Russell A. Cooper
Jaffe Holden Scarbrough Acoustics, Inc., 114A Washington St., Norwalk, CT 06854
Fiberglass duct liner continues to be the most cost-effective solutions to noise control in most HVAC air duct systems. There has been a recent increase in the number of institutional, educational, and medical projects for which the use of fiberglass has been banned or severely limited. The decisions are based on concerns that the fibers may be carcinogenic and that the products may promote microbial growth. This paper will present the ASHRAE TC2.6 (Sound & Vibration) technical committee's response to these developments, describe the state of the medical research and briefly outline alternatives and the consequences of duct lining removal from HVAC systems.