How does 62.1 treat special spaces like laboratories or healthcare?

• A. It applies the same criteria as general spaces without modification.
• B. It prohibits ventilation in these spaces.
• C. It requires only energy efficiency criteria.
• D. It recognizes the need for additional or alternative criteria, often via IAQP or addenda specific to those occupancies.

Answer: (D)

Special spaces have higher or different air-quality needs than general spaces, because contaminant generation, exposure risk, and occupant sensitivities are not the same. ASHRAE 62.1 accounts for that by allowing additional or alternative criteria to be used for these occupancies. You can meet the requirements through the Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP), which designs ventilation and air cleaning to achieve acceptable IAQ based on contaminant generation and exposure, or through addenda that provide occupancy-specific criteria for those spaces. In short, the standard recognizes the need for specialized approaches for labs, healthcare, and similar spaces rather than applying the general rules verbatim.