ASHRAE

DESIGN GUIDE FOR

COMMERCIAL KITCHEN
VENTILATION
BEST PRACTICES FOR
DESIGN AND OPERATION
 This publication was prepared under the auspices of
ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC) 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation.

Updates and errata for this publication will be posted on

the ASHRAE website at www.ashrae.org/publicationupdates.
 ASHRAE
DESIGN GUIDE FOR
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN
VENTILATION
BEST PRACTICES FOR
DESIGN AND OPERATION

Peachtree Corners
 ISBN 978-1-955516-45-7 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-955516-46-7 (PDF)

© 2023 ASHRAE
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: ASHRAE (Firm), author.

Title: ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation : Best
Practices for Design and Operation / ASHRAE.
Description: Peachtree Corners : ASHRAE, [2023] | Includes bibliographical
references and index. | Summary: “Proper design of a commercial kitchen
ventilation system is critical. The design can impact employee safety,
fire prevention, energy consumption, building pressurization control,
and emission control. This design guide was created with the goal of
producing a best practice for design engineers. It was written in accord
with current North American codes, standards, and design practices and
is intended to aid design engineers in selecting all components
comprising a kitchen ventilation system from the initial survey to
determine the needs of a system to proper equipment selection, controls
and ductwork selection, and final commissioning”-- Provided by
publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2023007727 | ISBN 9781955516457 (paperback) | ISBN
9781955516464 (adobe pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Ventilation--Design and construction--Standards--United
States. | Kitchens--Design and construction--Standards--United States. |
Commercial buildings--Heating and ventilation--Standards--United States.
Classification: LCC TH7684.K5 A84 2023 | DDC
697.95/20973--dc23/eng/20230302
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023007727

ASHRAE STAFF
SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Cindy Sheffield Michaels, Editor
James Madison Walker, Managing Editor of Standards
Mary Bolton, Associate Editor
Robyn Weaver, Assistant Editor
Michshell Phillips, Senior Editorial Coordinator
PUBLISHING SERVICES David Soltis, Group Manager of Electronic Products and Publishing Services
Jayne Jackson, Publication Traffic Administrator
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS AND EDUCATION Mark S. Owen
About the Authors

David A. John, PE, is President of Air Distribution Consultants International and has over 40
years of experience in the HVAC industry. John served as an ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer from
2010 to 2014 and received the ASHRAE Distinguished Service Award in 2012. He co-chaired the
development of the ASHRAE Design Guide for Air Terminal Units. John is a former secretary of
ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC) 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation; chair of ASHRAE TG 2.RAST,
Reactive Air and Surface Treatment; and chair of ASHRAE Standard Project Committee (SPC) 129,
Measuring Air-Change Effectiveness. He is a commissioner of the Florida Building Commission
and has professional engineer licenses in Texas and Florida.
Frank Kohout, PE, is Director of Engineering for Cyclone Energy Group in Chicago, Illinois.
He has over 30 years of HVAC design experience and has served as the lead mechanical engineer
for McDonald’s Corporation Worldwide Development for 16 of those years. He is currently a
member of ASHRAE TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation; a voting member of ASHRAE Standing Stan-
dard Project Committee (SSPC (SSPC) 154, Ventilation for Commercial Cooking Operations; and
a voting member of ASHRAE TC 9.12, Tall Buildings. Kohout holds a professional engineer
license in Illinois, ASHRAE’s Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) certification, and
LEED AP BD+C credentials.
Derek Schrock is North America Research Director, Foodservice SBA, for Halton Company
in Scottsville, Kentucky. He has over 25 years of experience in commercial kitchen ventilation
systems and is the current chair of ASHRAE TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation.
Russell Robison is the Director of Operations at Gaylord Industries in Tualatin, Oregon, and
has nearly 20 years of hands-on commercial kitchen product and applications design achieve-
ments. He has served as the chair and vice chair of ASHRAE TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, and
has been a contributor to SSPC 154, Ventilation for Commercial Cooking Operations, for 14 years.
Jessica Weaver is the Principal Application Engineer at Accurex, a manufacturer of commer-
cial kitchen ventilation systems and part of the Greenheck Group. Jessica has been involved in
mechanical engineering research and design since 2011 and has been specifically designing com-
mercial kitchen ventilation systems since early 2016. She has been actively involved in ASHRAE
TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, and SSPC 154, Ventilation for Commercial Cooking Operations,
since 2019.
Keith Page is a mechanical engineer who has worked in the chimney/vent/exhaust duct indus-
try for 20 years with Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley, Inc. His roles have been in product develop-
ment, field technical sales support, and product/engineering management. He actively participates
on several relevant ASHRAE, NFPA, and UL technical committees.
Mitch Gansen is the National Sales Manager for Schebler Chimney Systems. He has been
with the company for seven years, focusing on promoting and educating the engineering and con-
vi | About the Authors

struction industries on chimney/vent/exhaust duct systems. His roles have been in technical sales
support, product development, and field coordination and management. Mitch is continually add-
ing to his experience by participating in ASHRAE, NFPA, and UL technical committees.
Greg DuChane is Director of Sales, Trane National Accounts, Trane Technologies and has
served at Trane Technologies for more than 33 years. DuChane’s experience includes working
with large national retail and restaurant chains in various capacities. He serves on the Restaurant
Facilities Management Association’s online education committee; is a past chair of ASHRAE TC
5.10, Kitchen Ventilation; and is the current chair of the ASHRAE Handbook Committee.

Pictured from left to right: Greg DuChane, Keith Page, Derek Schrock, David John, Russell Robison,
Mitch Gansen, Frank Kohout, Jessica Weaver
Contents

Preface............................................................................................................................ xi

Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................xiii

Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................xv

Introduction ................................................................................................................... xvii

Why Use This Guide ................................................................................................................ xvii
The CKV Design Process ........................................................................................................ xviii
Design Guide Chapters ........................................................................................................... xix

Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis ....................................................................................1

Objective .................................................................................................................................. 1
Total Cost of Ownership............................................................................................................. 1
Life-Cycle Component Evaluation .............................................................................................. 3
Building System Example .......................................................................................................... 4

Chapter 2: Predesign ......................................................................................................11

Objective ................................................................................................................................ 11
Location of Kitchen ................................................................................................................. 11
Type of Kitchen/Restaurant ..................................................................................................... 12
Types of Food Being Prepared ................................................................................................. 13
Hours of Operation .................................................................................................................. 13
Occupancy.............................................................................................................................. 13
Ventilation Air ......................................................................................................................... 14
Exhaust Airflows for Hoods ...................................................................................................... 14
Comfort and Safety ................................................................................................................. 14
viii | Contents

Life-Cycle Costs ...................................................................................................................... 15

Codes and Standards .............................................................................................................. 15
TAB and Commissioning.......................................................................................................... 15

Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment .......................................................... 17

Defining Hood Loading ............................................................................................................ 17
Type II Hoods .......................................................................................................................... 18
Type I Hoods. .......................................................................................................................... 22

Chapter 4: Design Considerations................................................................................... 37

Types of Cooking Processes and Appliances ............................................................................. 37
Effluent Production by Cooking Process ................................................................................... 39
Types of Exhaust Hoods ........................................................................................................... 42
Exhaust Treatment Systems ..................................................................................................... 42
Type I Hood Fire Safety ............................................................................................................ 50
Energy Recovery Systems ........................................................................................................ 55
DCKV Systems ........................................................................................................................ 57
Exhaust Ductwork ................................................................................................................... 61
Exhaust Fans .......................................................................................................................... 62
Replacement Air ..................................................................................................................... 68

Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods ........................................................ 77

Duct Design General Principles ................................................................................................ 77
Construction ........................................................................................................................... 77
Installation ............................................................................................................................. 79
Exhaust Outlets Serving Type I Hoods (Terminations and Fan Connections) ................................ 82
Solid-Fuel Cooking ................................................................................................................. 83
Fire Endurance Testing ............................................................................................................ 83
Grease Duct Cleaning ............................................................................................................. 84
Installation Examples .............................................................................................................. 86

Chapter 6: Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations ................................................. 89

Carbon Monoxide (CO) ............................................................................................................ 89
Excessive Moisture.................................................................................................................. 90
Excessive Heat ........................................................................................................................ 92
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) .......................................................................................... 94
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | ix

Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach................................................................... 97

Understanding the CKV System’s Overall Requirements and Constraints ................................... 97
Selecting Exhaust Hoods ....................................................................................................... 101
Commercial Kitchen Air Design .............................................................................................105
Load Calculations for Commercial Kitchens ...........................................................................109
Specific Design Considerations .............................................................................................113

Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning .................................................................. 117

Overview ...............................................................................................................................117
Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing..........................................................................................117
Commissioning (Cx) ..............................................................................................................124

Appendix A: Codes and Standards ................................................................................ 133

Introduction ..........................................................................................................................133
ASHRAE Standards and Non-Mandatory Guidance .................................................................133
ASTM International Standards...............................................................................................135
ICC Codes and Standards .....................................................................................................138
NFPA Standards ................................................................................................................... 139
UL Standards ........................................................................................................................141
Codes and Standards Citations .............................................................................................148

Appendix B: Research Conducted by ASHRAE TC 5.10 ................................................... 151

Research Overview ................................................................................................................151
Benefits to the HVAC Industry ................................................................................................151

References .................................................................................................................. 155

Index ........................................................................................................................... 161
Preface

Proper design of a commercial kitchen ventilation system is critical to the proper operation of
the system throughout its lifetime. The design can impact employee safety, fire prevention, energy
consumption, building pressurization control, and emission control. This design guide was created
with the goal of producing the best practices in kitchen ventilation design for engineers. It was
written in accordance with current North American codes, standards, and design practices and is
intended to aid design engineers in selecting all components composing a kitchen ventilation sys-
tem, from the initial survey determining the needs of a system to proper equipment selection, con-
trols and ductwork selection, and final commissioning.
ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC) 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, is the cognizant committee
that reviewed and ultimately voted to approve this guide. TC 5.10 is concerned with the design,
construction, installation, commissioning, and sustainable operation of code-compliant kitchens.
TC 5.10 is also responsible for the Kitchen Ventilation chapter in ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC
Applications.
Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge several individuals who made major contributions to
this guide. Jason Greenberg with HFA developed the detailed outline that was used to produce this
guide. Jimmy Sandusky with Halton Company contributed to appendix A, “Codes and Standards.”
Rob Carmichael with Gaylord Industries contributed to chapter 1, “Life-Cycle Cost Analysis.”
Jason Brown and Bryan Miller, both with the Melink Corporation, contributed to the air balance
sections of chapter 8, “TAB and System Commissioning.” We would also thank George Ste-
fanovici, President at Carastro & Associates, Inc., for his engineering comments.
The authors also extend appreciation to ASHRAE staff members Cindy Michaels, Mark
Owen, and Robyn Weaver for their help and direction in bringing this book to fruition.
Abbreviations

AA aromatic amine
AABC Associated Air Balance Council
ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
AH aromatic hydrocarbon
AHJ authority having jurisdiction
AHU air handling unit
ANSI American National Standards Institute
ASTM ASTM International
BEIs® Biological Exposure Indices
BMS building maintenance system
BOD Basis of Design
C&C capture and containment
cfm cubic feet per minute
CKV commercial kitchen ventilation
CO carbon monoxide
Cx commissioning
CxA commissioning provider
DCKV demand-controlled kitchen ventilation
DOAS dedicated outdoor air system
DX direct expansion
EC electrically commutated
EER energy efficiency ratio
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ESP electrostatic precipitators
FP fire protection
fpm feet per minute
GPM gallons per minute
HEPA high-efficiency particulate air
HSPF heating seasonal performance factor
HVAC heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
IBC International Building Code
ICC International Code Council
IECC International Energy Conservation Code
IEER integrated energy efficiency ratio
xvi | Abbreviations

IEQ indoor environmental quality

IMC International Mechanical Code
IR infrared
IRR internal rate of return
L/s litres per second
LCC life-cycle cost
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design®
lf linear foot
MAU makeup air unit
MERV minimum efficiency reporting values
MOT method of test
MSG manufacturers’ standard gauge
NEBB National Environmental Balancing Bureau
NEC National Electrical Code
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NOx nitrogen oxides
O&M operation and maintenance
OPR Owner’s Project Requirements
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PAH polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
PCU pollution control unit
PM particulate matter
PMV predicted mean vote
PRV power roof ventilator
QSR quick-service restaurants
rh relative humidity
RP research project
RTU rooftop unit
SMACNA Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association
TAB testing, adjusting, and balancing
TC Technical Committee
TLVs® threshold limit values
UL Underwriters Laboratories (now UL Solutions)
ULPA ultra-low penetration air
UMC Uniform Mechanical Code
UV ultraviolet
UVC ultraviolet-C
VAV variable air volume
VFD variable-frequency drive
VOC volatile organic compound
Introduction

WHY USE THIS GUIDE

The purpose of this guide is to provide design engineers, food service consultants, commis-
sioning providers (CxPs), architects, owners, and facility managers with the latest research, infor-
mation on technology, and resources to design a kitchen ventilation system that meets the owner’s
requirements while following all recognized best design practices and applicable North American
code requirements. It also provides the rationale behind these practices and recommendations.
This design guide is not intended to override any local jurisdiction requirements.
One of the primary goals of this guide is to share with the HVAC and food service industry the
cumulation of decades of commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) research and design experience
that has transformed the design and operation of CKV systems from rules of thumb into fact-based
standards and best practices that are based on scientific research and practical experience.
Another goal of this guide is to show the intent behind its recommendations so other guides
outside of North America can be aligned with this one, with the goal of establishing more common
best practices and guidelines throughout the world. In addition, future editions of this guide could
be aligned with those. The intent of this guide is to

• aid designers in identifying the types of systems and equipment available and evaluating
those options to optimize system operation,
• discuss installations and recommendations,
• address operational parameters to consider to ensure the specified size, type of unit, and
controls will optimize and harmonize the CKV system’s performance, and
• provide ownership expectations (such as comfort, energy savings, etc.), to ensure optimal
CKV operation.

Because the design of a CKV system requires incorporating all current best practices, this
guide addresses the following:

• Healthy, safe environments in a kitchen

• Energy efficiency and optimization
• Minimizing emissions to the outdoors
• Applicable codes and standards
• Sustainability
xviii | Introduction

THE CKV DESIGN PROCESS

Designing a CKV system is a challenging task that requires following a procedure that may not
appear intuitive at first glance. To ensure the resulting CKV system operates optimally and as
intended, it is recommended that the design sequence be followed in the order the chapters are pre-
sented in this book. Note that the first two chapters provide background information that needs to
be defined and understood by the designer before the actual design work begins. The CKV system
design work begins with the exhaust hood selection. The steps below are either covered within the
chapters or have their own dedicated chapter (e.g., chapter 3 is dedicated to the first step, hood
selection).
A summary of the steps for designing a CKV system is provided here:
• Hood selection. Selecting the hood and associated exhaust air volume is always the first
task to perform. The hood is selected based on current cooking appliance needs and possi-
ble future appliance lineups. This selection includes deciding the type of hood, the config-
uration of any hood options, and whether any demand ventilation controls are to be used.
While hood selection is typically performed by a food service consultant, it is strongly rec-
ommended that the engineer be involved with the hood selection process to ensure that the
selected hood offers the best engineered value—including safety, performance, first cost,
and operating cost—for the client while considering the entire CKV system and not solely
the appliance lineup.
• Exhaust requirements. It is critical to understand that optimizing the hood’s exhaust
requirements while maintaining capture and containment (C&C) will minimize the associ-
ated replacement air quantity, which will in turn reduce the size of the required HVAC
equipment and associated operating costs.
• Building integration. Designing a CKV system that integrates into the rest of the build-
ing’s ventilation design is especially critical if the kitchen is part of a much larger building
(i.e., not a free-standing restaurant).
• Replacement/makeup air. Determine the sources and quantities of the replacement air/
makeup air.
• System controls. Determine the CKV system’s controls and the associated sequences.
• Load calculations. Perform HVAC heating and cooling load calculations.
• Pollution control units. Determine the need for pollution control units (i.e., grease,
smoke, or odor control).
• Ventilation. Design the exhaust system(s) for both cooking effluent and general ventila-
tion (i.e., ductwork and fan selection).
• Safety. Design for all related life safety systems, including fire protection.
• Supply and exhaust air. Select the supply and exhaust air equipment.
• Finalization. Combine all of the above items into a fully designed system.
• Operations and commissioning. Determine the operational and commissioning requirements.

This list provides the typical order of the design process for a CKV system. (For specific
design guidance, refer to chapter 7, Figure 7.1.) This process should be followed even when rede-
signing existing CKV systems, because during the redesign, the CKV system design parameters—
including appliance lineups, airflow quantities, heat gains to space, exhaust fans, replacement,
etc.—may change, which could result in energy savings or an increase in energy consumption
depending on the changes.
Designing a CKV system requires a broad array of unique design considerations, including the
following:
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation| xix

• The quantity and movement of air as it is delivered into and exhausted from the commer-
cial kitchen space(s). This affects occupant comfort, space pressurization, and all hood
exhaust air quantities.
• Accounting for load calculations.
• The sensible, latent, and radiation heat gains from the space’s kitchen equipment (or plug
load, as it is referred to in energy modeling). Kitchens typically require a large amount of
cooling for their size, and this must always be calculated—it is never recommended to use
a rule of thumb.
• The heat gains and losses from any replacement air, taking into account any fully condi-
tioned, partially conditioned, or unconditioned air.
• Code requirements, including ventilation air requirements (e.g., ANSI/ASHRAE Stan-
dard 62.1 [2022c]) and any applicable fire codes. This should include any local require-
ments for the jurisdiction or from the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

DESIGN GUIDE CHAPTERS

This guide contains the following chapters and appendices, which are outlined below:
• Chapter 1, “Life-Cycle Cost Analysis.” Many decisions must be made during the CKV
design process. Understanding the cost impact—on either the system’s first cost or its
operating cost—is critical. Given the large amount of energy a CKV system can consume
during its normal operation, a minor design decision or investment in up-front costs for
energy savings can have a big impact on the utility costs for the life span of the system.
Because every CKV design decision should include this type of analysis, this chapter pre-
cedes the others.
• Chapter 2, “Predesign.” This chapter contains questions to ask the owner or for the
design team to consider at the project’s conception (e.g. type of food service, hours of
operation, etc.). The answers to these questions will drive many of the CKV system’s
design decisions.
• Chapter 3, “Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment.” This chapter describes the crite-
ria for selecting an exhaust hood and its associated components for a particular applica-
tion. While this function is typically performed by the hood supplier, it is critical for the
designers (food service and engineer) to understand the selection process, best-practice
design, and any associated decisions to better understand the impact of these decisions on
the entire CKV system. Doing so provides the knowledge necessary to (1) verify the sup-
plier’s recommendations, (2) make any recommended changes to the hood selections, and
(3) allow the designers of record to appropriately approve hood selections.
• Chapter 4, “Design Considerations.” This chapter describes all the details that must be
considered when designing a CKV system. Examples include the impact of different cook-
ing processes, replacement/makeup air, and exhaust effluent control.
• Chapter 5, “Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods.” Given the critical nature of this
topic as it relates to building safety and occupant life safety, this chapter is dedicated to the
details for designing these systems.
• Chapter 6, “Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations.” This chapter describes all
safety considerations for designing a CKV system, including air quality and acceptable
temperatures and humidity for occupant safety and comfort.
• Chapter 7, “Comprehensive Design Approach.” This chapter describes the overall CKV
HVAC design process and incorporates into that process the critical details presented in
previous chapters.
xx | Introduction

• Chapter 8, “TAB and System Commissioning.” This chapter describes the critical tasks
that must be executed to ensure that kitchens operate properly. A well-designed kitchen will
not function as designed if it is not properly air balanced and commissioned. This chapter
lists examples and includes critical tasks to verify the air balance has been designed and
executed correctly as well as testing and verifications for the proper operation of the CKV
system. It also lists important items that should be included as part of the entire CKV sys-
tem commissioning process, from the project’s inception through its conclusion.
• Appendix A, “Codes and Standards.” This chapter lists the codes and standards that are
referenced in this guide or that have CKV-related content.
• Appendix B, “Research Conducted by ASHRAE TC 5.10.” This chapter lists all CKV-
related ASHRAE research projects.

Overall, this guide is intended to be read sequentially. However, it was developed with the
understanding that many designers do not have the time to read an entire guide to complete their
task at hand. Therefore, it was with this understanding that the chapters of this guide were written
so that each chapter can be read by itself for coverage of its topic in detail, and the related topics
that are detailed in other chapters are appropriately referenced.
 1
Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this chapter is to assist the designer in understanding the cost of a commercial
kitchen ventilation (CKV) system design, both initially and over its lifetime, and using that under-
standing to meet the owner’s expectations and/or help them find a balance between low initial cost
and low operational costs so they can make informed decisions for the best application to meet
their needs.

TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP

A well-designed system should include consideration not only of quality equipment but also of
the total cost of ownership across the system’s lifetime. At the beginning of the project, clear
objectives should be established for designers to properly follow to meet design expectations and
parameters. These objectives could be existing standards set by the owner or decided upon at the
outset of the project by the owner, architect, and engineers. One method engineers can use to jus-
tify their design selections is life-cycle cost (LCC) analysis. The LCC evaluation is used when
multiple equivalent equipment selections satisfy the design. It takes into consideration not only the
initial cost but also operational costs, maintenance costs, efficiencies, repair costs, replacement
costs, and system upgrades.
For projects in which high-efficiency buildings, such as buildings being designed to specific
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED®) certifications (www.usgbc.org/leed),
are the final objective, LCC calculations come to the forefront of equipment considerations. Addi-
tional focus should be paid to the LCC process in these instances.

Financial and Economic Guidelines

LCC analysis should be executed with an understanding of the owner’s financial requirements
and needs, which should frame the equipment selection. Organizations such as hospitals, universi-
ties, corporations, and others will have these guidelines in place along with sustainability require-
ments, hurdle rates, and long-term performance goals. As the business evolves and the facility
ages, these guidelines will assist them in their annual budgets beyond year one and over the facil-
ity’s lifetime.
For those facilities that will be in place for the duration of the LCC time calculation or longer,
budgeting is an important aspect of understanding where to allocate dollars and forecast what
future costs will look like over the facility’s lifetime. Having a reality-based cost analysis gives the
owner the tools to make those determinations.
2| Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Equivalent Equipment Selection

Measuring equivalent equipment selections is a critical first step in the CKV system design
process and gives the engineer a strong basis for LCC calculations. When gauging equivalency, the
engineer must consider not only airflows, grades of stainless steel, serviceability, and other param-
eters but also overall performance and the ventilator’s effect on the entire HVAC system.
For HVAC equipment, considerations should be made concerning the size and type of heating
and cooling systems depending on geographical location, degree-days, humidity, and other factors
or the many types of rooftop units (RTUs) available. These conditions will determine the best fit
for the design. For example, evaporative and direct expansion (DX) cooling may both cover the
specific cooling load, but the energy required for evaporative cooling will be greater in humid envi-
ronments. Economizers can save energy in the long term by bringing in outdoor air when appropri-
ate rather than inducing the compressor to start when covering internal loads from machinery,
lighting, occupancy, and solar energy becomes necessary. When evaluating long-term costs, high-
efficiency units should be considered versus standard-efficiency units.
Other equipment, such as fans and ductwork, also needs to be reviewed when considering total
cost of ownership. For fans, high-efficiency motors and variable-speed options are proven ways to
save fan energy. Considerations for rooftop versus in-line fans should be made for serviceability
and efficiency while also balancing considerations for noise concerns. Once the equipment is
sized, the evaluation of ductwork to move the air to the desired location is necessary. Spiral
ductwork, listed ductwork, and ductwork built on site are all considerations. For each option,
access and serviceability are a concern. When evaluating ductwork systems, it is best to understand
what is being brought in or exhausted to determine the best application. While each may deliver or
exhaust the desired amount of air, the static losses between these can vary greatly. When exhaust-
ing hazardous or combustible material, fire conditions should also be evaluated. Listing agencies
have extensive fire testing standards for ductwork, which should be considered.
Intangible items such as comfort, flexibility, and environmental impact may vary by location
and be important to a particular facility. Alternatives to the primary design should not only meet
the design parameters but also fall into the owner’s financial guidelines for minimum rate of return,
user preferences, and effect to the overall HVAC system. Decisions made on an individual compo-
nent life-cycle assessment give only a partial glimpse into the cost analysis, while the sum of the
components gives a more holistic view.

Features, Functions, and Benefits

Labor savings. Labor costs are becoming an increasing portion of a facility’s operational bud-
get. When evaluating selections, the addition of new or labor-saving features can reduce the total
cost of ownership. On projects where local labor rates are high or union labor/prevailing wage is
prevalent, it is important to consider whether products with features, functions, and benefits that
can reduce labor-intensive duties, thereby reducing maintenance costs, are available. For example,
are there systems available for hoods that clean the filters and reduce manual removal, cleaning,
and replacement on a daily basis? Water wash systems, high-efficiency filters, ultraviolet (UV)
treatments, and pollution control devices are products available to help reduce the amount of
grease in the ductwork and on fans, thus reducing the time needed for maintenance. In labor con-
siderations for pollution control, automatic wash functions have long-term cost savings in compar-
ison to the monthly/quarterly removal and replacement of paper filters.
Energy savings. Energy savings are also a concern across the lifetime of a system. Demand-
controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) features are commonly seen and have a track record of
long-term energy savings. When the cooking process is at a reduced state or when cooking equip-
ment is in standby mode, the exhaust fan and dedicated makeup-air fan speeds are subsequently
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 3

reduced, thus reducing exhaust and supply airflows. Additionally, for the exhaust, lowering the air-
flow reduces the amount of conditioned air being evacuated while maintaining capture and con-
tainment (C&C) of the cooking effluent. The supply airflow for the hood is also reduced, lessening
the amount of makeup air entering the space. For this makeup air, it should be noted that less than
50% is recaptured by the hood based on entering temperature, humidity, and space conditions, and
at least 50% becomes a load to the space (ASHRAE 2019). This combination allows the HVAC
system to work less and cycle on less frequently.
Heat recovery is another tactic to alter a project’s LCC. Transferring the heat energy from the
cooking process or from heat recovery devices through the HVAC system to other systems requir-
ing heat can also be considered.
Additional savings considerations. Cascading benefits should also be considered as part of
the total cost of ownership analysis. For example, does the wash feature or the addition of high-
efficiency filters, UV treatments, and pollution control lessen the grease accumulation on the fire
system components, ductwork systems, fans, and rooftops, reducing the labor hours for mainte-
nance and cleaning while potentially increasing their life span? This may be especially applicable
for the LCC of heat recovery devices (see chapter 4, “Design Considerations”). For additional
LCC savings on HVAC equipment, consider higher-efficiency units and variable-speed fans. Other
components such as heat exchangers and economizers can reclaim some of the existing energy to
help provide a more comfortable working environment year round. With the addition of energy-
saving components, automation devices are available to evaluate the building systems as a whole
to ensure they are working together. The use of transfer air present in the space for pressurization
or for occupancy requirements can also be used for ventilation or mixing instead of adding addi-
tional dedicated makeup air fans. With added features, the need for start-up and performance veri-
fication are of greater importance. Equal in importance are the demonstrations showing end users
the features and functions of these items so that, once installed, the components are used as they
were designed and take advantage of the energy savings.

LIFE-CYCLE COMPONENT EVALUATION

For each system, the total LCC can be calculated by using Equation 1.1 (Fuller and Peterson 1996):

LCC = I + Repl – Res + E + W + OM&R (1.1)

where
LCC = total LCC in present-value dollars of a given alternative
I = present-value investment costs
Repl = present-value capital replacement costs
Res = present-value residual value (resale value, scrap value, etc.) less disposal costs
E = present-value energy costs
W = present-value water costs
OM&R = present-value non-fuel operating, maintenance, and repair (OM&R) costs
This formula adds the present value of each component and considers escalating utility costs, labor
costs, repair costs, etc., in the calculation.
For CKV systems, the lifetime is typically longer than 10 years, with some components lasting
the lifetime of the building. If 10 years is used as the span of the analysis, the replacement costs
and residual value costs are zero (ASHRAE 2019). Longer time span evaluations may require
replacement costs of working items (e.g., fans). The manufacturer can assist with those cost esti-
mates and expected life spans. Other cost considerations could range from fan energy and HVAC
costs for conditioning the supply air to water and sewage costs to costs for cleaning and replacing
4| Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

system filters and for ductwork cleaning. The sum of all LCC component costs is the real cost of
ownership for the end user.

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Component Evaluation Example

Table 1.1 shows example costs of three 30 ft (9.1 m) CKV hoods designed for the Dallas/Ft.
Worth area with two standard dry hoods and one with an added automatic wash function. The dif-
ferent hoods are evaluated with differing first costs and 10-year E, W, and OM&R costs. For the
10-year evaluation, replacement and residual costs are $0. The LCC calculation shown in Table 1.2
reflects the 30 ft (9.1 m) hood example. The hood with the wash feature, although more expensive
initially, has a lower total cost of ownership.
From Tables 1.1 and 1.2, note that the initial costs can vary from differing manufacturers or
from a different model from the same manufacturer. Operational calculations take into consider-
ation the water, sewer, and power usage along with hood length, number of filters, and hours and
days of operation for both wash and dry hoods. The primary difference in the operational cost com-
parison is the additional labor hours required to manually remove, wash, or soak the filters, then
replace them in the hood on a regular basis.
Each item being evaluated within the HVAC system must not only go through this process but
also be applied to the system as a whole. Please note that these calculations may vary in differing
parts of the country, even with similar equipment selections.
Load and energy modeling platforms and other tools are commercially available to aid the
engineer in calculating the load and system performance from a comfort perspective as well as pro-
viding energy and life-cycle costs.

BUILDING SYSTEM EXAMPLE

Often kitchen exhaust hoods and exhaust airflows, as well as their design and operating param-
eters, play an important role in the sizing and layout of the HVAC system. This building system
example compares standard-efficiency versus high-efficiency hoods and standard-efficiency versus

Table 1.1 Hood Length, Feature, First Cost, and Operating Cost Operating at Medium Duty1
Hood Length Feature First Cost Yearly Operating Cost2
A 30 Dry $26,000 $15,082

B 30 Dry $35,000 $15,082

C 30 Wash $55,000 $5,795
1
Medium duty as described in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d)
2
Restaurant operating 16 h/day, 7 days/week

Table 1.2 LCC Calculation: LCC = I + REPL –RES + E + W + OM&R

E + W + OM&R
Hood I Repl Res LCC 10 Years
10-Year Evaluation
A $26,000 0 0 $150,820 $176,820
B $35,000 0 0 $150,820 $185,820
C $55,000 0 0 $57,950 $112,950
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 5

high-efficiency RTUs on a typical quick-service restaurant (QSR) located in St. Louis, MO. In this
example, we used a commercially available load and energy software platform, Trace 3D Plus
(Trane 2021), to evaluate the life-cycle costs of several alternative designs. Geography, load varia-
tions, and time-of-day loads have a large impact on the building load and energy performance.
Reducing exhaust airflows in the high-efficiency hood scenarios reduces the amount of replace-
ment air required and plays a large role in HVAC unit sizing and energy use.

Restaurant type: QSR

Building layout: 2515 ft2 (234 m2)
Location: St. Louis, MO
Weather data: ASHRAE 0.4%
Standard-efficiency hood exhaust: 3000 cfm (1416 l/s), exhaust only
Canopy hood (300 cfm/ft [464.5 l/s per m])
High-efficiency hood exhaust: 2250 cfm (1062 l/s), exhaust only
Engineered canopy hood (225 cfm/ft [348 l/s per m])
with side curtains
Standard-efficiency HVAC unit sizing: 25 tons (88kW), total (determined by load analysis)
15 tons (53 kW), kitchen unit (11.0 EER/12.2 IEER)
10 tons (35 kW), dining unit (11.2 EER/12.7 IEER)
High-efficiency HVAC unit sizing: 22.5 tons (79 kW), total (determined by downsizing
load analysis)
12.5 tons (44 kW), kitchen unit (12.1 EER/14.0 IEER)
10 tons (35 kW), dining unit (12.1 EER/14.7 IEER)

Figures 1.1 and 1.2 depict the layout of a typical QSR, which was used in the load and energy
modeling simulation, and Figure 1.3 indicates the HVAC zoning. There are two zones, Dining and
Kitchen, and each is served by a separate RTU.
This example looks at three alternatives as compared to the baseline design, which is detailed
in Table 1.3. Figure 1.4 shows the air balance schedule and HVAC unit sizing for each alternative.
OM&R cost estimates were the same for all alternatives, as shown in Figure 1.5.
Figures 1.6 and 1.7 show the energy use of the three alternatives versus the baseline design
(standard-efficiency exhaust hoods and standard-efficiency, constant-volume HVAC units). Figure
1.8 shows the economic and LCC analysis metrics as compared to the baseline design. For each
system, the total LCC can be calculated using Equation 1.1.
Table 1.4 uses the LCC calculation referenced in the “Life-Cycle Component Evaluation” sec-
tion to depict the LCC in dollars for the baseline and three alternatives modeled. Simple payback,
LCC, and internal rate of return (IRR) are shown in Figure 1.8.
Alternative 3 (high-efficiency hoods/high-efficiency variable volume airflow rooftop units) has
the lowest LCC of all the alternatives compared to the baseline alternative. However, depending on
the first and installed cost sensitivity and the owner’s needs, the designer must weigh first cost to
LCC to determine the “best fit” system based on the owner’s drivers and project constraints.
6| Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Figure 1.1 QSR restaurant layout produced by Trace 3D Plus (Trane 2021).

Figure 1.2 QSR restaurant HVAC plan produced by Trace 3D Plus (Trane 2021).
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 7

Figure 1.3 QSR restaurant HVAC zoning produced by Trace 3D Plus (Trane 2021).

Table 1.3 Alternatives and First Cost and Installed Cost Input Parameters
System Kitchen Exhaust First Cost Equipment
HVAC System
Option Hood System and Installation
Baseline Standard efficiency Standard efficiency $67,625
Constant-volume supply air
25.0 tons (88.9 kW)
1 High efficiency Standard efficiency $71,925
Constant-volume supply air
22.5 tons (79.1 kW)
2 Standard efficiency High efficiency $74,500
Variable-volume supply air
25.0 tons (88.9 kW)
3 High efficiency High efficiency $78,800
Variable-volume supply air
22.5 tons (79.1 kW)
8| Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Figure 1.4 Air balance schedules.

Investment costs (hoods and HVAC system) First cost, equipment, and installation
Air balance performed; reoccurs every five years
OM&R costs Annual cost to operate and maintain the complete HVAC system
Annual OM&R costs typically vary depending on the age of the equip-
ment and the HVAC equipment’s warranty period, as depicted in this
figure. For instance, the HVAC equipment’s warranty period plays a
factor in cost during the first five years; after the warranty period, the
cost traditionally increases during mid-life and again as the HVAC
equipment nears the end of its life and more maintenance is typically
required to keep the equipment in operation. The typical life cycle of a
traditional RTU is 15 years.

Figure 1.5 Investment and OM&R cost schedule produced by Trace 3D Plus (Trane 2021).
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 9

Figure 1.6 System alternative energy consumption comparison breakdown produced by Trace 3D Plus.
Courtesy of Trane (2021)

Figure 1.7 Total system alternative energy consumption comparison.

10 | Chapter 1: Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

Figure 1.8 Alternative life-cycle comparison analysis produced by Trace 3D Plus.

Courtesy of Trane (2021)

Table 1.4 Alternative Life-Cycle Cost Calculations

Alternative LCC I Repl Res E W OM&R
Baseline $698,790 $74,625 $0 $0 $596,040 $0 $28,125
1 $664,195 $78,925 $0 $0 $557,145 $0 $28,125
2 $591,485 $81,500 $0 $0 $481,860 $0 $28,125

3 $570,690 $85,800 $0 $0 $457,065 $0 $28,125

 2
Predesign

OBJECTIVE
The design of a commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) system begins with a complete under-
standing of how the facility is being used. This includes the following:
• Location of kitchen
• Type of kitchen/restaurant
• Types of food being prepared
• Hours of operation
• Occupancy
• Ventilation air
• Exhaust airflows for hoods
• Comfort and safety
• Life-cycle costs
• Codes and standards
• Testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) and commissioning

With this knowledge, a designer can begin the process of selecting the equipment and services
required for a successful kitchen ventilation system. This understanding will also help the designer
understand the owner’s requirements and maximize the project’s success. A well-designed kitchen
ventilation system can lead to years of successful, comfortable, and safe operation for all occupants.

LOCATION OF KITCHEN
The location of the restaurant plays an important role in how busy it will be and when. For
instance, a quick-service restaurant (QSR) near office buildings can be extremely busy for week-
day lunch and less busy on a weekend, while the same restaurant in a shopping mall food court
might be busiest during lunch on weekends and less busy on weekdays. A restaurant’s location is
an important variable to predict future business.
Another variable that comes into play when selecting a restaurant’s location is its neighbors.
This may be brought up during zoning; at other times, it occurs after the restaurant is built. The
grease effluent from the restaurant’s exhaust system can leave residue on its building or adjacent
buildings, and the odors can be a nuisance for nearby residential and/or commercial properties.
Addressing the effluent and odor leaving the building should be considered during the predesign
phase of a commercial kitchen. In a city environment, a designer may be forced to consider a pol-
12 | Chapter 2: Predesign

lution control unit (PCU) based on local codes that restrict cooking odors and smoke from com-
mercial kitchens.

TYPE OF KITCHEN/RESTAURANT
Understanding the type of restaurant, food types, food preparation, and hours of operation are
all important for good CKV design. Each restaurant and restaurant type can vary in any of those
characteristics. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to restaurant CKV design. The following
list describes some common kitchen and restaurant types:

• QSRs. Commonly referred to as “fast-food restaurants,” QSRs are typically the smallest in
footprint, and their focus is on speed and convenience. They can consist of dine-in, pick-
up, walk-up, or drive-through areas or any combination of those. A majority of QSR busi-
ness occurs in the drive-through area. QSR business is about consistency and repeatability,
so their ventilation design is efficient and often standardized. QSRs are usually chain
restaurants.
• Fast-casual restaurants. Fast-casual restaurants are similar to QSRs but offer a more
upscale experience such as plated meals. Though some may have drive-throughs, most of
the business is likely from dine-in customers. Examples of fast-casual restaurants include
cafés, buffets, and some chain restaurants.
• Full-service restaurants. Full-service restaurants fall into a variety of categories includ-
ing hospitality, pubs, bars, family, and fine dining. In these restaurants, all service occurs at
the table by a server.
• Ghost kitchens. Also known as “off-site” or “digital” kitchens, these are restaurant loca-
tions with no storefront. They focus solely on deliveries. A ghost kitchen’s design is the
same as that of drive-through only or carry-out only restaurants. They are an extension of
the type of restaurant they serve, and their busiest parts of the day will mirror that.
• Tenant restaurants. Tenant restaurants present a unique design challenge. These are
restaurants in which some of the cooling and replacement air is dependent upon the land-
lord (e.g., a restaurant located within an indoor mall food court may rely on the mall to pro-
vide transfer air from the common area). For example, when designing a ventilation system
for a tenant restaurant, the engineer may be given parameters to the space that limit the sup-
plied conditioned airflow. When a restaurant’s ventilation system is being designed in a
tenant space, there may not be enough available transfer air or cooling capacity at the start
of the design, and the engineer may have to consider adding additional cooling capacity.
• Special or unique restaurants. A restaurant’s cuisine provides insight into grease genera-
tion and hood selection. For instance, wok cooking is one of the largest emitters of grease
effluent. Display cooking, common to Japanese hibachi restaurants, requires substantially
higher exhaust rates due to the use of island hoods.
• Food trucks. Food trucks present serious design and safety challenges. Because they typi-
cally rely on open windows for replacement air, wind can negatively impact the hood’s
ability to properly capture and contain the cooking effluent. Many food trucks also use
mini-split systems or packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) for cooling at the hood.
That airflow directed at the hood also impacts capture and containment (C&C). Food
trucks are not covered in this guide.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 13

TYPES OF FOOD BEING PREPARED

To properly design a CKV system, the designer must know the types of food being prepared.
This is critical information to select the required appliances and determine the airflow of the venti-
lation hood and any other required HVAC devices.

