The Challenge to the Designer and Customer—Achieving the Right Balance of Energy Conservation and Safety with Insight into Some Trends in International Code Council (ICC) Codes Driving Laboratory Ventilation Design
Ken Kretchman, CSP, CIH, North Carolina State University
During this presentation, the speaker will highlight a few of the adopted and proposed changes to the international codes that influence the design of laboratory ventilation systems. The speaker will discuss the continuing challenge to both designers and customer health, safety, engineering, and maintenance staffs to maintain the correct balance between energy conservation and effective and maintainable laboratory ventilation systems. The speaker will discuss such topics as selected code sections or proposals that address laboratory ventilation; the challenge of proper interpretation and application of codes and standards; and some challenges associated with the process of accepting new approaches that have been validated as energy-efficient, safe, effective, and maintainable, while managing to avoid wide-scale implementation of approaches that might not have demonstrated such attributes. The speaker will present an appeal for a cross-functional team effort to look at all aspects of a proper laboratory ventilation system, as well as a suggestion to the American Institute of Architects for awards based on initial design, long-term performance, and maintainability.
Biography:
Ken Kretchman is the director of Environmental Health and Safety at North Carolina State University. Mr. Kretchman has approximately 30 years experience in heavy manufacturing and consulting, with the majority of his career spent in industrial and academic research environment. Mr. Kretchman is the past chair and member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) Laboratory Health and Safety Committee, member of the ANSI Z9.5 committee on Laboratory Ventilation, and corresponding member of the AIHA Exposure Assessment Strategies Committee. Mr. Kretchman also represents AIHA as liaison to the ICC. Mr. Kretchman has worked at both the state and national level on code issues involving research laboratories.