Good IAQ management has become paramount in the construction industry, as study after study shows that employee productivity and health are directly related to the quality of air being delivered inside the workplace environment.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) is an organization founded in 1894 which researches and publishes standards for the IAQ. In 1973 ASHRAE first published Standard 62 (now Standard 62.1) which specifies minimum ventilation rates and other measures for new and existing buildings that are intended to provide indoor air quality that is acceptable to human occupants and minimizes adverse health effects. The new Standard 62.2 covers residential occupancies which were formally grouped with Standard 62.1.