21-1207 HVAC Documentation for CORE Projects with no HVAC Scope

QUESTION

An exception is requested for compliance with I09-1, HVAC Documentation, for projects without HVAC scope. CORE projects are required to provide the following:

1. A statement from the project architect or mechanical engineer confirming project-wide compliance with current ASHRAE 62 or international equivalent, as well as relevant calculations, narratives, diagrams and/or drawings applicable to ASHRAE 62 compliance.
2. Documentation showing the direct exhaust systems requirement has been met for required spaces, as well as any copies of relevant HVAC drawings.

The scope of our tenant improvement project does not include HVAC, therefore there are no mechanical engineering calculations, narratives, diagrams, nor drawings produced as work products. There is no available documentation to identify direct exhaust system requirements. ASHRAE 62 maintains ventilation and occupant comfort standards: to require this documentation would necessitate costly additional scope for compliance which is already mandated by mechanical code, effectively adding cost for the sake of redundancy.

A standard clarification which explicitly articulates an exception for projects without HVAC scope is requested.

ANSWER

Interior projects must demonstrate that fresh air is being provided to the space per applicable ASHRAE 62 requirements. The project team may obtain technical documentation from the building owner showing that the project space is compliant, and confirm that any partitions built as part of the project scope didn't move it out of compliance, or take a more performance-based approach and conduct flow hood testing combined with  outside air and blower settings from the building engineer to provide calculations that demonstrate it meets rates established by any ASHRAE 62 procedure.