ASTM International Committee F26 on Food Service Equipment has formed a new subcommittee, F26.07 on Kitchen Ventilation. The purpose of the subcommittee is to develop specifications, test methods, performance requirements and terminology standards for commercial kitchen ventilation equipment used in food service, such as exhaust hoods, replacement air systems, grease control devices, and appliance and/or replacement air cooling loads.

According to Richard Swierczyna, lab operations manager, Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Lab, the subcommittee will work in conjunction with American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ Technical Committee 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation; ASHRAE Standard 154, Ventilation of Commercial Cooking Processes; and Underwriters Laboratories to support mutual objectives and effect changes in the International Mechanical Code. "One of the main objectives is to minimize the energy requirements of commercial kitchens while guaranteeing equipment performance, safety and indoor air quality," says Swierczyna, who is chair of the new subcommittee.

The subcommittee has an approved standard under its jurisdiction, F 2519, Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commercial Kitchen Filters and Extractors. This standard measures the fractional efficiency (that is, efficiency as a function of particle size) of grease particulate control devices in kitchen exhaust hoods.

Members of the subcommittee currently include utility representatives, commercial kitchen hood and filter manufacturers, appliance manufacturers, mechanical designers and kitchen consultants. All interested parties are invited to participate in the activities of Subcommittee F26.07.

ASTM standards are available for purchase from Customer Service (phone: 610/832-9585; https://www.astm.org/contact) or www.astm.org.

For further technical information, contact Richard Swierczyna, Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Lab, Wood Dale, Ill. (phone: 630/860-1439; rswierczyna@archenergy.com). Committee F26 will meet April 25-26, 2006, at the April Committee Week in Toronto, Canada. For membership or meeting details, contact Nancy Morrissey, ASTM International (phone: 610/832-9736; nmorriss@astm.org).

Release #7238