HOURS OF OPERATION
There are four common hours of operation used in food service: breakfast/brunch, lunch, din-
ner, and late night. In some cases, a restaurant may serve breakfast all day or may be closed to cus-
tomers during other periods of the day. Knowing how and when a restaurant will operate leads to a
better design. It is always best to ask the project’s owner what hours of operation the restaurant
will have and the details of their operations. Typical examples are listed below.
• Breakfast/brunch. Breakfast foods can vary greatly based on the cuisine being served.
Breakfast is commonly served from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In some restaurants, breakfast
may be an all-day affair. In that scenario, there may be additional appliance heat gains to
consider. For instance, a restaurant that uses eggs only for breakfast may have a dedicated
egg cooking station that will be ready to use to serve breakfast all day. For QSRs and fast-
casual restaurants, breakfast peaks are Monday through Friday, and nearly all business
occurs in the drive-through. For full-service restaurants, peak breakfast/brunch is usually
Sunday mornings.
• Lunch. Lunch service typically occurs from 11:00 a.m. to around 3:00 p.m. For QSRs and
fast-casual restaurants, lunch and dinner menus are nearly identical. For full-service
restaurants, lunch is likely a different menu; it may contain similar or some of the same
items as dinner but in smaller portions. It may also have items that are designed for fast
cooking and service focused on the business lunch hour.
• Dinner. Dinner service typically occurs from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Some restaurants
may only offer dinner but may have preparatory time periods earlier in the day that also
require ventilation.
• Late night. Late-night service typically occurs after 10:00 p.m. For a QSR, this may be
drive-through only, or the dining room may be open. For some pubs or bars, hot-food ser-
vice may be discontinued during this time. For hospitality, the restaurant may be closed
but the kitchen may stay open for room service.
• Hours for ancillary spaces. Another important design factor concerning the hours of
operation is how ancillary spaces will be handled. Other spaces may have a separate
HVAC system and operating schedule.

OCCUPANCY
Designers should be aware of when a commercial kitchen will be in operation, determined by
the type of facility and meals served. Occupancy profiles for the kitchen and dining room are con-
siderably different and should be considered separately. Restaurant staff arrive earlier and leave
later than the restaurant’s hours of business. For example, a QSR is open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00
p.m. The staff arrive about an hour prior to opening and leave about an hour after closing. Staffing
hours vary, with a combination of full- and part-time employees based on the restaurant’s expected
business load for the day. The weekday lunch hour may be the restaurant’s busiest time, followed
by breakfast and then dinner. To design a CKV system, the designer should know the hours of
operation to determine the schedule for all the HVAC systems in the facility. Figure 2.1 shows an
14 | Chapter 2: Predesign

Figure 2.1 Example dining room occupancy profile for a QSR (weekdays).

example occupancy schedule for a freestanding restaurant only open during weekdays. This infor-
mation should be used to schedule the HVAC devices.

VENTILATION AIR
It is important that a designer consider the pressurization in commercial kitchen facilities. The
HVAC design should ensure the kitchen is positive pressure to the building’s exterior but negative
pressure relative to its adjacent interior spaces to prevent the migration of odors. Some codes may
dictate the maximum pressure differential between spaces. Additionally, food service areas in
healthcare facilities may have their own requirements. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss designing a
kitchen ventilation system to maintain proper ventilation air and pressures.

EXHAUST AIRFLOWS FOR HOODS

Having properly sized exhaust airflow for kitchen hoods is extremely important. The exhaust
through a hood removes the contaminants that are generated from the cooking process. The exhaust
into a hood also removes contaminants that can be generated in the kitchen itself, thus improving the
comfort and safety of the restaurant staff. Properly sized exhaust also ensures that odors and cook-
ing byproducts are kept from entering the dining area where customers are eating. This guide dis-
cusses proper hood exhaust in chapters 3 and 4.

COMFORT AND SAFETY

Controlling the temperature and humidity of a commercial kitchen is critical for both kitchen
workers and servers. The resulting space temperature and ventilation can affect workers’ and serv-
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 15

ers’ productivity and health. Chapter 4 addresses the design of a system to obtain comfort, and
chapter 5 discusses health and safety issues in a commercial kitchen.

LIFE-CYCLE COSTS
The costs associated with a CKV system include not only the first cost for the equipment and
labor for installation but also the costs involved throughout the life of the system. Life-cycle costs
are discussed in detail in chapter 1.

CODES AND STANDARDS

A CKV system comprises a number of components. The equipment, including ventilation
hoods, ductwork, fire suppression systems, controls, and other components, all have codes and
standards that are covered within this guide.

TAB AND COMMISSIONING

TAB and commissioning are verifications that the CKV system’s functionality and design have
been properly implemented. See chapter 8 for information on TAB and commissioning.
 3
Exhaust Hoods and
Related Equipment
The foundation of any sustainable food service cooking operation is a properly engineered
commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) system. The kitchen’s exhaust fan(s), Type I/Type II hoods,
fire protection system, and supporting replacement air systems govern the facility’s comfort and
safety as well as nearly 30% of its energy consumption (DOE 2015). The kitchen’s hoods are the
heart of that system, with their successful specification ultimately scaling the whole CKV system’s
infrastructure and size. Whether designing for versatility, performance, location, or space, all fac-
tors are considered in the available hood options in this chapter. This chapter covers what you need
to know about Type I and Type II hoods to properly optimize energy, comfort, performance, opera-
tions, maintenance, and repair and provide a strong foundation for building a high-performance
CKV system.

DEFINING HOOD LOADING

The process of designing commercial kitchen hoods starts with the cooking equipment placed
beneath them. Based on the type of emissions (grease or steam) and the intensity of those emissions,
a duty can be assigned to each piece of cooking equipment. That duty level becomes the foundation
for setting the type, style, and ventilation rates for the hoods. As the equipment sets the require-
ments for the hoods, the hoods then set the requirements for the other CKV components, including
the fire protection system, exhaust ductwork, exhaust fan(s), and replacement air systems.
For example, if a designer exchanges a medium-duty grooved griddle for a heavy-duty gas
broiler under a 5 ft (1.52 m) hood to cook hamburger, the substitution would increase the exhaust
airflow by 33%, which would require a 33% larger exhaust duct system, a new fan to move 33%
more air at ~33%+ higher exhaust motor horsepower (kilowatts), and an increased capacity in the
replacement air system tempering/conditioning to accommodate the added 33% more replacement
air. Depending on the local climate, some facilities would easily see greater than one ton of added
conditioning capacity to accommodate the additional replacement airflow and added heat gain
emitted to the space due to the radiant heat output of the gas broiler. (To better understand the
impact of space heat gain and CKV heating and cooling load calculations, refer to chapter 18,
“Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calculations,” of ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals
[ASHRAE 2021b]).
It should be noted that the categorization of cooking equipment has been studied rigorously for
over two decades, resulting in values by appliance description for grease produced in pounds of
emissions per 1000 lbs. cooked (ASHRAE 1998), radiant heat gain to space (ASHRAE 2008), and
duty classifications regarding exhaust ventilation rates. Reference sources for this data can be
found in the following publications:
18 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

• Chapter 18, “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calcualtions,” ASHRAE Hand-
book—Fundamentals (2021b)
• Chapter 34, “Kitchen Ventilation,” ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019)
• ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d), Type I and II duty classifications

Grease Producing Equipment and Type I Hoods

Understanding the effluent and grease produced during cooking is critical when selecting the
exhaust hood(s). NFPA 96 defines grease as “rendered animal fat, vegetable shortening, and other
such oily matter used for the purposes of and resulting from cooking and/or preparing foods” (2021b,
96-10). Grease is more specifically characterized in ASHRAE Research Project (RP) 745 (Gerstler et
al. 1998). The presence of grease emissions produced from a cooking process will dictate the need for
a Type I hood and exhaust system. Grease is a known fire liability due to its high potential energy con-
tent when spread throughout a commercial kitchen exhaust system. The requirement of a Type I hood
can be avoided altogether when the production of grease from the appliance is tested to levels at or
below 3.1× 10–7 lb/ft3 at 500 cfm (5.0 mg/m3 at 236 L/s) when tested to UL 710B (2011a) require-
ments and the generated heat gains are accounted for in the HVAC system.

Non-Grease Producing Equipment and Type II Hoods

Equipment with primary emissions of steam or convective heat can be served by a Type II hood
system. Equipment identified in ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) as “Hood Not Required” are
acceptable for installation without a hood when the emissions are below 3.1 x 10-7 lb/ft3 (5.0 mg/m3)
at 500 cfm (236 L/s) when tested to UL 710B requirements and the sensible and latent loads of the
equipment are accounted for in the HVAC design capacities. Refer to chapter 18, “Heat Gain,” in
ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b).
Examples of equipment not requiring a hood are espresso machines, electric panini presses,
under-counter dishwashers, electric hot dog cookers, popcorn cookers, and more. Examples of
equipment requiring a Type II hood with a “Light Duty” classification are steamers, rice cookers,
and kettles under 20 gal capacity. Equipment requiring Type II hoods with a “Medium Duty” clas-
sification are conveyor dishwashers, gas pasta cookers, and steam-jacketed kettles over 20 gal
capacity. See Table 2 in ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) for more information on Type II hood
requirements for specific appliances.

Determining Hood Duty Level

See Figure 3.1 for a flowchart on determining hood type and hood duty level.

TYPE II HOODS
ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) describes a Type II hood as one that collects and removes
steam, heat, and the products of combustion where grease or smoke is not present. Also known as
“vapor” or “condensate” hoods, these hoods are designed primarily for the capture and removal of
condensate from steam cooking, dish washing, and baking operations where appliance emissions
are free from grease. Hoods of this type are referred to as heat or fume hoods. When conditions
allow for the use of a Type II hood, they can be an attractive option in the design process due to the
sometimes-significant reduction in system cost over Type I hoods, which require grease- and fire-
rated filters, hoods, exhaust ductwork, exhaust fans, and fire suppression.
Some common constructions for Type II hoods are shown in Figures 3.2 and 3.3. Such hoods
are typically designed to capture and drain off condensed water to floor drains or condensate gut-
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 19

Figure 3.1 Determining hood type and duty.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

ters on the hood’s perimeter where condensate is evaporated over time back into the hood’s
exhaust.

Type II Hoods—Current Design Processes and Code Requirements

Type II hoods are not covered under any product-listing category nor do they carry a fire rat-
ing. The Type II hood design process focuses primarily on hood overhangs and designing adequate
ventilation rates. Note that the minimum airflow for a dishwasher shown in the code may not be
high enough for the dishwasher type being used. Consult the hood manufacturer for design guid-
ance. Applied airflow rates are in cubic feet per minute per linear foot of hood (cfm/linear ft) or
liters per second per linear meter of hood (L/s per linear m). The process for selecting the total
hood section ventilation rate is determined by a simple equation:
20 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

Figure 3.2 Condensate hood construction.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (2019)

Figure 3.3 Condensate hood example.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

cfm = cfm/linear ft of hood × hood length in ft

or

L/s = L/s per linear m × linear hood length in m

Note that the cfm/linear ft guideline is set by the governing mechanical code based on the
equipment covered. Some older standards may apply the airflow based on an area value to set the
exhaust rate.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 21

Meeting code minimum airflows on a Type II hood is set by the model mechanical codes, with
no current exemption for “listed” airflows or sizing as is available with Type I hoods. Mechanical
codes do document the required minimum hood overhangs, maximum hood height above appli-
ance, general material/construction requirements, and generic minimum exhaust airflow rates.
For example, the International Mechanical Code (IMC; ICC 2021d) requires a wall hood be
sized at no fewer than 6 in. (152 mm) horizontally beyond the top surface of the appliance on the
front and ends. It also requires a minimum airflow rate of 100 cfm/linear ft (155 L/s per linear m)
across the length of the hood. As previously stated, appliances not requiring a hood, as identified in
the mechanical code, require that their heat gains be accounted for in the HVAC loads for the space
and that the space exhaust rate be increased. All designs must be confirmed as meeting or exceed-
ing the local code requirements to achieve permitting for the project.

Type II Hoods—Meeting NSF Requirements

Where food is being prepared under a hood, it must also be in compliance with NSF/ANSI 2
(NSF 2021), which requires materials and construction methodology promoting cleanable, antimi-
crobial surfaces and joints, especially in those areas where condensate might drip back onto the food
being prepared beneath.

Type II Hoods—Design Considerations

While Type II hood design does not incorporate the complexity present in Type I (grease pro-
ducing) applications, it does have opportunities for thoughtful design to address what can some-
times be extremely large latent loads introduced into the facilities. ASHRAE RP-1778 (Livchak
and Swierczyna 2020) reports that research determined that applying current model code design
processes to the design of a hood can result in up to 50% of a dish machine’s latent and sensible
outputs escaping into the space. The research determined that increasing hood airflow rates and
overhangs has strong impacts on capturing those escaping loads. It also identified typically over-
looked sources of heat and moisture that escape into the space, such as dish sanitizing and prewash
processes, all of which must be factored into the HVAC design process. The process outlined in
Figure 3.4 will remove over 85% of dish machine and fume equipment loading in the space, leav-
ing only 15% to be incorporated into the building’s HVAC design. Refer to chapter 18, “Nonresi-
dential Cooling and Heat Load Calculations,” in ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b) for
a list of common appliance heat gains. Confirm loading through ASHRAE research or equipment
manufacturer data.
Figure 3.4 shows a method to exceed the current code performance shortfalls and reduce heat
and moisture buildup in a facility. The process applies the performance enhancements and ventila-
tion rates resulting from ASHRAE RP-1778 (Livchak and Swierczyna 2020) to achieve a more
sustainable performance improvement to the comfort of facilities.

Type II Hoods—Commissioning
Prior to turning over the facility to the kitchen’s new owner, the performance of both Type I
and Type II hoods is required to be field verified under ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d). Using the
manufacturer’s methods, each hood’s design airflow is to be set and confirmed, followed by a
visual confirmation of each hood’s successful capture and containment (C&C) of all steam, con-
vective heat, and products of combustion. This process is to be accomplished over fully heated
cooking surfaces under operational conditions or through a complete cycle for dish machines. All
sources of replacement air are to be active throughout the process and operating inside of –0.02 to
0 in. of water (5.0 Pa). Refer to chapter 8, “TAB and System Commissioning,” for details.
22 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

Figure 3.4 Type II design process flowchart.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

TYPE I HOODS
When grease-producing cooking equipment is installed, a Type I hood is required. While Type I
hoods require attention to overhangs, mounting heights, and equipment-duty-based airflows like
Type II (vapor/condensate) hoods, they also require listed grease filters, listed fire suppression sys-
tems covering equipment surfaces, ducts, plenums, fire-rated downstream ductwork, and safe clear-
ances to combustibles. The hoods themselves are listed, allowing for the specific application of
airflows, mounting, overhangs, clearance to combustible materials, fire dampers, makeup air com-
pensation, and grease mitigation strategies such as water wash, ultraviolet-C (UVC), electrostatic
precipitators, water scrubbers, and more. Type I hoods are supported by fire-rated or listed Type I
ductwork, listed canopy lighting systems, listed commercial kitchen exhaust fans, listed commercial
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 23

Figure 3.5 Typical interconnected system for Type I hoods.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

kitchen demand controls, and, where locally required, listed commercial kitchen pollution control
units (PCUs) based on recognized filters, electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers, incinerators, and
more. (For additional information on these associated listed items, see chapter 4, “Design Consider-
ations”). Figure 3.5 highlights how primary components of these systems are interconnected.
Type I hoods have several discrete features, all of which have separate performance, safety, and
in some cases, sanitation ratings associated with them. They typically include a canopy, a sloping
plenum, and an exhaust collar with accessories such as grease filters, a grease cup, optional fire
dampers, and canopy lights. Type I hoods incorporate mounting points to hang the hoods from the
ceiling and commonly insulated air spaces on the hood’s perimeter to allow for mounting to com-
bustible or limited combustible surfaces inside the kitchen. Generally, Type I hoods are built in sec-
tions ranging from 3–16 ft (0.91–4.88 m). Longer hoods typically line up multiple hoods end to end
to generate a larger hood system with multiple duct collars (grease duct attachments) to draw the
exhaust air through the hood and out of the space. Figure 3.6 shows basic Type I hood components.
A starting place for the classification and construction of Type I hoods is found in NFPA 96
(2021b), which allows for two paths to compliance: listed or unlisted.

• Listed hoods. The first path forward allowed under NFPA 96 (2021b), though not an option
under ASHRAE Standard 154, is to provide a listed hood. For the purposes of this design
guide, listed means the provided equipment is publicly identified as following the construc-
tion, materials, or performance standards specified in a consensus standard specific to the
24 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

application where it is being used by an agency acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction
(AHJ), who conducts regular audits of the provided products or components. The product list-
ing specific to Type I hoods is UL 710 (2012) or, where UV systems are applied, UL 710C
(2006). Hoods known as ventless or recirculating are covered under UL 710B (2011a). This
standard establishes alternative canopy sizing, joints, grease removal devices, dampers, air-
flows, and more that are equivalent or better in safety and performance when compared to an
unlisted hood. The proven construction, installation, and airflow rates are then used as require-
ments for manufacturers to design, construct, and provide commercial kitchens wherever the
model mechanical codes are applied. Listed products by their very nature complicate a generic
design process due to variations in manufacturer product performance, sizing, ratings, and
more.
It is strongly recommended that manufacturers by used for the application engineering
of listed Type I hood systems. They are the best sources to provide optimal, code-compli-
ant solutions and accountability for those designs. The position of ASHRAE Technical
Committee (TC) 5.10 is that it is best to allow only listed hoods, as they have been third-
party tested and verified to provide lower air and proven construction methods.
• Unlisted hoods. The second path forward under NFPA 96 (2021b) is to provide an unlisted
hood. An unlisted hood has specific requirements for steel of not less than 18 MSG, 0.048 in.
(1.22 mm), or stainless steel of not less than 20 MSG, 0.036 in. (0.91mm), to be continuously
welded, greasetight and watertight to the lower, outermost perimeter of the hood. Such hoods
require listed grease filters and listed canopy light fixtures and do not allow for the applica-
tion of fire or balancing dampers. The position of the equipment’s cooking surface to the
lowermost point of the hood filter opening is not be to less than 18 in. (457 mm) for light- to
heavy-duty cooking appliances and not less than 4 ft (1.22 m) when covering cooking equip-
ment utilizing solid fuel for all or part of its heat source. They require listed fire protection
and are to be sized and configured to provide for the capture and removal of grease-laden

Figure 3.6 Basic Type I hood components.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 25

vapors. The use of an unlisted hood is not accepted under ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d),
as it is proven to use greater exhaust flow rates than a listed hood.

Type I Hoods—Components and Subassemblies

Commercial kitchen hoods rely on specific listed, recognized, or classified components and
subassemblies to function safely and properly inside the CKV system. Below are several com-
monly provided components and subassemblies specified for commercial kitchen Type I hoods.
Fire suppression. Due to the nature of commercial cooking equipment and their associated
emissions’ potential to burn markedly when conditions are right, NFPA 96 (2021b) requires the
application of a fire suppression system to a Type I hood system. These assemblies are typically man-
ifolded wet chemical or water-based systems plumbed through the hoods to deliver a suppressant to
the surface of the cooking equipment, inside the plenum of the hoods, and to the hood duct collar
transition into the exhaust duct. Downstream coverage of the grease duct varies by manufacturer and
is typically up to 75 ft (22.9 m), at which point additional nozzles may be required for the down-
stream ducting. The governing standard for listed commercial kitchen fire suppression is UL 300
(2019), which is covered under NFPA 17A (2021a) and required by NFPA 96 (2021b). Listed water-
based systems are also available under UL 300 (2019), UL 199 (2022a), or UL 199E (2017a). Units
covered under UL 199 and 199E are integrated into the building’s fire sprinkler system, covered
under NFPA 13 (2022).
The design of fire suppression is to be conducted by a properly trained and certified agent of the
equipment manufacturer and performed in accordance with the product’s listing. Hood manufactur-
ers and fire protection contractors are commonly good sources for these system designs. System siz-
ing for duct and plenum coverage typically scales with hood length and exhaust duct collar sizing,
while equipment surface protection scales based on the type and quantity of equipment pieces cov-
ered. There are two common types of coverage methods: equipment specific and flood. Equipment-
specific coverage is detailed based on a known cooking line requiring modification if equipment is
repositioned, added, or deleted from the line. Flood coverage allows for a generic cover over most
equipment, but at a higher upfront cost to the project. Depending on which path is taken, surface pro-
tection is specifically detailed in product listing manuals and must be closely followed. The cooking
lineups and methodology determine the system’s cost and sizing.
Special attention must be provided for large kitchens supporting multiple hoods installed end to
end or back to back on manifolded Type I duct systems. It is not uncommon for the design of these
systems to be actuated simultaneously due to their being in fluid connection with one another, a
condition referred to as a common or single hazard. Downstream, pollution control, heat recovery,
or other grease duct-mounted accessories are included in this single hazard and must be confirmed
and designed in accordance with the locally adopted code. Pollution control or other duct accesso-
ries are required to have UL 300 or equivalent protection as required under NFPA 96 (2021b). When
the coverages of these devices are not detailed specifically in UL 300 (2019) or an equivalent listing,
special attention and AHJ approval is required prior to permitting and installation.
An example system might have UL 300 fire protection equipment provided with tanks, detec-
tors, and nozzles for equipment surface, plenum, and grease duct discharge. Tanks can be option-
ally hood mounted, as shown in Figure 3.7. Once a fire is detected, the chemical will release
simultaneously across the entirety of the common hazard, thus deactivating the equipment, activat-
ing the exhaust fan, and deactivating the makeup air being supplied for the common hazard area.
Fire protection systems commonly have dry contacts that change state simultaneously with the dis-
charge of the tanks. Those contacts trigger a gas valve and electrical shutoff response for the cook-
ing equipment and provide notification to the building management system, alarm system, and
other fire and life safety responses. Fire protection coverage over solid-fuel appliances requires
additional consideration and needs to be applied based on manufacturer listing requirements and
26 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

Figure 3.7 Fire protection tank.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

NFPA 96 (2021b). Note these systems must be isolated from other Type I exhaust systems to gen-
erate their own common hazard.
Grease filters. Grease removal devices are a foundational requirement of UL 710 (2012).
Grease filters serve to remove larger particulate and protect the hood plenums and downstream
ductwork from equipment fires moving up and through the exhaust system where they may spread
to the rest of the building. Filters listed for use in generic hood systems are covered under UL 1046
(2010c), while permanent or removable grease removal devices integral to a listed exhaust hood are
covered as a recognized component to the hood’s listing. The performance of these filters is covered
under ASTM F2519 (2020b) and VDI 2052 (2022) and is presented as “fractional efficiency.” See
Figure 3.8 for an example plot. The VDI standard also includes a loading-based method of test
(MOT) used to determine how much grease is captured and what is reentrained back into the air-
flow. Note that filtration performance is not addressed during the UL 1046 (2010c) or UL 710
(2012) listing processes. Grease filters mostly use inertial impaction as the means to remove grease,
with higher efficiency generally linked to higher static pressure and fan motor horsepower (kilo-
watts). Figure 3.9 shows different filter styles that have different efficiencies of grease capture at the
hood. Designers should weigh the cost in motor horsepower (kilowatts) against a higher rate of
grease deposition inside the downstream Type I ducts. Factors such as equipment type, volume,
product cooked, duct length, local labor costs, and accessibility all impact the expense associated
with maintaining Type I ductwork and, ultimately, the total cost of ownership. Greater detail on par-
ticle size and distribution generated from select cooking equipment and product types can be found
in ASHRAE RP-745 (Gerstler et al. 1998) and ASHRAE RP-1375 (Kuehn et al. 2008).
Clean-in-place (water wash) and continuously operating mist hoods. Some manufacturers
provide optional clean-in-place or continuously operating mist options for Type I hoods. Clean-in-
place hoods typically introduce hot water and detergent through nozzles located inside the hood to
clean away collected grease from the day’s cooking operations. Such equipment can reduce or
eliminate the need for dish-machine servicing of grease filters and the associated labor for the
removal and replacement of the grease filters in the hoods. These savings come at the cost of the
additional hot water, detergent, and sewer infrastructure needed to support the clean-in-place oper-
ation. Upsized water heaters and wash control cabinets are common additional requirements.
Clean-in-place water consumption varies from about 0.5 to 1.5 gpm per linear foot of hood (6.2 to
19.3 L/s per linear meter of hood) based on hood type and manufacturer, with wash lengths lasting
between 3 and 10 minutes per hood section. Continuously operating mist hoods are another option
that are sometimes incorporated over solid fuel to mitigate the risks associated with burning wood
or charcoal and the associated production of creosote and large quantities of sparks and embers.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 27

Figure 3.8 Grease filter fractional efficiency plot.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (2019)

Figure 3.9 Examples of grease filter designs at increasing grease efficiency as well as increasing
static pressure.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

Additionally, misting can be used to bring condensable vapors out of the air where they can be
mechanically filtered.
Canopy lights. Canopy hoods are overall the most common hood style in commercial kitch-
ens, as they have listed lights installed inside the hood’s reservoir to provide adequate light for safe
food preparation. These light fixtures (luminaires) must be specifically rated for use in a commer-
cial kitchen hood and are covered under UL 1598 (2021a). Available canopy lighting options range
from incandescents to light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Initial cost and energy consumption must be
balanced by the designer and applied appropriately to the hoods. Caution must be applied to large
kitchens with incandescent or inefficient canopy lighting systems, as they may place a sizable elec-
trical load on the kitchen. Note 50 fc (538 lm) at the cooking surface is a standard requirement for
28 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

U.S.-based kitchens and must be used as the basis for the design process to meet sanitation require-
ments in most localities.
DCKV controls. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC; ICC 2021c) requires
energy-reducing equipment such as:
• Demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) on 75% or more of the hoods
• Heat recovery
• Maximizing transfer air that would normally be exhausted, to be provided on kitchens with
total hood (Types I and II) exhaust rates of 5000 cfm (2360 L/s) or more

DCKV is a common energy-saving control used to meet code and reduce energy consumption,
providing substantial fan law type energy savings on both the supply and replacement air sides as
well as a reduction in the required tempering/conditioning needed to maintain space comfort.
These controls primarily use temperature in combination with infrared (IR), opacity, or other sens-
ing methods to determine the activity level of the cooking process and adjust the kitchen’s exhaust
fans to maintain C&C. DCKV controls are required to modulate both supply and exhaust airflows
to the kitchen to maintain proper space pressurization and are sometimes provided with exhaust
duct collar installed modulating dampers and pressure transducers to provide independent control
of each hood section where multiple hoods are being served by a single exhaust fan. Controls of
this type are typically listed in UL 710 (2012), UL 508A (2022b), UL 8782 (2017c), and more. See
chapter 34 of ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019) for more information on applying
DCKV systems.
Fire dampers. UL 710 (2012) allows for the listing of Type I hoods with or without fire damp-
ers. Though once a standard in commercial kitchen hoods, they are seldom provided today due to
very conservative and well-regulated design requirements for Type I ducts and effective fire sup-
pression systems. Hoods with integrated fire dampers are listed for such use under UL 710 and are
typically actuated by thermostats or fuse links.
Perimeter plenums and compensating hoods. Typical methods of managing the high volume
of replacement (makeup) airflow required in commercial kitchens is through the use of perimeter
supply plenums and, sometimes, compensating hoods. These components and features provide the
means to introduce the airflow local to the hood while reducing the detrimental effects the makeup
air can have on hood C&C. It is recommended that 50% of the makeup air delivered through
perimeter plenums, shown in Figure 3.10, moves directly into the exhaust hood, while 50% of the
load is introduced to the space and requires consideration in the kitchen’s load calculations.
Many of the negative influences can be managed by reducing the volume and velocity of the
airflow being introduced. Perimeter plenums, shown in Figure 3.10, when producing no greater
than 75 fpm (0.381 m/s) on the downward edge of the hoods, have demonstrated the best overall
practically applied performance. Refer to chapter 34 of ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications
(2019) for additional information. Perimeter plenums deliver makeup airflow continuously across
each surface of the hoods they are installed against. Discharge temperatures exceeding 7°F (4°C)
above ambient have been found to adversely affect hood performance and must be considered in
the design process.
Compensating hoods, shown in Figure 3.11, allow for the introduction of the makeup air
directly into the hood, minimizing the required space for makeup air inlets inside the kitchen. Con-
tained inside the hood’s product listing under UL 710 (2012), each of the systems shown have per-
formance limitations and ratings needing to be closely followed to both meet code and perform.
Note that internal discharge methodology is not accepted by ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) or
the model mechanical codes at volumes exceeding 10%. Hoods properly producing internal dis-
charge rates of 10% or less have been known to produce a reduction in the required exhaust rate.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 29

Figure 3.10 Perimeter supply plenum.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

Figure 3.11 Common compensating hood designs.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (2019)
30 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

UVC lamps. Type I hoods can be provided with integrated UVC systems used for the reduc-
tion of deposited grease and possible reduction in cooking odor. Hoods with listed UVC systems
typically install lamps in the path of the exhaust allowing for direct exposure of the airborne grease
to UV light and, additionally, the downstream subjugation of the grease duct to ozone produced by
the lamps. Such systems require safety interlocks to eliminate potential exposure of persons to
UVC light and ozone and are certified under UL 710C (2006). Field and laboratory efficacy studies
funded by manufacturers, ASHRAE, and other organizations have been conducted with varied
results in quantifying the effectiveness of UVC to reduce deposition both in real time and as a
treatment. There is currently no publicly accepted performance standard associated with UVC and
its grease-reducing capabilities in Type I ductwork.
Other subassemblies. Ozone generators, electrostatic cells, integrated UL 900 filters, odor
mitigating chemical spray, water misting, and other systems are available from manufacturers to
address smoke, odor, and Type I system maintenance. Verify with providers the equipment is listed
for such use and, if available, consider all sources of performance data in your selection to ensure
the desired intent is being met. See chapter 4, “Design Considerations,” for additional information.

Type I Hoods—Ratings
UL 710 (2012) is the basis for Type I hood ratings. Hood electrical ratings, front and side over-
hangs, mounting heights relative to the cooking surface, non-continuously welded joints, clearance
to combustibles, equipment duty coverages, exhaust collar position ranges, presence or absence of
fire damper, grease removal devices, and minimum ventilation rates all come from the product’s
listing. Type I hoods come marked with the electrical rating, presence or absence of damper, equip-
ment duty (cooking temperature), section airflow, and static pressure from the manufacturer on
exhaust-only hoods. Compensating hoods also have design airflows for the hood’s makeup air
inlet. These values are typically unique to each hood section.
Reduced clearance to combustibles. Some Type I hoods have reduced clearance to combusti-
ble listings, reducing the installed distance from the standard distances specified inside the model
mechanical codes. These ratings are achieved by a provision inside UL 710 coming from UL 710B
(2011a) and UL 197 (2010b), which allows the reduction in space between combustibles and
heated surfaces when the equipment is confirmed experimentally to not exceed 117°F (48°C)
during normal operations or 175°F (80°C) during abnormal conditions.
Duty level (solid fuel). Another rating for Type I hoods is the duty level of the equipment
being covered. Typical Type I hoods cover light to heavy duty, with some being designed for use
over solid fuel. Previously, the solid fuel rating under UL 710 was designated by a cooking surface
temperature of 700°F (371°C). The current UL duty rating for solid fuel is “extra heavy,” which is
the designation for a hood installed over equipment obtaining all or part of its input energy from
the burning of charcoal or wood. The uncontrolled nature of this type of cooking equipment
requires special attention regarding the design and ratings of the Type I exhaust system. Solid-fuel-
rated grease filters, higher ventilation rates, isolated fire suppression systems, and separate exhaust
systems must be used to comply with the model mechanical codes. Equipment rated as “extra
heavy duty” requires isolation from electric- and natural gas-heated appliances, except where the
lesser-duty equipment sharing the hood does not require surface fire suppression. When hoods sup-
porting solid fuels are used in line with other lesser-duty hoods, the installation of full end panels is
required where hood sections meet. Some of these hoods may be provided with misting nozzles to
reduce the risk of fire in the downstream ductwork. Refer to specific filter, hood, and fire protec-
tion manufacturer listings for compliant applications and solutions.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 31

Type I Hoods—Hood Styles

Commercial kitchen hoods come in several styles, all of which impact integration of the hoods
into the building, the amount of space they require, and their demand for fresh air. The specifica-
tion of one style over another is determined by the cooking equipment’s type and location inside
the kitchen. The most common hood styles in use today are wall-mounted canopy hoods because
of their versatility in operating over tabletop equipment as well as larger equipment such as ovens,
combi ovens, rotisseries, and more. Figure 3.12 shows common Type I canopy hood styles.
Canopy hoods can be mounted against code-compliant limited or noncombustible walls or in
island applications where all sides are open. They are sometimes provided with incorporated
makeup air plenums; these are referred to as compensating hoods. Compensating hoods introduce
makeup air horizontally away from the hood, downward—typically right over the chef's head—or
internally into the hood’s capture reservoir, where volumes greater than 10% are not accepted (see
Figure 3.11). Typical canopy hoods are designed to hang from the ceiling, and their weight must be
accounted for in the structural design, following mechanical code-required clearance to combusti-
bles. Canopy hoods are the most commonly used hoods over solid-fuel appliances, where they are
supported by independent fire protection and exhaust systems. Disadvantages of canopy hoods are

Figure 3.12 Type I canopy hood styles.

32 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

their slightly higher airflow requirements compared to more specialized hoods such as backshelf,
eyebrow, or passover style hoods.
Backshelf style hoods, shown in Figure 3.13, are commonly used in quick-service or other spe-
cialized applications where equipment is predominately countertop. The reduced distance from the
cooking surface to the inlet of the filters reduces the size of the cooking equipment’s plume, thereby
reducing the required exhaust ventilation rates needed to achieve C&C. ASHRAE RP-1202
(Swierczyna et al., 2005) has shown has shown that for each inch of hood mounting height reduc-
tion, a resulting 1% reduction in the exhaust rate was achieved.
Eyebrow hoods, shown in Figure 3.14, are commonly used in applications where large deck,
baking, or pizza ovens are used. They are designed around direct mounting to the oven or equip-
ment they serve and are sometimes available with direct venting for the equipment’s flue as well as
small canopies for capturing emissions from operable doors or openings. Eyebrow hoods can
reduce ventilation rates and the space required in the facility’s kitchen compared to that of canopy
style hoods.
Less common styles such as downdraft, ventilated ceiling, proximity, and passover hoods are
also available, each providing optimized conditions for specific equipment types or locations
inside the facility’s kitchen or dining spaces.
Other available solutions are ventless, or recirculating, hoods. These hoods allow for the treatment of
grease-laden airflows requiring a Type I system without the need for the exhaust duct, shafts, fans, and
related systems. These systems are for use over electric equipment and do not commonly address the
sensible or latent heat generated by the cooking process, so these heat gains must be accounted for in the
HVAC system design. They typically rely on a series of mechanical, electrostatic, and gas-phase filters to
reduce emissions to acceptable levels at the point of discharge back into the space. Careful consideration
is recommended for the impacts of ventless hoods on the facility’s indoor environmental quality (IEQ).
These hoods are listed to UL 710B (2011a) and are provided with the means to reduce the emissions to
below 3.1 × 10–7 lb/ft3 at 500 cfm (5.0 mg/m3 at 236 L/s) (ICC 2021d). EPA Method 202 (2016) is used
as the basis for emissions testing done under the UL 710B (2011a) evaluation. While the code does not
explicitly prohibit it, installing multiple recirculating hoods whose combined operations would exceed
the 3.1 × 10–7 lb/ft3 at 500 cfm (5.0 mg/m3 at 236 L/s) limit is not recommended.
Properly analyzing, reviewing and selecting a Type I hood style can ultimately affect the
required ventilation rates needed for the kitchen. It is the authors’ opinion that significant airflow
savings will result from specifying backshelf hoods in place of canopy hoods or wall-mounted can-
opy hoods in place of single-island hoods. These airflow reductions result in not only savings to
the size of the exhaust fans but also the Type I grease duct(s), shaft(s), and comfort HVAC replace-
ment air systems. Savings can account for thousands of dollars in capital and annual operating
costs. See chapter 1 for assessing life-cycle costs and total cost of ownership.

Type I Hoods—Determining Hood Airflow

Type I hoods are designed to capture, contain, and manage the grease and threat of fire gener-
ated by the equipment over which they are placed. Fulfilling this objective efficiently while meet-
ing the energy and mechanical codes and the product’s listing can be a challenge. For the purposes
of this guide, only “listed” Type I hoods are covered due to their specification being the only way
to meet both the model mechanical and energy codes simultaneously.
Meeting code. The IECC (ICC 2021c), based on ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE
2022b) for commercial buildings, sets maximum ventilation rates for generic Type I hoods based on
the highest-duty equipment rating located beneath each hood section. See Figure 3.1 to start the pro-
cess of determining hood type and duty. As of 2020, nearly 40% of U.S. states utilize the maximum
airflow cap requirements designated in IECC, with other states soon to follow. With this in mind, it is
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 33

Figure 3.13 Backshelf hood.

Figure 3.14 Eyebrow hood.

recommended that hood ventilation rates not exceed ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 ventilation rates to
avoid code exceptions to achieve permitting.
Minimum exhaust flow rates are set by each hood’s listing. UL 710 (2012) contains a method
of test called “Cooking Smoke and Flare up,” which is used to determine minimum ventilation
rates for each hood section operating at the longest and shortest available section lengths. The test-
ing is done generically with a hamburger on fully heated appliances representational of light,
medium, heavy, and extra-heavy-duty cooking lines. In older versions of UL 710, the duty levels
were represented by cooking surface temperatures. A representative of a nationally recognized
testing laboratory (NRTL) is commonly used to administer the testing in a draft-free laboratory
environment. The resulting values are published and show minimum ventilation rates alongside
their corresponding equipment duties, overhangs, and hood heights relative to the cooking surface.
34 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

Hoods designed at or above their product’s listed values are accepted as meeting code pending a
field evaluation; however, the minimum listed ventilation rates published are often inadequate to
fully capture and contain all equipment emissions and therefore must be used only as a floor for
design exhaust rates and not the basis of design. Only under circumstances in which equipment
placement, diversity, and features are incorporated into the design can exhaust rates drop to within
listed rates. Be sure to consult hood manufacturers for proper design exhaust rates and opportuni-
ties for reductions in those rates. See chapter 8, “TAB and System Commissioning,” for details on
the commissioning and field evaluation of a hood’s performance.
Design considerations/best-practice design. Once the operational ranges to meet code have
been determined, setting airflows relies on several factors, including hood selection and type,
equipment position and diversity, overhangs (hood sizing), replacement air sources, and sometimes
the addition of accessories such as side panels and rear seals. Many of these factors’ effects on
hood performance have been documented through ASHRAE research such as RP-1202
(Swierczyna et al. 2005) and RP-1480 (Swierczyna et al. 2010). Both studies used ASTM F1704
(2022) to determine the effects of equipment position, diversity, side panels, rear seals, and
replacement air introduction on hood performance. ASTM F1704 makes use of enhanced visual-
ization methods such as Schlieren and shadowgraphs to determine minimum hood capture airflow
rates under controlled conditions.
Results from ASHRAE RP-1202 (Swierczyna et al. 2005) indicate that on a generic hood,
when best practice in all categories is observed, up to 45% of the required exhaust can be saved—a
net 2300 cfm (1086 L/s) in savings off a 10 ft (3.05 m) generic hood. These best practices include
the following:
• Moving heavy-duty equipment toward the center of the hood on mixed-duty lines, increas-
ing hood front and side overhangs
• Minimizing mounting heights to not exceed those prescribed by the Americans with Dis-
abilities Act (ADA 2023)
• Pushing heavy equipment against the rear wall and adding rear seals between the wall and
the heavy equipment
• Adding side panels

In the experiments, all of these actions produced substantial reductions in the required exhaust ven-
tilation rates.
ASHRAE RP-1480 (Swierczyna et al. 2010) further studied best-practice design on island
hoods, which shared many of the same benefits for ventilation rate reductions with increased front
and side overhangs and reduced turbulence from low-velocity-introduced replacement air as wall-
mounted hoods. RP-1480 showed that single-island applications benefit from a V-back design
compared to single-sided filter configurations, confirmed that double-island equipment lines per-
formed similarly to wall hoods regarding ventilation rates and that introduction of air in excess of
10°F (5.6°C) to the kitchen’s ambient temperature does impact hood performance, and further
illustrated how critical a balanced introduction of replacement air is to island hoods. To put it sim-
ply, replacement air is to be evenly distributed around the hood, at low velocity, and as far as possi-
ble from the hood. Perforated perimeter plenums installed on all sides, introducing replacement air
at 80 fpm (0.406 m/s), outperformed other strategies in the research. When considering all options,
perforated plenums are the recommended methodology to introduce makeup air without jeopardiz-
ing hood performance.
Setting Type I hood ventilation rates. The best source for setting ventilation rates for Type I
hoods is the equipment/hood manufacturer. They are versed in the equipment’s UL and ASTM
F1704 (2022) minimum airflow results and understand the impacts of the introduction of makeup
air, equipment diversity, equipment position, hood style, type, and other features on determining
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 35

comfortable and efficient ventilation rates. Many manufacturers have automated processes or soft-
ware to assist in generating hood selection, sizing, and design airflows. These methods are typi-
cally empirically based and sometimes use plume-size calculations coupled with environmental
factors to determine airflows. Utilizing manufacturer methods for design is recommended and has
benefits not only for determining optimal airflows but also in delivering accountability. Similar to
other industries, there are performance, maintenance, and upfront cost benefits to be had with each
manufacturer’s Type I hoods, each of which need to be weighed in the design process.
In addition to manufacturer-published UL and ASTM F1704 (2022) values, confirmation of
manufacturer design airflows is available in the appendix of ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d). It
uses a method sourced from the German standard VDI 2052 (2022) and determines hood airflow
by summing each piece of the equipment’s plume, accounting for the introduction of replacement
air, hood style, performance, and type. Refer to ASHRAE Standard 154, Informative Annex B
(2022d), for a simplistic approach and unlisted hood example. It is recommended that the method
only be used as a reference, because each manufacturer’s hood performance impacts constants
used in the calculation.
Effects of replacement air on hood performance. A major factor that cannot be overlooked
in the successful design of a high-performance CKV system is the effects of replacement (makeup)
air on hood performance, IEQ, and space comfort. A successful replacement air system must be
designed to deliver air that will not adversely affect the space comfort or hood performance.
Replacement air must be delivered equally on all sides and at low velocity. The introduction of
replacement air must not induce velocities greater than 75 fpm (0.381 m/s) at the lowermost por-
tion of the kitchen’s hoods. All sources of transfer air, such as pass-through windows and/or doors,
should not exceed 50 fpm (0.254 m/s). Typical hood design relies in part on the fact that the turbu-
lence inside the kitchen will be at a minimum, with single-island applications being the most sensi-
tive to a turbulent condition.
Commissioning. Verification is a critical part of successfully providing a high-performance
kitchen. Once hoods are installed, their performance must be verified operationally to the method
of test spelled out in ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d). The hoods and all sources of replacement
air are to be balanced to design conditions, and a visual confirmation of each hood’s successful
C&C is to be completed. This process must be accomplished over fully heated cooking surfaces
under operational conditions. All sources of replacement air are to be active throughout the process
and operating inside of 0–0.02 in. of water (5.0 Pa). Refer to chapter 8, “TAB and System Com-
missioning,” for details.

