Minimum Acceptable Space Temperature By Code? 1

[John_187]

Hello, I am wondering if anyone knows of any code that dictates what the minimum acceptable temperature in a space would be. This is for a commercial/industrial building application. (Boiler building for a power plant). There would not be people dedicated to work in the building, but workers will be in there from time to time. I have not found anything, but does anyone know about this? Thanks

 

[lilliput1]

See ASHRAE Standard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for. Human Occupancy,

 

[willard3]

I will guess local codes will differ in the EUA.

 

[MintJulep]

Being too cold in a boiler room is not typically a problem.

 

[lukaiENG]

some of the equipment in the room may have issues with low temperatures so I would check that. for example you may have electrical panels which may have a lower temperature limit for their UL (etc) rating.

 

[GT-EGR]

The international mechanical code chapter 3 has a section in regard to temperature control. IMC 2015 states that the minimum acceptable indoor temperature for an occupied space is 68 degrees on a design heating day.

But generally, ASHRAE 55 will provide much more useful and appropriate guidance to design for actual comfort. But if you want code minimum, refer to whatever mechanical code your jurisdiction has adopted and see what it says, likely in the general chapter.

 

[ChasBean1]

>32 to keep pipes from freezing.

 

[jspath2339]

I concur with GT-EGR: International code requires that the equipment be "capable" of conditioning the space to 68 deg. on a design day. You get to decide what the design day is, and also what your expected heat gain in the space is. All you are required to do is provide equipment capable of doing this work. Recommend sizing this equipment aggressively for the space, since if it's a boiler building with no occupants, comfort will not be a primary concern.

Since it's an unoccupied building, you can then set the set point of the heating equipment to 50 degrees, or whatever the client would like. I read on here >32 degrees, but do not assume you can use heating equipment that only maintains a 32 degree space temperature. All code jurisdictions (that I know of in America) require that a space temperature of >40 degrees be provided on all given days to ensure pipes won't freeze. This is common in California with fire protection piping. Many places in California do not have design heating days that dip under 40, and as such do not require heat tracing on the piping.