Air technology for laboratories: new VDI guidance published

The new VDI guidance 2051 "Air-conditioning - Laboratories" has been published as a white print in April 2018. It covers protection objectives for persons, environment and products in different types of laboratories, such as biological, chemical or radionuclide labs.

For the use of laboratories, risk assessments are to be prepared and protection objectives to be defined. That should include the handling of dangerous substances, the protection of individuals and the removal of heat loads. This in turn influences the design of air duct systems, including fume hoods. However, further issues need to be considered or may influence the achieving of protection objectives, such as pressure level concept, spatial separation of laboratories from rooms with different uses, the tightness of rooms and the description of actions taken in case of disturbances. VDI 2051 covers these issues and is addressed to, inter alia, architects, planners, authorities and service providers.

The VDI 2051 guideline is available at the Beuth Verlag in English and German.