The joint Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand committee responsible for ventilation and air conditioning have revised the two standards ahead of this public release. The two standards, last published in 2011, assist in the control of microorganisms in air-handling and water systems. They cover design, installation and commissioning (Part 1) as well as operation and maintenance (Part 2) of building systems for the purposes of microbial control. They are vital tools in managing risks for building occupants and workers – including risks associated with poor indoor air quality.
Part 1 is referenced in the National Construction Code, and Part 2 is called up in different ways in state and territory maintenance legislation.
Major changes include:
- Performance requirements have been replaced with quantified requirements to make the standards clearer
- A new definition of “high-risk location” has been added for cooling towers
- Refrigerated room air conditioners and non-ducted split systems have been included in the scope of both standards
- Updates have been made to the way routine service tasks are presented, and frequency of some routine tasks on air-handling systems have been revised
- Workplace health and safety matters not directly related to microbial control have been removed from both standards.
AS/NZS 3666.1 and AS/NZS 3666.2 are open for public comment until August 31, 2026, through the Standards Australia portal.
