Ventilation

The historic house at which I work is planning to convert a large
work room in the basement into a conservation lab, and I have been
asked to make recommendations on the design. There is no ventilation
system in the space now, and while it is hoped to have a more
comprehensive air handling system in the far future (elephant
trunks, etc), in the near future all that can be hoped for is some
kind of local motorized system with intake in one window, and
exhaust out of an opposing window.  We hope to rent Nederman-type
filter carts for especially nasty projects.

Does anyone how many air changes per hour are recommended for a
conservation lab space?  Also, if this number cannot be met, what an
acceptable minimum might be?  The space would primarily host object
conservation projects, using less offensive solvents in small
quantities.  In literature on lab design, I have found
recommendations such as 10 air changes/hour- but perhpaps this
number is more suited for large scale science labs (our architect
winced at this figure).

Sylvia Schweri
Intermuseum Conservation Association
216-658-8700


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:32
                 Distributed: Tuesday, January 10, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-32-016
                                  ***