| In recent years commercial and residential buildings have become tighter structures to improve energy efficiency. At the same time, wildfires have become more frequent with smoke events lasting weeks or even months. ASHRAE offers several resources to help understand and apply best practices for dealing with the effects of wildfire smoke. |
ASHRAE Guideline 44-2024, Protecting Building Occupants From Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events, outlines best practices for building design, operation and maintenance to reduce the health risks associated with prolonged exposure.
Guideline 44 applies to commercial and institutional buildings, including health care and multi-residential buildings, and addresses spaces occupied by those expected to be most at risk, including children and older adults.
PURCHASE
Related Standards
How to Mitigate the Effects of Wildfire Smoke on IAQ | View details about the episode here
Additional Resources
Free Download
ASHRAE Public Policy Issue Brief: Wildfires and Indoor Environmental Health
Planning Framework for Protecting Commercial Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire Events
2025 ASHRAE Winter Conference | Conference Paper
Optimizing Wildfire-Resilient and Sleep Health-Driven Mechanical Ventilation for Children’s Hospitals
Free for 2025 Annual Conference/Virtual Registrants until January 2026
2024 ASHRAE Annual Conference Seminars | Audio, Video and Slides
Free for ASHRAE 2024 Annual & Virtual Conference Registrants until June 2025 through the Virtual Conference platform; available for subscription in the ASHRAE Technology Portal, or purchase in the ASHRAE Bookstore.
Seminar 3: Wildfires and Their Effect on Building Occupant Health
- Wildfire-Resilient Mechanical Ventilation Systems for Single-Detached Homes in Cities of Western Canada
- How Can Filtration and ASHRAE Guidelines Provide Guidance to Protect Building Occupants from Effects of Wildfires
- You Didn’t Need to Wait until the Wildfire Reached Your Air Intakes! Air Monitoring Is Here
We’re Not Blowing Smoke: What You Need to Know About Wildfire Smoke
- Is Your Merv-13 Filter Protecting You from Wildfire Smoke?
- The Components of Smoke and Guidance for Filtering It Out of the Air
- No Preparation or Planning = No Protection; How to Prepare for a Smoke Event
- Is Your Hospital Ready for the Next Wildfire?
ASHRAE Journal
ASHRAE members can read the following articles at no cost. Nonmembers can purchase in the ASHRAE Bookstore.
Residential Applications: Wildfire Smoke Impacts on Residential IAQ
Chrissi Antonopoulos; Steven Emmerich; Brett Singer; Rick Karg; ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 64, no. 3, March 2022
Purchase | Free Member Access
Building Sciences: Wildfire
Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng.; ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 63, no. 8, August 2021
Purchase | Free Member Access
IEQ Applications: Protecting Building Occupants From Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events
Tom Javins, P.E.; Gail Robarge; Emily Gibb Snyder, Ph.D.; Gregory Nilsson; Steven Emmerich; ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 63, no. 3, March 2021
Purchase | Free Member Access
Building Sciences: The Big Blow: Roofs and Wind
Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng.; ASHRAE Journal, Vol. 62, no. 10, October 2020
Purchase | Free Member Access
Science and Technology for the Built Environment
ASHRAE members can listen to or read the following articles at no charge. Nonmembers can see access options here.
Developing and testing low-cost air cleaners for safer spaces during wildfires
Stinson, B. W., & Gall, E. T. (2024). Developing and testing low-cost air cleaners for safer spaces during wildfires. Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 30(9), 1114–1132.
Indoor air quality and wildfire smoke impacts in the Pacific Northwest
Kirk, W. M., Fuchs, M., Huangfu, Y., Lima, N., O’Keeffe, P., Lin, B., Lamb, B. K. (2017). Science and Technology for the Built Environment, 24(2), 149–159.
In the News:
- February 3, 2025 – ACHR News | Mitigating Risks from Wildfire Smoke: An HVAC Minute Video Update
- January 16, 2025 – Mechanical Business | Mechanical Business - New ASHRAE guidance on smoke and IAQ
- January 13, 2025 – ACHR News | How Commercial Buildings Can Deal with Wildfire Smoke
- January 13, 2025 – HPAC Engineering | LA Wildfires: NFPA, ASHRAE, ACEC Respond
- January 10, 2025 – Building Design + Construction | New guidance to mitigate the impact of smoke on indoor air quality released
- December 20, 2024 – Facilities.net | ASHRAE Releases New Guideline to Protect IAQ from Wildfires
- December 12, 2024 – ASHRAE | ASHRAE Releases New Guidance to Mitigate the Impact of Smoke on Indoor Air Quality
- June 15, 2021 – EPA | Guidance Available to Prepare Schools, Commercial and Public Buildings for Wildfire Smoke