After four hours of debate, the only thing participants and speakers at two ASHRAE programs could agree on is that there is not likely to be agreement on smoking issues anytime soon. To move the issue forward, ASHRAE will determine what guidance it should provide for ventilating smoking areas.
Smoking issues were addressed in two sessions held at the ASHRAE's 2002 Winter Meeting, Jan. 12-16, in Atlantic City, NJ. Speakers representing the hospitality industry, tobacco control and health groups, ASHRAE, and others debated over how ventilation in smoking areas should be addressed in ASHRAE publications, standards and other design documents in a seminar, Is There a Need for a Separate IAQ Standard for the Hospitality Industry, and a forum, Should ASHRAE Develop a Separate IAQ Standard for the Hospitality Industry. The issue now will be discussed by ASHRAE's Board Policy Committee on Standards.