Monday, 30 October 2023
A University of Nottingham academic has played an instrumental role in the creation of a standard that empowers building owners, operators, and professionals to proactively protect indoor environments as we enter the winter virus season.
ASHRAE, leader in the development of guidance for safeguarding public health, has created Standard 241, which establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of airborne aerosol transmissions, which cause viruses like flu or Covid-19, and other bacteria in buildings.
Ben Jones, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering, alongside research fellow Chris Iddon, were selected out of more than a hundred applicants from across the world to work on the modelling and underpinning of the standard that will help design the places of tomorrow.
Ben said: “Standard 241 tells building operators how much clean air they should deliver to control infectious aerosols, and we are the people behind those numbers. We made tens of thousands of calculations using a mathematical model of infection risk that considers how many people there might be in a building, how much virus they may collectively emit and, therefore, how much virus uninfected occupants might inhale.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve used this type of model, having supported the UK government, Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers, and the Chilean Government during the pandemic."
To be involved in the creation of the first standard of its kind that’s going to help solve real world challenges is something I’m incredibly proud of.
The standard was commissioned by the White House and completed in just 116 days using a process that would usually take around four years. It provides comprehensive guidance for systems that control the spread of infectious aerosols and recommendations for ventilation rates, filtration, and air cleaning technology, as well as a building readiness plan that documents procedures for assessing existing or new HVAC systems to ensure they’re working effectively.
In a press release issued about Standard 241, 2023-23 ASHRAE’s Ginger Scoggins, stated: “The importance of improved indoor air quality and ventilation became topics of mainstream concern during the pandemic and ASHRAE remained committed to prioritising the health and well-being of building occupants. Standard 241 is a blueprint for building designers, owners, and operators with long-term benefits."
The importance of improved indoor air quality and ventilation became topics of mainstream concern during the pandemic and ASHRAE remained committed to prioritising the health and well-being of building occupants. Standard 241 is a blueprint for building designers, owners, and operators with long-term benefits.
For more information on ASHRAE Standard 241, including related resources, click here.
Story credits
More information is available from Danielle Hall, Media Relations Manager at the University of Nottingham, at danielle.hall@nottingham.ac.uk or 0115 846 7156.
About the Faculty of Engineering
Made up of six departments – Architecture and Built Environment, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering and Foundation Engineering and Physical Sciences – the university’s Faculty of Engineering is home to more than 5,600 students and 800 staff.
The faculty, which has educated engineers and architects for more than 140 years, was the first in the country to be accredited with an Athena SWAN Gold Award for excellence in advancing gender equality across higher education and research and is home to multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recently opened £40m Power Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC).
With research at its heart, 20 research groups are undertaking pioneering projects for a sustainable future across several themes – including net zero transport, sustainable energies and the built environment, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare technologies – and has delivered a positive impact in more than 20 countries. Within those countries, the faculty’s research has supported 500 companies and three governments – that have changed their strategies as a result of its research – and has also directly created jobs for around 3,000 people across the world.
About ASHRAE
Founded in 1894, ASHRAE is a global professional society committed to serve humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields.
As an industry leader in research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE and its members are dedicated to promoting a healthy and sustainable built environment for all, through strategic partnerships with organizations in the HVAC&R community and across related industries.
The Society is showcasing integrated building solutions and sustainability in action through the opening of the ASHRAE Global Headquarters building in metro-Atlanta, Georgia.
For more information and to stay up-to-date on ASHRAE, visit ashrae.org and connect on
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About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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