Schools & Universities HVAC TAB

School HVAC is a learning-quality issue. Research consistently links poor indoor air quality — specifically inadequate outdoor air delivery — to reduced cognitive performance, increased absenteeism, and more frequent illness in students and staff. ASHRAE 62.1 sets outdoor air minimums for school spaces for this reason. New York's NYSED building approval process requires a certified TAB report confirming those minimums are actually met before a school can be occupied. dL Flow Tech has produced NYSED-format TAB reports for K-12 school districts and university capital projects throughout the Hudson Valley for over 40 years.

Educational facilities we have served

• The Hackley School (Tarrytown, NY) — independent school campus; multiple building HVAC TAB scopes across construction phases
• West Point Elementary School (West Point, NY) — federal educational facility; full mechanical TAB meeting federal specification requirements
• Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, NY) — college campus TAB across multiple facility types including academic buildings and residence facilities
• Thomas Jefferson Library — institutional library facility; HVAC TAB including humidity control verification for collections preservation
• Columbia University Geochemistry Building (Manhattan, NY) — university research and teaching laboratory; fume hood testing and mechanical TAB
• Bartlett Hall Science Center — academic science facility; fume hood certification and full HVAC TAB
• SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, NY) — state university campus capital projects
• Multiple Hudson Valley K-12 districts — school districts across Dutchess, Westchester, Putnam, Orange, Rockland, and Ulster counties; NYSED-format TAB reports for capital construction and renovation

The NYSED TAB requirement — what it means and why it matters

New York State Education Department building approval is required for all K-12 public school construction and major renovation. The NYSED review process evaluates the building's compliance with the NYS Building Code and ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation requirements. As part of mechanical systems acceptance, NYSED requires a certified TAB report produced by a NEBB-certified firm.

The report must document airflow at each supply and exhaust outlet, verify that outdoor air quantities match the design and satisfy ASHRAE 62.1 Table 6-1 minimums for each space type, and include a NEBB conformance certification signed by the TAB agency. Submitting a TAB report that lacks outdoor air documentation, or that doesn't carry NEBB certification, sends the project back for revision — adding weeks to the permit close-out timeline.

We have submitted NYSED-format reports to dozens of school districts across the Hudson Valley. We know what the engineer of record needs to get the report through review the first time.

ASHRAE 62.1 outdoor air verification for schools

ASHRAE 62.1's ventilation rate procedure specifies both a per-person component and a per-area component for each space type. For a typical classroom (design occupancy 35 persons, 900 sq ft), the minimum outdoor air requirement is 10 CFM/person × 35 + 0.12 CFM/sq ft × 900 = 350 + 108 = 458 CFM outdoor air. That must actually reach the occupied space — not just be present at the air handling unit discharge.

The most common failure mode in school HVAC is outdoor air damper control: a damper that is set to deliver minimum outdoor air in design conditions but that creeps closed over time, or one whose control sequence doesn't actually verify delivery. We measure outdoor air fraction directly at the unit and verify delivery to each space. This is a compliance check, not just an airflow reading.

Science laboratory fume hood certification

High school and college science labs contain chemical fume hoods that require annual face velocity certification. A fume hood delivering less than its rated face velocity at the sash is a chemical exposure hazard — not a maintenance item. We provide annual fume hood certification to ASHRAE 110 and ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 for school science labs throughout the region, producing a certification letter that the school safety officer and district facilities director can retain as documentation of their safety program. See our fume hood testing page for detail.

Higher education and university facilities

University capital projects follow either SUNY/CUNY design guidelines (for state institutions) or institutional specifications (for private colleges and universities). Both require certified TAB documentation. The complexity of university buildings — from teaching labs to dormitories to athletic facilities — spans a wider range of HVAC system types than most commercial construction. Our experience with the full spectrum, from dormitory ventilation to university-level research lab fume hood systems, makes us effective on university campuses of any scale.

Last updated June 2026

Frequently asked questions

What TAB documentation does NYSED require for school construction?

A certified TAB report from a NEBB-certified agency, documenting design vs. actual airflow at each outlet, outdoor air quantities cross-referenced to ASHRAE 62.1 Table 6-1, fan performance data, and a NEBB conformance certification page. We produce reports in this exact format for district engineers and NYSED reviewers.

How does ASHRAE 62.1 apply to school ventilation?

62.1 specifies minimum outdoor air per person plus per square foot for each space type — classrooms, gyms, cafeterias, labs, and admin each have different requirements. The critical check is outdoor air fraction at each unit and actual delivery per space, not just total supply airflow.

Do you handle SUNY and CUNY construction TAB?

Yes. We have performed TAB on SUNY New Paltz campus projects and can work within the SUNY/CUNY capital project documentation and reporting requirements.

Can you certify science lab fume hoods in schools?

Yes. Annual fume hood certification to ASHRAE 110 and ANSI/AIHA Z9.5. We batch all hoods into a single visit and produce a certification letter in the format the district safety officer needs.

What is different about a K-12 TAB report versus a standard commercial report?

The field work is the same. The NYSED format requires explicit outdoor air documentation cross-referenced to ASHRAE 62.1 Table 6-1 for each space type. We know that format — it is what the district engineer needs for state sign-off.