The American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE) and ASHRAE have formally announced Jonathan Flannery as chair of the Guideline 43 Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the standing standard project committee (SSPC) 170, which oversees the development and upkeep of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities.

ASHRAE/ASHE Guideline 43, Operations Guideline for Ventilation of Health Care Facilities, is jointly produced by ASHRAE and ASHE and is currently in development. The guideline offers recommendations for the operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that provide environmental control in health care facilities, with the ultimate goal of providing a consistent and universal benchmark for HVAC performance in these facilities.

The role of the Guideline 43 Subcommittee is to develop and organize these recommendations based on current and emerging best practices for the optimization of health care HVAC systems and the resources they use, namely through the application of a maintenance program along with the appropriate implementation of alternative equipment maintenance and reliability-centered maintenance practices. After each draft of the guideline is completed, the subcommittee also coordinates open comment periods to allow the public to offer input, then reviews feedback and recommends changes.

As chair, Flannery is responsible for nominating the subcommittee’s membership, organizing committee meetings and coordinating subcommittee interests with SSPC 170 leadership and ASHRAE staff. Pending the guideline’s formal publication, he will also lead efforts advocating for the guideline’s acceptance among regulatory bodies. 

“Jonathan plays a crucial role as Guideline 43 Subcommittee chair, laying important groundwork for standardizing the operation of HVAC equipment in health care facilities, much to the benefit of health care facilities, the professionals that maintain them and the patients they serve,” said Chad Beebe, deputy executive director of ASHE regulatory affairs. “His appointment is a testament to his deep experience in this domain and the respect he has earned among his peers in the field.”

Jonathan Flannery, MHSA, CHFM, FASHE, FACHE, is ASHE’s senior associate director of regulatory affairs. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Health Services Administration.