Type I Hoods—Design Approach

The role of the food service consultant is a critical first step in the design process. They deter-
mine the facility layout and equipment ratings based on the menu, volume, type, and occupancy
desired by the owner. The equipment position, type, size, and layout are drawn and specified. This
information is then used as the basis to select and size the hood(s). The resulting hood engineering
is used in the base calculations for the mechanical support system design. The process of specify-
ing the hoods comes from the project’s food service consultant or mechanical engineer, both of
whom will use manufacturer’s engineering or automation process to support the design of the proj-
ect’s listed hoods, fire protection, and downstream Type I exhaust systems. It is not uncommon for
hood design to come from the consultant, with the remaining system components designed by the
mechanical engineer. Design crossover between the food service consultant and the mechanical
engineer will happen. Coordination between the two designs is critical to ensure all requirements
are met, with the engineer of record (EOR) needing to provide final design approval.
Replacement air systems are sized using local climate zone data, exhaust airflows, and comfort
set points. The project’s mechanical engineer then designs the replacement air system to meet code
36 | Chapter 3: Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment

and maintain facility comfort, pressurization, and energy use optimization. Using all sources of
facility transfer air and the balanced, low-velocity introduction of that air into the kitchen space is
critical to delivering a high-performance kitchen hood system. See chapter 8 for more details.

Type I Hoods—Ventilation System Supplemental Equipment

Additional support systems exist for Type I hood systems, including the following:
• PCUs used to abate cooking emissions and odor
• Heat recovery systems used to reuse the heat generated from the cooking process for the
heating of replacement air or facility hot water
• Utility distribution systems used to safely route electrical power and resources such as hot
water and steam to commercial cooking equipment

These listed systems allow for purpose-built and sometimes capitalizable solutions to meet energy
code requirements and emissions standards, optimize the total cost of ownership, or increase kitchen
longevity. Consult ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019), chapter 34, “Kitchen Ventila-
tion,” and chapter 4 of this guide for more information on equipment deliverables.
 4
Design Considerations

Commercial kitchens are a complex system of integrated components including, but not lim-
ited to, the cooking appliances and processes, exhaust ventilation hoods, ductwork, exhaust fans,
replacement air systems, supply air diffusers, heat recovery systems, safety systems, refrigeration
systems, control systems that regulate how these various components interact with each other, and
energy management systems. The overarching purpose of the commercial kitchen ventilation
(CKV) system is to remove heat, smoke, steam, grease emissions, and combustion byproducts
from the kitchen in order to provide a safe environment with acceptable indoor environmental
quality (IEQ) for the cooking staff. Additionally, pollution control units (PCUs) can be installed
downstream of the hoods to manage the emissions being discharged to the atmosphere. Figure 4.1
gives an overview of the design process discussed in this chapter.

TYPES OF COOKING PROCESSES AND APPLIANCES

The starting point for every commercial kitchen design is identifying the cooking processes
that will be used and the cooking appliances needed to perform those operations. Some of the pri-
mary cooking processes in commercial kitchens are presented in Table 4.1.
Once the cooking operation has been determined, the cooking appliances need to be selected.
Note that there may be several different types of appliances that can perform a given cooking oper-
ation. For example, if a cook wanted to roast meat, the choice of appliances could include a stan-
dard oven, convection oven, or combi oven. The differences between these appliances are as
follows:
• A standard oven encompasses the food with hot air
• A convection oven circulates the hot air, which speeds up the cooking
• A combi oven allows the addition of steam, which can help prevent the food from drying
out during the cooking process

Additionally, some cooking appliances can perform multiple cooking processes. For example, a
combi oven can bake, roast, steam, proof, and rethermalize food. It is important to understand that,
typically, the food service consultant performs the function of selecting the cooking appliances to
meet the desired menu goals. The consultant selects and optimizes the quantity and physical size of
the cooking equipment as well as energy consumption, both of which can lead to savings on the
overall kitchen ventilation and HVAC systems. While the CKV designer may not be directly
involved in the appliance selection, it is important that they understand how and why this process is
one of the first steps taken in the design stages of a commercial kitchen.
38 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.1 Commercial kitchen design process.

Table 4.1 Cooking Operations and Commonly Associated Appliances

Cooking Operation Description Typical Appliances
Roasting/baking Food is cooked with hot air, which can be dry Convection oven
or have moisture added, that surrounds and Combi oven
heats the food. Range oven
Pizza oven

Broiling Food is cooked by direct convective heat and Underfired broiler

possibly radiation energy. Overfired broiler
Salamander broiler/grill

Surface or pan frying Food is cooked on a hot surface that is coated Griddle
with oil or fat. Range top
Hot top
Wok range
Induction range
Plancha
Boiling Food is cooked in boiling water. Pasta cooker
Range top

Steaming Food is surrounded by steam to cook quickly. Steamer

Combi oven
Steamer basket
Deep-fat frying Food is cooked in a vat of oil. Deep-fat fryer
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 39

EFFLUENT PRODUCTION BY COOKING PROCESS

It is important for the designer of the kitchen to understand that not all cooking process are the
same—each one is unique with regard to what emissions and other byproducts are produced, as
described in this section. When food is cooked, the following emissions are created to varying
degrees, dependent upon the cooking process: grease, which consists of solid particles as well as
gaseous vapor; smoke; steam; and other gases typically in the form of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs). Note that the VOCs also carry much of the perceived odor that is created during the cook-
ing process. Two ASHRAE-funded research projects, ASHRAE RP-745 (Gerstler et al. 1998) and
RP-1375 (Kuehn et al. 2008), focus on grease emissions from larger hooded appliances. For these
appliances, both the particulate grease emissions (by particle size range) and vapor emissions are
presented in Figure 4.2. It is evident from Figure 4.2 that the cooking emissions vary largely as a
function of the cooking process. The two processes with the largest overall grease emissions include
using a solid fuel (wood-fired) broiler to cook hamburgers, which has total emissions of approxi-
mately 140 lb/1000 lb (140 kg/1000 kg) of food cooked, and using a Chinese wok to fry chicken,
which has total emissions of nearly 250 lb/1000 lb (250 kg/1000 kg). Contrast this with the emis-
sions from using a gas fryer to cook french fries, where the total measured emissions were less than
2 lb/1000 lb (2 kg/1000 kg), which is less than 1% of the emissions from the Chinese wok.
Figure 4.3 presents the breakdown of grease emissions by cooking operation into what per-
centage of the emissions is grease particulate versus grease vapor. This information becomes valu-
able when selecting exhaust filtration in the hood along with other treatment systems, because
grease vapor will travel through mechanical grease filters and separators. It is particularly import-
ant for the engineer and end user to understand that mechanical filters (and media filters) generally
only collect grease particulate unless the surfaces are cold enough to provide condensation of the
grease vapor.
Another important component of cooking emissions is smoke, especially when cooking pro-
teins on a hot surface (such as hamburgers being cooked on an underfired broiler) or when fuel
(such as charcoal or wood) is being combusted during the cooking process. One group of research-
ers focused on the emissions from different types of wood being combusted. They found that for
oak wood in particular, the largest mass of emissions was at a particle size of 0.1 microns, which is
smaller than what they found for charbroiling meat, which had the largest mass at a particle size of
0.2 microns (Kleeman et al. 1999). From a designer’s perspective, it is important to know what
particle sizes smoke comprises and whether smoke mitigation is a requirement for the project.

Effluent from Countertop Appliances

ASHRAE RP-1631 (Zheng et al. 2016) evaluated the grease emissions from smaller counter-
top appliances. Figure 4.4 shows the total grease concentrations emitted from these appliances in
lb/ft3 (mg/m3). It can be observed that the emissions from the hot plate, rapid-cook oven, and hot
dog roller all exceed the 3.12 lb/ft3 (5 mg/m3) concentration limit where hoods may be required by
the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). International Mechanical Code (IMC; ICC 2021d)
states that if an electric cooking appliance produces 5 mg/m3 (3.12 lb/ft3) or less of grease when
tested at an exhaust airflow rate of 500 cfm (850 m3/h), it does not need a hood. Figure 4.5 presents
the comparison of particulate and vapor emissions as a percentage of total emissions for these
same countertop appliances. When evaluating a kitchen, the designer should consider grouping
countertop appliances together underneath a Type I or Type II hood.
40 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.2 Grease emissions from hooded cooking processes.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (Kuehn et al. 2008)

Figure 4.3 Grease particulate matter (PM) and vapor percentages from hooded cooking processes.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 41

Figure 4.4 Total grease emissions from countertop appliances.

Figure 4.5 Grease particulate and vapor percentages from countertop appliances.
42 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

TYPES OF EXHAUST HOODS

Chapter 3, “Exhaust Hoods and Related Equipment,” provides detailed descriptions of the
types of hoods used in commercial restaurants, the duty levels of the cooking equipment, and the
design processes for Type I and Type II hoods.
To summarize chapter 3, for the purposes of this chapter, there are two broad types of exhaust
hoods: Type I and Type II. A Type I hood is required when the cooking processes produce grease
effluent. A Type II hood is required when an appliance is producing only heat or moisture (no
grease or smoke is being produced). The most common application for Type II hoods is installation
over dishwashers or steam-producing equipment. Both of these hood types are connected to the
building’s exterior through the use of ductwork and exhaust fans.
Hood selection is crucial from energy and hood performance perspectives. Two means of
improving a hood’s energy performance are moving the extraction point closer to the cooking sur-
face and minimizing entrainment air through means such as end panels. Hood performance can be
impacted by making sure the correct hood is selected for a given application. Factors such as
proper overhang, adequate grease filtration, and others should also be considered. Additionally,
many hood manufacturers have design features that enhance their products’ hood efficiency.
Because Type II hoods exhaust air that is predominantly free from smoke and grease, there is
not a reason to further clean this air; however, the exhaust from Type I hoods can contain large
quantities of grease and other pollutants that should be removed from the airstream.

Recirculating/Ventless Systems
Recirculating, or ventless, systems are a form of ventilation in which the exhaust byproducts
(including heat, grease, and smoke) are emitted back into the kitchen or building space at allowable
levels. Chapter 3 also contains information on this topic. The two types of ventless hoods are non-
integral and integral recirculating systems. Non-integral systems may be used with generic electric
cooking equipment up to specified size and voltage requirements. Integral recirculating systems
are designed for a specific make and model of cooking equipment.
Recirculating hoods that filter the exhaust air and recirculate that air back to the space are
becoming more common in both non-kitchen and kitchen spaces. Two critical design aspects that
need to be addressed when using ventless hoods are:
• Ensuring that the HVAC system is adequately sized to handle the added sensible, latent,
and radiant loads (e.g., heat gains) to the space, because all of the energy going into the
appliances ends up going to the food or as load to the space.
• Ensuring there are sufficient air changes in the space to help keep the air cleaner by sup-
plying fresh air. This reduces the concentration of grease particulate, vapor, and odors in
the space.

Another operational aspect of ventless systems is that maintenance will be required to clean or
replace the filtering components. The maintenance requirements vary depending on the types of fil-
tration used and the food products being cooked. Example schedules of some filtering devices are
listed in Table 4.2 (refer to manufacturers’ instructions for schedules on their specific systems).

EXHAUST TREATMENT SYSTEMS

When it comes to treating exhaust from cooking processes, it is important to know what is
being emitted, including grease particulates, grease vapor, smoke, and odors. The “Effluent Pro-
duction by Cooking Process” section of this chapter discusses grease particulate matter and vapor
and presents limited data on VOCs, which can contribute to odor in the emissions.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 43

Table 4.2 Example Inspection and Cleaning Periods for Filters in Ventless Systems
Filter Type Typical Inspection/Cleaning Schedule
Primary grease extractor Daily
Secondary grease extractor Daily
First-stage media filter 1 to 2 months
Electrostatic precipitator Daily to weekly
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter 2 to 3 months
Carbon filter 2 to 3 months

During the design process, which pollutants need to be managed and how to manage them
need to be determined. The degree to which the effluent needs to be managed depends largely on
two questions:

1. What local emission requirements need to be met?

2. Is the commercial kitchen located in an area that could make it susceptible to nuisance com-
plaints from neighboring buildings or tenants?

A classic example of this situation is restaurants located on the bottom floor of condominiums,
where smoke, odors, and grease can become nuisances for the tenants and building management.

Hood-Based Exhaust Treatment

There are several types of treatment systems commonly used in exhaust hoods that serve as the
first line of defense in treating the effluent generated by cooking processes. All the technologies
presented in Table 4.3 can be combined to address a specific situation, and while the suppliers
should be consulted, the engineer needs to understand the application and verify that the supplier’s
recommendation will achieve the desired goals.
The most common types of systems installed in hoods include mechanical filtration, ultraviolet-C
(UVC) lamps, water mist systems, water wash systems, and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). It is
important to understand that these types of systems in hoods do not typically remove smoke. High-
efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are the optimal control technology choice when nearly com-
plete smoke removal is required. The primary reason for this is that, as discussed previously, smoke is
typically in a size range of 0.1 to 0.2 microns, which is a region where mechanical and media filters
have poor particulate efficiency, while a HEPA filter has a particulate removal efficiency of at least
99.97% in this particle size range. Refer to the “Media Filters” subsection of the “Pollution Control
Exhaust Treatment” section of this chapter for more information on test standards and classifications.
Table 4.3 presents a typical application matrix of when to use which technology, but the actual selec-
tions can vary depending on the customer’s needs and cost considerations.
Mechanical filters. Mechanical filtration is included with all exhaust hoods for CKV applica-
tions that produce grease. NFPA 96 (2021b) requires that mechanical filters be listed as grease
removal devices. These may either be removable or nonremovable (integrated) filter types. It is
important to consider that the efficiency of the filter varies depending on the cooking process, the
filter used, and the airflow at which the hood is operating. ASTM F2519 (2020b) evaluates the per-
formance of mechanical filters specifically for use with CKV systems and shows the efficiency of
the filter over a broad range of particulate sizes (from 1–10 or more microns). It is important to
understand that mechanical filters do not remove grease vapor, only the particulate. An article in
44 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Table 4.3 Typical Application Matrix Based on Cooking Duty

Cooking Mechanical UVC Water Water Carbon Ozone

ESPs HEPA
Duty Level Filtration Lamps Mist Wash Filters Generators
Light x x
Medium x x x x
Heavy x x x x
Solid fuel x x x x x
Smoke control x1 x
Odor control x x x2
1
The degree of smoke removal varies with parameters such as the velocity of the air moving through the ESP cells and the number of passes that are installed.
2
Ozone generators are less effective at deodorizing when proteins are being seared.

Table 4.4 Comparison of Particulate and Total Grease Removal for Three Grease Filters
Used over a Gas Griddle Cooking Burgers

Filter Total Filter Efficiency Filter Efficiency for Particulate Only

A 60% 92%
B 22% 33%
C 30% 47%

ASHRAE Journal titled “The Facts about Mechanical Grease Filters” (Livchak et. al 2003) presents
data on the difference in particulate and total grease removal for various cooking processes and
types of mechanical filters. Table 4.4 presents an example from the article of the percentages of
particulate and of total grease (particulate plus vapor) removed with three different grease filters
when installed over an underfired broiler cooking burgers. Because grease filters installed in com-
mercial cooking hoods are mechanical filters, they only remove the solid grease particles (or grease
particulate) from the airstream. Grease vapor, which is in a gaseous state, bypasses the mechanical
filters and continues to move through the exhaust ventilation system. For this reason, the total filter
efficiency is less than the particulate removal efficiency, because all cooking processes produce
both particulate plus vapor. As seen in Table 4.4, there are large variations in commercial kitchen
filter performance, which is measured using ASTM F2519 (2019).
Two examples of mechanical grease filters are shown in Figure 4.6. The filter in the top photo
is a high-efficiency grease filter, while the filter on the bottom is a standard-efficiency filter. In gen-
eral, as the pressure drop through the filter increases (either by putting surfaces closer together,
changing the airflow path, or adding more collection surfaces) the efficiency increases.
UVC lamps. UVC lamps may be used in commercial exhaust hoods to help mitigate grease
levels in the hood plenum and downstream in the ductwork. These lamps produce both UVC light
and ozone around the vicinity of the lamps. With UVC lamps, it is important to consider that they
must be kept clean to be effective, and to produce ozone, they must be in the temperature range
specified by the manufacturer. The lifetime of UVC lamps ranges from 9000–16,000 hours
depending on lamp supplier and the specific type of lamp used.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 45

Figure 4.6 Examples of high-efficiency (top) and standard-efficiency (bottom) mechanical grease filters.
Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Figure 4.7 Example of UVC lamps in an exhaust hood plenum.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas
46 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Care should be taken to avoid eye exposure with UVC lamps. Because they produce ozone,
they should not operate when the exhaust system is not operational. Figure 4.7 shows a a bank of
UVC lamps.
ASHRAE RP-1614 (Zhang et al. 2020), sponsored by ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC)
5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, evaluated UVC lamps in hoods. The results of this study showed that the
UVC systems did cause chemical reactions to occur. One conclusion from the study was that the
residence time was either too short to see the reactions or that the condensation from grease vapor
and grease deposition were small because of limited cooking conducted in the study. Based on
those findings, it may be desirable to have a dwell time in the ductwork of 1–2 seconds for ozone
to react, depending on the ozone concentration generated with the specific supplier.
Water mist. Water mist is sometimes installed in exhaust hoods over heavy grease and high-
temperature or solid-fuel cooking applications. The advantages of mist systems are that they can
reduce the exhaust temperatures and help remove or reduce sparks and embers from the airstream.
It is important to realize that mist systems tend to operate only when the exhaust fans are turned on
and when cooking is occurring.
Water wash. Water wash systems operate during noncooking (idle) periods (commonly at
night) to clean the exhaust plenums and sometimes the mechanical filters. These are labor-saving
devices that are used in lieu of having staff remove filters to perform manual cleaning of the hood
system. An example of a water wash system is shown in Figure 4.8.
ESPs. ESPs are used in some hood systems to help reduce the amount of grease particulate
reaching the ductwork. They work by having an ionizer section that charges the grease particulate
and collection plates where an electrical field is generated that pushes the particles toward the col-
lection plate. It is important that ESPs are kept clean in order to maintain their efficiency. If too
much grease builds up on the ESP cells, these units tend to arc (causing sparking), which causes
the efficiency to instantaneously go to zero. It is important that the power supplies used in these
applications have an automatic shutdown if sparking occurs. The units are listed to UL 867
(2011b). Figure 4.9 shows a typical ESP cell.

Pollution Control Exhaust Treatment

PCUs are installed downstream of exhaust hoods and may be installed either inline with the
ductwork or at the end of the ductwork to help mitigate grease, smoke, and odor emissions. Some
of these systems can be the same as previously described in the hood exhaust treatment system.
Common components include media filters, ESPs, UVC lamps, carbon filters, HEPA filters, ozone
generators, and HEPA filters. For North America, PCUs need to be listed to UL 8782 (2017c).
Media filters. Media filters are the lowest cost grease management device that can be pur-
chased. In a typical filter-based PCU, there are a series of filters installed ranging from low effi-
ciency at the inlet of the unit to higher efficiency after the first filter. These media filters are rated
by the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) scale in North America and traditionally by a
Class scale in Europe. The MERV rating is generated by testing a media filter to ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 52.2 (2017) and the European class is determined by testing either to ISO 16890-1 (2016)
for medium or fine filters or to EN 1822-1 (European Standards 2019) and ISO 29463-1 (2017) for
efficient particulate air (EPA), HEPA, and ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) grade filters. Table 4.5
compares the MERV and EN 779 and 1822-1 scales. Instead of using MERV ratings, the European
standards classify filters as being medium, fine, efficient particulate air filters, high-efficiency par-
ticulate air filters, or ultra-low penetration air filters.Note that ISO 29463-1 breaks these classifica-
tions into even finer categories.
As these filters become loaded with grease, they need to be replaced with new filters. The
loaded filters are typically disposed of in landfills. In PCUs, the typical MERV ratings range from
8 to 15, and these filters are typically staged with less efficient (and less costly) filters being
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 47

Figure 4.8 Typical water wash in an exhaust hood plenum.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

Figure 4.9 Typical electrostatic precipitator (ESP) cell.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas
48 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

installed before the more efficient ones. This saves cost for the end user, because the less expensive
(lower-efficiency) filters collect the larger particulate, and the more expensive (higher-efficiency)
filters can be used for a longer period of time before they need to be changed. Figure 4.10 shows a
low-efficiency media filter, and Figure 4.11 shows a higher-efficiency bag filter that can hold more
grease.
Media filters’ lifetimes vary greatly depending on the cooking processes and food product
being cooked. Table 4.6 presents the typical life expectancies of various filter categories for
medium-duty (i.e., griddle) and heavy-duty (i.e., gas broiler) operations. The table assumes that the
filters are used in sequential order, or lowest efficiency to highest efficiency, in a system.
ESPs. ESPs are described in the “Hood-Based Exhaust Treatment” section of this chapter.
MERV 16 and HEPA filters. HEPA filters have a higher efficiency than standard media filters
and are typically classified by their penetration efficiency for a particle size of 0.3 microns. A true
HEPA filter has a minimum efficiency of 99.95% at 0.3 microns. There are some filters that fall
between a MERV 16 media filter and a true HEPA filter in terms of efficiency, as can be observed
in Table 4.5. HEPA filters are the best choice when removal of smoke is critical for an application.
Figure 4.12 shows a MERV 16 filter. These filters should be installed after lower-efficiency filters.
UVC lamps. UVC lamps are described in the “Hood-Based Exhaust Treatment” section of this
chapter. The only differentiator when they are installed in a PCU is that because they are typically
closer to the fan termination, the ozone produced by the UVC lamps may not have as much of an
impact on the odor as compared to when the lamps are installed in an exhaust hood; this is due to
the shorter distances from the lamps in the PCU to the fan or duct termination. The reaction time
for ozone created in a PCU might be a fraction of a second versus 1–2 seconds for ozone reactions
in the ductwork, depending upon the duct length.

Table 4.5 Comparison of North American (MERV) and European (EN) Filter Ratings

EN 779 (Medium [M] EN 1822 ASHRAE Typical

and Fine [F]) EPA (E), HEPA (H), and ULPA (U) Standard 52.2 Filter Type
M5 (40% ≤ Eff0.4 ≤ 60%) — MERV 8 to 10 Media
M6 (60% ≤ Eff0.4 ≤ 80%) — MERV 9 to 13 Media
F7 (80% ≤ Eff0.4 ≤ 90%) — MERV 13 to 14 Media
F8 (90% ≤ Eff0.4 ≤ 95%) — MERV 14 to 16 Media

F9 (95% ≤ Eff0.4) — MERV 16 Media

— E10 (Eff ≥ 85%) MERV 16 Media

— E11 (Eff ≥ 95%) MERV 16 Media

— E12 (Eff ≥ 99.5%) — HEPA
— H13 (Eff ≥ 99.95%) — HEPA
— H14 (Eff ≥ 99.975%) — HEPA
— U15 (Eff ≥ 99.9975%) — ULPA
— U16 (Eff ≥ 99.99995%) — ULPA
— U17 (Eff ≥ 99.999995%) — ULPA
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 49

Figure 4.10 Low-efficiency media filter.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Figure 4.11 Medium- to high-efficiency bag filter.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Table 4.6 Typical Expected Filter Lifetimes for Selected Filters by Cooking Duty

Filter Class Efficiency Medium-Duty Heavy-Duty

Pleated panel filter M5/MERV 10 2 to 3 months 1 to 2 months
Bag filters F7–F8/MERV 13–15 4 to 6 months 2 to 3 months
Absolute filter E11–E12 4 to 6 months 2 to 3 months
HEPA filter H13–14 2 to 4 months 1 to 2 months
50 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Carbon filters. Carbon filters are commonly used in PCUs to help mitigate odor from the
cooking operation. This is an important consideration when designing a system in an urban envi-
ronment that is close to neighboring buildings or in a mixed-use environment such as being below
condominiums. An example of a carbon filter is shown in Figure 4.13. Life spans of carbon filters
can vary greatly depending upon the amount of VOCs produced by the cooking process. Generally,
a carbon filter’s life can range from 2–6 months.

Duct-Based Exhaust Treatment

Ozone generators. Ozone generators, sometimes referred to as cold plasma systems, are typi-
cally installed in the exhaust system before or after the exhaust hoods and produce ozone while the
hoods are operating, which may be beneficial at altering or reducing odors.

TYPE I HOOD FIRE SAFETY

The fire safety systems associated with Type I hoods consist of several aspects, including the
following:
• Placement of the exhaust hoods and cooking appliances in relation to building construction
materials
• Selection of fire detection and suppression systems for the exhaust hoods
• The regulated interaction between a building fire and the exhaust and supply fans associ-
ated with the kitchen
• Appliance/equipment shutoff in the event of a fire
• Any additional requirements specified by the engineer in the sequence of operations

The fire suppression system is designed by the fire suppression supplier and not the design engineer.

Clearance to Combustibles
The reason that clearance to combustibles is an item of concern is that it helps provide a safety
margin to allow the fire department time to arrive and extinguish the fire. As a restaurant cooks, the
grease builds up in the ductwork over time and may eventually catch fire. It is for this reason that
NFPA 96 (2021b) recommends periodic inspection and cleaning of restaurant ductwork. Clearance
to combustibles reduces the direct exposure of combustible building materials directly to fire.
NFPA 96 also requires that hoods, PCUs, exhaust fans, ductwork, and cooking appliances have a
minimum standard clearance to various types of construction materials as shown in Table 4.7. If a
device is listed (per its appropriate UL standard) to be installed with a reduced clearance, that is per-
mitted. Combustible construction consists of an assembly where there is a layer of combustible
material in the construction (such as having wooden studs covered by gypsum wallboard). Limited
combustible construction refers to a construction that has a combustible outer material and a non-
combustible inner material (such as gypsum wall board on metal studs). Noncombustible construc-
tion is defined as construction where there is no combustible material (such as masonry walls on
metal studs). Note that local codes and standards may have their own requirements for clearance to
combustibles that take precedence over national standards.
Hood clearance and appliance clearance. Table 4.7 shows the minimum clearance on the
sides, rear, and top of exhaust hoods and cooking appliances. These requirements apply to both
unlisted and listed hoods that have not been listed for reduced clearances in accordance with UL 710
(2012). If a hood has been listed for reduced clearances to combustible or limited combustible sur-
faces, the minimum clearances achieved will vary with the specific products. In a similar manner, the
cooking appliances served by the hoods may be listed for reduced clearances to combustibles.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 51

Figure 4.12 MERV filter.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Figure 4.13 Carbon panel-style filter.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Table 4.7 Standard Clearance to Combustibles

Material Type Minimum Clearance, in. (mm)
Combustible 18 in. (457 mm)

Limited combustible 3 in. (76 mm)

Noncombustible 0 in. (0 mm)
52 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.14 Calculating appliance position for a wall-mounted canopy hood.

Hoods and appliances may each have their own clearances that need to be met. For Type I
hoods (used where grease is produced), the area of concern is typically the clearance to the rear of
the hood (and side of the hood if it is installed in a corner or in an alcove) and the top of the hood.
Similarly, for an appliance, there may be different requirements for the side and rear clearances.
Additionally, exhaust hoods have an overhang requirement that dictates where the appliance needs
to be installed in relation to the side and front of the exhaust hood.
Figure 4.14 shows an example appliance clearance layout, assuming the following:
• The hood is installed adjacent to a wall
• The hood is listed with a minimum side overhang of 6 in. (152.4 mm) for medium-duty
appliances and 12 in. (304.8 mm) for heavy-duty appliances
• The hood has an underfired gas broiler on the left side of the appliance line, two deep-fat
fryers in the middle, and a gas griddle on the right side of the appliance line

How close could the appliances be to the edge of the hood? To answer this question, calculate how
far the appliance would have to be from the side of the hood based on each appliance’s duty level.
The broiler is considered a heavy-duty appliance and would have a 12 in. (304.8 mm) side overhang,
whereas the griddle is considered a medium-duty appliance and would have a 6 in. (152.4 mm) side
overhang.
Typically, if an appliance is located in the corner of a room, it can have a 0 in. side clearance to
the side panels of a hood or a noncombustible wall surface.
Fire suppression systems. When grease-producing equipment is used underneath a Type I hood
(whether that be a ducted or a recirculating hood), it must have an automatic fire suppression system
designed for the intended application. (Note that building fire sprinkler systems that are designed per
NFPA 13 [2022] are not adequate for Type I hood applications.) The types of fire suppression sys-
tems used include carbon dioxide systems, sprinkler systems (which may be water or foam based),
dry-chemical systems, and wet-chemical systems (wet-chemical is the most commonly used sys-
tem). fire suppression systems can be detected through mechanical or electric means. Historically,
there have also been water-based fire suppression systems that were covered under NFPA 13 and
listed to UL 199 (2022a) for use in hoods or ductwork and UL 199E (2017a) for use over deep-fat
fryers. These types of systems are still currently used in some jurisdictions, but they are not used in
North American building codes or standards.
Fire protection systems can also be listed in accordance with UL 300 (2019). Figure 4.15 shows
the major areas of protection that are required, including the cooking surface of the appliances, the
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 53

Figure 4.15 Areas where fire protection is required.

exhaust plenum of the hood above the grease filters, and exhaust ductwork exiting the hood. Spe-
cific appliances may have customized protection schemes mandated by the AHJ. Figure 4.16 shows
a custom fire-protection nozzle for a salamander appliance. (Note that the balloon in the photo is
used when the fire suppression system is initially tested with air during commissioning.) Addition-
ally, fire suppression may be required in PCUs.
The fire suppression system may be either an appliance-specific type or a flood type of protec-
tion. In appliance-specific coverage, the nozzles are selected for each individual appliance. This
type of system is typically less expensive than flood coverage, but if appliances are moved, the
coverage needs to be modified accordingly. With flood coverage, the system has more nozzles that
are evenly spaced within a hood cavity. This type of system typically has a higher up-front cost but
offers the flexibility of being able to move or change the appliances underneath the hood without
modifying the suppression system. Some appliances cannot be protected using flood protection;
additional piping may be required in those cases.
Mechanical detectors are designed to separate at a specific temperature and release tension on a
release mechanism for system actuation. An example of a mechanical detector is shown in Figure 4.17.
Electrical detection uses linear or spot heat detectors to send an electrical signal in the event of a fault or
fire, allowing the detection line to be continuously monitored. A photo of an electrical detection system
is shown in Figure 4.18.
Cooking appliance shutoff. A fire suppression system must automatically shut off all fuel sup-
ply and energy to the appliances located underneath that hood or system. Appliances that operate on
natural gas typically use a solenoid to close the gas line feeding the appliance. A gas valve may be
electrically or mechanically activated via a wall-mounted pull switch or activation of the UL 300-
compliant system, which in turn will activate the fire suppression system. All electric appliances
may use a shunt trip breaker or some other similar device for shutoff.
54 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.16 Custom fire protection for a salamander.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Figure 4.17 Mechanical fire detection system.

Courtesy of Johnson Controls (2022). All rights reserved.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 55

Figure 4.18 Electrical fire detection system.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

Exhaust fan and replacement air operation. In the U.S. and Canada, the typical sequence of
operations during a fire condition for exhaust fans and replacement air systems providing air to the
kitchen spaces is as follows:

1. The exhaust fan must run at design airflows.

2. The replacement air fan must be shutoff.

These two operations provide the simultaneous benefits of removing smoke from the space (and
drawing the fire suppression agent into the hood’s exhaust duct), reducing the fresh air (oxygen)
actively entering the space, and limiting smoke travel to adjacent spaces.
In some cases, the local AHJ may require that the exhaust fan is shut off or that the replace-
ment air remains on during a fire condition.

ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEMS

Energy recovery (also called heat recovery) systems are used to reclaim heat from the cooking
processes in kitchens that would otherwise be directly exhausted to the outdoors, which conserves
energy and reduces the kitchen’s operating expenses. One of the most common systems consists of
runaround loops that have coils placed in both the exhaust air and supply air to preheat the incom-
ing supply air, as shown in Figure 4.19. In this case, the coils are connected with piping containing
a heat transfer fluid. Direct air-to-air heat exchangers cannot be used in commercial kitchens
because the exhaust airstream is contaminated with grease and other combustion byproducts;
therefore, it cannot be mixed with an incoming outside airstream. Any breaching of the air-to-air
heat exchanger would result in the mixing of these two airstreams and cause cross-contamination.
Another use of an energy recovery system is to preheat hot water, which can provide a substantial
energy savings, depending on the kitchen’s operations (e.g., dish washing).
The engineer designing the system usually needs to perform a payback analysis on the system.
The systems that are used to preheat supply air are most cost-effective in colder climate zones such
as the northern U.S. and Canada, whereas systems that are used to preheat water can be cost-effec-
tive in any climate zone. Additionally, use of these types of systems can be a compliance path to
56 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.19 Runaround loop to preheat supply air.

meeting ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE 2022b), IgCC/189.1 (ICC 2021a), and IECC
(ICC 2021c).

Treatment and Bypass

The working fluid in the piping of an energy recovery system is normally treated with an anti-
freeze, such as glycol, to prevent freezing in the winter months, which is critical if the runaround
loop is on the exterior of a building and in a cold climate. Additionally, most systems will have the
ability to bypass the coils altogether or shut down the pump when the system is not required. As
part of any analysis, the impact of effluent buildup on the exhaust airstream coil must be taken into
account. This includes the following:
• Its impact on the coil’s heat transfer factors, which will degrade as buildup occurs and will
depend on the expected hours of operation and the type of cooking processes.
• The cost of periodically cleaning coils, which will also depend on the type of cooking pro-
cesses. Note that coil cleaning will likely have to be performed more frequently than typi-
cal duct cleaning due to the condensing of effluent on the cool coil surfaces.

While not always required, installing a pollution control device upstream of the exhaust air coil
may positively impact the feasibility of the analysis by reducing coil cleaning as well as maintain-
ing a high coil operational heat transfer factor.
A simple payback equation for a runaround loop system recovering heat from the exhaust side
and introducing it back to preheat the makeup air during winter is shown as Equation 4.1. Paybacks
for this type of system are typically in the range of 10 to 15 years.
C
P = --------- (4.1)
E net
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 57

where
P = payback, in years
C = added cost for heat recovery coils, housing, pumps, controls, and piping between exhaust
and makeup air units
Enet = net annual energy savings calculated as the heating energy replaced by using the heat
recovery system minus the additional fan energy required to overcome the additional
pressure drop in both the exhaust and makeup air systems (this needs to be determined
for each specific geographic location based on the local weather data and the efficiency
of the reclaim system)
Costs for a heat recovery system can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of
dollars depending on the size and complexity of the system.

DCKV SYSTEMS
Demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) systems are probably the most common means
of reducing energy consumption in kitchens today (see the “Energy Efficiency Standards” subsec-
tion of the “Replacement Air” section of this chapter, specifically regarding ASHRAE/IES 90.1
[ASHRAE 2022] and IgCC/189.1 [2021]). The beauty of these systems is that the exhaust airflow is
operated at or near design airflows when cooking is occurring and at lower airflows when cooking is
not occurring (the appliances may be either in an idle, ready-to-cook state or they may be powered
off). Not only is the exhaust fan energy reduced during these non-cooking and idle times but also,
and most impactfully, the energy required to condition the associated heating and cooling of the
replacement air is significantly reduced.
These systems have evolved from simple two-speed systems wherein the user manually
changed the speed to more complex systems that detect cooking and control variable-frequency
drives (VFDs) or electrically commutated (EC) motors to set the exhaust airflow (and correspond-
ing heating and cooling systems’ outdoor air quantities) to match precisely with the appliances’
operational states (cooking, idle, or off) at any time. Most critically, the exhaust hoods must cap-
ture the heat, grease effluent, and smoke when cooking occurs. Regardless of the type of system
used, the engineer needs to specify that the system, including all power and control wiring, needs
to be wired by the electrician.
Fisher et. al (2013) measured the exhaust fan energy savings for 11 different kitchens using
DCKV systems and found that the average exhaust fan energy savings was 41% annually. There
are additional savings associated with the heating and cooling systems, dependent on the local cli-
mate, but those were not monitored in this study.
What are the most cost-effective applications for DCKV systems? The highest energy savings
are typically observed for two cases. The first is when the energy input to the cooking appliances
modulates as appliance state varies from off to idle to a full cooking state. A good example of this
type of appliance is deep-fat fryers, which consume more energy and therefore produce more of a
heat signature during the cooking operation. Conversely, an example of an appliance that may not
be a good candidate for DCKV would be an underfired gas broiler or a solid-fuel cooking appli-
ance, both of which have a constant energy input and heat signature regardless of whether the
appliance is in an idle or a cooking state. The second case in which the highest energy savings are
observed is when there is a lot of diversity with regard to the appliances being off, idle, or in a
cooking state. A good example of this is a hotel kitchen where they might only be cooking on one
or two appliances during non-peak hours in response to in-room dining orders, and the remainder
of the appliances are not being used at that time. (Table 4.10, in the “Energy Efficiency Standards”
subsection of the “Replacement Air” section of this chapter, shows where DCKV can be applied as
58 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.20 Constant-volume airflow versus airflow reduction with a DCKV system.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

an energy savings measure in various codes. It should be noted that the minimum total exhaust air-
flows vary from 2000 to 5000 cfm [3398 to 8495 cfm].)
It should also be noted that the duct system should be designed to maintain a minimum duct veloc-
ity of 500 fpm (2.54 m/s) in accordance with the standards mentioned in this chapter. An example of
airflow reduction with a DCKV system, which can lead to energy savings, is shown in Figure 4.20.
The payback of DCKV systems can be calculated using Equation 4.2. Note that in order to cal-
culate the payback, the reduction in airflow needs to be estimated.
C
P = ------------------------ ------------------------- (4.2)
Efan + E heat + E cool

where
P = payback, in years
C = added cost for the DCKV system
Efan = fan energy savings from the reduction in exhaust airflows with the DCKV system along with
fan energy reductions in the units supplying the replacement air to the space (for an exhaust
fan, the power [hp or kW] can be estimated using the fan law, shown in Equation 4.3)
Eheat = annual energy savings during the heating season based on the reduction in replacement
air airflows; typically equal to the quantity of exhaust air reduced
Ecool = annual energy savings during the cooling season based on the reduction in replacement
air airflows; typically equal to the quantity of exhaust air reduced
3
 n2
P2 = P 1 ⋅  --  (4.3)
 n1

where
P2 = calculated power of fan, hp (kW)
P1 = power of fan at design airflow conditions, hp (kW)
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 59

n2 = fan speed at reduced airflow, rpm

n1 = fan speed at design airflow conditions, rpm

Types of Cooking Sensors

DCKV systems also use a broad spectrum of technologies to determine what state (cooking,
idle, or off) the appliances are in, from duct- or canopy-based temperature sensors to cooking
activity sensors (such as optical detection or infrared sensors). One important aspect of system
selection is how quickly the hoods go to full design airflow when cooking occurs. Schrock et. al
(2012) performed research on various types of detection systems and concluded that the systems
with cooking activity sensors had a much faster response time than those systems using only tem-
perature sensors. Additionally, they found that in several cases the temperature-sensor only sys-
tems failed to achieve full design airflow during cooking, which means those hoods may not have
been capturing all of the heat, smoke, grease, and other effluents of cooking.
Another important selection criterion for DCKV systems is how low the airflow can be
reduced below design airflows when the appliances are in idle operation. Fisher et. al state that
they “believe that the potential turndown (average cfm reduction) for the more sophisticated
DCKV systems can be greater than the temperature-only systems” (2013, 49).

