The Office of Research Facilities (ORF) collaborates on bioenvironmental research to improve indoor air quality and save energy in biomedical laboratories, animal research and health care facilities. The Principal Investigator for Research Facilities is Dr. Farhad Memarzadeh fm30c@nih.gov . The results of these studies have been cited and, in many cases, adopted as national and international standards for labs and hospitals. Among the standard-setting organizations and institutions that adopted or use ORF applied facility studies are:

• American National Standard Institutes (ANSI)
• American Society of Heating and Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in:
  • ASHRAE HVAC Applications Handbook
  • ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook 
• The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Academy of Architecture for Health
• International Conference on Indoor Air Sciences
• International Conference on Healthy Buildings
• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Following are links to the studies:

• Analysis of Air Supply Type and Exhaust Location in Laboratory Animal Research Facilities Using CFD

• Analysis of Efficacy of UVGI Inactivation of Airborne Organisms Using Eulerian and Lagrangian Approaches 

• Assessing the Efficacy of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation and Ventilation in Removing Mycobacterium Tuberculosis - ( Handbook )

• Biosafety Level 3-Laboratory Certification Requirements 

• Comfort, Uniformity, and Ventilation Effectiveness in Patient Rooms: Performance Assessment Using Ventilation Indices

• Comparison of Environment and Mice in Static and Mechanically Ventilated Isolator Cages with Different Air Velocity and Ventilation Design

• Comparison of Operating Room Ventilation Systems in the Protection of the Surgical Site

• Control of Ammonia Production in Animal Research Facilities Through Ventilation System Design

• Controlling Lab IAQ and Energy Cost  HPAC October 2007

• Effect of Operation Room Geometry and Ventilation System Parameter Variations on the Protection of the Surgical Site

• Energy Efficient Laboratory Design: A Novel Approach to Improve Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort

• Investigation of Static Microisolators in Wind Tunnel Tests and Validation of CFD Cage Model

• Mass Generation Rates of Ammonia,Moisture, and Heat Production in Mouse Cages with Two Bedding Types, Two Mouse Strains, and Two Room Relative Humidities 

• Methodology for Minimizing Risk from Airborne Organisms in Hospital Isolation Rooms

• Methodology for Optimization of Laboratory Hood Containment - Volumes I and II - ( Handbook )

• NIH - Section 15991 Onsite Testing for Constant Volume Fume Hoods - June 2006 

• NIH - Section 15992 Onsite Testing for Variable Volume Fume Hoods - June 2006 

• Reducing Risks of Surgery

• Stainless Steel Trap Corrosion - White Paper 

• Ventilation Design Handbook on Animal Research Facilities Using Static Microisolators - Volumes I and II - ( Handbook )

• Ventilation Design in Animal Research Facilities Using Static Microisolators 

• Ventilation Strategy for Laboratories