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Dining area ventilation?

Yankee Chronicler

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Joined
Oct 17, 2023
Messages
3,142
Location
New England
I'm reviewing plans for a tenant fitout of a small cookie and ice cream shop/restaurant. The plan shows a dining area with seven tables (2 chairs per table) and a portion of the counter with seating for 4 people. For [reasons], the designer is calling for independent systems for heating and for cooling -- separate air handlers, separate ducting, separate registers.

For the heating mode, they show three supply air registers in the dining area. For the cooling mode, they don't show any supply registers in the dining area or near the counter seating section.

Doesn't the IMC require each space to be provided with ventilation air at any time the space is subject to occupancy?

401.2 Ventilation required. Every occupied space shall be
ventilated by natural means in accordance with Section 402
or by mechanical means in accordance with Section 403.
Dwelling units complying with the air leakage requirements
of the International Energy Conservation Code or ASHRAE
90.1 shall be ventilated by mechanical means in accordance
with Section 403. Ambulatory care facilities and Group I-2
occupancies shall be ventilated by mechanical means in
accordance with Section 407.

401.3 When required. Ventilation shall be provided during
the periods that the room or space is occupied.



Here are the plans. Would you reject this design?

Heating mode:
1716507673847.png

Cooling mode:
1716507758037.png
 
Last edited:
Yes it does. The dining area needs ventilation regardless of if its heating or cooling. Maybe they want the dining area hot to sell more ice cream??
 
It turns out the plans were less than clear. According to the developer's project manager, the system that includes the dining area does have both heating and cooling, but not enough cooling to handle the kitchen during the summer. So the other kitchen is intended to be a supplemtray system serving just the kitchen.

However ...

It doesn't serve just the kitchen. And the IMC doesn't allow kitchen air to be recirculated to areas outside of the kitchen, yet there are no returns in the kitchen.. There are a lot of other issues with the design, too. I brought the developer's PM in this afternoon and had a heat-to-heart, and he agreed that the design just doesn't work. They're going back to the drawing board.
 
Mechanical ventilation.

Had a chat with the developers project manager. He agreed the system(s) doesn't (don't) work or comply with the INC as designed, so he's sending the designer back to the drawing board.
 
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