Hood and Fan Combinations

One of the decision points when designing a CKV system is the number of fans to use relative
to the number of exhaust hoods. Factors that should be considered include the project’s cost and
whether exhaust fan redundancy is required.
Often the simplest type of system to design and control is when a single hood is connected to a
single exhaust fan. In this case, from a DCKV perspective, it is straightforward to know how each
fan needs to operate based on the cooking appliances underneath the corresponding hood. An addi-
tional benefit to this approach is that it creates redundancy, so if one fan fails, the other fans/hoods
continue to operate. Ductwork runs can be simple for low-rise buildings but become more prob-
lematic for high-rise facilities. A potential negative with this approach is that there are additional
costs for the separate roof penetration, fan, and electrical services for each hood along with added
maintenance for each of the fans.
Another system design involves connecting multiple hoods to a single exhaust fan, commonly
referred to as a manifold design. This approach can be especially beneficial where long duct runs
are required and the space for ductwork is limited. From a DCKV perspective, all of the hoods
have to run at full design airflow if any single appliance underneath any of the hoods is cooking.
The addition of continuously variable balancing dampers that can regulate the airflow on each
hood according to the appliance operation can control the air exhausted from each hood. In this
type of system, there are additional costs for these balancing dampers along with the added main-
tenance. The other potential challenge is that there is no redundancy for a given exhaust system—
if the sole exhaust fan fails, all associated exhaust hoods are effectively shut down.
In a case study that had four hoods connected to a single exhaust fan, Schrock et. al (2012)
determined that the additional use of balancing dampers doubled the energy savings when com-
pared to the same system without balancing dampers installed. It should be noted that the same
energy savings can be achieved if each hood has its own dedicated exhaust fan.

Control of Makeup Air Systems

The IMC (ICC 2021d) specifies that makeup air (or replacement air) be supplied to the kitchen
whenever the exhaust hoods are operating and that the kitchen space maintain a slightly negative
pressure relative to adjacent spaces. The space balance for the kitchen should be evaluated at the
60 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

full range of exhaust airflows. When DCKV systems are employed on the exhaust hoods, the most
common means of doing this when communicating with makeup air units (MAUs) is to send a sig-
nal to the MAU VFD or EC motor to vary the speed of the makeup air to match the air being
exhausted through the hood. Control systems might also consist of using various configurations of
rooftop units (RTUs) and dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units to properly balance the
makeup air into the kitchen. For larger buildings, it is also common to have the exhaust airflow
from the DCKV system sent to the main building maintenance system (BMS) so the system can
control the regulation of the makeup air.
It is important to understand that the turndown capability of the system as a whole is dependent
on the turndown capability of the exhaust and supply fans. Additionally, some MAUs may be lim-
ited in their amount of airflow turndown. This is true of direct-fired gas burners, which require a
certain pressure drop (or air velocity) across them to provide heating. If the airflow in the unit falls
below the lower pressure limit during heating, the combustion will be shut off and unheated air
would be provided at that and lower airflows. Indirect-fired gas heaters typically have the ability to
operate at a much higher turndown ratio than direct-fired units.

DCKV Commissioning
All DCKV systems should have commissioning performed by an approved manufacturer rep-
resentative and a qualified third party (commissioning provider) to ensure proper performance at
all operating points. To achieve proper performance, the commissioning provider should, prior to
commissioning, follow all manufacturer installation guidelines and ensure that manufacturer draw-
ings and literature are referenced during the installation. The installation typically involves low-
voltage control and communication wiring between a network of hoods and control panels. Addi-
tionally, if VFDs are used to modulate exhaust and makeup air, they must be installed and config-
ured correctly prior to any commissioning procedure.
To properly commission a DCKV system, a range of operating conditions should be evaluated.
Because most systems include a manual override function that will drive exhaust hoods to design
airflow, this is a good place to begin the process, as it will also verify that the air balance is per the
design drawings. All HVAC systems and equipment associated with the DCKV must be opera-
tional and have been properly balanced prior to this step. With the manufacturer’s assistance, the
commissioning agent will begin by manually putting all hoods in minimum airflow (idle) condi-
tions to ensure that the makeup air modulates accordingly to properly pressurize and balance the
space. Simulation of multiple cooking operating points is recommended next. For example, if hood
operation is staggered based on meal periods, the commissioning agent will simulate these condi-
tions to ensure proper kitchen-space balance. During this process, the commissioning agent will
ensure that all connectivity between any BMS is verified. In some instances, control signals will
come from multiple sources; these must be verified to work in harmony for proper operation.
Once equipment is verified to be operating correctly, full-load cooking is recommended to
ensure proper capture and containment (C&C) performance. The commissioning agent will coordi-
nate with the site owner to perform actual cooking processes, which typically can only occur after
the certificate of occupancy has been issued by the AHJ (so this testing will have to be scheduled
accordingly). Partial-load cooking should also take place to verify proper system operation. In
many instances, a manufacturer’s representative will assist with the process and make adjustments
to control components to optimize performance.
Many DCKV systems offer customization options to integrate with the BMS or cooking appli-
ances. Ensure that any custom features or functions are documented and are able to be tested
during the Commissioning Process.
Retrocommissioning is strongly recommended to ensure proper operation of the DCKV sys-
tem through its operable lifetime. When changes to a kitchen footprint or process occur, retrocom-
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 61

missioning should also be performed. See chapter 8, “TAB and System Commissioning,” for
additional information.

EXHAUST DUCTWORK
Exhaust ducts for commercial kitchens are classified into two categories in the national build-
ing codes: Type I and Type II. Type I ductwork is for use when serving a Type I exhaust hood,
which is used when grease is produced by the cooking process; Type II ductwork is used when
serving a Type II hood, which is used when only heat and steam are produced (such as with dish-
washers). See chapter 5, “Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods.

Type I Ductwork
The overarching purpose of Type I ductwork is to manage the cooking effluent that gets through
the exhaust hood and provide a safe system in case of fire. As previously described, the hood or
PCUs remove some—but not all—of the contaminants at various locations in the system. Addition-
ally, these ducts serve the purpose of assisting with smoke evacuation in case of a fire in the building.
Duct velocity. For systems that operate at a constant exhaust airflow (i.e., non-DCKV systems),
the duct velocity is typically in the range of 1500 to 1800 fpm (7.6 to 9.1 m/s). Refer to section 5.3
in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) for more information. When systems are designed with a
DCKV system, the ducts are typically designed for a duct velocity of 500 fpm (2.5 m/s) at the low-
est exhaust airflows. Currently that valve is the lowest duct velocity allowed by NFPA 96 (2021b),
IMC (ICC 2021d), and ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d). Note that the listed 500 fpm minimum
duct velocity is due to the minimum velocity that was tested as part of ASHRAE RP-1033 (Kuehn
et al. 2000). It was the researcher’s opinion that, based on their observations, a lower duct velocity
would still provide safe operation, but the test equipment was not capable of properly operating at a
lower duct velocity, so the 500 fpm (2.5 m/s) minimum was established.
Construction and grease duct clean outs. Type I ductwork must be constructed and installed
so that it is liquid-tight, which means that it does not allow pressurized water (e.g., from a pressure
washer) or grease to leak out of the duct. This may be accomplished either by applying a liquid-
tight weld or brazing at the joints in the field or by using a duct system that has been listed to show
that it meets these conditions. Additionally, clean outs must be provided so that the ductwork can
be regularly cleaned to reduce fire risk. Refer to appendix B, “Research Conducted by ASHRAE
TC 5.10,” for more detailed information on clean outs and duct construction.
Fire-rated enclosures. When fire-rated enclosures are required, the ducts may be installed in a
fire-rated enclosure constructed around the ductwork, listed field-applied grease duct enclosures
can be used, or ductwork that is listed with an integral fire-rated enclosure may be used. Refer to
appendix B, “Research Conducted by ASHRAE TC 5.10,” for more detailed information on fire-
rated enclosures.
Exhaust outlet termination. Per the IMC (ICC 2021d), Type I exhaust outlets (including
grease exhaust fans) must terminate not less than 40 in. (1.02 m) above the roofline and not less
than 10 ft (3 m) horizontally from parts of the building, property line, or adjacent buildings. The
outlet termination also must be not less than 10 ft (3 m) horizontally or not less than 3 ft (0.9 m)
vertically above air intake openings.
Ductwork is allowed to terminate through an exterior wall where the smoke, grease, gases,
vapors, and odors do not create a public nuisance. It is a good design criterion to also account for
the direction of prevailing winds and other building features that may cause exhaust air to be reen-
trained into the building. For more detailed information, refer to IMC Section 506.3.13, “Exhaust
outlets serving Type I hoods” (ICC 2021d). Table 4.9 of this chapter contains expanded informa-
tion on the termination requirements for exhaust fans.
62 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Solid-fuel cooking equipment. Per the IMC (ICC 2021d), ductwork serving a Type I hood
that is used over solid-fuel cooking equipment must have its own duct, exhaust fan, and fire sup-
pression system. Solid fuel cooking equipment is not allowed to share a hood with other non-solid-
fuel Type I appliances that require automatic fire suppression. For a detailed overview of all code
requirements for solid fuel cooking equipment refer to NFPA 96, chapter 15, “Solid Fuel Cooking
Operations” (2021b).

Type II Ductwork
Type II ductwork has fewer requirements than Type I ductwork, because it is used where no
grease is produced. The primary construction criterion is that it be constructed of rigid metallic
materials that are not easily corroded by water vapor (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel). Type II
exhaust ductwork is not allowed to be incorporated with Type I exhaust ductwork.
Exhaust outlet termination. Type II exhaust outlets must not terminate less than 3 ft (0.9 m)
from a building opening, less than 10 ft (3 m) from the property line or other buildings, less than 10 ft
(3 m) above ground, less than 30 in. (762 mm) above a roofline, or less than 30 in. (762 mm) from a
vertical wall. For more detailed information, refer to the IMC, Section 506.4.2, “Type II termina-
tions” (ICC 2021d).

EXHAUST FANS
Exhaust fans are the devices that do the work to convey the air through the exhaust hoods and
ductwork to the building exterior. As with exhaust hoods and ductwork, exhaust fans are differenti-
ated by whether they are used with Type I (grease-laden) hoods or Type II (heat and water) hoods.
For exhaust fans used with Type I hoods and ductwork, the fans must be listed to UL 705, Sup-
plement 5C (2017b), for the U.S. and ULC-S645 for Canada (UL 2021b). UL 705 contains
requirements previously in UL 762 (2013), UL LLC Outline of Investigation for Power Roof Venti-
lators for Restaurant Exhaust Appliances. These fans should contain and properly drain all grease
removed from the airstream, and the motor needs to be protected from the grease-laden airstream.
When exhaust fans are used with Type II hoods and ductwork, it is not required but it is recom-
mended that they be listed to UL 705 (2017b) for the U.S. and CAN/CSA C22.2 No.113-18 (CSA
Group 2018) for Canada. This is recommended to protect the motors from excess moisture and heat.

Sizing Fans and Motors

The power of the fan required to move air is a function of the airflow, static pressure, and fan
efficiency, as shown in Equation 4.4. Equation 4.5 shows the calculation to determine the motor
power to operate the fan. Note that for direct-drive fans, the drive efficiency is 1.0, and for belt-
drive fans, it is typically 0.97.

PF = 0.000157 ⋅ Qs ⋅ p/ηF (4.4)

where
Qs = flow rate at standard conditions, cfm (cmh)
P = static pressure, in. of water (Pa)
PF = power required at fan shaft, hp (kW0
ηF = fan efficiency, dimensionless

PM = (1 + DL) ⋅ P F /(E M ⋅ ED ) (4.5)

 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 63

where
PM = power required at input to motor, hp (kW)
DL = drive loss, dimensionless
EM = fan motor efficiency, dimensionless
ED = drive efficiency, dimensionless

Static Pressure
When sizing a commercial kitchen exhaust fan, there are several sources of static pressure that
the fan needs to overcome, including losses at the exhaust hood filtration and collars, ductwork,
PCUs, and, if the fan is inline, the losses after the fan until it terminates to the outdoors. Figure 4.21
shows typical sources of static losses. The first source is the exhaust hood, which consists of losses
at the filter (1) and the exhaust collar (2); these components are typically provided by the hood man-
ufacturer. The duct losses (3) need to be determined by the mechanical engineer on the job, and the
losses of other systems (4), such as PCUs, need to come from the respective manufacturers. All
these losses are summed together to determine the total static pressure for which the exhaust fan
needs to be designed. For manifolded duct systems (where multiple ducts are connected to a single
duct), the hood and duct system with the largest pressure drop are used when sizing the exhaust fan.

Fan Types
The most common fan types used for Type I applications include power roof ventilators
(PRVs), known as upblast fans (Figure 4.22); centrifugal fans, also known as utility set fans (Fig-
ure 4.23); and in-line fans (Figure 4.24). PRVs can also be mounted in a sidewall configuration
(Figure 4.25) when routing ductwork through the building proves challenging for a particular

Figure 4.21 Typical static losses in a commercial kitchen exhaust system.

64 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.22 Upblast fan.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas

Figure 4.23 Utility set fan.

Courtesy of Halton Group Americas
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 65

Figure 4.24 In-line fan.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

Figure 4.25 Sidewall-mounted exhaust fan.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company
66 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Table 4.8 Fan Applications

Consideration Upblast Utility Set In-line Sidewall
Reduced first cost x x
Ease of cleaning x x
Indoor mounting x x
Change direction of airflow x

Table 4.9 Grease Fan Requirements

Requirement Upblast Utility Inline Sidewall

Height to fan base 18 in. 18 in. N/A 10 ft
from roof deck (457 mm) (457 mm) (3 m)
(above grade for if mounted unless in secured area
sidewall) outdoors or allowed per local
AHJ

Height to fan outlet 40 in. 40 in. N/A N/A

from roof deck (1.02 m) (1.02 m)
if mounted
outdoors

Horizontal clearance 10 ft 10 ft N/A 10 ft

from outlet to adjacent (3.05 m) (3.05 m) (3 m)
buildings, property if mounted
lines, air intakes outdoors

Horizontal clearance 5 ft 5 ft N/A

from outlet to any (1.52 m) (1.52 m)
combustible structure if mounted
outdoors

Vertical clearance 3 ft 3 ft N/A 10 ft

from outlet of fan (914 mm) (914 mm) (3 m)
(above) to air intakes if mounted (includes doors
within 10 ft (3 m) of outdoors and windows)
exhaust outlet

Other requirements Hinged, Grease trap; Where enclosed duct All ductwork must be
grease trap, flanged, systems are connected pitched to drain the
flexible gasketed, and to in-line fans not grease back into the
weatherproof bolted duct-to- located outdoors, the hood(s) or have a drain
electrical fan connections fan must be located in a provided to bring the
cable, room or space having grease back into a
flanged, and the same fire-resistance container within the
gasketed fan rating as the duct building or into a
base enclosure. Access must remote grease trap. The
be provided for exhaust flow must be
servicing and cleaning directed
of fan components. perpendicularly
Such rooms or spaces outward from the wall
must be ventilated in face or upward.
accordance with the fan
manufacturer’s
installation instructions.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 67

application. Table 4.8 shows the optimal conditions under which to use an upblast fan, a utility set
fan, or an in-line fan based on field considerations and first-cost considerations. Table 4.9 shows
applicable code requirements for each type.
Where entrainment of the effluent back into the replacement air systems is a concern, high-veloc-
ity or extended discharges may be used. Refer to ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019),
chapter 34, “Kitchen Ventilation,” for more information on the high-plume fan for this application.

System Effects

System effects occur when conditions at the fan inlet and outlet leads impact the distribution of
air, thereby negatively impacting the system’s performance. Fans are tested to produce accurate
performance data, including the static pressure internal to the fan as a system. Part of this testing
criteria includes inlet and outlet conditions that lend to a uniform velocity profile (see Figure 4.26)
entering and exiting the fan system. Conditions that can greatly impact fan performance include
elbows too close to the inlet and/or outlet of the fan, abrupt duct transitions near the fan, inlet spin
due to duct design, dampers and their locations, poorly designed guards, and anything that could
block or affect the trajectory of air coming into or leaving the fan (see Figure 4.27 for examples of
good and poor conditions). If such installation conditions cannot be avoided, it is important that

Figure 4.26 Two fan examples showing the effective duct length at which the velocity is uniform.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company
68 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Figure 4.27 Good and poor inlet and outlet conditions for installed fans.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

they be taken into consideration when selecting a fan by estimating the impact of the system effect
on performance and adding that into the system’s resistance calculation during design.

REPLACEMENT AIR
When the air exhausted from the hoods is discharged outdoors, that air must be replaced in the
kitchen with other sources of air. Those sources include transfer air, supply air, makeup air, and,
undesirably, infiltration or exfiltration air. Infiltration refers to the air brought into the kitchen or
restaurant through cracks, openings, or events such as door openings; exfiltration refers to the air exit-
ing those same spaces. Figure 4.28 depicts these common replacement air sources. This section also
describes the heating and cooling and dehumidification equipment used to provide replacement air.

Makeup Air
MAUs (also known as dedicated replacement air units) are a specific type of replacement air
device commonly used in commercial kitchens to replace the air that is being exhausted through
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 69

Figure 4.28 Replacement air methods for commercial kitchens (outdoors is neutral or zero pressure).

the ventilation hoods. This section compares and contrasts them to traditional RTUs and DOAS
units, which are designed with the goal of ensuring that the design temperature and humidity in a
commercial kitchen space are maintained by handling not only the heating and cooling loads from
the outdoor air but also all the internal loads from cooking equipment (hooded and unhooded),
ventless hoods, people, solar gain on the building shell, infiltration/exfiltration, and other ancillary
equipment in the space. RTUs and DOAS units are discussed in more detail below. It is also
important to note that the use of transfer air from a dining area to the kitchen can be preferred over
the use of makeup air as a method of bringing in replacement air, because the air has already been
conditioned to a comfortable space temperature with relatively low humidity levels.

Design Considerations
MAUs are different than RTUs and DOAS units in that they are designed not to handle the inter-
nal heat gains but to provide unconditioned (also known as untempered) or partially conditioned
(also known as partially tempered) outdoor air to supply to the space that does not negatively impact
the comfort or humidity in the commercial kitchen space. In moderate climates, untempered air may
be used in the summer or winter months to provide replacement air to the kitchen space.
The best design practice when providing cooling from an MAU is to provide a supply air tempera-
ture of no more than 4°F (2.2°C) above the design temperature kitchen when it is located in a humid- or
mixed-weather zone or within no more than 8°F (4.4°C) above the design temperature when it is located
in a dry- or arid-weather zone. When heating, it is recommended that the supply air be not less than 8°F
(4.4°C) below the space design temperature. Additionally, if colder or hotter air is supplied near the
hood, it can negatively impact hood performance. Some building codes, such as the IMC, state that “the
temperature differential between the makeup air and air in the conditioned space shall not exceed 10°F
(5.6°C) except where the added heating and cooling load do not exceed the capacity of the HVAC sys-
tem” (ICC 2021d, section 508.1.1). The following items are associated with this approach:
• If there are significant moisture loads being brought into the building through the MAU,
the walls and other building structures may start absorbing moisture, which can lead to
70 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

mold growth. The HVAC system may not have the capacity to cool and dry the surfaces
after they become wet.
• Most kitchen HVAC systems are not designed to reflect the actual loads to the space
(including the heat and potential moisture gains from the makeup air systems).
• There is a common myth that all of the air from MAUs introduced in plenums near the
exhaust hood is immediately exhausted directly from the hoods and does not cause load in
the space. Chapter 34, “Kitchen Ventilation,” of ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications
(2019) recommends that engineers assume that at least 50% of the outdoor air heat and
moisture that are introduced into the kitchen space are accounted for as a heat load to the
kitchen space.

The general components of an MAU include an intake hood and filter section, a heating sec-
tion, a cooling section, and a blower. The exact order and configuration of these components varies
from manufacturer to manufacturer, but a general representation is shown in Figure 4.29.
Typical installation for MAUs in commercial kitchens is either on the roof, in which case the
unit typically has a downward vertical discharge to connect to supply ductwork, or inline with the
ductwork, in which case it typically has a horizontal discharge out of the end of the unit. The intake
or rain hood for the units (when mounted outdoors) typically has mesh filters to prevent larger
debris (such as leaves) from entering the unit. Most manufacturers also offer dust filters that can be
installed in or after the intake hood.

Supply Air
Supply air that is conditioned is brought in through either a packaged RTU or a DOAS. The
real differentiator between these two systems is that RTUs are typically limited to bringing in
approximately 25% of outdoor air during cooling, while DOAS units are designed to supply 100%
conditioned outdoor air. If an RTU is used in economizer mode, it may be able to bring in up to
100% outdoor air when there are favorable outdoor air conditions.

Transfer Air
Transfer air reuses air that is brought into the dining space to meet the occupancy ventilation
requirement and transfers that air into the kitchen to replace part of what is being exhausted
through the hoods. This air is fully conditioned and complies with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1

Figure 4.29 Schematic of a typical MAU.

 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 71

(2022c). For this case, note that the outdoor air is treated in the dining space and then transferred to
the kitchen.

Heating Systems
The most common types of heating systems include direct-fired gas heat, indirect-fired gas
heat, electric heat, and hot water coils.
Direct-fired gas units. Direct-fired gas units may use natural gas or propane and typically
consist of a gas burner that is placed directly in the unit’s airstream, as shown in Figure 4.30. These
gas burners may be installed horizontally or vertically, depending on the unit design.
The advantage of these units is that they have a 100% combustion efficiency with a thermal
efficiency of 92%, but the drawback is that they are putting some combustion byproducts (carbon
monoxide and nitrous oxide) into the space. However, in spaces with many air changes (such as
kitchens), these byproducts are less of a concern. Direct-fired systems are tested to ensure they
operate only within a safe range of combustion byproducts. It is recommended that combustion
byproduct sensor alarms be included when using direct-fired gas units.

Figure 4.30 Typical direct-fired gas burner.

Figure 4.31 Typical indirect-fired gas heater.

72 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

Indirect-fired gas units. Indirect-fired units use a furnace located outside of the airstream to
preheat incoming air with a heat exchanger, as shown in Figure 4.31. Indirect-fired units have a
lower efficiency (maximum 80%) compared to direct-fired units, and they tend to be more expen-
sive, larger, and more difficult to maintain than direct-fired units. While the combustion byproducts
are emitted outside the building, care needs to be taken so that they do not get reentrained into the
building through one of the supply air inlets. These units must also be capable of operating at the
required outdoor air design temperatures without the combustion gases condensing in the heat
exchanger, which can cause corrosion and premature heat exchanger failure.
The advantage of indirect-fired gas units is that they do not directly introduce combustion
byproducts into the space. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the vented combustion byproducts
are not reentrained into any nearby building supply air systems, because they are highly concen-
trated and toxic. As stated previously, the other disadvantages of indirect-fired gas units are that
they have a lower combustion efficiency (maximum 80%), are larger in size, and are more expen-
sive than direct-fired gas burners to achieve the same heat output.
Electric. These systems use electric resistance elements in the airstream to preheat the air.
This type of system is easy to operate and does not have the safety concerns associated with gas-
fired systems, but the electric resistance option has equivocally higher operating costs due to the
peak demand utility charges and greater utility costs than the gas-fuel equivalent, and they may
require a larger building electrical service, especially in colder climates.
Steam and water coils. Steam or hot-water coils are a good choice for heating the incoming
air where district steam or excess hot water is available. The advantage is that they are a low-main-
tenance option, but the engineer must also design the hydronic loop, including the pumps, freeze
protection (if applicable), and control systems.
Heat pumps. When gas is not available on site, another option for heating is to use a heat
pump. The primary advantage of a heat pump over electric resistance is that it is more efficient.
The heating performance for heat pumps is stated as a heating seasonal performance factor
(HSPF). The required minimum values vary depending on the type of unit and capacity. ASHRAE/
IES Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE 2022b) lists minimum required HSPF values. Care also needs to be
taken that heat pumps are not used in too-cold climate zones where the conditions are beyond the
unit’s design capabilities and the condensing coils therefore may freeze in the winter. Also, some
heat pumps may use electric resistance heat as a secondary heat source, which can lead to higher
operating costs.

Cooling and Dehumidification Systems

The primary types of cooling systems used in replacement air systems include direct expansion
(DX) cooling and evaporative cooling. Evaporative cooling systems only perform well in hot, dry
climates, because they use water to help cool the incoming air but they do not provide significant
dehumidification. DOAS units specifically use hot-gas reheat to control the humidity, which pro-
vides finer temperature and humidity control than DX coil-based systems that do not have hot-gas
reheat. A chilled-water coil could also be installed to provide cooling; those can be integrated with
chiller loops or heat pump systems. Another means of controlling humidity is to use desiccant
dehumidification systems, although they are not very common in commercial kitchen applications,
because the grease from any nearby exhaust fans can enter into the makeup air intake, become
impregnated into the desiccant material, and reduce its ability to operate.
DX cooling systems. For climate zones that have humid- or mixed-weather conditions during
the summer months, DX units are the most commonly used systems. These systems generally use
R-410A as the refrigerant, may have evaporator coils inside the MAU to cool the air, and may use
either a package (condenser is integrated into the same unit) or a split system design where the
condenser is mounted remotely from the evaporator. The advantage of a package system is that it
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 73

comes prepiped and charged from the factory, whereas with a split system, field installers need to
run the connecting copper piping between the evaporator and condensing units and charge the
units in the field. The advantage of split systems is that they tend to be available in larger capacities
than package units and are more flexible in terms of roof placement. With a DX system, the unit
can have the capacity to reduce both the sensible and latent loads of the incoming air.
One drawback of DX cooling systems is that the units only dehumidify while the condensers
are operating, and if the units are oversized, they have a tendency to quickly cycle on and off,
which can lead to large variations in the humidity levels in the space (it will increase when the con-
densers are off and decrease when they are operating).
Evaporative cooling. For climate zones that are dry (have low humidity), evaporative cooling
systems are the most cost-effective option. These systems have a pad that is wetted with water, and
as hot outdoor air is drawn across the pad, the water on the pad evaporates and cools the air. The
advantages of this type of system are their simplicity and efficiency compared to a DX cooling sys-
tem. Additionally, these types of systems can be used where mechanical cooling systems are not
permitted. Disadvantages of this system include that they have lower performance during rainy
periods (when incoming humidity increases) and they have increased water consumption com-
pared to a DX system.
Chilled-water coils. When a facility has chilled water available to use, chilled-water coils can
provide a low-maintenance means of cooling. As with hot-water coils, the engineer needs to design
the piping, pump, and control system for this type of configuration.
Integration with DCKV. Most MAUs can be ordered in either a constant-volume or variable-
air volume (VAV) configuration. Building codes require that replacement systems, including
makeup air systems, be interlocked with the exhaust ventilation system so that as the exhaust air-
flow changes, the supply airflow also changes to maintain proper space pressurization. VAV sys-
tems—and their associated VAV terminal units—can be easily configured to operate in
conjunction with a DCKV system. Kitchen spaces typically need to maintain a pressure of –0.01 to
–0.02 in. w.c. (–2.5 to –5 Pa) relative to the other spaces in the building. This is partly done to keep
cooking odors in the kitchen. VAV systems are most commonly controlled using either a VFD or
an EC motor. Generally, belt-drive fans use a VFD, while direct-drive fans may use either a VFD
or an EC motor. EC motors are becoming more common and offer cost and efficiency advantages.
EC motors are commonly offered in sizes up to 2 hp (1.5 kW) in single-phase configuration and up
to 15 hp (11 kW) in three-phase configuration.
With MAUs, attention needs to be paid to how low the airflow can be turned down during heat-
ing and cooling seasons. In general, most direct-fired gas MAUs allow a maximum turndown of at
least 2 to 1, or 50%, on the airflow during heating mode, which means that they can provide heat-
ing down to half of the design airflow. Some manufacturers have proprietary burner or damper
configurations that may allow an even higher turndown. Most motors have a maximum turndown
ratio of approximately 7 to 1, or down to 30%, of the design revolutions per minute.

Impact on Hood Performance

The most important aspect of replacement air is designing it such that it does not negatively
impact the hood performance during normal operation. If the replacement air has too high of a
velocity at the front of the hood, or if it can reach the thermal plume from the appliances, it may
cause the hood to spill, which means that combustion byproducts, grease, smoke, heat, and other
contaminants could spill to the space. Research on commercial kitchen makeup air found that in
order to maintain the hood performance, the velocity of replacement air reaching the front of the
hood should not exceed 75 fpm (0.38 m/s), although lower velocity is even better (CEC 2002).
Regardless of the type of replacement air used, the air is brought into the kitchen space through
various styles of plenums, grilles, or diffusers, or it can be integrated into the hood itself. The fol-
74 | Chapter 4: Design Considerations

lowing subsections present the benefits and challenges of each style; additional information can
also be found in the results of research projects, such as the Brohard et al. (2003) report on makeup
air effects on commercial kitchen exhaust system performance.
When designing a kitchen space, the replacement air diffusers for bringing fully conditioned
air into the space should ideally be located as far away from the hood as possible. This is so that the
replacement air can help provide comfort and clean air to the entire space and minimize negative
impacts on the hood performance. It is also recommended to install these diffusers in locations
where they do not discharge air onto any unhooded food-processing appliances or holding areas,
because the cool air will also cool down cooked food.
Perforated ceiling diffusers. There are two broad types of perforated ceiling diffusers: the
first is supply plenums located along the exposed sides of a hood (commonly referred to as perfo-
rated perimeter supply), and the second is diffusers that are located in the ceiling but not adjacent
to the hood. For perforated perimeter supply, the air velocity may need to be reduced so it is within
the recommended velocity range when the air reaches the front lip of the exhaust hoods.
Perforated celling diffusers that are not adjacent to the hood need to be evaluated so that their
throw pattern does not hit the front of the hood or the plume from the cooking operation. In com-
mercial kitchens, these types of diffusers are much better than directional diffusers.
Directional ceiling diffusers. Two- and three-way directional diffusers should be installed so
that their air is not discharged toward any hoods. The disadvantage of these types of diffusers is
that the contractor can easily install them in the wrong orientation, which will negatively impact
hood performance. Four-way ceiling diffusers, if used, should not be installed within 15 ft (4.6 m)
of any hoods. Generally speaking, four-way diffusers are not recommended for use in commercial
kitchens.
Displacement diffusers. This style of diffuser operates at a low velocity, making it ideal from
a hood-performance perspective. The challenge in kitchens may be finding enough ceiling or floor
space to accommodate the diffusers.
Front-face (hood) supply air. Front-face supply air can work well and has the advantage of
reducing the ceiling space needed to supply the air relative to other diffusers located in the ceiling.
This style of diffuser, if properly designed, directs air away from the front of the hood and can
operate at higher discharge velocities, up to 150 fpm (0.76 m/s).
Slot diffusers and nozzles. Slot diffusers and nozzles tend to have an extremely high dis-
charge velocity and are not recommended for use in commercial kitchens.
Short-circuit (internally compensating) air. Short-circuit (internally compensating) air is
makeup air that is introduced internally into the hood. In practice, it has been found that in order to
maintain the required net exhaust airflows, the exhaust airflow needs to be increased to maintain
the hood performance. Therefore, this type of makeup air introduction is not recommended in
commercial kitchens. ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE 2022b) limits the amount of inter-
nal makeup air to no more than 10% of the exhaust airflow.
Back-wall supply. Back-wall supply systems bring makeup air behind and below the line of
appliances. While these types of systems do not negatively impact hood performance, they are not
recommended for providing unconditioned makeup air, because makeup air that is colder or hotter
than the kitchen design temperature can negatively impact thermal comfort when the makeup air is
colder or hotter than the design temperature in the kitchen (Livchak et al. 2005). If the air is condi-
tioned, the better design approach is to introduce it into the kitchen space and provide comfort to
the occupants.

Energy Efficiency Standards

ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE 2022b), IgCC/189.1 (2021), and the 2022 California
Building Standards Code (CEC 2022), commonly known as Title 24, all have energy efficiency
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 75

Table 4.10 Energy Efficiency Standards as They Relate to CKV

Energy Efficiency Measures 90.1 IgCC/189.1 Title 24
Applies when kitchen has an X = 5000 cfm X = 2000 cfm X = 5000 cfm
airflow greater than X (2360 L/s) (950 L/s) (2360 L/s)
Transfer air At least 50% of At least 50% of At least 50% of
replacement air replacement air replacement air
DCKV Installed on 75% of Installed on 75% of Installed on 75% of
exhaust air exhaust air exhaust air
Energy recovery devices An energy recovery An energy recovery An energy recovery
ratio not less than ratio not less than ratio not less than
40% on at least 50% 40% on at least 50% 40% on at least 50%
of the exhaust airflow of the exhaust airflow of the exhaust airflow

At least 75% of makeup air must Not applicable Not applicable • Be unheated or
met these criteria heated to no more
than 60°F (15.6°C)
• Be uncooled or
cooled without
using mechanical
cooling

components that require some form of energy efficiency system be used to save energy, as shown
in Table 4.10. All of these standards allow the use of transfer air as replacement air in the kitchen
space, allow some form of DCKV system, and allow the use of sensible heat recovery to capture
and reuse what would otherwise be wasted heat energy. Additionally, these standards specify a
maximum hood exhaust airflow depending on the type of hood and duty level of the cooking appli-
ances underneath the hood. Title 24 also has a fourth option that allows for unconditioned makeup
air. Outside of California, it is not recommended to use unconditioned makeup air, especially in
areas that are hot in the summer and/or cold in the winter.
 5
Grease Exhaust Duct
and Kitchen Hoods
There are two types of kitchen hoods, Type I and Type II. This chapter discusses exhaust ducts
for the various styles of Type I hoods including duct construction, installation, and maintenance
thereof to remove the grease-laden vapors and effluent created by the cooking process.
It should be noted that exhaust ducts for Type II hoods are constructed of rigid metallic materi-
als that are not easily corroded by water vapor (e.g., stainless steel and aluminum). If the Type II
exhaust operates with a positive static pressure or contains moisture-laden air, the duct must be
constructed, installed, and sealed accordingly. Single-wall ducts (modular factory built or field fab-
ricated) are often used for Type II hood exhaust applications; however, double-wall insulated ducts
can also be used if clearance to combustibles or skin temperatures are a concern. Refer to chapters
3 and 4 for more information on Type II hoods.

DUCT DESIGN GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Exhaust duct routings should be as short as possible to the terminal outlet. This creates less
static pressure and less potential for grease accumulation. It also leads to long-term operational
savings for the building owner due to the reduced time needed for maintenance and system clean-
ing. The Type I hood grease duct system should not be interconnected with any other building ven-
tilation or exhaust system.
Common industry design grease duct velocities are from 1500 to 1800 fpm (7.6 to 9.1 m/s) at
design airflows (ASHRAE 2019). National mechanical codes, design handbooks, and standards
allow for a minimum of 500 fpm (2.5 m/s). Duct noise and/or excessive static pressure should be
considered if significantly exceeding the industry design velocity ranges, and maximum velocities
should not exceed 2500 fpm (12.7 m/s) (ASHRAE 2019). If multiple hoods combine into a single
common exhaust duct run, each junction fitting (i.e., a tee) and downstream duct should increase in
size to maintain the preferred design duct velocity ranges. The duct designer or engineer of record
should be fully aware of the mechanical code having jurisdiction for the exhaust duct system, as
there are some differences between the requirements of various codes (e.g., NFPA 96 [2021b] ver-
sus International Mechanical Code [IMC, ICC 2021d]).

CONSTRUCTION
Duct Materials
There are two types of materials used for grease exhaust ducts. One option is factory-built
stainless steel grease ducts (the inner wall is required to be stainless steel) that are listed and
78 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

labeled in accordance with UL 1978 (2010d) test standards and permitted to use materials in accor-
dance with their listing. Listed grease duct manufacturers can use lighter gauge materials due to
their UL testing and listing (~0.035 in. [0.89 mm], no. 20 MSG). They can be round duct profile
but can also be oval or rectangle/square.
The other option is to field-fabricate the duct by minimum code construction methods that are
unlisted. Code requires unlisted fabricated ducts to be constructed of carbon steel not less than
0.0575 in. (1.46 mm, no. 16 MSG) in thickness or stainless steel not less than 0.045 in. (1.14 mm, no.
18 MSG) in thickness. The shape profile is usually a rectangle or square.

Duct Joint Connection and Duct Testing

There are typically two types of duct joint connection methods. One type is a UL 1978 (2010d)
listed, non-welded joint connection that is mechanically locked and sealed and follows the factory-
built grease duct’s installation instructions. The other type is an unlisted field-fabricated duct joint
that requires a liquid-tight, continuous, external weld on all seams, joints, penetrations, and duct-
to-hood collar connections.
Mechanical code requires that the duct joints be evaluated after installation for leakage; there
are two methods of evaluation. One method is the traditional 100 W light bulb test, which is
applied to duct joints, seams, and hood connections (exceptions apply to listed ducts). The 100 W
light test is applied to all field welds to see if light passes through to identify any holes/pinholes in
the welds. For listed ducts, the light test is only to be applied to field-assembled joints. ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) does not include the light bulb test, because it has not been shown
to be a reliable leak test method in the field.
The other suggested method, per ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) and NFPA 96 (2021b), is a
water wash-down test using a high-pressure spray gun that would reveal leaks on any improper joint
or fabrication methods for listed or unlisted duct. This is often more practical, as it can be applied to
the entire duct system from the high end of the slope back toward the hood and replicates future
cleaning operations that the duct system will have to endure. This initial wash-down testing also
prompts the initial construction stakeholders (installers, cleaners, inspectors) to open access doors
and find post-installation “leftover” items, such as light bulbs or cords left in ductwork and electrical
wires otherwise potentially not discovered until first cleaning (see Figure 5.1).

(a) (b)

Figure 5.1 (a) Light bulb and cord and (b) and electrical wires left in ductwork and not discovered until first
cleaning.
Courtesy of DPW Services
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 79

Duct Support Spacing

Duct supports and guides are made of noncombustible construction. Listed factory-built
(UL 1978) ducts follow their support/load and spacing distances relative to their listing and
installation manual. They have greater loads and distances than unlisted field-fabricated ducts.
UL 1978 (2010d) requires a fourfold safety factor be applied to the installation manual’s pub-
lished loads and distances.
Unlisted field-fabricated ducts usually follow the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’
National Association (SMACNA) guidelines (2020) requiring supports that are 60 in. (1525 mm) on
center for horizontal ducts and every floor vertically. If personnel entry into the ductwork for mainte-
nance and cleaning is planned for, the unlisted field-fabricated duct supports must be designed to
accommodate the additional weight of an occupant (NFPA 96 [2021b]; IMC [ICC 2021d).

INSTALLATION
Clearances to Combustibles (Not Within a Fire-Rated Enclosure)
Single-wall ducts (unlisted field fabricated or listed factory built) require 18 in. (457 mm)
clearance to combustibles. Listed factory-built duct manufacturers also offer several options for
double-wall ducts that have reduced clearances ranging from 0 in. to less than 18 in. (457 mm),
and if 0 in. clearance is not necessary (no adjacent combustible building materials), the non-zero
clearance double-wall models are more economical and still provide similar overall safety and per-
formance benefits.
For unlisted field-fabricated single-wall ducts, zero clearance can be accommodated by install-
ing two layers of a field-applied listed grease duct wrap.
NFPA 96 (2021b) and IMC (ICC 2021d) also specify clearances to noncombustible construc-
tion and limited-combustible construction (or gypsum wall board attached to noncombustible
structures). Reference those sources accordingly based on job-site jurisdiction.

Enclosures
In general, when a grease duct passes through an hourly fire-rated barrier, it must have a verti-
cal or horizontal enclosure around it of the same fire rating (≤ 1 hour), and the enclosure usually
must be continuous to the building exit. Note that there is an exception where an enclosure is not
required: when a grease duct penetrates only a non-fire-resistance-rated roof/ceiling assembly.
There are currently three methods of enclosure construction, as outlined below:
• Traditional rated shaft construction (per the International Building Code [ICC
2021b]). Clearances are 18 in. (457 mm) for single-wall ducts within a combustible shaft
and 6 in. (152 mm) for single-wall ducts within a noncombustible shaft (includes gypsum
wall board attached to noncombustible construction or an NFPA limited-combustible defi-
nition). Clearances for listed, non-fire-rated, double-wall factory-built grease ducts are
allowed for reduced clearances per their listing. Ducts are sealed at the point of entry and
ventilated to the exterior through weather-protected openings.
• Factory-built enclosure assemblies listed and labeled to UL 2221 (2010e) with corre-
sponding firestop system in accordance with UL 1479 (2015) or ASTM E814-13a
(2017). These should be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Field-applied enclosure assemblies listed and labeled in accordance with ASTM E2336
(2020a) with corresponding firestop system listed in accordance with ASTM E814-13a
(2017). These are flexible grease duct wraps applied to minimum-code-constructed unlisted
field fabricated grease ducts. This flexible wrap is required to be applied from the hood con-
80 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

nection to the building exit and to cover/wrap the duct on all sides. Mechanical codes do not
permit partial flexible wrapping of a duct segment for the sole purpose of clearance reduc-
tion in a specific location. Ducts that are greater than 24 in. (610 mm) wide require steel
banding and weld pinning (bottom side) or weld pinning on all four sides. Any exposed foil-
faced flexible wraps subject to such potential contact should be protected from physical
damage.

