in its standards, research, publications and educational offerings. We now combine our resources to ensure the industry receives the best indoor air quality technical guidance and educational programs possible, which means improved indoor air quality for the world around us.”
Among ASHRAE’s major indoor air quality offerings are Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, and Standard 62.2, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and publications such as the Indoor Air Quality Guide: Best Practices for Design, Construction and Commissioning. ASHRAE also recently announced the formation of the Indoor Environmental Quality Global Alliance, which included IAQA as a charter member. ASHRAE also has a strong research program related to indoor air quality with 10 current projects totaling $2.8 million, representing 23 percent of ASHRAE’s research budget.
“This merger allows IAQA to maintain its own brand while also providing its members with enhanced benefits and services,” Kent Rawhouser, president of IAQA, said. “Our strong history of programs and products is expected to not only continue, but to grow as the merger allows us to take advantage of the resources and programs overseen by ASHRAE. Members of IAQA and ASHRAE will work collaboratively to strengthen indoor air quality programs for the industry, and most importantly, for the people who occupy homes and buildings around the world.”
IAQA provides continuing education, conferences and expositions, certification programs, monthly webinars, technical publications and funds indoor air quality related research. IAQA subsidiary, Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO), is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developing organization focused on indoor air quality assessment, remediation and management of indoor environments.
ASHRAE and IAQA programs will be aligned to create high-impact resources for building professionals around the globe.
“Indoor air quality is vitally important to the health and welfare of people worldwide,” Phoenix said. “Air quality systems must work harmoniously with other systems in homes and buildings to ensure a healthy and sustainable built environment.”
The Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing practitioners together to prevent and solve indoor environmental problems for the benefit of customers and the public. IAQA was established in 1995 and is the nation’s largest indoor air quality trade association with over 2,600 members and more than 20 local chapters across the United States and Canada. More information is available atwww.iaqa.org/news and at www.ieso.org.
ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 50,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Jun 11, 2015
Pop-up tree-office opens in London borough of Hackney
London's Hackney borough welcomed a new kind of workspace to Hoxton Square—the TreexOffice.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 10, 2015
Artists turn oil tankers into architecture
Four Dutch artists propose transforming tankers into monuments with mixed-use space.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Bjarke Ingels unveils stepped design for final WTC tower
The towering "staircase" will rise from St. Paul’s chapel to the skyline, leaning against One World Trade Center.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Hines planning $300 million office tower for Denver skyline
Designed by Pickard Chilton, the 640,000-sf tower is geared for large-scale tenants, with features like floor-to-ceiling glass, a 5,000-sf fitness center, a tenant lounge, and a series of outdoor terraces.
Architects | Jun 3, 2015
LEGO: An introduction to design
LEGO has changed a lot over the years, but has that been a good thing for encouraging creativity?
Cultural Facilities | Jun 2, 2015
Snøhetta and Dialog to revitalize Willamette Falls area in Oregon
As part of the plan, an abandoned paper mill will be repurposed, while landscaping and running trails will be added.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
SHoP Architects unveils dual-glass-box scheme for Uber HQ
The plan involves two glass buildings connected with criss-crossing bridges.
Contractors | Jun 1, 2015
Nonresidential construction spending surges in April
Nonresidential construction is up by a solid 8.8% over the past year, consistent with ABC's forecast of high single-digit growth.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
Can you make a new building as cool as a warehouse?
Just as we looked at that boarded up warehouse and thought it could be something other, office towers can be reborn, writes CannonDesign's Robert Benson.
Fire and Life Safety | May 27, 2015
7 bold applications and innovations for fire and life safety
BD+C’s roundup features colorful sprinklers for offices, hotels, museums; a fire-rated curtain wall at a transit hub in Manhattan; a combination CO/smoke detector; and more.