A duct enclosure serves a single grease duct and does not contain other ducts, piping, or wiring
systems unless acceptable to local jurisdiction.
NFPA 96 (2021b) has similar duct-enclosure language and some fire-rating criteria that is rela-
tive to the building height as follows:

• Less than four stories requires an enclosure hourly rating of not less than one hour. Excep-
tion: Single-story buildings without a requirement for an hourly-rated roof/ceiling assem-
bly do not require an enclosure.
• Four stories or more requires an enclosure hourly rating of not less than two hours.

There are other restrictions such that fire dampers and smoke dampers are not permitted within
grease ducts. Exceptions do apply for bleed air ducts. Refer to NFPA 96 (2021b) for complete
details.

Grease Duct Slope

Horizontal grease duct systems require slope (pitch) to mitigate stagnant grease effluent accu-
mulation, and the duct construction should never form dips or traps within its layout. The slope
usually flows back toward the hood or sometimes, but not often, toward an in-line grease drain
(NFPA) or reservoir (IMC) that needs to be fully accessible and maintained. Drains or reservoirs
are included when proper slope of the system is not achievable, as these components help guaran-
tee proper removal of grease buildup. With the use of grease drains or reservoirs, the building
owner should be made aware that regular observation and maintenance of these drainage points is
required, possibly separate from their usual cleaning intervals.
A factory-built listed grease duct system can be installed to minimum slope requirement per the
manufacturer’s listing to UL 1978 (2010d). Typically, for round and oval listed grease ducts, the slope is
as low as 1/16 in/ft (5.2 mm/m) for horizontal runs that are less than 75 ft (22.9 m) in length. For hori-
zontal straight runs that are greater than 75 ft (22.9 m) in length, a minimum 3/16 in/ft (15.6 mm/m) is
required.
Field-fabricated flat-bottom unlisted ductwork requires a minimum slope of 1/4 in/ft (21 mm/m) for
horizontal straight runs that are less than 75 ft (22.9 m) in length, and a minimum of 1 in/ft (83.3 mm/m)
is required for runs that are greater than 75 ft (22.9 m).
A “seesaw” duct design approach (i.e., peaks and valleys) has been acceptable in some jurisdic-
tions for job-site conditions with very minimal overhead vertical space. Systems following this design
are required to include grease drains or reservoirs at the low end of each valley (see Figure 5.2).
Many factory-built listed grease duct manufacturers allow for a hybrid duct system layout
using listed factory-built and unlisted field-fabricated and field-wrapped (i.e., rectangle duct) to
accommodate low overhead vertical space. It is important for the duct designer to work closely
with the duct manufacturer to guarantee the most efficient design is planned.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 81

Figure 5.2 “Seesaw” (up/down) duct run layout when minimal vertical overhead space is available.
Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)

Access Door Openings

Well-planned access to a grease duct system is imperative to fire protection and the safety of
the building and its occupants. Proper access allows for the necessary cleaning measures to occur,
eliminating the accumulation of flammable grease over time. The IMC (ICC 2021d) and NFPA 96
(2021b) require the following:

• A minimum of one access door opening for personnel entry on horizontal ducts of at least
20 × 22 in. (508 × 559 mm) (IMC) or 20 × 20 in. (508 × 508 mm) (NFPA).
• Access doors must be spaced at a minimum of 20 ft (6.1 m) (IMC) or 12 ft (3.7 m) (NFPA)
apart for horizontal ductwork if personnel entry is not possible.
• An access door is to be located within 10 ft (3 m) of a change in direction that is greater
than 45° (IMC) or at every change in direction (NFPA).
• Access door openings are not required in duct sections that are accessible from the duct
entry (from the hood) or exhaust termination discharge. Access must be provided at the top
of the vertical riser to accommodate descent where personnel entry is possible. Per NFPA
requirements, if the duct size is too small for personnel entry (per the previous statement),
an access door is required on every floor level.

IMC (2021) section 506.3.8, Item 1, states, “Grease ducts shall not have openings except
where required for the operation and maintenance of the system,” which infers that designers
should minimize openings in a duct system to keep the system as practical as possible.
The designer should be aware that not all doors spaced according to code language can be
physically used once the ductwork and all of the other building trade systems are in place. If a duct
layout cannot be improved due to building architectural limitations, a practical code variation peti-
tion to an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) should be considered in lieu of having any amount of
inaccessible doors installed. Examples of code variations are a reduction in door usage and/or a
change in location spacing distances. It should be understood that an exhaust duct system with
fewer doors (that can still be reasonably accessed) becomes a safer, more economical, and more
energy-efficient system than a system with doors installed per code that are inaccessible. Having
doors located and appropriately sized for a future duct cleaner can help optimize a safe and thor-
oughly maintained system. Also, consider involving a local credentialed/certified duct cleaner in
the initial duct design layout for any given project.
Figure 5.3 shows examples of unreasonably located and completely inaccessible grease duct
access doors.
82 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

Figure 5.3 Unreasonably located and completely inaccessible grease duct access doors.
Courtesy of DPW Services

EXHAUST OUTLETS SERVING TYPE I HOODS (TERMINATIONS AND FAN CONNECTIONS)

There are usually two common termination types for grease duct: rooftop vertical discharge or
(sidewall) horizontal discharge. All exhaust fans should be appropriately listed to service grease
effluent.
Rooftop vertical discharge terminations are usually accomplished by means of an upblast fan
mounted onto a roof curb. Another option is for the duct to pass through the roof deck (through a
thimble, flashing, or curb) and go horizontally into a utility-set fan. A less-common exhaust
approach is to have an in-line fan within the building interior. In-line fans also create a positive
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 83

pressure downstream within the duct work. This is not the most ideal situation compared to having
the fan at the end of the system pulling a negative on the exhaust stream, because positive-pressure
ductwork downstream of the fan has the potential to cause leaks into the building.
Rooftop terminations can also be accommodated by having the ductwork go through an exte-
rior wall and up to the roof and 90° elbow back over onto the roof deck into a utility-set fan. When
ductwork will be exposed to the atmosphere in colder climates, it is highly recommended that a
double-wall insulated listed grease duct be used to help mitigate grease effluent cooling and solid-
ification.
Sidewall horizontal discharge terminations are usually accomplished by a wall-mounted fan,
which is similar to an upblast fan except that it is horizontally mounted. Sidewall terminations can
also be accomplished by in-line fans, but the caution relating to the positive pressure inside the
ductwork applies. Note that NFPA 96 (2021b) restricts wall terminations to only noncombustible
wall construction.
The codes require termination/discharge clearances required for vertical and horizontal termi-
nations, so it is important that the designer fully understand them as they relate to adjacent building
surfaces, openings, or walkways. See chapter 4 of this book for more information. Fan vibration
and dampening should also be considered for utility-set and in-line fan applications.

SOLID-FUEL COOKING
NFPA 96 (2021b) includes much detail related to solid-fuel cooking, so that standard should
be referenced in these applications.
Solid-fuel cooking exhaust must be separate from all other exhaust systems, with the exception
of solid-fuel/smoke flavoring applied to gas or electric cooking operations.
Wall terminations are not permitted for solid-fuel cooking exhaust systems.
Duct systems that are three stories or less (with or without a hood over the cooking operation)
require a grease exhaust duct of either listed factory-built or unlisted field-welded construction
(per code requirements). For duct systems that are four stories or more, solid-fuel cooking requires
the duct to be a listed factory-built duct design.
Some solid-fuel cooking appliances (i.e., pizza ovens) allow for direct connection of the
ductwork (or chimney) per listings.
In general, most listed round stainless steel factory-built grease ducts are also multi-listed as
all-fuel chimneys (UL 103 [2010a]) and therefore designed to withstand the internal fire risks asso-
ciated with both grease and creosote deposition. Hotter exhaust temperatures help mitigate the for-
mation of creosote, so consideration should be made for direct connection to solid-fuel-burning
appliances (if a direct-duct connection is available) and also shorter duct routes with limited expo-
sure outside of the building’s thermal envelope.

FIRE ENDURANCE TESTING

Factory-built round, stainless, duct tested/listed to UL 1978 (incl UL 2221) has repeatedly
shown that it inherently resists profile deformation during the extreme UL internal grease fire test
(2000°F [1093°C] for 30 minutes). Comparatively, it has been demonstrated that unlisted, field-
welded, 16 gauge rectangular steel duct loses its shape profile (i.e., collapses) during this same
2000°F (1093°C) test, requiring major demolition/rework thereafter. Some other notes of interest
are provided below:
• UL grease duct standard testing restricts a certain amount of reduction in cross-sectional
area after the severe internal grease fire testing of 2000°F (1093°C) for 30 minutes.
84 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

• ASTM E2336 (2020a) standard testing, which is what most flexible grease duct insulation
wraps (with foil-face covering) are listed to, does not have a maximum reduction in cross-
sectional area and therefore permits the unlisted field-welded duct to fully collapse down
during testing and still qualify for passing the test.
• Listed factory-built grease ducts require consistent quality fabrication per inspections by
the listing agency, whereas listed flexible grease duct insulation wraps are only inspected
by their listing agency for the insulation wrap performance attributes and not any actual
ductwork.

Severe grease buildup (see Figure 5.4), inaccessible duct access doors, and routine cleaning
negligence are very likely to exist, therefore increasing the risk of internal grease fires within the
duct.
Figure 5.5 shows UL grease duct internal testing that includes ramping up to 2000°F (1093°C)
for approximately 30 minutes to replicate a severe internal grease fire. This test is performed
immediately after an ~4-hour 500°F (260°C) operation test.
Figure 5.6 shows a listed round stainless duct before and after the UL severe internal test at
2000°F (1093°C) for 30 minutes.
Figure 5.7 shows an unlisted wrapped rectangular carbon steel duct before, during, and after a
UL severe internal test.

GREASE DUCT CLEANING

The construction of listed round stainless steel ducts has better long-term corrosion resistance
than that of unlisted carbon steel ducts against duct-cleaning detergents. Over time, this can play a
large role in mitigating potential leaks into the building space. Listed round stainless steel ducts usu-
ally make the cleaning process easier and quicker because of the round shape profile and lower sur-

Figure 5.4 Grease buildup in rectangular unlisted duct.

Courtesy of DPW Services
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 85

Figure 5.5 UL grease duct internal testing.

Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)

Figure 5.6 Listed round stainless steel duct before and after a UL severe internal test.
Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)

Figure 5.7 Unlisted wrapped rectangular carbon steel duct before, during, and after a UL severe internal
test.
Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)
86 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

face roughness and can help save the building owner costs on cleaning maintenance, especially
when automatic wash equipment is used (i.e., with rotating-head spray nozzles [see Figure 5.8]).
Figure 5.9 shows approximately six months of grease deposition on a listed round stainless grease
duct before and after cleaning. Rectangular ducts often require more manual cleaning labor and can
pose a risk of unthorough cleaning if door locations/size/accessibility are limited (see Figure 5.10).

INSTALLATION EXAMPLES
Double-wall listed ducts have a metal outer wall to protect the insulation from incidental job-
site damage. These products usually carry a factory warranty from the manufacturer. Typically, the
outer wall is constructed of galvanized, aluminized, or stainless steel. In addition, the outer wall
can be field or factory painted, if necessary. See Figure 5.11 for examples.
Field-applied flexible insulation grease wraps on unlisted carbon steel ducts have an aluminum
foil face covering. See Figure 5.12 for examples of this type of duct.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 5.8 Rotating-head cleaning equipment in round listed duct: (a) typical grease deposition in round
listed stainless grease duct, (b) mechanical detergent cleaning process in round listed stainless grease
duct, and (c) post-cleaning results in round listed stainless grease duct.
Courtesy of DPW Services

(a) (b)

Figure 5.9 (a) Approximately six months of grease deposition on listed round stainless steel grease duct,
and (b) the same duct post cleaning.
Courtesy of Enviromatic Corporation of America, Inc.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 87

Figure 5.10 Limited access for manual scraping in unlisted rectangular duct.
Courtesy of DPW Services

Figure 5.11 Double-wall listed ducts have a metal outer wall to protect the insulation from incidental job-
site damage.
Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)
88 | Chapter 5: Grease Exhaust Duct and Kitchen Hoods

(a) (b)

Figure 5.12 (a) Field-welded duct and (b) field-welded and wrapped duct.
Courtesy of Selkirk Corp/Hart & Cooley (c/o Duravent Group)
 6
Occupant Safety and
Comfort Considerations
A successful kitchen requires the employees feel safe and comfortable in the fast-paced envi-
ronment in which a kitchen can operates. A commercial kitchen is a potentially hazardous area
with cooking equipment that may be supplied by propane or methane. Without a properly design
commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) system, the combustion byproducts of this equipment can
have a major impact on the employees’ health and could potentially affect patrons in the dining
space. Additionally, excessive heat and moisture can lead to more than just discomfort; these fac-
tors can have adverse health effects on a person.
Employee illness can increase absenteeism, which has a negative effect on a kitchen’s opera-
tion. It is estimated that employee absenteeism can cost a restaurant over 15% of the company’s
profit each year (Johnson-Tate 2018). Similarly, poor ventilation can impact turnover, as employ-
ees seek a safer, healthier, and more comfortable work environment. Additionally, both an unsafe
and simply uncomfortable environment can keep patrons from returning.
This chapter brings awareness to common health hazards in kitchens and discusses ways to
prevent these from occurring through proper kitchen ventilation design. It also focuses on comfort
considerations for all occupants of the space.

CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)

CO Risk in Kitchens
Designers should be aware of safety when a kitchen uses gas appliances that, without proper
design and safety measures, can release carbon monoxide (CO) into the space. Because CO is
odorless, colorless, and undetectable to the human senses, kitchen staff may not be aware they are
being exposed. The initial symptoms of low to moderate CO poisoning are similar to those of the
flu and include headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, and dizziness. High lev-
els of CO can result in more severe symptoms including mental confusion, vomiting, loss of mus-
cular coordination, loss of consciousness, and sometimes even death (U.S. CPSC 2023).
In 2018, the CDC published a report on an industrial kitchen facility in Wisconsin. The report
notes that CO poisoning kills approximately 400 persons annually in the U.S. and states that in the
specific incident described in this report, 45 employees in the Wisconsin kitchen were treated for
it. The report concluded in the following way: “Gas-burning appliances in industrial kitchen facili-
ties are not common occupational causes of CO-related morbidity and mortality. However,
improperly maintained and ventilated appliances can be a source of CO exposure. Because symp-
toms of CO poisoning are nonspecific, CO poisoning might be underreported” (CDC 2018, 786).
90 | Chapter 6: Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations

Preventing Illness Due to CO Exposure

The CDC recommends the following: “Adequate ventilation in areas at risk for CO buildup,
routine maintenance of gas-burning equipment, and detectors that alert to potentially unsafe levels
are the best ways to prevent CO poisoning. OSHA does not specifically require CO detectors in
industrial kitchen facilities; however, employers are required to evaluate all potential airborne con-
taminants that present a health hazard” (2018, 786).
Improper ventilation that causes CO to be released in a kitchen may be attributed to a lack of
proper exhaust volume or inadequate makeup air, which may create back drafting of combustion
gases from cooking equipment. It is strongly recommended that designers lay out appliance venti-
lation as recommended by the equipment supplier to properly exhaust combustion gases. A prop-
erly operated kitchen does not need high ventilation rate, but proper exhaust-to-supply ratios and
configurations are key to safe ventilation practices.
In 2015, the State of New York passed a law requiring every restaurant in the state to install
and maintain CO detectors (GTM 2015). Although not required in jurisdictions everywhere, it is
highly recommended that CO detectors and alarming devices are installed in commercial kitchens
where gas is used as a fuel source. For more information on Threshold Limit Values (TLVs®) and
Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs®), refer to the guidelines published by the American Confer-
ence of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH 2023).

EXCESSIVE MOISTURE
Mold
Molds reproduce through spores that are usually too small to be seen by the human eye. These
small spores can be airborne and infiltrate indoor air in any building. These spores can land on a
wide variety of substances and begin to propagate when moisture and oxygen are present by
digesting whatever they are growing on to survive. In buildings with excess moisture, mold growth
is common. Figure 6.1 shows an example of extensive mold contamination. If left undiscovered or
untreated, human exposure to mold growth can have a major negative impact on health and possi-
bly lead to highly dangerous conditions (EPA 2022).
Many types of molds exist, and all molds have the potential to be harmful to humans. Molds
can produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions and even asthma attacks. Some types of
mold are toxic to the body (EPA 2022). Mold can even end up in a person’s bloodstream, which
can lead to symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, heart inflammation, internal bleeding, and blood
clots (SAFE 2018).
Water is needed for continued mold growth; therefore, uncontrolled moisture can become a
major problem in buildings. Some moisture problems in buildings have been linked to changes in
building construction practices during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, which resulted in buildings that are
tightly sealed but may lack adequate ventilation, potentially leading to moisture buildup (EPA
2022). On the other hand, in buildings that are not tightly sealed, insufficient replacement air sup-
ply may cause negative building pressure and can lead to infiltration of humid air.
Moisture Control Guidance for Building Design, Construction and Maintenance (EPA 2013)
identifies the following additional HVAC-related moisture problems. This list is repeated verbatim
from page 57 of that book.
• Inadequate dehumidification by the HVAC system during humid weather. The result-
ing high indoor air dew point can lead to condensation, near-condensation and mold
growth. Comfort problems also are common when the indoor dew point is high because
the relative humidity is also high. Occupants often demand lower thermostat settings in an
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 91

Figure 6.1 Extensive mold contamination of ceiling and walls.

Courtesy of riopatuca/Shutterstock.com

attempt to be more comfortable. This is counterproductive. Lowering the thermostat over-

cools the building, which increases the risks of condensation, excess moisture absorption
and subsequent mold growth. Cold temperatures also further reduce comfort and increase
energy costs.
• Leaking return and exhaust air duct connections, leaking indoor air handler com-
partments operating under suction, and leaking return air plenums. These leaks cre-
ate suction in building cavities, pulling humid outdoor air into the building where it can
condense moisture onto cool surfaces and support mold growth.
• Leaking supply air duct connections and leaking indoor air handler compartments
operating under positive pressure. When the weather is hot or humid, these cold air leaks
chill surfaces behind walls and above ceilings, creating condensation and supporting mold
growth. During cold weather these same leaks can force warm, humid indoor air into cold
cavities where it can condense and support mold growth and corrode structural fasteners.
• Oversized cooling systems. When cooling systems, rather than dedicated dehumidifica-
tion components, are expected to control humidity, the traditional inclination of designers
is to increase the cooling tonnage to remove the combined sensible and latent loads. But
overpowered cooling systems have exactly the opposite effect. A large cooling system
removes the normal sensible load very quickly. Then, to avoid over-chilling the space,
compressors are shut off or chilled water flow rate is reduced before the coils can con-
dense enough moisture to control humidity. In nearly all cases, oversized cooling systems
do not solve humidity control problems—instead, they cause them.
• Ineffective drainage of condensate collected inside the HVAC system or condensation
on the outside of the system’s cold and uninsulated surfaces. Undrained and uncollected
condensate leads to water leaks, drips and subsequent moisture damage and mold risk.
• Failure to exhaust indoor humidity sources such as showers, bathrooms, spas, pools
and kitchens, especially in residential buildings and sports facilities. Humid air can
migrate from these sources to cold surfaces, leading to condensation or near-condensation
and subsequent mold growth and structural deterioration.
92 | Chapter 6: Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations

Such moisture issues can lead to expensive health problems. The cost associated with asthma
treatment due to mold is approximately $3.5 billion in the U.S., according to Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory (2007). This figure does not include all the other negative health conditions
related to damp buildings that have been reported, the addition of which is thought to be sizable.
Moisture damage to the building itself is also costly. Some of these related costs directly
absorbed by owner include the following (EPA 2013):
• Repair and replacement cost of damaged goods such as furniture or supplies
• Repair and replacement costs due to corrosion of building structure, wiring, and/or dam-
aged materials
• Increased cost of insurance
• Downtime following damage and throughout the mitigation or repair process
• Possible costs associated with litigation

Mitigating Moisture in Design

Potential health concerns are an important reason to prevent mold growth and to clean up and
remediate any existing indoor mold growth. It is impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores
in the indoor environment; however, mold growth can be controlled indoors by controlling mois-
ture indoors. The HVAC design goals to prevent excessive moisture are as follows:
• Control the humidity brought into the space through replacement air, and design for a low
enough dew point to prevent condensation on cold surfaces. This condensation can drip
onto materials that readily absorb moisture, such as ceiling tiles or drywall, and propagate
mold (EPA 2013).
• Ensure that duct connections are sealed and there are no major sources of humid outdoor
air that can readily cause infiltration to the building, such as through leaking return air
ducts or plenums or a negative building pressure. Failure to seal supply duct connections
can also lead to condensation in untempered areas in the building that are rarely inspected,
such as above the ceiling (EPA 2013).
• Ensure proper equipment and insulation are specified to prevent overflowing drain pans
due to condensate from cooling coils or condensation buildup on surfaces that may experi-
ence a large temperature differential (EPA 2013).
• Ensure that exhaust ducts from commercial kitchens include the required duct insulation in
order to avoid internal condensation, because the dew point in the exhaust air is likely to be
above the cool indoor air temperatures in the unheated cavities and attics that the ducts
pass through on their way to the outdoors.
• Ensure that high sources of humidity gain to the space are properly exhausted (EPA 2013).
Particular attention should be given to adequate exhaust from dishrooms. ASHRAE
Research Project (RP) 1778 (Livchak and Swierczyna 2020) studied heat and moisture
loads in commercial kitchen dishrooms and showed that latent loads can be mitigated with
larger overhangs and higher airflow rates than codes currently require.

EXCESSIVE HEAT
Effects of Excessive Heat
There is a common saying: “If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.” Taken liter-
ally, kitchens are known for being hot, but that is not a badge of honor. Contributors to hot kitchens
include untempered makeup air and high heat loads added to the space but not fully exhausted or
overcome by inadequate cooling processes. Kitchen temperatures can rise to more than 110°F
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 93

(43°C), particularly in front of certain appliances such as open pizza ovens, grills, and anything
with an open flame (see Figure 6.2). Even if personnel do not work continuously in front of partic-
ular appliances, there may not be a means for the employee to cool off in the rest of the kitchen
work area.
Environments with high temperatures can lead to major health problems including, but not
limited to, heat cramps, heat rashes, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. The body is built to perspire
by increasing blood circulation when exposed to high temperatures in an effort to cool the body
down. While this is happening, less blood is circulated to important organs, including the brain,
which may cause dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, and eventual collapse. A person experiencing
heat exhaustion could suffer brain damage if not treated in a timely manner. Heat stroke is another
condition related to heat exhaustion that has more serious consequences. It occurs when the body
stops sweating and therefore cannot dissipate heat. This causes the body temperature to rise
quickly, which can lead to serious brain damage and cause death (WCF 2023). Additionally, high
exposure to heat often leads to dehydration, which can cause acute or chronic kidney failure (Singh
et al. 2016).
It is also worth noting that personnel sweating in the kitchen can lead to food contamination
and therefore health hazards to the patrons.

Preventing Excessive Heat

A commercial kitchen designer should take care to design with the following goals in mind:
• The ambient temperature in the kitchen should be 75°F (24°C)
• Properly assess the heat load to the space and provide the necessary cooling tonnage
to overcome this
• Ensure the equipment selected to provide cooling is capable of cooling to the space
design temperature at any outdoor air temperature up to the design temperature of the
locale
• Design for adequate control of the systems in place to interact with each other and
with the space to ensure the design space temperature is being met throughout

Figure 6.2 Personnel working in front of hot cooking equipment.

Courtesy of iStock.com/bgton
94 | Chapter 6: Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations

• Ensure the vent hoods are fully capturing and containing heat from cooking (see chapters 3
and 4 of this book for more information)

INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ)

Poor IEQ in Commercial Kitchens
In addition to problems created by CO, moisture, and heat when a space is not properly ventilated,
the risk of other harmful particulate is high in a commercial kitchen system. Grease-producing cooking
methods are shown to increase particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compound (VOC), and poly-
cyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emissions in commercial kitchens’ indoor air. Studies have shown
this can lead to kidney dysfunction, cancer, or other harmful side effects (Singh et al. 2016).
Other organic and reactive chemicals that contribute to indoor air contamination (such as
tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, fugitive emissions, and more) may come from the outside the
space either through infiltration into a negatively pressurized building or through the building’s
ventilation system and sources of outdoor air (OSHA 2023).
While health concerns are a primary driver for improving indoor environmental quality (IEQ),
comfort requirements add another layer to the IEQ discussion. Thermal comfort is shown to affect
workplace performance and productivity. One study in particular showed that a 10°F (5.6°C) rise
in temperature led to a 30% loss in productivity. With cooking equipment and processes that pro-
duce high heat and moisture along with the exchange of a high volume of outdoor air, commercial
kitchens are prone to space conditions that are less than ideal. Within a growing commercial
kitchen industry with broad opportunity available, employee and patron retention is of rising
importance to the survival of a particular concept, which makes comfort an important part of the
IEQ equation (Simone et al. 2013).
ASHRAE RP-1469 (Stoops et al. 2013) evaluated over 100 commercial kitchens in the U.S.
during the summer and winter in all climate zones. This study employed the commonly used pre-
dicted mean vote (PMV) index to evaluate indoor thermal comfort, which is recommended only for
values between –2 and +2 on the seven-point PMV scale (ASHRAE 2020). Figure 6.3 shows that
several data points of PMV for climate zones were outside the recommended range of evaluation,
which clearly suggests a high percentage of dissatisfaction among kitchen employees. The authors
suggest that “the large difference in the thermal environment between summer and winter in casual
kitchen types was probably due to more frequent use of natural ventilation” (Simone et al. 2013,
1014) indicating a lack of mechanical heating and cooling in those environments. See Figure 6.4
for the operative temperature data.

Improving IEQ in Commercial Kitchens

Each of the following are ways to vent out harmful pollutants created in a commercial kitchen
space and simultaneously prevent pollutants from entering the space through the outdoor air being
brought into the building:
• Proper exhaust and outdoor air exchange
• Removal of pollutants through the outdoor air supply unit using media filters (Figure 6.5)
• Removal of pollutants through the outdoor air supply unit using other technologies such as
ultraviolet (UV) treatment of air and bipolar ionization (specifiers should evaluate the
research behind such technologies, as there are currently no ASHRAE standards for test-
ing these technologies)
• Humidity levels maintained between 40% and 60% rh, as humidity levels outside of this
range can increase transmission of viruses (ASHRAE 2022a)
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 95

Figure 6.3 Average of PMV for climate zones with 95% confidence interval.
Courtesy of ASHRAE (Stoops et al. 2013)

Figure 6.4 Operative temperature data from all kitchen zone short-term measurements in summer and winter.
Courtesy of ASHRAE (Stoops et al. 2013)

• Proper pressure control to prevent infiltration as well as issues in ventilation of necessary

contaminants or excessive heat, moisture, or smoke

To improve thermal comfort, consider the following:

• Determine which outdoor design conditions should be used for the project location
• Properly calculate the energy load to the space and how much exhaust air, supply air, and
tons of cooling are needed to keep the space comfortable
96 | Chapter 6: Occupant Safety and Comfort Considerations

Figure 6.5 Depiction of harmful pollutants being filtered with the use of media filters.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

• Carefully select equipment with enough heating and cooling capacity to overcome the load
on a typical design day
• Carefully consider the selected equipment’s capabilities during part-load conditions

See chapter 7 for more information on accounting for thermal comfort in the design process.
 7
Comprehensive
Design Approach
As discussed in chapter 2, the design of a commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) system
begins with the complete knowledge of how the facility is being used. Understanding of the Loca-
tion of the kitchen, type of kitchen/restaurant being designed, type of food/menu being prepared,
and hours of operation are key considerations. CKV design should also consider the appliances
required to meet the needs of the kitchen space and the overall layout of the kitchen. Finally, it is
important to consider how the kitchen layout and CKV considerations relate to the rest of the
building’s HVAC requirements. Figure 7.1 shows a design process map.

UNDERSTANDING THE CKV SYSTEM’S OVERALL REQUIREMENTS AND CONSTRAINTS

Menu and Food Preparation
The kitchen’s desired menu and cooking processes play a large role in the appliance selection
and directly affect CKV design. See chapter 3 for a detailed discussion of the equipment used.
The design engineer should have clear expectations and understanding from the owner of the
goal of the kitchen space. This critical information is necessary to select the required appliances
and to determine the ventilation hood’s airflow, the replacement air quantity, and the required
HVAC equipment and devices necessary to condition the spaces. The space’s occupancy limits,
along with the hours of operation, should also be considered to guarantee accurate CKV design.
Relating to hours of operation, it is important for the designer to consider how ancillary spaces will
be handled, because other spaces may have separate HVAC systems and operating schedules.
There are four common hours of operation used in food service—breakfast/brunch, lunch, din-
ner, and late night. Refer to chapter 2 for definitions. To design a CKV system, the designer should
know the hours of operation to determine the schedule for all HVAC systems in the facility. The
designer also needs to fully understand the diversity of the food preparation equipment’s operation
so the heat gains can be accurately calculated. Finally, an understating of the impacts of all associ-
ated equipment on the HVAC system’s design and operation must be considered. Note the follow-
ing critical design criteria:
• Optimizing the hood’s exhaust requirements, while maintaining capture and containment
(C&C), minimizes the associated replacement air quantity, which in turn reduces the size
of the required HVAC equipment as well as the associated operating costs.
• Similarly, minimizing the heat gains from food processing equipment can further reduce
HVAC equipment sizes and operating costs. Methods for analyzing these costs are
described in chapter 1.
98 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

Figure 7.1 Design process flowchart.

Courtesy of Gaylord Industries

Location and Building Types

It is important to identify the building type, as this will influence the pressure conditions of the
space, equipment locations, and duct routing. Chapter 2 of this guide defines the different building
types of kitchens and restaurants. For the purposes of this chapter, they are listed here:
• Quick-service restaurants (QSRs)
• Fast-casual restaurants
• Full-service restaurants
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 99

• Ghost kitchens
• Tenant restaurants
• Other restaurants
• Food trucks

The physical layout and restaurant type can vary drastically relating to the design of the space.
A QSR’s dining and kitchen areas may only be separated by a serving counter. Many times, this
type of restaurant is a single open area. In other restaurants, such as fast-casual dining restaurants,
a wall may separate the dining and kitchen areas, creating two separate conditioned areas. For this
example, the designer could keep the two conditioned areas separate and use demand ventilation
controls in the dining space or use the maximum amount of transfer air by integrating the HVAC
with the kitchen ventilation system.
Freestanding restaurants, in-line restaurants, and other restaurants where the restaurant occu-
pies the entire building or the entire enclosed tenant space are often easier to design, as the engi-
neer has full control of the building design. Tenant restaurants can be more difficult to design due
to pressure relationships with common areas and the need for supplemental cooling and replace-
ment air beyond what the landlord may provide. Tenant restaurants are typically designed with a
negative pressure, as they use transfer air from the common area. However, if transfer air is not
available, there will need to be 100% replacement air introduced to the kitchen to maintain pres-
surization.
It is important that the engineer also collaborate closely with the architectural designer when
laying out the space. In many QSRs and fast-casual restaurants, an open concept where the cook-
ing area is fully open to the dining area is typical. This type of design approach is desirable,
because it allows air to easily transfer from the dining area to the kitchen area. While there may not
be a detectable air pressure difference between the two areas, the quantity and velocity of the trans-
fer air can be calculated during the design and quantified during air balancing and commissioning.

System Integration and Design

System integration and balancing bring the many ventilation components together to provide
the most comfortable, efficient, and economical performance of each component and of the system
as a whole. In CKV, the replacement air system(s) must integrate and balance with the exhaust sys-
tem and/or facility HVAC system(s). Even optimal system designs require field testing and balanc-
ing once installed. It is equally important to verify compliance with design and to confirm that the
design meets the operating facility’s needs. Air balance is a critical step in any CKV Commission-
ing Process. It should be noted that a majority of hood performance issues are caused by improper
balancing and placement of the CKV systems. Although there are exceptions, the guidelines below
are the fundamental principles of integrating and balancing food service facility systems for com-
fort, control, and economical operation:
• Pressure conditions. Due to the large rates of exhaust air, makeup air, etc., there is a need to
design for desired pressure conditions. The pressure conditions are as follows (see Table 7.1
for a list of recommended pressure relationships):
• Positive air pressure—created when more outdoor air is supplied to the space than is
removed from it
• Negative air pressure—created when more air is exhausted from the space to the exte-
rior than outdoor air is supplied to it
• Neutral air pressure—created when the outdoor air supplied and the exhaust air are
nearly equal
100 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

Table 7.1 Pressures for Various Space Relative to Other Spaces

Space/Room Pressure Relative to Adjacent Spaces
Kitchen, cooking Negative (–)
Kitchen, prep Negative (–)
Storage Positive (+)
Dish washing Negative (–)

Offices, break rooms Positive (+)

Dining rooms Positive (+)

• The building should always be slightly positively pressurized compared to atmosphere to

prevent infiltration of outdoor air. Infiltrated air contains contaminants and insects and
adds to the heating and/or cooling load.
• Every kitchen should always be slightly negatively pressurized relative to adjacent rooms
or areas immediately surrounding to help contain odors.
• System HVAC design should prevent air supplied to the kitchen from being returned and
supplied to non-kitchen areas. Odor contamination is an obvious potential problem. In
addition, in conditions such as seasonal transitions, when adjacent zones may be in differ-
ent modes (e.g., economizer versus cooling or heating), comfort may be adversely
affected. Ideally, the kitchen HVAC system should be separate from all other zones’ HVAC
systems. The following situations should be considered:
• During seasonal transitions, the kitchen zone, due to its large internal heat gain from
the cooking appliances, may require air conditioning or may be served by ventilation
air only, while dining areas require heating. Even in kitchens that require cooling when
the adjacent dining areas require heating, it is still important to maintain the pressure
differential between these spaces and continue transfer of dining-area air into the
kitchen.
• To limit kitchen personnel discomfort, it is important to control the low-temperature
makeup air set point and prevent drastic temperature variations between the kitchen
space and the makeup air being introduced. When dedicated kitchen makeup air
requires heating, thermostatic control of the makeup air heating source should ideally
be based on kitchen space temperature rather than outdoor air temperature. makeup air
heating should be interlocked with kitchen HVAC cooling to prevent simultaneous
heating and cooling. HVAC thermostat locations in kitchens must consider the poten-
tial conflicting temperatures.
• Ideally, in dining areas there should be no perceptible drafts and no temperature varia-
tions of no more than 1°F (0.6°C). These conditions can be achieved with even distri-
bution and thorough circulation of air in each zone by selecting an adequate number of
grilles, registers, or diffusers to preclude high air velocities in the occupied zone. If
there are noticeable drafts or temperature differences, dining customers will be
uncomfortable and facility personnel are generally less comfortable and less produc-
tive.
• It is not recommended to use a return air plenum in a kitchen’s HVAC design due to
the possible accumulation of oil and grease on the surfaces and equipment located
above the ceiling (e.g., lighting and wiring). Due to the operational nature of a kitchen,
there will always be some quantity of grease and oil that is suspended in the return air;
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 101

however, while the areas below the ceiling can be easily cleaned, the above-ceiling
areas cannot be cleaned and will accumulate to a substantial buildup after a few years
of operation. For this reason, it is recommended to use a dedicated return air duct sys-
tem.
Both design concepts and operating principles for proper integration and balance are involved
in achieving desired results under varying conditions. The same principles are important in almost
every aspect of food service ventilation.
In restaurants with multiple exhaust hoods, or hoods with demand control systems, exhaust
airflow volume may vary throughout the day. Replacement air must be controlled to maintain
proper building and kitchen differential pressures to ensure the kitchen remains negative to adja-
cent areas at all operating points while providing adequate replacement air for the operating hoods.
The more variable the exhaust, or the more numerous and smaller the zones involved, the more
complex the design, but the overall pressure relationship principles must be maintained to provide
optimum comfort, efficiency, and economy. See chapter 4 for more information on design
approaches.

SELECTING EXHAUST HOODS

A critical step when designing commercial kitchens is selecting which types of exhaust hoods
to use. This step must be performed prior to the other steps necessary to design the HVAC system,
because the hood will impact the amount of outdoor air needed, which in turn has a sizable impact
on the HVAC load calculations and the associated equipment. This section describes the kinds of
hoods available and the impact of hood location on hood exhaust airflows, how to determine the
design exhaust airflow and evaluate the options available to provide reductions in both the design
airflow and real-time energy savings, and other factors that need to be considered. There are two
types of hoods available for CKV systems:
• Type I hoods are required when the cooking processes produce grease, heat, smoke, steam,
and combustion byproducts (collectively referred to as cooking effluent).
• Type II hoods may be used when equipment produces only heat and steam.

It is recommended that the hood supplier(s) be consulted regarding any of the design criteria
discussed in this section so that an optimal selection can be made. It is also strongly recommended
to investigate and evaluate the performance of different hood suppliers’ products for the same
application, because variations between manufacturers can produce different results, including dif-
ferent C&C exhaust airflow quantities for covering the same cooking appliance(s).
It should be noted that when properly designed, exhaust hoods capture the sensible and latent
convective loads from the cooking processes. However, the cooking processes can still add large
radiant loads to the kitchen from their hot surfaces, and these radiant loads need to be accounted
for when sizing the HVAC system for the kitchen. See the “Calculating Space Heat Gains and
Losses” subsection of this chapter for more information on the process for determining HVAC
loads. See chapter 3 for more information on the different types of exhaust hoods.

Styles of Exhaust Hoods

There are several styles of Type I exhaust hoods available for use in commercial kitchens, but
the most common types are canopy hoods and backshelf hoods. The main differentiator between
these two types is the installation height. Canopy hoods are typically installed so the lower edge of
the hood is 78 to 84 in. (1.98 to 2.13 m) above the finished floor. This allows clearance for taller
appliances, such as overfired broilers and tall combi ovens. Proximity hoods are typically installed
102 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

closer to the appliances’ surfaces and therefore require less exhaust air to capture the effluent from
the appliances underneath the hood. Examples of appliances that commonly use proximity hoods
include deep-fat fryers and flat-top griddles. With proximity hoods, care needs to be taken with
some appliances to make sure that there is sufficient clearance when the appliances have parts or
features that move manually or automatically—appliances that could have a clearance issue
include fryers with automatic lift baskets or clamshell grills that have an upper platen that could hit
the front of the hood if there is insufficient clearance. It should be noted that there are also hybrid
hoods that are installed at a height between canopy and proximity hoods.
Type II hoods are most commonly used to capture heat and vapor but not grease or smoke.
Type II hoods used to capture condensation are often designed to capture and drain the condensed
water to floor drains or condensate gutters on the hood’s perimeter where the water accumulates
and is evaporated over time back into the hood’s exhaust. Type II hoods are not covered under a
product listing category nor do they carry a fire rating; therefore, they are more simplistic to design
than Type I hoods. The Type II hood design process focuses primarily on hood overhangs and
designing adequate ventilation rates. Note that the minimum airflow for a dishwasher shown in
code may not be high enough for the dishwasher type being used in practice. Consult the hood
manufacturer for design guidance. When conditions allow for the use of a Type II hood, it can be
an attractive option in the design process due to the sometimes significant reduction in system cost
over Type I hoods, which require grease filters, grease ducts, and grease-rated exhaust as well as a
full fire suppression system.

Cooking Duty
The next item to be considered when determining a hood’s exhaust airflow is the appliances’
cooking duty. There are four classifications of duty level in International Mechanical Code (IMC;
ICC 2021d): light duty, medium duty, heavy duty and extra-heavy duty. The higher the duty level,
the greater quantity of air the hood must exhaust to adequately capture and contain the appliance’s
cooking effluent. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) contains recommended duty levels for
several appliance categories. Be aware that, ultimately, the local authority having jurisdiction
(AHJ) has the final determination in how the appliances might be classified with regard to cooking
duty. Typical classifications of appliance duty levels are shown in Table 7.2.

Hood Optimization
Another consideration when selecting a hood is determining the degree to which the design
exhaust airflows should be optimized. There are a number of ways to optimize the hood’s exhaust
airflows.
Appliance location. Optimization can occur by changing the appliance layout to relocate the
heavier-duty-level appliances so they are in the middle of an appliance lineup and the lighter-duty
appliances are located to the left- and right-hand sides of the exhaust hood. This generally allows
the exhaust hood to operate at a lower exhaust airflow and offer a more reliable system for C&C of
the cooking effluent.
Adding side panels. A second means of reducing the exhaust airflow is to add side panels to the
ends of the exhaust hoods. These panels reduce the amount of room air being entrained into the
exhaust air, leading to a smaller thermal plume from the cooking appliances, as shown in Figure 7.2.
Some hood styles (i.e., backshelf hoods) may have side panels integrated into the hood design,
whereas other hood styles (i.e., canopy hoods) may offer side panels as an option. It should be noted
that different side panel designs provide different levels of exhaust airflow reduction.
Hood type and location. A third means of reducing the exhaust airflow is to pay attention to
the hood location. An island-style hood (i.e., a hood located away from any walls) entrains air from
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 103

Table 7.2 Typical Appliance Duty-Level Classifications

Duty Level Appliance
Light Oven
Range top
Medium Fryer
Griddle
Smoker
Electric broiler
Heavy Gas broiler
Plancha grill
Extra-heavy Solid-fuel cooking appliance

Figure 7.2 Appliance thermal plume and entrained air.

all open sides of the hood, which mixes with the plume from the cooking appliance, leading to
higher required exhaust airflows (see Figure 7.2). A wall-mounted hood without side panels
entrains air from three sides, whereas a wall-mounted hood with side panels or a proximity hood
entrains air only from one side. Another option to reduce airflows would be to place the exhaust
hood in a corner of the room to reduce the amount of room air being entrained.
Additionally, as the distance between the lower edge of the hood reservoir and the appliance
cooking surface increases, the amount of air entrained from the surrounding space increases,
resulting in larger exhaust airflows required to capture the cooking effluent. Stated simply, a hood
installed closer to an appliance reduces the amount of required exhaust airflow and reduces the
number of open sides. See Figure 7.2 for an example of how room air is an integral component to
ensure C&C of a cooking appliance’s thermal plume.

Hood Dimensions
When determining hood dimensions, the minimum left, right, and front overhangs (or under-
hangs) relative to the cooking equipment need to be taken into account. Most hood manufacturers
104 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

have a listed minimum for overhang for each hood model, but a possible best practice is to exceed
this minimum based on the appliance types or space conditions.

Calculating Exhaust Airflows

After the appliance lineup has been defined, the exhaust airflow needs to be calculated for the
exhaust hood. Most kitchen ventilation hood manufacturers have in-house design tools to calculate
the required exhaust airflows for a given cooking appliance lineup and associated hoods. These
software packages use various calculation methods such as updraft velocity and thermal plume to
determine the quantity of exhaust air required for the hoods. It should be noted that the calculated
design airflow is generally higher than the hood manufacturer’s minimum listed airflows (driven
by the highest duty level for the appliances underneath the hood). The minimum listed airflows
should not be used as the basis for design in the field.

Manifolding Hoods
When a commercial kitchen has more than one exhaust hood, a common design practice is to
manifold branches of ductwork together to a common (or shared) duct and fan system. When com-
bining such hood systems, the engineer needs to calculate the largest static pressure drop of all the
branches (hood plus duct) and use that value when determining the overall static pressure drop the
fan will see. One common mistake is to sum the static pressure drops from each branch together,
which will result in an oversized fan ventilation system. Refer to chapter 4 of this guide for more
information on static pressure in exhaust ventilation systems.

Demand-Controlled Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) Systems

Once the design of the hood’s exhaust airflows has been optimized for the cooking operations,
the next step is determining whether to use a demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) sys-
tem to reduce energy consumption.
The basic premise of DCKV systems is that when the cooking appliances are in an idle state,
the hood exhaust airflows are at a minimum. When any appliance underneath an exhaust hood is
cooking, the hood exhaust should increase to the design airflow for that hood to properly capture
the heat, smoke, grease, and other effluent from the cooking process.
The mechanisms used to determine the state of the appliances underneath the hood vary in
complexity. These range from a single temperature sensor in the exhaust collar to more complex
systems that use multiple temperature sensors in the reservoir of the exhaust hood to systems that
additionally use optical detection devices.
It should be noted that as the exhaust airflows regulate up and down, the replacement air to the
kitchen also needs to regulate to maintain proper kitchen pressurization. The energy savings from
DCKV systems are consequently a combination of the exhaust fan energy savings and the replace-
ment air cooling and heating energy savings, depending on what types of systems are used to con-
dition the replacement air coming into the kitchen space.
One of the allowable and more achievable options to comply with the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Stan-
dard 90.1 (ASHRAE 2022b) requirement for kitchens exhausting more than 5000 cfm (2360 L/s)
and the IgCC/189.1 (ICC 2021a) requirements for kitchens exhausting more than 2000 cfm (950 L/s)
is that DCKV must be capable of at least 50% reduction in exhaust. Caution should be used when
selecting a demand-controlled system for some types of equipment. If all the equipment under the
hood is unlikely to change in total load throughout the day (i.e., a single donut machine that only
runs during peak breakfast hours), a DCKV control system is not warranted. For equipment that rap-
idly changes effluent conditions under the hood (i.e., a wok), a DCKV system (both the sensors and
the fans) that can just as rapidly respond with increased exhaust should be selected.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 105

COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AIR DESIGN

Maintaining Air Balance in the Kitchen

Determining air balance for a kitchen should begin with the volumetric airflow rate (cfm or L/s)
required to properly exhaust all effluent that is created from the appliances under the hood at maxi-
mum cooking capacity. There are different methodologies for these calculations. Unlisted hoods
should reference IMC Chapter 507 (ICC 2021d) for determining airflow. However, it is recom-
mended that designers always use listed hoods for Type I applications and that they enlist the hood
manufacturer’s expertise to determine the proper exhaust volume necessary for the appliance lineup.
Next, assess all other sources of exhaust in the space. This may include general exhaust for a
kitchen when it is occupied that is not directly related to cooking, such as toilet exhaust, storage
area exhaust, etc. These values combined provide the total exhaust needed. Knowing that kitchens
are negatively pressurized up to –0.02 in. w.g. (4.98 Pa) relative to adjacent spaces for odor control
(though still positive relative to the exterior), transfer air from the dining space (or other spaces)
can be relied upon for a portion of the replacement air. For an example of this air movement, see
Figure 7.3. The volume of transfer air is determined primarily by two considerations:
• How much conditioned outdoor air is being supplied to the adjacent space to meet that
space’s occupancy requirements per ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1 (2022c). Note that
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 classifies kitchens as Class II spaces and as such allows the trans-
fer of air from Class I spaces, as per Table 6-1.
• The ability to transfer air from the adjacent space (through a doorway, pass-through win-
dow, or open concept) while limiting any openings for the transfer air’s velocity to be less
than 50 fpm (0.25 m/s) as per typically recommended room-to-room HVAC transfer air
design practices.

Once the maximum allowable transfer air into the kitchen has been determined, there are two
further options for replacement air:
• Outdoor air brought into the space through HVAC units that are not tied to the kitchen con-
trol sequence of operations
• Outdoor air brought into the space that is directly tied to the kitchen control sequence of
operations

Figure 7.3 Example restaurant air movement.

Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company
106 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

Kitchen control sequence of operations refers to an HVAC unit or system that supplies an air
volume that is directly proportional to what is being exhausted through the hood at any given time.
If there is no replacement air directly tied to the kitchen controls in such a way, it is necessary to
ensure that replacement air is properly supplied by other HVAC units that can provide replacement
air while the kitchen exhaust fans run and ensure the design pressure is maintained at any given
time. An example of this situation is when the kitchen is operating on a different schedule than the
HVAC units that serve the spaces adjacent to the kitchen and which provide replacement air to the
kitchen as part of the overall design to maintain the proper kitchen pressurization (i.e., slightly neg-
ative to the adjacent spaces).
It is also important to note that the level of conditioned air sometimes determines how it is
introduced to the space. Typical makeup air for a CKV system is partially conditioned. Heating
and cooling is recommended, but most often this air is not dehumidified, so it is brought in through
plenums at or near the hood. The idea here is that this marginally tempered air should be the first to
leave the kitchen space through the hood rather than the fully conditioned air in the kitchen ineffi-
ciently leaving through the means of exhaust. However, studies show that only about 50% is
directly recaptured, and the other 50% becomes a load to the space (refer to chapter 34 of ASHRAE
Handbook—HVAC Applications [2019] for more information). For this reason, dehumidifying this
makeup air is a recommended design practice, because unlike hot or cold air, humidity diffuses
throughout a space regardless of how or where it is introduced; therefore, its impact on space com-
fort cannot be controlled by air movement. For fully conditioned air (tempered and dehumidified),
the intent is for this air to be distributed throughout the kitchen in such a way that the entire space
is properly conditioned. Additionally, air velocities at the edge of the hood resulting from makeup
air should not exceed 75 fpm (0.381 m/s) for any air distribution method selected.
Supply air distribution methods are discussed in detail in chapters 3 and 4, but to reiterate, it is
important that directional diffusers and returns are not located within 15 ft (4.6 m) of the hood.

Equipment to Supply Air to the Kitchen

Most commonly, CKV systems use three types of equipment to supply air to the kitchen:
• Makeup air units (MAUs)
• Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOASs)
• Rooftop units (RTUs)

MAUs. MAUs are dedicated to providing makeup air to the exhaust hood to make up for much
of what is being exhausted through the hood using 100% outdoor air. Usually, the total supply air
volume through an MAU is less than the total exhaust air volume (this quantity is dependent on the
other sources of supply and/or transfer air). Cold air sinks and hot air rises, which can contribute to
C&C issues at the hood; therefore, it is recommended that this air be tempered to match the design
temperature of the space, though it is rarely dehumidified. Since this particular type of replacement
air is not dehumidified, it is most often brought in very close to the hood in such a way that it does
not contribute to velocities at the hood edge exceeding 75 fpm (0.381 m/s).
MAUs are most often tied directly to the kitchen controls, so they proportionally track with
what the exhaust fan is exhausting. When DCKV systems are used, it is particularly important that
the MAUs have the capability to automatically turn down airflow to match the turn-down settings
of the kitchen controls. For example, if the turn down is 50% (as is required if DCKV is the
energy-saving method used per the International Energy Conservation Code [IECC; ICC 2021c]
for kitchens with exhaust greater than 5000 cfm or 2360 L/s), the MAU should be capable of turn-
ing down to 50% of its design airflow during times of low cooking volume. This is more than a
variable-frequency drive (VFD) or electrically commutated (EC) motor setting. For example, cool-
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 107

ing coils and direct-fired gas burners require a certain velocity of air moving across them to ensure
these tempering types work as designed.
DOASs. DOASs are typically used in a commercial kitchens when there is a need to fully con-
dition a high volume of outdoor air. To accomplish full conditioning, the unit must have sufficient
heating and cooling capability. To dehumidify, these units cool air well below the saturation point
(typically between 45°F and 55°F [7.2°C and 12.8°C), thus condensing within the unit to strip
moisture out of the air. Then, depending on the CKV system’s design requirements, that air is
reheated to the desired space conditions. An added benefit of DOASs over typical MAUs is the
recirculation capability, which can lead to a cost savings on tempering air, help keep the space bal-
anced, and allow for more flexibility in airflow. An example of added flexibility with recirculation
capability is that many units have a lower limit on the design airflow in order to properly temper
the air. There may be instances in which the kitchen exhaust fan and hood are not in use, but a
small amount of outdoor air is still needed from the DOAS. With recirculation capability, the
exhaust fan can still run at the lower required limit, but the desired amount of outdoor air can be
met with reciprocal outdoor air and recirculation dampers within the unit.
It is recommended that the DOAS be tied directly to the kitchen control panel for proper oper-
ation while the hood and exhaust fan are in use, but there are many control methods available to
keep the space balanced with a DOAS. Because the DOAS fully tempers the air, it is recommended
that this air be evenly distributed throughout the space using appropriate distribution methods that
will not lead to high velocities or turbulence in the kitchen.
RTUs. RTUs use a combination of outdoor air and recirculation and provide full tempering
capability at design airflows. They typically do not supply more than 25% of their total design air-
flow with outdoor air. Because kitchens require a high volume of outdoor air, RTUs in kitchens are
most often supplemented with an MAU or DOAS to replace much of what has been exhausted,
though this is dependent on the exhaust volume and the amount transfer air able to be used.
Figure 7.4 shows a kitchen laid out with an MAU for directly making up what is exhausted
from the kitchen hoods plus an RTU for full tempering throughout the kitchen and some additional
outdoor air for replacement.
Figure 7.5 shows an alternative method of supplying air to the kitchen where a DOAS functions
to both supply the bulk of the outdoor air needed for replacement and also fully tempering the space.

Design Temperature
ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b) publishes climatic design conditions for various
weather stations (primarily corresponding to airport locations) throughout the world. Values for
each station include annual heating, humidification, cooling, dehumidification, and enthalpy
design conditions as well as extreme annual design conditions. Most equipment selections for
replacement air methods require a design dry-bulb condition for both summer and winter and a
wet-bulb condition for summer. Because ASHRAE offers climate data that correspond to different
cumulative frequencies of occurrence, it is important to note that the design conditions used will
affect the leaving air temperature of a unit that is selected for a given design condition. For exam-
ple, using the ASHRAE-published cooling 0.4% annual cumulative frequency of occurrence will
yield higher design temperatures—and correspondingly larger cooling equipment sizes—than
using either the cooling 1% annual cumulative frequency of occurrence or the cooling 2% annual
cumulative frequency of occurrence.
It is also important to consider part-load conditions, not just the leaving air conditions from a
unit at the design temperature. All units and tempering types have a particular range within which
the unit can properly apply tempering for airflow, humidity, and outdoor air temperature. The
space design conditions should be able to be met at any outdoor air temperature or airflow that the
unit may experience at any given time throughout the year. Verify with the unit manufacturer what
108 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

Figure 7.4 A kitchen where an RTU is used primarily for space tempering and an MAU is used primarily for
replacement air for what is being exhausted through the hood.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

Figure 7.5 A kitchen where a DOAS is the only direct-supply source in the kitchen for full tempering and
balance.
Courtesy of Accurex, a Greenheck Group Company

the tempering capabilities are for varying conditions. Note that extreme temperatures and climates
can derate the unit’s performance. Ensure this has been accounted for with the leaving air condi-
tions defined for a supply unit.
Additionally, consider the climate zones and the length of time throughout the year that a sup-
ply unit’s heating, cooling, and dehumidification processes will likely be operated. (Figure 7.6
shows the different zones for the U.S.).This may help in determining the cost-to-benefit ratio of a
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 109

Figure 7.6 Climate zones for U.S. counties.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (2021a)

higher first-cost unit that provides full conditioning versus a unit that may not provide full condi-
tioning during particular times of the year. For example, some units may only use their cooling
capability for an estimated three days of the year based on that location’s design conditions and the
unit’s inability to begin cooling until the outdoor air temperature reaches a particular set point. In
this situation, it would not make sense to include cooling for that unit, or it may be more beneficial
to select a different unit that can begin cooling at a lower outdoor air set point. Given that, the fol-
lowing should be considered when designing the system:
• For climate design conditions, using the 2% frequency of occurrence for cooling and 99%
frequency of occurrence for heating is usually adequate. Kitchens are not mission-critical
environments, so the extra up-front costs of HVAC systems to satisfy 0.4% cooling and
99.6% heating are difficult to justify.
• Given the large proportion of makeup air that a CKV system may require, when perform-
ing a cooling load calculation for a CKV system, it may be best to consider using the evap-
orative conditions for wet bulb rather than the cooling conditions, as use of evaporative
conditions can sometimes require significantly more cooling to satisfy the design intent.

LOAD CALCULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL KITCHENS

This section assumes the designer has experience performing HVAC load calculations. There-
fore, it focuses on the unique considerations that must be incorporated when performing these cal-
culations for CKV systems.

Zoning
A commercial kitchen HVAC design typically needs to consider two separate zones: 1) a din-
ing area, and 2) the kitchen areas, which consist of the cooking area(s), food preparations area(s),
110 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

dish-washing area(s), and possibly the dry storage areas (e.g., nonrefrigerated storage areas).
While each of these two zones may have similar hours of operation, their cooling and heating load
profiles are likely to be very different.
Dining zone. The dining area, is typically served by an HVAC unit or system that is separate
from the kitchen area. The unit typically handles the room loads including sensible, latent, and
radiant. The loads from occupants and from the food being served should also be considered.
Additionally, this would include the sensible and latent loads associated with the outdoor air intake
necessary to meet ASHRAE Standard 62.1 (2022c) as well as to offset any exhaust from adjacent
toilet rooms whose replacement air originates from this zone. It is recommended that if the dining
zone is located within a larger building (such as a cafeteria in an office building), this zone should
be served by its own HVAC equipment so that the dining area return air and the associated food
odors from the dining zone will not mix with the return air from other non-dining-area zones.
The approach for performing HVAC load calculations for this zone is same as would be used
for any typical occupied space and includes taking into account any transfer air from other adjacent
spaces. See chapter 18, “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calculations,” in ASHRAE
Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b) for more information.
Kitchen zone. The kitchen zone operates very differently from the dining area, which is why it
needs to have its own HVAC system. It will typically have a large sensible load (comparable to a
data center), large latent loads (from dish-washing operations and food steamers), radiant loads
(from the appliances located under exhaust hoods, which typically operate at several hundred
degrees), and a large amount of outdoor air that must be conditioned. The HVAC system serving
this zone also provides the required comfort conditioning for kitchen staff and food servers as
listed in the “Excessive Heat” section of chapter 6. Engineers who are used to calculating HVAC
loads for more traditional spaces may not realize how different the heat gains in a kitchen environ-
ment can be. Additionally, the operating schedule for a kitchen will likely be different than the
restaurant’s other zones or, if applicable, the attached building. Additionally, due to their large
internal heat gains, there may be seasonal conditions when kitchens may require cooling while the
adjacent zone requires heating.
Subzoning within the kitchen zone. When evaluating a restaurant’s layout, the designer
should identify area uses and occupancies to determine equipment zoning. Areas to consider
include the following:
• Spaces with cooking and processing equipment
• Spaces with dish-washing equipment and other sources of excess moisture
• Spaces with heat-rejecting equipment such as refrigerators and freezers/coolers that do not
reject heat to the building exterior
• Spaces with different activity levels (e.g., banquet rooms, meeting rooms, dining rooms, etc.)
• Staff break areas and offices
• Spaces with larger areas of glazing and doors to the exterior
• Interior spaces
• Storage rooms for food, paper, and packaging

Design plans for a facility with a CKV system should include a schedule or diagram that is cre-
ated by the design engineer and that indicates the design outdoor air balance and overall air move-
ment both within and relative to the spaces served by the CKV system. The design outdoor air
balance should indicate all exhaust and replacement air for the facility plus the net exfiltration, if
applicable. The total replacement airflow rate must equal the total quantity of air being exhausted
by all exhaust fans plus a surplus amount to provide positive pressurization for the applicable
spaces. Figure 7.7 shows an example of the airflows in a typical freestanding restaurant.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 111

Figure 7.7 Typical CKV system airflows.

Courtesy of ASHRAE (Clark 2006)

Calculating Space Heat Gains and Losses

Given the large amount of outdoor air required and heat produced by cooking appliances,
CKV systems have some of the highest cooling loads per floor area for any application, with the
possible exception of data centers. In addition to the typical factors that are considered when per-
forming CKV HVAC load calculations (envelope, lights, people), the considerable outdoor air
quantity (which can be 50% or greater of the total load) and the heat gains from both hooded and
unhooded equipment (which are typically substantially larger than the other internal heat gains)
must be included.
Given that conditioning the required outdoor air is a large amount of the CKV HVAC load, it is
recommended that the hood (and, if possible, the appliances under the hood) be selected to mini-
mize the required exhaust. A slight change in hood design or configuration can have a large impact
on the CKV system sizing. It is for this reason that evaluating hood designs and exhaust air reduc-
tion options should be a part of any proper CKV design process. This evaluation also applies when
deciding whether or not to include DCKV.
Additionally, giving careful consideration to calculating the heat produced by the cooking
appliances, including factoring their usage and diversity factor, is critical to performing an accurate
CKV HVAC cooling load calculation. It is important to understand that not all cooking appliances
will be operating simultaneously, and they will be operated as needed rather than continuously. It is
recommended that the engineer consult with the end user or the kitchen facility designer to better
understand the cooking appliances’ intended hours of operation. That information can then be used
to accurately calculate heat gains. Note that some kitchens’ peak internal heat gains may occur
during their breakfast or lunch hours. See Chapter 34 of ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications
(2019) and Chapter 18, Tables 5A through 5E, of ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b) for
more information on different kitchen appliances’ heat gains.
Note that cooking appliances that are located under an exhaust hood will not produce any
direct-to-space sensible or latent heat gains, because that heat will be exhausted into the hood.
However, they will produce a radiant heat gain to the space.
If the appliance usage diversity factor cannot be provided to the CKV HVAC designer, Table 7.3
can be used as a reference. It is recommended to multiply the heat gain from cooking appliances by
the reduction factor, called the simultaneous coefficient, which is the quotient of the number of
112 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

Table 7.3 Recommended Values for Simultaneous Coefficient

Building Type Kitchen Type Simultaneous Coefficient (KSIM) Range
Hotel 0.6–0.8
Hospital 0.5–0.7
Cafeteria 0.5–0.7
School 0.6–0.8

Restaurant 0.6–0.8
Industrial 0.6–0.8
Source: Tabunshchikov et al. (2020)

appliances in use by the total number of appliances. Table 7.3 lists coefficients for different building
types.
Equation 7.1 calculates the sensible radiant heat gain to the space from appliances underneath
a hood:

Qr = Ksim ⋅ P ⋅ Fu ⋅ Fr (7.1)

where
Qr = sensible radiant heat gain to space, Btu/h or W
Ksim = simultaneous coefficient for restaurant, from Table 7.3
P = appliance nameplate input, Btu/h or W
Fu = appliance usage factor (refer to the “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calcula-
tions” chapter in ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals [2021b])
Fr = appliance radiation factor (refer to the “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load Calcu-
lations” chapter in ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals [2021b])
Hooded appliance: sensible radiant heat gain example. For this example, assume there is a
hooded underfired charbroiler with a nameplate input of 120,000 Btu/h (35,168 W) and that the
kitchen is located in a hotel. For a hotel, the simultaneous coefficient ranges from 0.6 to 0.8, so use
the average value of 0.7. From Table 5C in the “Nonresidential Cooling and Heat Load Calcula-
tions” chapter of ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b), the usage factor for an under-fired
broiler is 0.84 and the radiant factor is 0.35. Using these values in Equation 7.1 results in the fol-
lowing equation:

Qr = 0.7 ⋅ 120,000 ⋅ 0.84 ⋅ 0.35 = 2496 Btu/h (731 W)

To calculate the convective heat gain to the space for unhooded equipment, Equation 7.2 can
be applied.

Qc = Ksim ⋅ P ⋅ Fu (7.2)

For this example, assume there is an unhooded baking oven with a nameplate rating of
25,000 Btu/h (7327 W), and the kitchen is located in a cafeteria. For a cafeteria, the simultaneous
coefficient ranges from 0.5 to 0.7, so the average 0.6 is assumed for this example. The usage and
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 113

radiant factors for this example are taken from Table 5A in the “Nonresidential Cooling and
Heating Load” chapter of ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b). The convective heat
gain to space is then calculated from Equation 7.2 as follows:

Qc = 0.6 ⋅ 25,000 ⋅ 0.79 = 11,850 Btu/h (3473 W)

The radiant heat gain to the space is calculated using Equation 7.1, or the result of Equation 7.2
can simply be calculated by the radiation factor as shown below:

Qr = 11,850 Btu/h ⋅ 0.18 = 2133 Btu/h (625 W)

The total heat gain to the space for the unhooded oven is the sum of the convective and radiant
heat loads as follows:

Q total = Qc + Qr = 11,850 Btu/h + 2133 Btu/h = 13,983 Btu/h (4098 W)

SPECIFIC DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Codes and Standards
One of the most important beginning steps in a CKV design project is to fully understand what
municipality codes and enforcements (per the AHJ) the project will have to abide with to obtain a
certificate of occupancy. Refer to appendix A of this guide for more information on the relevant
codes and testing standards, including the following:
• ICC codes (International Mechanical Code and IgCC/189.1, International Green Con-
struction Code®)
• NFPA standards (including NFPA 96, from which Uniform Mechanical Code often derives
its text)
• ASHRAE handbooks and standards (including ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154, Ventilation
for Commercial Cooking Operations)
• UL standards
• ASTM standards
• Uniform Mechanical Code

Air Device Selection and Layout

Any supply-air device located within the kitchen or within proximity to a hood should be
selected to minimize drafts and impact to hood C&C. Under no circumstances should directional
or high-face-velocity devices be used. This includes, but is not limited to, supply grilles, perforated
diffusers with directional vanes, linear slot diffusers, plaque diffusers, and cone diffusers. Refer to
the “Impact on Hood Performance” subsection of the “Replacement Air” section of chapter 4 in
this book for more information.

Type I Kitchen Hood Grease Exhaust Duct

A grease duct is either constructed by stainless steel listed factory-built designs (UL 1978
[2010d]) or unlisted field-welded methods built to minimum code construction requirements.
Grease duct routings should be as short as possible to the duct termination. This creates less
static pressure and potential for less grease accumulation. It also creates long-term operational sav-
114 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

ings for the building owner with regards to reduced time for maintenance and system cleaning. Com-
mon industry design grease duct velocities are from 1500 fpm to 1800 fpm (7.62 m/s to 9.14 m/s) at
design airflows. As with any duct-design protocol, consideration should be made for duct noise or
excessive static pressure if the industry-design velocity ranges are significantly exceeded. Minimum
velocities prescribed by the codes are 500 fpm (2.54 m/s). In buildings where it can be difficult to
minimize the duct route up to the roof, an option is to discharge through an external wall with a
grease mitigation system such as a pollution control unit (PCU).
The grease duct system should not be interconnected with any other building ventilation or
exhaust system. If multiple hoods combine into a single common exhaust duct run, each junction
fitting (i.e., a tee) and downstream duct should increase in size to maintain the preferred design
duct velocity ranges.
Chapter 5 of this guide goes into further detail regarding grease exhaust duct-design options,
hourly-rated enclosures, and other requirements and suggestions.

Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans used to exhaust grease-laden vapors should be listed and labeled in accordance
with UL 705, Supplement SC (2017b; formerly UL 762). Exhaust fans can be roof mounted, wall
mounted, or in line. Fans should be located and installed in accordance with manufacturer recom-
mendations as well as with NFPA 96 (2021b). More information on exhaust fans can be found in
chapter 4.

Fire Suppression
This section highlights the primary considerations for designers when it comes to fire suppres-
sion systems for kitchen hoods and other ancillary products where it is required. For more in-depth
detail on fire systems, please see chapter 3.
Fire suppression systems are required by IMC (ICC 2021d) and NFPA 96 (2021b) for any
Type I hood system, meaning any hood that covers grease-producing equipment. These required
fire suppression systems are typically wet chemical or water-based systems that are piped in the
hoods to deliver a suppressant to the surface of the cooking equipment, inside the plenum of the
hoods, and to the hood duct collar transition into the exhaust duct in the event of a fire. Down-
stream coverage of the grease duct varies by manufacturer and is typically up to 75 ft (22.9 m), at
which point additional nozzles may be required for the downstream ducting. The governing stan-
dard for commercial kitchen fire suppression is UL 300 (2019). UL 300 is covered in NFPA 17A
(2021a) and required in NFPA 96 (2021b).
The design of fire suppression in a grease-exhaust system is to be completed by a properly
trained and certified agent of the equipment manufacturer and performed in accordance with the
product’s listing. Coverage methods include equipment-specific or flood systems, and detection
methods are either mechanical or electronic. In any case, surface protection is specifically detailed
in product-listing manuals and must be closely followed. The net requirements and methodology
will determine the system’s cost and size.
In addition to selecting the coverage method and detection type, the designer should under-
stand the requirements when multiple hoods are specified for a building. In some cases, such as
when hoods share a duct system or are installed end to end or back to back, each hood needs to
simultaneously actuate the fire system in the event of a fire. Alternatively, in some cases, such as
tenant kitchens, it is important for the fire suppression systems to be completely independent from
one tenant to the next. Downstream, pollution control, heat recovery, or other grease-duct mounted
accessories are included as a “common” hazard, and the fire suppression coverage must be
designed in accordance with the locally adopted code. Pollution control or other duct accessories
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 115

are required to have UL 300 (2019) or equivalent protection as required under NFPA 96 (2021b)
and may also be required to discharge fire suppression when any of the other fire suppression sys-
tems discharge.
Fire systems are often connected to control sequences via a set of dry contacts such as a
microswitch. As an example, one or more microswitches may trigger the following events:
• Activate the exhaust fan at 100% airflow
• Shut off the supply air local to the hood
• Initiate the gas shutoff valve and electrical shutoff responses for the cooking equipment
• Signal the building alarm system
• Signal any other connected systems or protections for a fire event, such as the building
management system, if applicable

Discharge of the wet chemical occurs when the temperature in the hood is so high that it triggers
the detection device in the hood, indicating that there is a fire, or when the manual pull station is
activated to indicate a fire.

CKV Sequences and Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) Requirements

Typically, the operation of the exhaust hood’s fan and MAU are controlled in one of the fol-
lowing sequences:
• Constant-volume CKV system sequence. The exhaust fan’s and makeup air fan’s opera-
tions are interlocked, so if an appliance located under the hood is operated, both fans oper-
ate. This can be done using a wired connection between the fans and the appliance;
however, it is typically accomplished by installing a temperature sensor in the hood—the
fans are started when the temperature under the hood reaches a set point that indicates an
appliance is being operated.
• DCKV system sequence. A DCKV system can be operated using one of the following
methods. Consult with the specific DCKV manufacturer for more information.
• Temperature sensors measure the hood temperature and operate the exhaust fan and
makeup air fan at the desired condition.
• Temperature sensors measure the hood temperature and room temperature and operate
the exhaust fan and makeup air fan at the desired condition, depending on the differ-
ence in temperature between the two sensors.
• In addition to using temperature sensors, the system uses an optical sensing device to
detect if smoke from cooking is present.
• Measure the cooking surface temperature using infrared (IR) technology and then
control the fan’s operation accordingly.
• Dishwasher or other Type II hoods sequence. Usually the fan’s operation is controlled
by a signal from the appliance (typically a dishwasher) or from a temperature sensor under
the hood.

Any CKV sequences should work in harmony with the sequences of the surrounding space’s
HVAC sequences (if applicable).
For testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB), the engineer should include the following in their
specifications:
• The exact procedure for measuring the air being exhausted by the hood; this is critical,
because different hood manufacturers have different air-measuring procedures.
• The velocity of any air that is being transferred from adjacent spaces should be measured
with an appropriate measuring instrument. Additionally, the velocity of air at the perimeter
116 | Chapter 7: Comprehensive Design Approach

of the hood should also be measured to ensure that it does not exceed the criteria listed in
this guide.

See chapter 8 for more details on system balancing and commissioning.

 8
TAB and
System Commissioning

OVERVIEW
Of all the activities covered in this guide, testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) and system
commissioning (Cx) are the most critical, because these two activities ensure the commercial
kitchen ventilation (CKV) system operates as per the engineer’s design. Compared to the engineer-
ing and manufacturing of a new product, these steps for new construction are analogous to the
“proof of concept” phase. Because TAB and system Cx are each subjects that are worthy of guide-
books themselves, only the critical details of these tasks as they relate to CKV systems are listed in
the following sections.
Due to the fact that some TAB activities for CKV systems can be considered part of the Com-
missioning Process, this design guide combines these two activities into one chapter. Additionally,
the Cx activities discussed in this chapter are written for the commissioning provider (CxP) to per-
form Cx; equipment suppliers may have their own specific Cx procedures for the start-up of their
equipment.
Finally, this chapter was written to be used by both the CxP and the design engineer. The con-
tent can be used by the design engineer to create project specifications (TAB and Cx), and the CxP
can use this content to create the Commissioning Plan. Some of the activities included in this chap-
ter occur during the project’s inception; however, most of the chapter’s activities occur near the
completion of construction, which is why this chapter is placed after the design chapters.

TESTING, ADJUSTING, AND BALANCING

TAB for CKV systems should be performed by a third-party contractor who has been certified
by a recognized TAB certification agency. Examples of these certification agencies include
National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and Associated Air Balance Council (AABC).
These agencies set minimum requirements for the experience, methods and processes, instrumen-
tation, and reporting contents that are to be followed by contractors who perform TAB. It is recom-
mended that the TAB contractor have previous experience with TAB for CKV systems. These
requirements should be included in the project’s TAB specifications.
While the proper operation of a CKV system is not as critical as that of a clean room or labora-
tory HVAC system, many of the design and operating approaches used in the these critical systems
are also incorporated in CKV systems, including space pressurizations, proper air movement, and
effluent capture. That being said, an unbalanced CKV system can result in an unhealthy and
uncomfortable indoor environment, higher energy use, disruption to the kitchen operations, and
even false fire alarms from improper capture and containment (C&C) of cooking smoke.
118 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

Additionally, many codes require that the CKV system be balanced, including International
Mechanical Code (IMC) Section 507.6.1, which states, “[Exhaust hood] capture and containment
test. The permit holder shall verify capture and containment performance of the exhaust system.
This field test shall be conducted with all appliances under the hood at operating temperatures,
with all sources of outdoor air providing makeup air for the hood operating and with all sources of
recirculated air providing conditioning for the space in which the hood is operating located. Cap-
ture and containment shall be visually verified by observing smoke or steam produced by actual or
simulated cooking, such as that provided by smoke generators” (ICC 2021d). Note that smoke
bombs are not included in the list of acceptable simulated cooking products, because they emit
smoke at a rate that is too rapid to represent realistic cooking.
Ensuring the hood captures and contains the cooking effluent is also covered in the “Commis-
sioning” section of this chapter.

TAB Means and Methods

It should be noted that while the process of performing TAB can be considered both an art and
a science (as can be said of the practice of engineering), certain measurements must be performed
in the prescribed manner to prevent the possibility of erroneous measurements. This is especially
true for the measurement of exhaust hood airflows, because hood manufacturers may have their
own prescribed methods for measuring their hoods’ airflows, and the method that works for one
specific hood may not work for a different hood. If manufacturer recommendations are not pro-
vided, the TAB contractor performing CKV work should follow the recommendations of
ASHRAE RP-1376 (Kuehn et al. 2010), Method of Test to Evaluate Field Performance of Com-
mercial Kitchen Ventilation Systems.
To ensure this prescribed hood airflow measuring method is documented and followed, it is
strongly recommended that the project’s written specifications require that this documentation be
submitted as part of the exhaust hood’s submittal package for review by the engineer of record.
This will ensure that the process has been documented and communicated to the project’s stake-
holders. Note that this requirement should also be included in the project’s Commissioning Plan.
Examples of systems that are to be tested as part of the proper operation of a CKV system
include the following:
• Type I exhaust hoods and their associated exhaust fans
• Type II exhaust hoods and their associated exhaust fans
• Any general exhaust fans that operate to maintain space pressurization
• Any HVAC systems that provide comfort heating or cooling to the space
• Any systems dedicated to providing or that provide part of the makeup air or replacement
air that is necessary to maintain proper space pressurization of the CKV system—this
could also include surrounding spaces, zones, or systems
• All transfer air from adjacent spaces—this should also include space pressurization mea-
surements
• Any part-load or temporary/transient operational conditions, such as those that would be
encountered in a demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) system or during night
operation for a 24-hour kitchen
• Verify that all occupied and unoccupied sequences of operations and controls are working
as specified

Specific for the TAB for CKV systems, it is necessary for all HVAC equipment to be properly
installed, started up, and made operational, including all items that impact the airtight sealing of
the exhaust hood’s ductwork, such as access panels.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 119

It is critical that all systems associated with the CKV system’s proper operation are tested and
balanced at the same time. This is necessary because of the interoperability of the different systems
(i.e., the exhaust system cannot be balanced unless the replacement and makeup air systems are
operational).
In addition to performing TAB for new construction, TAB must also be performed for the
entire CKV system a maximum of every five years of operation and when any of the following
occur:
• New kitchen equipment or HVAC equipment is installed or equipment is replaced
• Modifications are made to the existing kitchen equipment cooking lineup that is located
under an existing-to-remain exhaust hood
• CKV performance issues are observed (e.g., smoke loss from the exhaust hoods, high
velocity drafts from adjacent spaces, etc.)

When TAB is not properly performed, or not performed at all, the following can occur:
• Drafts from adjoining spaces or from the outdoors
• Transfer of cooking odors to adjacent non-kitchen and dining areas
• Formation of condensation on diffusers or other cold surfaces
• Comfort issues in the kitchen and/or dining areas or spaces adjoining the areas served by
the CKV system
• Exhaust hoods not being able to capture the cooking effluent
• Natural draft flues, such as those on domestic water heaters, not able to properly operate
• Excessive cycling of the heating or cooling system
• Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) issues resulting from cooking effluent not being
removed from the breathing zone
• Excessive energy usage
• Excessive operation and maintenance (O&M) manpower efforts and costs
• Infiltration of moisture into building envelope

Note that almost all CKV operational system issues can be corrected by executing proper TAB.
When balancing existing kitchens where no design airflow values are available (such as a
remodel), it is recommended to research any applicable codes followed by the local authority hav-
ing jurisdiction (AHJ) to determine if they have any specific requirements. If necessary, Table 8.1
in Chapter 34 of ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019) and Table 8.2 in ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 154 (2022d) can be referenced as a guideline of typical hood exhaust airflow
rates for Type I hoods and minimum airflow rates for Type II hoods.

TAB Process and Approach

The following list contains specific items and procedures that must be followed or included
when performing TAB for any CKV system. Note that the sections are in this list are organized
into bullet points to allow easier incorporation into project specifications and site observation
checklists.
• Follow one or more of the listed referenced standards or guidance:
• Procedural Standard for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of Environmental Systems
(NEBB 2019)
• National Standards for Total System Balance (AABC 2016)
• ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019), Chapter 39, “Testing, Adjusting,
and Balancing”
120 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

• The following should be evaluated:

• The exhaust hood manufacturer’s air measurement recommendations and examples.
This may include specific procedures when measuring hoods with multiple supply air
or exhaust air duct connections.
• The general approach(es) and order when performing any TAB.
• The k-factors of all the air supply and exhaust devices (e.g., terminal units), especially
the exhaust hoods.
• The experience and knowledge gained from previous CKV TAB work, including rec-
ommended procedures from the instrument’s equipment manufacturers and the refer-
enced TAB procedural standards.
• Accurate airflow measurements are dependent on selecting the right instruments for the
application, maintaining calibration of those instruments, and using those instruments cor-
rectly. Commonly used TAB tools and instruments include the following:
• Manometer
• Pitot tube
• Velocity grid (Figure 8.1)
• Rotating vane anemometer (Figure 8.2)
• Airflow balometer/airflow capture hood
• The recommended CKV TAB processes—including critical steps, methods, exceptions,
and variations—and when to apply them are as follows:
• Confirm that all CKV equipment is operational and ready for balancing (i.e., equip-
ment has been started up, fans are rotating in the correct direction, belts are tight, fil-
ters are clean, access panels are secure, etc.). This includes all related exhaust fans,
makeup air fans, replacement air systems, and space heating/cooling systems.
• Ensure all balancing dampers are fully opened and outdoor air dampers on any
replacement air systems are at least open to minimum position.
• Set controls to operate fans continuously and at maximum flow.
• Measure all initial CKV airflows. This includes all related fans, exhaust hoods, out-
door airflow quantity, supply air diffusers, return air grilles, exhaust air grilles, etc.
• Compare all initial airflow measurements to design requirements and determine what
adjustments are needed.
• Adjust all CKV airflows to achieve the designed airflows. This is accomplished by
changing fan speeds and sequentially adjusting balancing dampers. Multiple adjusting
iterations are typically required, because the systems operate interdependently (i.e., as
one piece of equipment is adjusted the others can be affected).
• Due to measuring instrument accuracies and the effects of field conditions, the
designed airflows should include a specified design tolerance. The typical toler-
ance is ±10%, meaning that the airflows are to be balanced to within a range of
90% to 110% of the designed airflow value. Tighter tolerances are possible but
can greatly increase the time required to perform the TAB work. That being said,
the airflows must be adjusted so that the CKV design’s intended pressurization
and air movement are obtained. For measuring hoods/fans, larger airflows should
be considered because they allow for tighter tolerances.
• An efficiently balanced air distribution system will have at least one balancing
damper fully opened so the fan airflow is not restricted, optimizing fan performance.
• If system deficiencies prevent the design airflow from being obtained, immedi-
ately notify the owner’s representative and/or appropriate contractor, engineer of
record, and manufacturer.
• If the CKV system has a demand-controlled ventilation system, set the controls for
minimum flow, remeasure airflow, and calibrate the controls as needed to achieve the
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 121

Figure 8.1 Example of a velocity grid being used to measure airflow through the grease filters of an
exhaust hood.
Courtesy of Melink Corporation

Figure 8.2 Example a rotating vane anemometer being used to measure airflow through the grease filters
of an exhaust hood.
Courtesy of Melink Corporation
122 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

design minimum airflow. Also, while performing these measurements, be sure that any
associated HVAC systems (e.g., replacement or makeup air equipment) are also oper-
ated at their minimums to maintain proper pressurization.
• Look for any high-velocity drafts near the exhaust hoods.
• Observe exhaust hood performance with all CKV systems operating.
• Ensure cooking appliances operate at cooking temperatures.
• Ensure actual cooking is taking place to verify C&C of the cooking effluent.
• If C&C is not achieved, look for sources of disruption and make adjustments to the
CKV system airflows to correct it.
• Measure space pressurization and compare the valves to design requirements. Make
final adjustments to correct any pressure issues.
• Record final balanced airflows, control settings, and equipment operating data (e.g.,
fan revolutions per minute, motor amps, static pressures, damper positions, etc.) to
serve as future reference points.
• The following should also be observed and verified for proper equipment installation as
well as proper CKV system operation, because these items can impact obtaining comple-
tion of proper TAB. Note that these items are also typically performed by the CxP as part
of their prefunctional checks:
• Verify that the hood overhang for the cooking appliances matches the hood submittal
drawings. If necessary, correct by pushing all appliances as far away from the open
sides of the hood as possible. Where sufficient overhang cannot be achieved, as a pos-
sible solution side panels could be installed on the hood to enclose the appliances.
Note that the determination regarding the addition of side panels needs to be made by
the engineer of record in coordination with the hood supplier.
• Any high-velocity drafts near the exhaust hood, such as those from supply air diffus-
ers, fans, transfer air outlets, etc., will impact the hood’s ability to capture and contain
cooking effluent. Any observable drafts should be noted in the TAB report, and if any
corrective measures are made to reduce or eliminate them, those measures should also
be documented in the TAB report.
• Similar to noting drafts, also note if there are any nearby return or exhaust grilles or
hoods affecting the operation of the kitchen hood being balanced.
• Note if any exhaust hoods are missing filters, have incorrect filters installed, or have
filters that are not fitted tightly (i.e., there are gaps between the filters). Any of these
deficiencies will have an impact on the air quantity exhausted by the hood as well as
the ability to properly balance the CKV system. Correct any deficiencies before taking
measurements.
• Ensure that all of the exhaust duct clean-out panels have been installed and tightly
secured.
• Ensure there are no issues with the exhaust fan’s proper operation (e.g., backward fan
rotation, loose belt, the fan is not secured tightly to the roof curb, there are improper
duct transitions, etc.).

Post-Occupancy Air Balance Observations and Verifications

The following list contains items that have been observed to occur in CKV systems after the
kitchens have been occupied and operated and that may impact the system’s air balance and perfor-
mance. Some of these items occur during the normal operation of a CKV system, while others are
the result of improper or deficient O&M. As part of the CKV’s O&M plan, it is recommended that
an inspection of the kitchen be conducted a minimum of once every three months to identify and
correct any of the following:
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 123

• The cooking appliances have been moved too close to the edge of the hood or even out
from under the hood’s canopy.
• The cooking appliance lineup has changed from the original design. This can include the
appliance type, cooking duty, quantity, and even location.
• The exhaust hood’s grease filters are damaged, missing, or not fitted tightly (i.e., there are
gaps between filters).
• Lack of routine proper cleaning has resulted in grease building up on the following:
• Exhaust duct walls
• Exhaust fan’s wheel
• Hoods filters
• The exhaust duct’s clean-out panels are missing or not secured tightly, allowing air to leak
into the duct.
• The exhaust fan’s belt is loose or broken.
• The outdoor air intake dampers are closed, due to either a malfunction or improper mainte-
nance.
• The filters and/or screens that serve makeup air plenums are loaded with debris.

Additionally, even under proper use, a CKV system should be rebalanced when any one of the
following occurs:
• Smoke or steam is observed escaping from the exhaust hoods.
• Grease is observed to be accumulating on the ceiling around the perimeter of the exhaust
hoods.
• Grease is observed to be accumulating at return grilles/ducts.
• Cooking odors are migrating to adjacent areas.
• There are noticeable high-velocity drafts from adjacent spaces and/or through any pass-
through windows (or openings) to other adjacent interior spaces.
• Air is being drawn into the building when any exterior doors and/or exterior windows are
opened.
• There is an unusually high space humidity, above 65% rh (per the recommendations from
ASHRAE RP-1469 [Stoops et al. 2013]) in any of the CKV areas during cooling operation
when the outdoor air is humid (i.e., the outdoor dew point is above 65°F [18°C]).
• There are uncomfortably high or low space temperatures that cannot be properly con-
trolled by the CKV system’s heating and cooling cycles.
• The spaces served by the CKV system have been remodeled.

As part of the O&M plan, the CKV system should be tested, adjusted, and balanced once every
five years (or more frequently), because the following can occur:
• Normal changes and variations to the HVAC equipment’s operation.
• Worn-out equipment components and devices due to wear and tear from typical opera-
tions.

As part of this plan, verification for being within operational tolerance should be performed once
every five years (or more frequently). In addition to the above-listed circumstances, the outdoor air
quantities should be measured and adjusted as necessary every two years, because of the challeng-
ing operating conditions under which outside air dampers typically operate.
For additional information, refer to the ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications, chapter 34,
“Recommended Frequency of Maintenance” section (2019).
124 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

COMMISSIONING (CX)
For this section, the expectation is that the reader has experience in the Commissioning Pro-
cess as described in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202 (ASHRAE 2018). The items covered in
this section are topics that are specific to commissioning CKV systems. They include everything
from the project conception to construction and turnover to ownership as well as recommissioning
and retrocommissioning activities.
Specifically, this section focuses on CKV-specific elements of the following Cx items:
• The Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) and the Basis of Design (BOD)
• The design review and what to focus on
• System verification (i.e., prefunctional checks)
• Functional performance testing
• Training
• Post-occupancy observations/verifications

These items should be included as necessary to ensure proper CKV system operation and are
required to ensure the project achieves its goals, including obtaining any necessary certifications,
such as LEED® (USGBC 2023), WELL (IWBI n.d.), or others.

Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR)

As is typical for any project following the Commissioning Process, during this phase the focus
should be on discussions with the owner or their representative to determine their goals for the
project as they relate to the kitchen and adjoining areas. Determining these goals involves discus-
sions with the food service consultant—whose expertise lies in designing the kitchen’s layout and
selecting and locating the appliances—along with discussions that should include the project’s
architect, mechanical engineer, general contractor, and general contractor’s mechanical, electrical,
and plumbing (MEP) subcontractors. Additionally, any of the owner’s food service experts (e.g.,
facility and operations managers) and stakeholders should also be included.
This coordination with all the disciplines and trades, and the associated continuous alignment
of the project’s details to achieve the project’s goals, should continue throughout the entire life the
project. Focusing on coordination between the different design disciplines is especially critical for
a CKV system, because the decisions made by one discipline will greatly impact the requirements
and design decisions made by the others. As an example, hood selection will impact exhaust air-
flow rates, which will in turn impact the entire CKV design.
The OPR’s goals may include any or all of the following:
• Energy-efficiency targets
• Certifications (e.g., LEED)
• Cost or budget requirements
• Kitchen IEQ, especially the target operating temperature and humidity (e.g., deciding what
is too hot)
• Location of kitchen, dining area, and any applicable adjoining spaces whose operation or
IEQ may be impacted by the CKV system
• Hours and days of operation (critical if the kitchen is located in a larger building, such as a
cafeteria in an office building)
• Number and types of cooking platforms (e.g., charbroilers and other high-temperature
cooking appliances)
• Odor control to adjacent spaces and/or the outdoors (e.g., are the neighbors a concern?)
• Sources of makeup air/replacement air for the kitchen hood’s exhaust
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 125

• Maintenance expectations—these are a very critical and must be defined by the owner and
complied with by all stakeholders. The key question is, “Will the CKV system be main-
tained by a trained engineering staff, an outside maintenance company with expertise in
CKV systems, or by the kitchen managers and their staff (as is typical for many stand-
alone restaurants)?”
• Planned future modifications (if applicable)

While the CxP may be the person who facilitates these discussions, by no means are they the
only person who should be leading these discussions or acting as the expert on these subjects. The
goal when creating the OPR is to ensure these CKV-related discussions do occur and that their out-
comes are documented in the OPR.

Basis of Design (BOD)

In addition to a typical BOD, the CKV BOD should specifically list/detail the following:

• Each specific cooking platform, including the following:

• The type of cooking appliance (e.g., fryer, griddle, etc.) and food being cooked
• The type of hood that will serve the appliance (i.e., canopy, island, backshelf)
• Any modifications to the hood(s) such as adding side panels, integral airflow devices, etc.
• If DCKV controls will be incorporated
• The kitchen hood exhaust system including the following:
• Pre-fab or field-fabricated exhaust duct
• If any pollution control devices (e.g., scrubbers) will be used (if yes, the specific
devices must be listed)
• The location of the exhaust system’s mechanical equipment (e.g., fans, scrubbers, etc.)
• Any special architectural considerations to provide access for maintenance of the
exhaust system’s mechanical equipment and the duct cleaning access panels
• The method of providing and conditioning (controlling the temperature and humidity) the
replacement air for the kitchen hood’s exhaust system, such as the following:
• Direct from outdoors
• Transfer from adjacent spaces
• A combination of the above
• Any necessary space pressurization requirements (list the adjacent spaces)
• The IEQ of the kitchen and dining areas, including the following:
• Design temperatures for all spaces served by the CKV system
• Design relative humidity
• Control and/or mitigation of any sources of indoor pollutants (e.g., particulates and
volatile organic compounds [VOCs]) that are a byproduct of the kitchen’s cooking
operations, including unhooded appliances, and the effluent produced by food after it
is removed from a cooking process (if you can smell it, it is producing byproducts)
• The type of kitchen hood fire suppression system that will be used and the locations and
equipment that will be served by it
• A high-level description of any CKV control sequences of operation, including interlocks
and, if applicable, DCKV systems, and the locations of all components
• Accommodations for future modifications, especially regarding the cooking platforms
126 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

Commissioning Plan
The Commissioning Plan for a CKV system includes the typical Cx activities of the HVAC
equipment and systems associated with a CKV system (such as fans, air-handling units, etc.) and
should also include the following activities that are unique to CKV systems:
• Performing a prefunctional checklist visit to verify proper installation of the following:
• The hoods and accompanying accessories along with any appliances they serve
• The locations of all HVAC equipment and devices, with particular attention paid to the
locations and type of air terminals (return and supply)
• Proper access for required equipment and system maintenance
• Exhaust fans
• Verifying all interlocks between the kitchen appliances and CKV system
• Ensuring the hood fire suppression system has been properly started up and commissioned
by the hood fire suppression contractor (note that this system is separate from the build-
ing’s fire sprinkler system)
• Verifying that the hood fire suppression system’s activation has been properly interlocked
with any applicable CKV HVAC systems
• Observing and verifying proper air movement of the CKV system, including the following:
• Air movement adjacent to the hood(s)
• The pressurization of replacement air from any adjacent spaces
• Observing and verifying the C&C of all exhaust hoods
• If applicable, verifying the proper operation of any DCKV systems

Design Review
When performing a design review of CKV systems, the following are some items that should
be specifically reviewed to understand the design so it can be commissioned and to ensure the
design meets the expectations and requirements of the OPR and BOD:
• The appliance hood drawings provided by the hood supplier. These drawings will provide
details of the hood(s), including the following:
• Hood type
• Exhaust airflow
• Any supply or replacement airflows (if the hood includes these options)
• Any side panels (if the hood includes these options)
• The overall CKV system design, including the following:
• Source(s) of replacement air
• Any space pressurization or transfer air requirements
• All exhaust, including hood and general space exhaust
• The location and type of any supply or return/exhaust air devices to determine if they
might impact hood C&C
• Any CKV system controls, including the following:
• Control and operation of any replacement air sources
• Any associated exhaust air controls and interlocks, including the those of the cooking
appliances
• If applicable, the CKV system’s DCKV controls, including what parameters cause the
exhaust airflow rates and makeup air rates to modulate and the corresponding modula-
tion rates of both (note that some systems have only two speeds while others have vari-
able speeds)
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 127

• The hood fire suppression systems, including the following:

• The operation of the CKV system as well as the operation of any associated HVAC sys-
tems to understand how they interact with the operation of the fire suppression system
• How any associated cooking appliance’s fuel source is shut off
• Simultaneous operations of systems (i.e., common hazard)
• If applicable, any kitchen exhaust pollution control devices

For additional design details, refer to chapters 3 and 4 of this guide.

Prefunctional Checks
The following list contains the equipment and components that are unique to CKV systems
and that should be observed during construction and prior to functional testing for proper installa-
tion and compliance with the project’s goals and requirements:
• The exhaust hood and all its applicable accessories. Verification may include the following:
• The intended maximum operating temperature (depends on the appliances it serves)
• That grease filters are properly installed
• Side panels, where specified
• If applicable, DCKV control sensors, which can be located within the hood, in the
exhaust duct just above the hood, or in the kitchen space
• Fire suppression systems
• If applicable, local manual controls, such as ON/OFF switches and overrides
• The cooking appliances under the hood, including the appliance types (fryer, charbroiler,
etc.) and their exact locations, which should match the hood submittal drawings. Also ver-
ify proper hood overhangs, which are based on the hood submittal drawings. Note that
even the act of relocating appliances under a hood, such as swapping the locations of a
griddle and charbroiler, will impact the hood’s ability to capture and contain.
• The exhaust duct installation including:
• Listed assemblies for listed prefabricated duct systems.
• Welded liquid-tight construction for field-fabricated exhaust ducts for Type I hoods.
Typical HVAC duct construction, including folded seams, is not acceptable for Type I
kitchen exhaust hoods but is acceptable for Type II kitchen exhaust hoods.
• Listed duct access panels in locations as mandated by code and perceived reasonable
access for accessibility. Refer to chapter 5 for details and rationale.
• The exhaust fan, ensuring that it is listed for its intended cooking application and tempera-
ture and includes access panels for periodic cleaning of the fan wheel and housing, which
occurs when the associated exhaust duct is cleaned.
• Pollution control devices, ensuring access is provided to replace any filters or other
replaceable components. Additionally, if technologies such as electrostatic precipitators or
ultraviolet-C (UVC) systems are used, verify that they have been properly started up by a
qualified technician and that a start-up report has been made available.
• The DCKV system has been started up by a qualified technician and a start up report has
been made available.
• Replacement air systems have all been installed as per the design and are installed in their
prescribed locations. This includes verifying the locations of all supply and return/exhaust
air terminals that are part of the CKV system. It also includes those items necessary to
maintain proper space pressurization and may also include components of separate HVAC
systems.
• Diffusers. Diffuser types can be changed during construction for aesthetic or supply (e.g.,
lead time) reasons. These types of changes/substitutions can have a negative impact on a
128 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

CKV system’s performance. It is always best to confirm any changes with the engineer of
record. Refer to chapter 4 of this design guide for verification of diffuser selection.
• TAB has been performed and all issues and deficiencies have been resolved. TAB is the
foundation of CKV commissioning.

Functional Performance Testing

One of the most critical Cx tasks is conducting functional performance testing. These are tests
in which system operation is evaluated for the engineer’s design intent. More specifically, testing
of the system’s sequence of operations is performed to ensure the system operates according to the
prescribed sequence.
This section discusses elements that are unique to CKV systems and that must be tested or
observed to ensure the CKV system operates as intended. It is expected that the reader of this sec-
tion has experience testing regularly encountered HVAC equipment such as air-handling units
(AHUs), makeup air units (MAUs), variable-air-volume (VAV) systems, and exhaust fans.
In the following subsections, a suggested corresponding functional performance test script fol-
lows each area of focus. These areas of focus are items that should be tested prior to owner turn-
over. Additionally, some local AHJs may have their own functional performance test requirements
that are similar to those listed below. As an example, there are functional performance test require-
ments such as those listed in California Energy Commission’s (CEC; 2019) Nonresidential Com-
pliance Manual, Section 13.29, NA7.11.1 Commercial Kitchen Exhaust. The commercial kitchen
exhaust acceptance tests listed in that manual are a recommended starting point for creating func-
tional performance test scripts.
Appliance/hood/replacement air interlock. Verify that the interlocks between the appli-
ance’s operation, hood exhaust fan, and replacement air system(s) operate so they all turn on and
off as prescribed. These interlocks can be initiated using or more of the following methods:
• Relays (for wired interlocks)
• Building automation system (BAS) controls
• Hood/room temperature sensor differential

Be sure to observe, verify, and document any minimum runtimes. (Sometimes, a 30-minute
minimum system runtime is programmed to ensure the ON/OFF sequence does not repeatedly cycle
the affected system’s operations.)
Suggested test script:

1. Turn on the cooking appliance.

2. Observe whether the hood exhaust fan operates.
a. If a hood/room differential temperature sensor operation is used, document the amount of
time between appliance’s ON operation and fan’s start operation.
b. If an electrical interlock is used between the appliance and the hood exhaust fan, test each
appliance individually to ensure that when it is turned on, the hood fan operates.
3. Ensure the replacement air system (AHU, MAU, etc.) operates when the hood exhaust fan
operates. This includes the operation of any fans that are integral to the hood.
4. Turn off the cooking appliance.
a. If a hood/room differential temperature sensor operation is used, document the amount of
time between the appliance’s OFF operation and the fan’s shutdown operation. (Note that
this is typically 30 minutes but will be based on the hood manufacturer’s controls.)
b. If an electrical interlock is used between the appliance and the hood exhaust fan, test each
appliance individually to ensure that when it is turned on, the hood fan operates.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 129

3. Ensure the replacement air system (AHU, MAU, etc.) stops operating when the hood exhaust
fan is shut off.

Cooking fire suppression system/CKV system interlock. Verify that the interlocks between
the cooking appliance’s fire suppression system and the CKV system operate as prescribed. The
sequence of operation of these interlocks is mandated by the local AHJ and/or the local code.
(Note that this specific test is not to verify the proper operation of the suppression system itself—
this is typically performed by the fire suppression system contractor and witnessed by the AHJ—
but is to verify the suppression system’s operational interlock with the CKV system.)
In large systems, one or more of the following may be present and must be considered:
• Multiple hoods may be served by one exhaust fan. Typically, if any hood’s fire suppression
system discharges, the operation of the entire CKV system will be impacted.
• If the system contains any pollution control units (PCUs), those units will likely have their
own fire suppression system that is interlocked with the hood’s fire suppression system.

Suggested test script:

Note: This test requires the assistance of the fire suppression contractor, who will activate their
cooking fire suppression system without it discharging the fire suppression agent.

1. Turn on the cooking appliance, hood exhaust fan, and replacement air system to simulate typi-
cal cooking operations.
2. The fire suppression contractor will activate the suppression system in a manner that does not
cause the system to discharge the suppression agent.
3. Observe the operation of the following systems:
a. The fuel source to the appliance shall be disconnected. This can be accomplished in one of two
ways:
i. For electrical appliances, the electrical power to the appliance is disconnected, typi-
cally using a shunt-trip breaker.
ii. For gas appliances, there will be an emergency automatic gas shutoff valve.
b. Typically, the source of supply/makeup air will be shut off. (Note that this depends on the
local code.)
c. Typically, the hood exhaust fan continues to operate at full speed; the intent is to remove
smoke from the occupied space.

CKV replacement air and pressurization. Verify that the exhaust hood will be able to prop-
erly capture and contain effluent, including observation of the replacement air systems, air move-
ment around the hood, air movement into and through the CKV space(s), and proper space
pressurization that follows the design intent. Observe the system to ensure that there are no system
negative effects, such as the following:
• High-velocity air supplied near any hoods (e.g., comfort fans)
• 75 fpm (0.381 m/s) maximum air speed at hood edge (these numbers should be confirmed
on the TAB report)
• 75 fpm (0.381 m/s) maximum transfer air velocity from adjacent spaces (these numbers
should be confirmed on the TAB report)

The replacement air may be provided by separate HVAC systems.

Suggested test script:
With the CKV system in normal operational mode, complete the following:
130 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

1. Observe the air movement within the CKV space(s) to determine whether any air flowing near
the hood will impact its ability to capture and contain effluent.
2. Observe the adjacent spaces and the associated pressurization and air movement between them
to ensure the air movement and pressurization are per the engineer’s design intent.
A smoke pencil is very useful for observing air movement and determining pressurization.
DCKV system operation (if applicable). Verify that the demand control system operates as
intended and that the CKV system responds accordingly. Each manufacturer’s demand control sys-
tem operates in its own prescribed manner, so any test scripts must be written for each project’s
specific system. Typically, these systems incorporate one or more of the following, with the goal of
automatically increasing or decreasing the exhaust air and makeup air quantities based on cooking
activities:
• A measurement of the temperature differential between the inside of the hood and the
adjacent room. If the temperature difference is small, the fan operates at a reduced speed;
if the difference is large, the fan operates at full speed.
• A light beam measurement across the inlet of the hood to detect any smoke from cooking.
If the beam is blocked, the exhaust fan’s speed increases.
• A thermal measuring device, similar to that of a thermal measuring gun or camera, which
is located in the hood and measures the temperature of the cooking appliances’ surfaces
and adjusts the exhaust fan speed based on the observed cooking operations.

DCKV systems must be started up by a qualified manufacturer’s technician, and a start-up

report of the hood’s DCKV controls must be submitted to the CxP as part of the Cx of these sys-
tems. Additionally, the assistance of a manufacturer’s technician may be required to perform these
tests. Note that some systems have only two speeds, while others have variable speeds.
Suggested test script:

1. Turn on the cooking appliance, hood exhaust fan, and replacement air system to simulate part-load
cooking operations that would occur at the start of a cooking operations work shift (e.g., when the
cooks arrive to begin preparing breakfast or lunch).
2. Observe the exhaust air fan speed for compliance with DCKV part-load cooking specifications.
3. Test the different ventilation operational conditions by performing the following (as required):
a Either turn appliances on to high or use a heat gun to heat the hood’s temperature probe to
test the temperature differential sequence.
b Physically block the light beam sensor to simulate smoke-filled cooking conditions.
c Turn the appliances on to high for the thermal imaging sensor.
4. For each of the above test steps, observe the makeup air’s system operation to ensure parallel
operation with cooking exhaust fan operation (e.g., the makeup air quantity increases and
decreases at the same rate as the exhaust air quantity changes).
5. For each different exhaust and makeup air operational condition, observe the adjacent spaces
and the associated pressurization and air movement between them to ensure the air movement
and pressurization is not affected by the change in exhaust air and replacement air quantities.

Post-Occupancy Testing (e.g., CKV Seasonal Testing)

While functional performance testing can be used to commission most of the CKV system, ver-
ification of the entire system’s proper operation should be performed during normal cooking opera-
tions. Because many jurisdictions do not allow cooking operations to be performed until after the
certificate of occupancy has been awarded, some of the testing must be performed after the space is
occupied and functional. Such tests are unobtrusive and can be performed mostly by observing
operations and monitoring the system’s operations by analyzing trend data. (This follow-up site
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 131

observation visit and the associated testing can be compared to a Cx follow-up seasonal site visit for
a heating or cooling system and should be planned for when creating the proposal for Cx services
and the subsequent Commissioning Plan.)
These tests should include the following actions:
• Witness the exhaust hoods’ C&C under full-load cooking conditions or, at a minimum, the
cooking appliances at the ends of the hood operating under full-load conditions. All the
smoke produced by the cooking must be captured—none of the smoke should spill out
from under the hood. If complete C&C is not obtained, a mitigation measure or plan
must be developed to obtain complete C&C. Measures can include:
• Identifying and eliminating air currents or drafts occurring near the hood
• Adding side panels to the hood to increase the hood’s C&C performance
• Increasing the exhaust air quantity (which will also require increasing the makeup air
quantity to maintain proper air movement and pressurization)
• Observe pressurization and air movement within the CKV spaces and adjoining spaces to
ensure they comply with the engineer’s design intent.
• Observe the CKV spaces for any thermal comfort issues or performance items that are
impacting the space’s IEQ. These may include makeup air set points, improper hood C&C,
CKV air distribution, etc.
• Observe the cooking appliances’ locations to ensure the appliances have not been moved
from their locations as shown on the hood submittal, and if they have been moved, note it
in the site visit report.
• For a DCKV system, also conduct an analysis of operational trend data to ensure the
demand controls have been properly set up by the manufacturer during start-up and that the
overall CKV system is operating properly. This includes operating the CKV system at slow
speeds during idle cooking periods and at high speeds during full-load cooking periods.

Monitoring-Based Commissioning Plan for CKV Systems

If monitoring-based Cx activities are performed after post-occupancy testing has been com-
pleted, the following trend data should also be observed:
• Verify energy target goals.
• Verify proper system operation. This is especially critical for CKDCV systems.
• Verify IEQ is maintained.
• Verify proper appliance/CKV system ON/OFF operation is occurring.
• Identify areas and items whose operations and control sequences may need to be adjusted
based on actual system operations.
• Verify that scheduled maintenance is occurring.

Some specific items that should be monitored include the following:

• Exhaust fan speed and exhaust airflows
• Replacement air quantities
• CKV space temperature and humidity
• CKV space particulates concentration measurements
• CKV space pressurization measurements

Retrocommissioning and Recommissioning

Retrocommissioning or recommissioning can be considered on an owner-determined basis to
ensure proper CKV system operation throughout its operable lifetime. This design guide recom-
132 | Chapter 8: TAB and System Commissioning

mends that retrocommissioning should be considered at five-year intervals, at a minimum, during

the CKV system’s lifetime. Recommissioning should also be performed when any changes are
made to the CKV system or to the spaces it serves. This includes any changes to the cooking appli-
ance lineup.
 A
Codes and Standards

INTRODUCTION
Commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) installations for the North American marketplace are
governed by a number of codes and standards from institutions including ASHRAE, ASTM Inter-
national, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), International
Code Council (ICC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and Underwriters Laboratories
(UL). Note that the IAPMO Uniform Mechanical Code closely follows the NFPA 96 standard.
Design engineers are encouraged to consult the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to clarify state
and local requirements for a given project, as adoption varies widely.
There are other standards and some non-mandatory guidance available for designers as well.
For example, ASTM International performance standards enable laboratory data to be generated for
comparison purposes. These data may not be reflective of field conditions but can aid the designer
in the selection process. ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC) 5.10 authors the “Kitchen Ventila-
tion” chapter in ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications (2019), which contains a wide range of
information on the design process for CKV applications. The “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating
Load Calculations” chapter in ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2021b) contains tabular data
that can be used to estimate heat gain to the space for several commercial kitchen appliances.
Relevant standards’ purpose and scope texts (where available) are presented here for review
by the design engineer. Full citations for all these sources are included at the end of this chapter.
Note that everything that follows is reproduced verbatim from each code or standard.

ASHRAE STANDARDS AND NON-MANDATORY GUIDANCE

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential
Buildings
1. Purpose
1.1 To establish the minimum energy efficiency requirements of buildings other than low-
rise residential buildings for
a. design, construction, and a plan for operation and maintenance; and
b. utilization of on-site renewable energy resources.
2. Scope
2.1 This standard provides
a. minimum energy-efficient requirements for the design and construction, and a
plan for operation and maintenance of,
134 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

1. new buildings and their systems,

2. new portions of buildings and their systems,
3. new systems and equipment specifically identified in this standard that are part
of a site,
4. new systems and equipment in existing buildings, and
5. new equipment or building systems specifically identified in the standard that
are part of process applications
and
b. criteria for determining compliance with these requirements.
2.2 The provisions of this standard do not apply to
a. single-family houses and related incidental structures, multifamily structures of
three stories or fewer above grade, manufactured houses (mobile homes), and
manufactured houses (modular) or
b. buildings that use neither electricity nor fossil fuel.
2.3 Where specifically noted in this standard, certain other buildings or elements of build-
ings or sites shall be exempt.
2.4 This standard shall not be used to circumvent any safety, health, or environmental
requirements.

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality

1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this standard is to specify minimum ventilation rates and other mea-
sures intended to provide indoor air quality that is acceptable to human occupants and
that minimizes adverse health effects.
1.2 This standard is intended for regulatory application to new buildings, additions to
existing buildings, and those changes to existing buildings that are identified in the
body of the standard.
1.3 This standard is intended to be used to guide the improvement of IAQ in existing
buildings.
2. Scope
2.1 This standard applies to spaces intended for human occupancy within buildings except
those within dwelling units in residential occupancies in which occupants are nontransient.
2.2 This standard defines requirements for ventilation and air-cleaning-system design,
installation, commissioning, and operation and maintenance.
2.3 In addition to ventilation, this standard contains requirements related to certain con-
taminants and contaminant sources, including outdoor air, construction processes,
moisture, and biological growth.
2.4 This standard does not prescribe specific ventilation rate requirements for the following:
a. Spaces that contain smoking or that do not meet the requirements in the standard
for separation from spaces that contain smoking
b. Patient care areas not listed in this standard
c. Laboratories with hazardous materials

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154, Ventilation for Commercial Cooking Operations

1. Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to provide design criteria for acceptable performance in com-
mercial cooking ventilation systems.
2. Scope
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 135

2.1 This standard covers

a. kitchen hoods,
b. exhaust systems, and
c. replacement air systems.
2.2 This standard shall not be used to circumvent any safety, health, or environmental
requirements.

ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Chapter 18, “Nonresidential Cooling and Heating Load

Calculations”

All cooking appliances should be considered when determining cooling loads for a building.
This chapter provides guidance on nonresidential cooling and heating loads including that from
unhooded electric appliances, hooded electric and gas appliances, ware-washing applications, and
meals. Tabular data are presented for a wide range of tested appliances detailing radiation and
usage factors that can be applied for generic appliances.

ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications, Chapter 34, “Kitchen Ventilation”

This chapter focuses primarily on commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) systems in restau-
rants and institutional food service facilities and incorporates the research and experience (includ-
ing all steps of the design process) amassed by TC 5.10 over the past two decades. Although a brief
section on residential kitchen ventilation has been retained, only minor updates have been incorpo-
rated over the history of this chapter. Given ongoing debate on residential range hood performance,
TC 5.10 anticipates sponsoring research to provide a basis for enhanced design of residential
kitchen ventilation (RKV) systems.

ASTM INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

ASTM E2336, Standard Test Methods for Fire Resistive Grease Duct Enclosure Systems

Purpose
The general purpose of this standard is to determine the fire resistance of assemblies which
cover or enclose grease duct. Usually, the grease duct is unlisted field fabricated and usually the
enclosures are flexible foil-faced grease duct wraps.

1. Scope
NOTE 1: The majority of this standard is based on the Model Building Code Evaluation Ser-
vice Acceptance Criteria titled ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR GREASE DUCT ENCLOSURE
ASSEMBLIES, AC101, which was created in 1994. Numerous design listings and labeled materials
exist based on the provisions of this standard.
1.1 These test methods evaluate the enclosure materials and the grease duct enclosure sys-
tems using the following test methods: noncombustibility, fire resistance, durability,
internal fire, and fire-engulfment with a through-penetration fire stop.
1.2 These test methods prescribe a standardized fire exposure for comparing the test
results of the enclosure materials and grease duct enclosure systems. The results of
these tests are one factor in assessing predicted fire performance of grease duct enclo-
sure systems. Using these test results to predict the performance of actual grease duct
enclosure systems requires the evaluation of test conditions.
136 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given
in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for informa-
tion only and are not considered standard.
1.4 The text of these test methods references notes and footnotes which provide explana-
tory material. These notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall
not be considered as requirements of the fire test response standard.
1.5 These test methods are used to measure and describe the response of materials, prod-
ucts, or assemblies to heat and flame under controlled conditions, but does not by
itself incorporate all factors required for fire hazard or fire risk assessment of the
materials, products, or assemblies under actual fire conditions.
1.6 These test methods do not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associ-
ated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of these test methods to establish
appropriate safety and health practices and to determine the applicability of regula-
tory limitations prior to use.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recog-
nized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the
World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

ASTM F1704, Standard Test Method for Capture and Containment Performance of Commercial
Kitchen Exhaust Ventilation Systems
Purpose
This test method uses flow visualization (such as schlieren thermal imaging) to determine the
threshold of capture and containment (C&C) of a hood/appliance combination under cooking and
idle conditions. In laboratory settings, appliances, hoods and replacement air systems can be evalu-
ated to gauge impact on capture and containment performance for a given configuration. Rather than
relying on cooking effluent and smoke as a medium alone, this method of test enables the user to
gauge performance on the ability to capture the thermal plume emitted from a series of appliances.

1. Scope
1.1 Characterization of capture and containment performance of hood, appliance(s), and
replacement air system during cooking and non-cooking conditions (idle):
1.2 Parametric evaluation of operational or design variations in appliances, hoods, or
replacement air configurations.
1.3 The test method to determine heat gain to space from commercial kitchen ventilation/
appliance systems has been re-designated as Test Method F2474.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of
measurement are included in this standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate
safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations
prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recog-
nized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the
World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 137

ASTM F2519, Standard Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commercial Kitchen
Filters and Extractors
Purpose
This test method uses a standardized test aerosol ranging in size from 0.3 to 10 microns to char-
acterize capture efficiency of a grease filter as a function of particle size. This method allows more
accurate comparison of filter types. Note that grease vapor is not considered in the method of test.
The particulate capture efficiency can be used with known particulate size emission data for a
cooking appliance-food product combination to determine the total mass of grease particles cap-
tured by the filter, the total mass of grease particles that pass through the filter, and the particle size
distribution of the grease particles that pass through the filter.

1. Scope
1.1 This test method can be used to determine the grease particle capture efficiency of
components and systems used in commercial kitchens to capture grease effluent prior
to entering the exhaust duct. The results can be used to select a filter system best
suited to a particular application.
1.2 This test method is applicable to filter components and systems. The performance
information is obtained for new or clean filters and does not include the performance
of used or loaded filters.
1.3 The filter can be evaluated with respect to the following (where applicable):
1.3.1 Pressure drop as a function of airflow through the filter, and
1.3.2 Particulate capture efficiency by particle size.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given
in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 This test method may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment. This
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with
its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate
safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations
prior to use.

ASTM F2976, Standard Practice for Determining the Field Performance of Commercial Kitchen
Demand Control Ventilation Systems
Purpose
This test method enables evaluation of a demand control ventilation system when installed in
new construction or retrofit settings to determine fan, heating and cooling energy savings.

1. Scope
1.1 This practice determines the energy savings potential of Commercial Kitchen Demand
Control Ventilation (CKDCV) systems by outlining a procedure to measure system
performance.
1.1.1 Fan energy savings potential of a Commercial Kitchen Demand Control Ven-
tilation system will be determined.
1.1.2 Thermal energy savings potential of a Commercial Kitchen Demand Control
Ventilation system will be determined.
1.2 This Standard Practice applies to commercial kitchen exhaust and supply demand
control ventilation system in the following foodservice establishments: Casino hotel
foodservice facilities, commercial cafeterias, full service restaurant, hotel foodservice
138 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

facility, quick service restaurant, school cafeteria, supermarket, health care foodser-
vice facility.
1.3 This CKDCV field test protocol does not apply to other demand control ventilation
applications such as building heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) appli-
cations or laboratory applications.
1.4 Units—The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The val-
ues given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for
information only and are not considered standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated
with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate
safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regula-
tory limitations prior to use.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recog-
nized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the
World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

ICC CODES AND STANDARDS

IgCC/189.1, International Green Construction Code®

1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this standard is to provide minimum requirements for the siting,
design, construction, and plans for operation of high-performance green buildings to
a. reduce emissions from buildings and building systems, enhance building occupant
health and comfort, conserve water resources, protect local biodiversity and eco-
system services, promote sustainable and regenerative materials cycles, enhance
building quality, and enhance resilience to natural, technological, and human-
caused hazards; and
b. support the goal of development that meets the needs of the present without com-
promising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
1.2 This standard is intended to provide the technical basis of mandatory building codes
and regulations for high-performance green buildings that are broadly adoptable by
national and local jurisdictions.
2. Scope
2.1 This standard contains requirements that
a. apply to the following building projects:
1. New buildings and their systems
2. New portions of buildings and their systems
3. New systems and equipment in existing buildings
4. Relocated existing buildings and temporary structures where specified in this
standard
b. address site sustainability, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environ-
mental quality (IEQ), materials and resources, and construction and plans for
operation.
2.2 The provisions of this standard do not apply to
a. single-family houses, multifamily structures of three stories or fewer above grade,
manufactured houses (mobile homes), and manufactured houses (modular) and
b. building projects that use none of the following: electricity, fossil fuel, or water.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 139

2.3 The requirements in this standard shall not be used to circumvent any applicable
safety, health, or environmental requirements.

International Mechanical Code

[A] 101.3 Purpose
The purpose of this code is to establish minimum requirements to provide a reasonable level of
safety, health, property protection and general welfare by regulating and controlling the design,
construction, installation, quality of materials, location, operation and maintenance or use of
mechanical equipment or systems.
[A] 101.2 Scope
This code shall regulate the design, installation, maintenance, alteration and inspection of
mechanical systems that are permanently installed and utilized to provide control of environmental
conditions and related processes within buildings. This code shall also regulate those mechanical
systems, system components, equipment and appliances specifically addressed herein. The instal-
lation of fuel gas distribution piping and equipment, fuel gas-fired appliances and fuel gas-fired
appliance venting systems shall be regulated by the International Fuel Gas Code.
Exception: Detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three sto-
ries above grade plane in height with a separate means of egress and their accessory structures not
more than three stories above grade plane in height shall comply with this code or the Interna-
tional Residential Code.

NFPA STANDARDS
NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems
1.2 Purpose
1.2.1 The purpose of this standard shall be to provide a reasonable degree of protection for
life and property from fire through standardization of design, installation, and testing
requirements for sprinkler systems, including private fire service mains, based on
sound engineering principles, test data, and field experience.

1.1 Scope
1.1.1 This standard shall provide the minimum requirements for the design and installation
of automatic fire sprinkler systems and exposure protection sprinkler systems covered
within this standard.
1.1.2 This standard shall not provide requirements for the design or installation of water
mist fire protection systems.
1.1.2.1 Water mist fire protection systems shall not be considered fire sprinkler systems.
1.1.2.2 The design and installation of water mist fire protection systems shall comply with
NFPA 750.
1.1.3 This standard is written with the assumption that the sprinkler system shall be
designed to protect against a single fire originating within the building.

NFPA 17A, Standard for Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems

1.2 Purpose. This standard is prepared for the use and guidance of those charged with the pur-
chasing, designing, installation, testing, inspecting, approving, listing, operating, or maintaining of
140 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

pre-engineered wet chemical fire-extinguishing systems in order that suck equipment will function
as intended throughout its life.
1.1 Scope. The provisions of this standard apply to the design, installation, operation, testing,
and maintenance of preengineered wet chemical fire extinguishing systems that discharge wet
chemical from fixed nozzles and piping by means of expellant gas. It contains only the essential
requirements and recommendations needed to make the standard workable in the hands of those
skilled in this field.
A.1.1. The wet chemical systems described in this standard are designed to discharge wet
chemical from fixed nozzles and piping by means of expellant gas. The intent of the standard is to
present the design considerations applicable to these systems.
The wet chemicals produced by various manufacturers usually are not identical in all charac-
teristics, and each manufacturer designs equipment for use with a specific wet chemical. There-
fore, system design principles applicable to the products of one manufacturer are not applicable to
the products of another manufacturer. As a result, it is not practical to include system design details
as part of this standard. However, such system design details are an integral part of the listing of the
systems and are included in the manufacturers’ design, installation, and maintenance manuals.

NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations
1.2 Purpose. The purpose of this standard shall be to reduce the potential fire hazard of cooking
operations, irrespective of the type of cooking equipment used and whether it is used in public
or private facilities.

1. Scope.
1.1.1 This standard shall provide the minimum fire safety requirements (preventative and oper-
ative) related to the design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of all
public and private cooking operations. A.1.1.1 These requirements include, but are not
limited to, all manner of cooking equipment, exhaust hoods, grease removal devices,
exhaust ductwork, exhaust fans, dampers, fire-extinguishing equipment, and all other
auxiliary or ancillary components or systems that are involved in the capture, contain-
ment, and control of grease-laden cooking effluent.
1.1.2 This standard shall apply to residential cooking equipment used for commercial cooking
operations.
1.1.3 This standard shall not apply to cooking equipment located in a single dwelling unit.
1.1.4 This standard shall not apply to facilities where all of the following are met:
(1) Only residential equipment is being used.
(2) Fire extinguishers are located in all kitchen areas in accordance with NFPA 10,
Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers.
(3) The facility is not an assembly occupancy.
(4) The authority having jurisdiction has approved the installation. A.1.1.4 This judg-
ment should take into account the type of cooking being performed, the items being
cooked, and the frequency of cooking operations. Examples of operations that
might not require compliance with this standard include the following: (1) Day care
centers warming bottles and lunches (2) Therapy cooking facilities in health care
occupancies (3) Churches and meeting operations that are not cooking meals that
produce grease-laden vapors (4) Employee break rooms where food is warmed.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 141

UL STANDARDS
UL 197, Commercial Electric Cooking Appliances
Purpose
This standard establishes safety requirements for commercial electric cooking equipment.
Additionally, requirements for appliances with integral systems that limit grease emissions are
established which are typically used when for unhooded or ventless applications. Equipment listed
with a means to limit grease emissions are classified under the UL product category code KNLZ
and do not contain an integral fire extinguishing system.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover commercial electric cooking appliances rated 600 volts or
less, intended for indoor use, and intended for use in accordance with the National
Electrical Code, NFPA 70.
1.2 These requirements cover coffee makers, conductive cookers, food warmers, fryers,
griddles, steam kettles, steam cookers, nut warmers, popcorn machines, ranges, uten-
sil warmers, and other appliances found in commercial kitchens, restaurants, or other
business establishments where food is dispensed.
1.3 These requirements do not cover vending machines, cooking appliances intended for
household use, commercial cooking appliances rated more than 600 volts, or micro-
wave cooking appliances.
1.4 An appliance designed so that it can be mounted and supported at an outlet box, such
as a food warmer, is judged on the basis of compliance with the requirements in this
Standard and with the mounting and weight requirements for electric lighting fixtures.
1.5 An appliance that uses heat produced by a means other than electrical (for example,
gelled or liquid fuel, coal, gas, or oil) is also investigated with respect to the additional
risk of fire.
1.6 An appliance that utilizes heat produced by gelled or liquid fuel is also investigated
with the appliance operating with the specific fuel(s) which it intended to be used.
1.7 Commercial cooking equipment employing integral systems for limiting the emission
of grease laden air are intended to be installed in accordance with the Standard for Ven-
tilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, NFPA 96, and
shall comply with the requirements of this Standard. Additionally, the effluent emitted
from the system shall not exceed 5 mg/m3 as measured in accordance with the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Test Method 202, Determination of Condens-
able Particulate Emissions From Stationary Sources.
1.8 Commercial cooking equipment employing integral recirculating systems shall com-
ply with the requirements of this Standard and the requirements in the Standard for
Recirculating Systems, UL 710B.

UL 300, Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for Protection of Commercial Cooking Equipment

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover the performance during fire tests of pre-engineered fire
extinguishing system units intended for the protection of commercial cooking equip-
ment for restaurants, cafeterias and other similar venues. For installation require-
ments, see the following documents: NFPA 17, Standard for Dry Chemical
Extinguishing Systems; NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protec-
tion of Commercial Cooking Operations; NFPA 17A, Standard for Wet Chemical
142 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

Extinguishing Systems; and the National Building Code of Canada. Note that local
authorities having jurisdiction should be consulted prior to installation.
1.2 Pre-engineered fire extinguishing system units, agents, or both shall also comply with
the requirements for construction and performance as applicable to specific types,
designs, sizes, and arrangements. Such additional requirements include ANSI/CAN/
UL/ULC 1254 and are not within the scope of these requirements for fire tests.
1.3 The term “product” as used in this standard refers to all fire extinguishing systems or
any part thereof covered by the requirements unless specifically noted otherwise.

UL 705, Power Ventilators

Purpose
This standard covers the electrical safety of power ventilations (fans) that are permanently
mounted in commercial, industrial and residential applications.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover power ventilators of the roof-and wall-mounted types and
duct fans of the straight-through type intended for commercial or industrial use, resi-
dential fans intended for heated and conditioned air and for connection to permanently
installed wiring systems in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70.
1.2 These requirements also cover dryer exhaust duct power ventilators (DEDPV) for sin-
gle residential dryers.
1.2.1 These requirements cover roof or wall-mounted ventilators and duct fans of
the straight-through type for restaurant exhaust appliances.
1.2.2 These requirements cover power ventilators for restaurant exhaust appliances.

UL 710, Standard for Exhaust Hoods for Commercial Cooking Equipment

Purpose
This standard establishes product safety requirements for Type I commercial kitchen exhaust
hoods when installed over light, medium, heavy and extra heavy-duty equipment. Minimum cap-
ture and containment exhaust airflow rates are established in a laboratory setting as well as a
means to evaluate an exhaust hood for reduced clearance to combustible materials.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover Type I commercial kitchen exhaust hoods intended for
placement over commercial cooking equipment. Exhaust hoods with and without
exhaust dampers are covered by these requirements.
1.2 Exhaust hoods with and without exhaust fire actuated fire dampers are covered by
these requirements.
1.3 Exhaust hoods are evaluated relative to minimum exhaust air flow required and maxi-
mum supply air flow allowed for capture and containment of cooking effluents under
laboratory conditions.
1.4 Exhaust hoods may incorporate non-continuous welded joints, seams, and penetra-
tions when evaluated by these requirements.
1.5 Exhaust hoods with fire actuated fire exhaust dampers are intended to have the exhaust
fire actuated dampers automatically close to prevent exhaust duct gas temperatures
from exceeding 375°F (191°C).
1.6 All exhaust hoods are intended for use with fire extinguishing system units.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 143

1.7 These requirements cover exhaust hoods provided with manually or automatically
operated cleaning or washing systems. These requirements do not cover the fire extin-
guishing aspects of such systems.
1.8 These requirements do not cover evaluation of Ultra Violet (UV) systems for use in
commercial kitchen exhaust systems. The Outline for Ultraviolet Radiation Systems
for Use in the Ventilation Control of Commercial Cooking Operations, UL 710C, cov-
ers these products.
1.9 These requirements do not cover evaluation of Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP’s) for
use in commercial kitchen ventilation. Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP’s) are covered
under the Standard for Electrostatic Air Cleaners, UL 867.
1.10 These requirements do not cover evaluation of commercial electric cooking appli-
ances provided with integral recirculating systems (previously referred to as ductless
hoods) and nonintegral recirculating systems, both of which are intended for installa-
tion in commercial establishments for the preparation of food. The Standard for Recir-
culating Systems, UL 710B, covers these products.
1.11 Exhaust hoods covered by these requirements are intended for installation in accor-
dance with the following:
a) The Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking
Operations, NFPA 96;
b) The National Electrical Code, NFPA 70; and/or
c) Other codes such as the International Mechanical Code (IMC) and the Uniform
Mechanical Code (UMC).
1.12 These requirements cover products rated 600 volts or less.
1.13 These requirements do not cover evaluation of the exhaust hoods with respect to their
grease extraction efficiency.
Note: Capture efficiency of a kitchen hood filter can be measured using ASTM F2519 “Stan-
dard Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commercial Kitchen Filters and
Extractors”.

UL 710B, Recirculating Systems

Purpose
This standard establishes product safety requirements for recirculating or ventless hood sys-
tems covering electrical cooking appliances that include a means to interlock operation of the
appliances as well as an integral fire suppression system. Clearance to combustible materials for
the systems are established as part of the testing process.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover the following recirculating systems rated 600 volts or less
and intended for indoor use:
a) Non-integral recirculating systems for installation in commercial establishments
for the preparation of food;
b) Electric commercial cooking appliances provided with integral recirculating sys-
tems intended for installation in commercial establishments for the preparation of
food; and
c) Vending machines provided with integral recirculating systems.
1.2 These devices incorporate an air filtering system enclosed in a hooded or otherwise
contained area intended to capture air from the cooking process area. The hood assem-
bly typically includes a fan, collection hood, or equivalent design and an air filtering
system (consisting of a grease filter with or without other filtering means). In addition,
144 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

except as noted in the Exceptions to 37.1 and 38.1, the hood assembly includes a fire
actuated damper, and a fire extinguishing system.
1.3 Recirculating systems covered by these requirements are intended for installation in
accordance with:
a) The Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking
Operations, NFPA 96;
b) The National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70; and
c) Other codes such as the International Mechanical Code (IMC), and the Uniform
Mechanical Code (UMC).
1.4 Integral recirculating systems shall comply with the requirements for the cooking
appliance as noted below, except as modified or superseded by the requirements in this
Standard.
a) Commercial electric cooking appliances shall comply with the requirements in the
Standard for Commercial Electric Cooking Appliances, UL 197.
b) Vending machines shall comply with the requirements in the Standard for Vending
Machines, UL 751.

UL 710C, Outline of Investigation for Ultraviolet Radiation Systems for Use in the Ventilation Control
of Commercial Cooking Operations
Purpose
This standard establishes product safety requirements for ultraviolet radiation lamp systems
when installed in commercial exhaust hoods. These systems are required to incorporate interlocks
to ensure operators are not exposed to harmful levels of ultraviolet irradiance.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover ultraviolet (UV) radiation lamp systems used for the reduc-
tion of grease laden vapors from commercial cooking equipment when installed
within Listed Exhaust Hoods for Commercial Cooking Equipment.
1.2 These requirements are not intended to address the effectiveness of the UV radiation
to reduce grease-laden vapors from cooking operations.
1.3 This Outline applies to UV lamp assemblies for use in locations that are intended for
installation on branch circuits of 600 V nominal or less between conductors in accor-
dance with the National Electrical Code (NEC), ANSI/NFPA 70.

UL 762, Outline of Investigation for Power Roof Ventilators for Restaurant Exhaust Appliances

Purpose
This standard establishes product safety requirements for roof or wall mounted exhaust fans
with considerations for use in the commercial kitchen environment where elevated temperatures
and grease are present in the airstream.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover roof or wall-mounted ventilators and duct fans of the
straight-through type for restaurant exhaust appliances.
1.2 Power ventilators for restaurant exhaust appliances covered by these requirements are
intended for installation in accordance with the Standard of the National Fire Protec-
tion Association for the Installation of Equipment for the Removal of Smoke and
Grease-Laden Vapors from Commercial Cooking Equipment, NFPA 96.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 145

1.3 Power ventilators for restaurant appliances shall comply with the Standard for Power
Ventilators, UL 705, modified in that wiring system shall not be located in the path of
travel of exhaust products.

UL 1046, Grease Filters for Exhaust Ducts

Purpose
This standard establishes product safety requirements for grease extractors installed in Type I
commercial kitchen exhaust hoods. Filters are evaluated in regard to ability to limit flame propaga-
tion downstream into a duct system and draining grease in such a manner that it does not drip onto
cooking equipment surfaces. Note that a Type I commercial kitchen exhaust hood may also be fit-
ted with an integral grease extractor that is evaluated as part of the UL710 evaluation.

1. Scope
1.1 Products covered by these requirements are single-stage and multi-stage grease filters.
These grease filters are intended for installation and use in accordance with the Stan-
dard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations,
NFPA No. 96 and the International Mechanical Code (IMC).
1.2 Grease extraction devices integral to the exhaust hoods that use them and other filter
devices designed to be used in only the specific manufacturer’s hoods are not covered
by this standard but are tested under the Standard for Exhaust Hoods for Commercial
Cooking Equipment, UL 710, or the Standard for Recirculating Systems, UL 710B, or
the Outline for Ultraviolet Radiation Systems for Use in the Ventilation Control of
Commercial Cooking Operations, Subject 710C.
1.3 The test methods described in this standard pertain to filters used in exhaust hoods for
commercial cooking operations. The primary function of these devices and the capa-
bility of devices tested in this standard are to prevent flames from penetrating into the
exhaust system beyond the hood collar. The terms grease and oil are used interchange-
ably in this standard.
1.4 Filters are investigated to determine their abilities to:
a) Limit the projection of flames downstream when subjected to flames on the
upstream face, after having been loaded with grease in a manner representative of
cooking that produces a grease-rich exhaust,
b) Drain any collected grease in such a manner that it does not fall back onto the
cooking surface.
1.5 The standard does not measure capture efficiency or physical robustness of the grease
filter device or other factors that do not directly affect user or fire safety.
Note: Capture efficiency of a kitchen hood filter can be measured using ASTM F2519 “Stan-
dard Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commercial Kitchen Filters and
Extractors”.

UL 1978, Grease Ducts

Purpose
This standard is used to ensure the duct construction of factory-built grease ducts and grease
duct assemblies are safe and to determine the minimum reduced clearance to combustibles
required with these ducts and assemblies.
146 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover factory-built grease ducts, and grease duct assemblies that
are intended to be installed at reduced clearances where 18 inch (457 mm) clearance is
specified in the Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial
Cooking Operations, NFPA 96, and the International Mechanical Code.
1.2 These requirements also cover modular grease duct assemblies, unwelded connections
between adjoining duct parts, fittings, access doors, and the like intended for use with
grease ducts installed in accordance with NFPA 96 and the International Mechanical
Code.
1.3 These requirements do not address NFPA 96 and the International Mechanical Code
requirements for grease duct enclosures. Grease ducts covered only by these require-
ments are intended to be installed in a fire resistive enclosure when required by NFPA 96
or the IMC.
1.4 Requirements used to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of a grease duct and
an enclosure as a fire rated enclosure system and through penetration firestop system,
as well as the enclosure’s effect on the grease duct are contained in Standard for Tests
of Fire Resistive Grease Duct Enclosure Assemblies, UL 2221, and ASTM E 2336,
Standard Test Methods for Fire Resistive Grease Duct Enclosure Systems.

UL 2221, Standard for Tests of Fire Resistive Grease Duct Enclosure Assemblies

Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to determine the fire resistance of assemblies which cover or
enclose the grease duct. Usually these are integral enclosures around factory-built listed grease
duct.

1. Scope
1.1 These tests are intended to determine the fire resistance of grease duct enclosure
assemblies. These requirements limit the combustibility, the surface flammability, and
the smoke generation potential of the coverings used to enclose the grease duct. In
addition, these requirements evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of the
grease duct and the enclosure as a fire rated enclosure system and through penetration
firestop system, as well as the enclosure’s effect on the grease duct.
1.2 The fire endurance ratings for grease duct enclosure assemblies are intended to regis-
ter performance during the period of fire exposure and are not intended to be inter-
preted as having determined the acceptability of the grease duct assembly for use
before or after fire exposure. The intent of these methods is to develop data to assist
others in determining the suitability of the grease duct assembly where fire resistance
is required.
1.3 These requirements are intended to evaluate the ability of grease duct enclosure
assemblies specified in 1.1 to contain an internal fire or repel an external fire during
predetermined test exposures. The test evaluates the grease duct assembly’s resistance
to fire, heat, and to a hose stream.
1.4 Requirements covering the construction and performance requirements of proprietary
grease ducts are contained in the Standard for Grease Ducts, UL 1978. All ducts, both
proprietary and non-proprietary, shall comply with installation requirements of the
Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Opera-
tions, NFPA 96, and the International Mechanical Code.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 147

1.5 Under these requirements a grease duct enclosure assembly is subjected to standard
internal and external fire exposures controlled to achieve specified temperatures
throughout a specified time period.
1.6 During the internal fire exposure, one of two installation condition methods shall be
selected to measure temperatures near or on the surface of the grease duct enclosure
material away from the grease duct. One method of temperature measurement is
intended for all installations except for installations within non-ventilated combustible
enclosures. The second method of temperature measurement is intended for installa-
tions within non-ventilated combustible enclosures.
1.7 These exposures by themselves are not intended to be representative of all fire condi-
tions; conditions vary with changes in the amount, nature, and distribution of fire load-
ing, ventilation, compartment size and configuration, and heat sink characteristics of
the compartment.
1.8 These requirements cover the measurement of the transmission of heat through the
grease duct assembly and the passage of heat and gases hot enough to ignite cotton
waste.
1.9 These requirements provide a relative measure of fire performance under these speci-
fied fire exposure conditions. Any variation from the construction or conditions that
are tested, such as method of assembly and materials, is not within the scope of this
test method.
1.10 The results of these tests represent one factor in assessing fire performance of grease
duct assemblies. These requirements prescribe standard fire exposures for assessing the
performance of grease duct assemblies. Application of these test results to predict the
performance of actual building construction requires careful evaluation of test data.

UL 8782, Outline of Investigation for Pollution Control Units for Commercial Cooking Operations
Purpose
To establish the minimum safety requirements for a pollution control unit installed to clean the
exhaust air stream or perform heat recovery from the duct system of a commercial kitchen.

1. Scope
1.1 These requirements cover commercial pollution control unit assemblies that are
intended to be installed in line with commercial grease ducts used to exhaust heat,
smoke, and grease-laden vapors from commercial cooking operations to the outdoors
as specified in the Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial
Cooking Operations, NFPA 96, the International Mechanical Code (IMC), and the
Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC).
1.2 These requirements include modular pollution control assemblies, unwelded connec-
tions between adjoining parts, fittings, access doors, and the like.
1.3 These requirements do not address NFPA 96 and the International Mechanical Code
requirements for pollution control unit fire resistive enclosures. Pollution control units
covered only by these requirements are intended to be installed in a fire resistive
enclosure when required by NFPA 96 or the IMC.
1.4 Requirements used to evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of a pollution con-
trol unit and an enclosure as a fire rated enclosure system and through penetration
firestop system, as well as the enclosure’s effect on the pollution control unit are con-
tained in Standard for Tests of Fire Resistive Grease Duct Enclosure Assemblies, UL
2221, and ASTM E 2336, Standard Test Methods for Fire Resistive Grease Duct
Enclosure Systems.
148 | Appendix A: Codes and Standards

1.5 This Outline does not measure the efficacy of the pollution control unit to remove
grease-laden effluent from the air stream, nor other factors that do not directly affect
users or electrical and fire safety.

CODES AND STANDARDS CITATIONS

ASHRAE. 2019. ASHRAE handbook—HVAC applications. Peachtree Corners, GA: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2021. ASHRAE handbook—Fundamentals. Peachtree Corners, GA: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2022. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2022, Ventilation for acceptable indoor air qual-
ity. Peachtree Corners, GA: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2022. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2022, Energy standard for sites and build-
ings except low-rise residential buildings. Peachtree Corners, GA: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2022. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 154-2022, Ventilation for commercial cooking opera-
tions. Peachtree Corners, GA: ASHRAE.
ASTM. 2017. ASTM F2975-12(2017), Standard test method for measuring the field performance
of commercial kitchen ventilation systems. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International.
ASTM. 2019. ASTM F2976-13(2019), Standard practice for determining the field performance of
commercial kitchen demand control ventilation systems. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM
International.
ASTM. 2020. ASTM E2336-20, Standard test method for fire resistive grease duct enclosure sys-
tems. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International.
ASTM. 2020. ASTM F2519-05(2020), Standard test method for grease particle capture efficiency
of commercial kitchen filters and extractors. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International.
ASTM. 2022. ASTM F1704-12(2022), Standard test method for capture and containment perfor-
mance of commercial kitchen exhaust ventilation systems. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM
International.
ICC. 2021. IgCC/189.1. International green construction code® powered by ANSI/ASHRAE/
ICC/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1. Washington, DC: International Code Council.
ICC 2021. International mechanical code. Washington, DC: International Code Council.
IAPMO. 2021. Uniform mechanical code. Ontario, Canada: International Association of Plumbing
and Mechanical Officials.
NFPA. 2021. NFPA 17A, Standard for wet chemical extinguishing systems. Quincy, MA: National
Fire Protection Association.
NFPA. 2021. NFPA 96-2017, Standard for ventilation control and fire protection of commercial
cooking operations. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.
NFPA. 2022. NFPA 13, Standard for the installation of sprinkler systems. Quincy MA: National
Fire Protection Association.
UL. 2006. UL 710C, UL LLC outline of investigation for ultraviolet radiation systems for use in
the ventilation control of commercial cooking operations. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2010. UL 197, Standard for commercial electric cooking appliances. Northbrook, IL: UL
Solutions.
UL. 2010. UL 1046, Grease filters for exhaust ducts. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2010. UL 1978, Grease ducts. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2010. UL 2221, Standard for tests of fire resistive grease duct enclosure assemblies. North-
brook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2011. UL 710B, Recirculating systems. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2012. UL 710, Exhaust hoods for commercial cooking equipment. Northbrook, IL: UL Solu-
tions.
ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 149

UL. 2013. UL 762, UL LLC outline of investigation for power roof ventilators for restaurant
exhaust appliances. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2017. UL 705, Power ventilators. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2017. UL 8782, UL LLC outline of investigation for pollution control units for commercial
cooking operations. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
UL. 2019. UL 300, Standard for fire testing of fire extinguishing systems for protection of commer-
cial cooking equipment. Northbrook, IL: UL Solutions.
 B
Research Conducted by
ASHRAE TC 5.10

RESEARCH OVERVIEW
ASHRAE Technical Committee (TC) 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, has been active for many
years in research related to kitchen ventilation. This research has tended to focus on answering
questions related to field-related issues such as measuring exhaust airflow rates for hood and
replacement air systems (RP-623 and RP-1376), how much grease is produced by hooded cooking
appliances (RP-745 and RP-1375), and evaluating the grease and heat gain from unhooded coun-
tertop cooking appliances (RP-1631). Some of the research has focused on the design aspects of
kitchen ventilation systems, from optimizing exhaust hood performance (RP-1202 and RP-1480)
to evaluating the grease removal efficiency of filtering devices (RP-851 and RP-1151) and reduc-
ing the velocity of airflow in the exhaust ductwork (RP-1033). Other projects, such as RP-1362,
have evaluated the relationships between appliances and ventilation systems and the HVAC system
in the space.
RP-1469 is a comprehensive study that was conducted using both field measurements and field
surveys regarding thermal comfort in commercial kitchens. RP-1614 was completed with the goal
of developing a method of test to determine the effectiveness of UVC systems installed in commer-
cial kitchen ventilation (CKV) systems.
RP-1778 studied the heat and moisture loads in commercial kitchen dishrooms. This research
provides invaluable information to engineers, HVAC designers, and consultants on the actual loads
to the dishroom or kitchen space.
ASHRAE members can download ASHRAE Research Project (RP) research reports from the
ASHRAE Technology Portal at www.ashrae.org/technologyportal.

BENEFITS TO THE HVAC INDUSTRY

Many research projects sponsored by TC 5.10 have impacted energy use and sustainability in
the food service industry. The research from RP-1033 provided data that show grease deposition
on the duct walls actually decreased when the duct velocity was lowered from 1500 to 500 fpm
(7.6 to 2.5 m/s). This data allowed both NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Pro-
tection of Commercial Cooking Operations (2021b), and International Mechanical Code (IMC;
ICC 2021d) to allow lower duct velocities. These changes allow demand-controlled ventilation
systems (where the airflow is lowered during non-cooking periods of the day) to be used at a
national level to achieve significant energy savings.
The two TC 5.10 research projects related to hood performance, RP-1202 and RP-1480, not
only evaluated how wall canopy and island hoods perform with various appliances but also meth-
152 | Appendix B: Research Conducted by ASHRAE TC 5.10

ods of reducing exhaust airflows required for hoods to capture cooking effluent more efficiently.
These methods include such options as optimizing the appliances’ positions underneath the hoods,
installing side panels, and designing hoods to use larger overhangs if possible. Reducing the
exhaust air generally reduces the amount of conditioned air needing to be brought back into the
space to replace the air that is exhausted, thus leading to large energy savings in commercial kitch-
ens. RP-1362 measured the heat gain from appliances underneath hoods. These data can be used to
more accurately size the HVAC equipment needed to condition the kitchen space.
Earlier projects related to grease emissions (RP-851, RP-745, and RP-1151) were used to help
develop ASTM F2519, Standard Test Method for Grease Particle Capture Efficiency of Commer-
cial Kitchen Filters and Extractors (2020b). The data from these research projects, along with
ASTM F2519 and the data from RP-1375, have revolutionized the kitchen ventilation industry
with regard to how mechanical filters actually perform in the field. ASTM F2519 provides a frame-
work for making more efficient filters that help reduce the amount of grease buildup in ductwork,
on exhaust fans, and on the roofs of buildings.
RP-1631 evaluated the appliance emissions and heat gain to the space from countertop com-
mercial cooking appliances to help determine whether these cooking processes require ventilation
hoods or can be vented to the space.
RP-623 and RP-1376 both tackle how to accurately measure the exhaust and replacement air in
food service establishments. By being able to more accurately measure the airflows, restaurants
can be properly balanced to the design conditions so that excess energy that is not needed is not
being consumed.
For a comprehensive list of TC 5.10 research projects, see Table B.1. Complete citations for all
the ASHRAE research reports mentioned in this chapter are included in the References of this
book.
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 153

Table B.1 ASHRAE TC 5.10 Research Projects through 2023

ASHRAE
Years Title Authors
Research Project
1993–1994 RP-623 Testing Grease Hoods Eliott B. Gordon, Fuoad Parvin
1996–1997 RP-851 Grease Extraction and Removal from Dereck Schrock, Kevin Knappmiller
Exhaust Air Streams of Cooking
Processes
1998–1999 RP-745 Identification and Characterization of Thomas Kuehn, William D. Gerstler,
Cooking Effluents as Related to David Y.H. Pui, James W. Ramsey,
Optimum Design of Kitchen Michael P. Doerr
Ventilation Systems
2000–2001 RP-1033 Effects of Air Velocity on Grease Thomas H. Kuehn, William Gerstler,
Deposition in Exhaust Ductwork Humberto Orriz, Aaron Sandquist,
Handi Tjandra, Jitesh J. Vidhani,
James W. Ramsey, David Y.H. Pui
2001–2003 RP-1151 Development of a Draft Method of Test William A. Welch,
for Determining Grease Removal Thomas H. Kuehn
Efficiencies
2003–2005 RP-1202 Effect of Appliance Diversity and Richard Swierczyna, Paul Sobiski,
Position on Commercial Kitchen Hood Donald Fisher
Performance
2007–2008 RP-1375 Characterization of Effluents from Thomas H. Kuehn, Bernard A.
Additional Cooking Appliances Olson, James W. Ramsey,
Joshua M. Rocklage
2008–2009 RP-1362 Revised Heat Gain and Capture and Donald Fisher, Richard Swierczyna,
Containment Exhaust Rates from Paul Sobiski
Typical Commercial Cooking
Appliances
2008–2009 RP-1480 Island Hood Energy Consumption and Richard Swierczyna, Paul Sobiski,
Energy Reduction Strategies Donald Fisher
2008–2010 RP-1376 Method of Test to Evaluate Field Thomas H. Kuehn, Bernard A. Olson,
Performance of Commercial Kitchen Daniel Bissell, Kevin Campbell,
Ventilation Systems Andrew Hawkinson
2010–2012 RP-1469 Comfort in Commercial Kitchens John Stoops, Amber Watkins, Ed
Smyth, Mark Adams, A. Simone,
B.W. Olesen
2013–2015 RP-1631 Countertop Commercial Appliance Jianshun Zheng, Kwanghoon Han,
Emissions Bing Guo, Yan Zhang, Changfu Wu
2017–2019 RP-1614 Developing a Test Method to Jianshun “Jensen” Zheng,
Determine the Effectiveness of UVC Meng Kong, Kwan Hoon Han,
Systems on Commercial Cooking Bing Guo, Zhenlei Liu
Effluent
2018–2020 RP-1778 Heat and Moisture Load from Denis Livchak, Rich Swierczyna
Commercial Dishroom Appliances and
Equipment
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Index

A additional savings considerations 3

air balance schedule 5, 8
air device selection and layout 113
appliance location 102
ASHRAE Standard 154 18, 21, 25, 28, 35, 61, 78, 102, 113, 119, 134
ASHRAE Standard 62.1 xix, 70, 105, 110, 134
ASHRAE standards 133
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 32, 56, 72, 74, 104, 133
ASTM E2336 79, 84, 135
ASTM F1704 34, 35, 136
ASTM F2519 26, 43, 44, 137, 152
ASTM F2976 137
ASTM International standards 135

B backshelf style hoods 32, 33, 101, 102

back-wall supply 74
balance 5, 8, 99, 105, 117, 119, 120, 122, 152
balancing 99, 115, 117, 119
Basis of Design (BOD)124, 125, 126
boiling 38
budgeting 1
bypass 56

C calculating exhaust airflows 104

calculating space heat gains and losses 111
canopy hoods 5, 27, 31, 52, 101
canopy lighting systems 27
canopy lights 23, 24, 27
carbon filters 43, 44, 46, 50
carbon monoxide (CO) 71, 89, 90
chilled-water coils 72, 73
CKV sequences and TAB requirements 115
clean-in-place 26
clearance to combustibles 22, 30, 31, 50, 51, 77, 79, 142, 143, 145
code requirements 19, 21, 36, 67
162 | Index

codes and standards 15, 113, 133

combi oven 31, 37, 38, 101
comfort and safety 14, 17
comfort consideration 89
commercial dishroom 92, 151, 153
commissioning xx, 15, 21, 35, 60, 99, 117, 124, 128
Commissioning Plan 117, 118, 126, 131
compensating hoods 28, 29, 30, 31
condensate gutters 18, 102
continuously operating mist 26
control systems 37, 60, 72, 73, 101, 130
convection oven 37, 38
cooking appliance shutoff 53
cooking appliances xviii, 24, 37, 39, 50, 57, 59, 60, 75, 83, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 111, 122, 123,
124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 135, 137, 141, 143, 151, 152, 153
cooking duty 44, 49, 102
cooking fire suppression system 129
cooking sensors 59

D demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) 2, 28, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 73, 75, 104, 106, 111, 115,
118, 125, 126, 127, 130, 131
DCKV controls 28, 104, 126, 127, 130
dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) 60, 69, 70, 72, 106, 107, 108
deep-fat fryer/frying 38, 52, 57, 102
dehumidification systems 72
design xviii, 19, 21, 35, 37, 92, 98, 99, 105, 113, 125, 153
design approach xix, 35, 74, 80, 97, 99
design conditions 35, 95, 107, 109, 152
design considerations xviii, xix, 21, 34, 37, 69, 113, 140
design review 124, 126
design temperature 69, 72, 74, 93, 106, 107, 125
dining zone 110
direct-fired gas 60, 71, 73, 107
directional ceiling diffusers 74
displacement diffusers 74
drain off condensed water 18
duct velocity 58, 61, 77, 114, 151
duty level 17, 18, 30, 33, 42, 44, 52, 75, 102, 103, 104
direct-expansion (DX) cooling systems 72, 73

E effluent from countertop appliances 39

effluent production 39
electric 18, 30, 32, 39, 42, 52, 53, 71, 72, 83, 103, 135, 141
electric hot dog cooker 18
electric paninis 18
electrostatic precipitators 22, 23, 43, 47, 127
energy efficiency standards 74, 75
energy recovery systems 55, 56
energy savings xvii, xviii, xix, 2, 3, 28, 55, 57, 58, 59, 101, 104, 137, 151, 152
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 163

equipment zoning 110

equivalent equipment selection 1, 2
espresso machines 18
evaporative cooling 2, 72, 73
excessive heat 89, 92, 93
excessive moisture 90, 92
exhaust airflows 4, 5, 14, 17, 21, 28, 35, 57, 58, 60, 61, 73, 74, 75, 101, 102, 103, 104, 119, 124,
126, 131, 151, 152
exhaust ductwork 17, 18, 53, 61, 62, 151, 153
exhaust fans xviii, 2, 17, 18, 22, 28, 37, 42, 46, 50, 55, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 65, 82, 104, 106, 107,
110, 114, 115, 118, 120, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 144
exhaust hoods xix, 4, 7, 17, 26, 28, 37, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 50, 52, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 101,
102, 103, 104, 106, 115, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 126, 127, 129, 131, 140, 142, 144, 145,
151
exhaust outlet termination 61, 62
exhaust treatment systems 42, 46

F failure to exhaust indoor humidity sources 91

fan types 63
fast-casual restaurants 12, 13, 98, 99
filter 27, 39, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 96, 121, 122, 123, 137, 145, 152
financial and economic guidelines 1
fire dampers 22, 23, 28, 30, 80
fire suppression 18, 22, 25, 28, 30, 50, 52, 53, 55, 62, 114, 115, 126, 127, 129, 143
fire suppression systems 22, 25, 28, 50, 52, 53, 62, 114, 115, 125, 126, 127, 129, 143
fire-rated enclosures 61
floor drains 18, 102
food trucks 12, 99
front-face (hood) supply air 74
full-service restaurants 12, 13, 98
functional performance testing 124, 128

G ghost kitchens 12, 99

grease access door openings 81
grease duct cleaning 84
grease duct design general principles 77
grease duct double-wall factory built 77, 79, 83, 86, 87
grease duct enclosures 61, 135, 146
grease duct exhaust outlets serving type I hoods 61, 82
grease duct fire endurance testing 83
grease duct joint connection 78
grease duct materials 77
grease duct slope 80
grease duct support spacing 79
grease duct, field welded/wrapped 86, 88
grease emissions 18, 39, 40, 41, 141, 152
grease exhaust duct xix, 77, 83, 113
grease fan requirements 66
grease filters 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 39, 44, 45, 53, 121, 123, 127, 145
164 | Index

griddle 17, 38, 44, 48, 52, 102, 103, 125, 127, 141

H heat gains xviii, xix, 13, 17, 18, 21, 32, 42, 97, 100, 101, 110, 111, 112, 113, 133, 151, 152, 153
heat pumps 72
heat recovery systems 36, 37, 57
heating systems 71
hood airflow 21, 32, 35
hood clearance and appliance clearance 50
hood dimensions 103
hood duty level 18
hood loading 17
hood optimization 102
hood type and location 102
hot top 38
hours for ancillary spaces 13
hours of operation xix, 12, 13, 56, 97, 110, 111
humidity control 72, 91

I ICC codes and standards 138

IgCC/189.1 56, 57, 74, 75, 104, 113, 138
indirect-fired gas 60, 71, 72
indoor environmental quality (IEQ) 32, 35, 37, 94, 119, 124, 125, 131
induction range 38
ineffective drainage of condensate 91
installed cost input parameters 7
International Green Construction Code® 56, 57, 74, 75, 104, 113, 138
investment costs 3, 8

K kitchen type simultaneous coefficient (KSIM) 112

kitchen zone 95, 100, 110

L labor savings 2
life-cycle component evaluation 3
life-cycle cost analysis xix, 1, 5
life-cycle cost (LCC) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 32
listed canopy 22, 24
listed hoods 23, 24, 35, 50, 105
load calculations xviii, 17, 21, 28, 101, 109, 110, 111, 112, 135
location and building types 98
location of kitchen 11, 124

M maintaining air balance 105

makeup air xviii, xix, 3, 22, 25, 28, 30, 31, 34, 56, 59, 60, 68, 69, 72, 73, 74, 75, 100, 106, 115, 118,
119, 122, 123, 124, 126, 129, 130, 131
makeup air systems 57, 59, 70, 73, 119
makeup air units (MAUs) 57, 60, 68, 69, 70, 72, 73, 106, 107, 108, 115, 128
manifolding hoods 104
mechanical detectors 53
mechanical filters 39, 43, 44, 46, 152
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 165

media filters 39, 43, 46, 48, 49, 94, 96

menu and food preparation 97
mitigating moisture in design 92
mold 70, 90, 91, 92
monitoring-based commissioning 131

N negative air pressure 99

neutral air pressure 99
NFPA 13 25, 52, 139
NFPA 17A 25, 114, 139
NFPA 96 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 43, 50, 61, 62, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, 113, 114, 115, 140, 151
NFPA standards 113, 139
non-grease producing equipment 18

O occupancy 2, 3, 13, 14, 35, 70, 97, 105, 122, 124

occupant safety xix, 89
outdoor air 2, 57, 60, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 91, 92, 93, 94, 99, 100, 101, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111,
118, 120, 123
overfired broiler 38, 101
oversized cooling systems 91
owner’s project requirements (OPR) 124, 125, 126
ozone generators 30, 44, 46, 50

P passover 32
pasta cooker 18, 38
pollution control units (PCUs) 12, 23, 36, 37, 46, 48, 50, 53, 61, 63, 114, 129
perforated ceiling diffusers 74
perimeter plenums 28, 34
pizza oven 32, 38, 83, 93
plancha 38, 103
pollution control exhaust treatment 46
popcorn cookers 18
positive air pressure 99
post-occupancy testing 130, 131
predesign xix, 11
prefunctional checks 122, 124, 126, 127
pressure relative to adjacent spaces 59, 100
preventing illness 90
proximity 32, 101, 102, 103, 113

Q quick-service restaurants (QSRs) 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 98, 99

R range oven 38
range top 38, 103
recirculating hoods 32, 42, 52
recirculating/ventless systems 42
refrigeration systems 37
rendered animal fat 18
replacement air xviii, xix, 12, 17, 21, 28, 32, 34, 35, 36, 55, 57, 58, 59, 67, 68, 69, 72, 73, 74, 75,
166 | Index

90, 92, 97, 99, 101, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 110, 118, 120, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130,
131, 135, 136, 151, 152
replacement air and pressurization 129
replacement air systems 17, 32, 35, 37, 55, 67, 72, 99, 120, 127, 128, 129, 130, 135, 136, 151
research xx, 151
retrocommissioning 60, 124, 131, 132
roasting/baking 38
rooftop units (RTUs) 2, 5, 8, 60, 69, 70, 106, 107, 108
RP-1033 61, 151, 153
RP-1151 151, 152, 153
RP-1202 32, 34, 151, 153
RP-1362 151, 152, 153
RP-1375 26, 39, 151, 152, 153
RP-1376 118, 151, 152, 153
RP-1469 94, 123, 151, 153
RP-1480 34, 151, 153
RP-1614 46, 151, 153
RP-1631 39, 151, 152, 153
RP-1778 21, 92, 151, 153
RP-623 151, 152, 153
RP-745 18, 26, 39, 151, 152, 153
RP-851 151, 152, 153

S safety systems xviii, 37, 50

salamander 38, 53, 54
selecting exhaust hoods 101
short-circuit (internally compensating) 74
side panels 34, 52, 102, 103, 122, 125, 126, 127, 131, 152
sizing fans and motors 62
slot diffusers and nozzles 74
solid fuel 24, 26, 30, 39, 44, 62
solid-fuel cooking 46, 57, 62, 83, 103
solid-fuel cooking equipment 62
static pressure 26, 27, 30, 62, 63, 67, 77, 104, 113, 114, 122
steam and water coils 72
steamer 18, 38, 110
steamer basket 38
steaming 38
styles of exhaust hoods 101
supply air 3, 7, 37, 55, 56, 68, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74, 91, 95, 106, 115, 120, 122
supply air diffusers 37, 120, 122
surface or pan frying 38
system commissioning xx, 117
system effects 67
system integration and design 99
system interlock 129

T TAB xx, 15, 115, 117, 119, 120, 122, 128, 129
TAB and commissioning 15
 ASHRAE Design Guide for Commercial Kitchen Ventilation: Best Practices for Design and Operation | 167

TAB means and methods 118

TAB process and approach 119
tenant restaurants 12, 99
testing 32, 33, 46, 60, 67, 78, 83, 84, 85, 99, 113, 115, 117, 127, 128, 130, 131, 139, 140, 141, 153
thermal comfort 74, 94, 95, 131, 151
total cost of ownership 1, 2, 4, 26, 36
transfer air 3, 12, 28, 35, 36, 68, 69, 70, 75, 99, 105, 106, 107, 110, 118, 122, 126, 129
Type I ductwork 22, 26, 30, 61
Type I hood fire safety 50
Type I hoods 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 42, 50, 52, 61, 62, 77, 82, 101, 119,
127
Type I hoods—design approach 35
Type I hoods—hood styles 31
Type I kitchen hood grease exhaust duct 113
Type I ventilation system—supplemental equipment 36
Type II ductwork 61, 62
Type II hood design 19, 21, 102
Type II hoods 18, 19, 21, 42, 62, 77, 101, 102, 115, 119
type of kitchen/restaurant 12, 97
types of exhaust hoods 42, 101

U UL 1046 26, 145

UL 1978 78, 79, 80, 83, 113, 145
UL 300 25, 52, 53, 114, 115, 141
UL 705 62, 114, 142
UL 710B 18, 24, 30, 32, 143
UL 8782 28, 46, 147
UL standards 113, 141
under-counter dishwasher 18
under-fired broiler 112
unlisted hoods 24, 25, 35, 105
UVC 22, 30, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 127, 151, 153
UVC lamps 30, 44, 45, 46, 48

V vegetable shortening 18
ventilated ceiling 32
ventilation air xix, 14, 100
ventless 24, 32, 42, 43, 69, 141, 143

W water mist 30, 43, 44, 46, 139

water scrubbers 22
wok range 38

Z zoning 5, 7, 11, 109, 110

 Complete, Up-to-Date CKV System Guidance
Proper design of a commercial kitchen ventilation (CKV) system is critical in ensuring the
system operates properly throughout its lifetime. One of the primary goals of this book is to
share with the HVAC and food service industry the cumulation of decades of CKV research
and design experience that has transformed the design and operation of CKV systems from
rules of thumb into fact-based standards and best practices that are based on scientific
research and practical experience.
Guided by the information in this book, owners will be able to understand the requirements
for optimal performance of their CKV systems. Design engineers will be able to apply the
design considerations, equipment selection, and codes included in this book to design CKV
systems that meet performance standards and relevant codes as well as understand the testing
and balancing and commissioning procedures that are used to ensure the CKV systems
operate as designed. Architectural designers, building developers and owners, maintenance
professionals,students, and teachers may also find the content useful.
This guide was crafted to fit the reader's busy schedule by allowing quick access to specific
design insights while enabling them to dive into specialized topics with in-depth chapters that
can be read independently.Readers can effortlessly navigate through the chapters that matter
most to them, extracting valuable knowledge and boosting productivity.
Developed by members of ASHRAE TC 5.10, Kitchen Ventilation, and authored by industry
experts, this is ASHRAE's first guide on commercial kitchen ventilation systems.

ISBN 978-1-955516-45-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-955516-46-4 (PDF)

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