What the ASHRAE 110 standard covers
The method looks at the performance of an enclosure under stated conditions. It brings together airflow measurements, flow visualisation and tracer-gas testing. These are different kinds of evidence: an average air speed alone cannot describe every escape path or disturbance at the opening.
ASHRAE’s standards catalogue identifies Standard 110-2016, reaffirmed in 2025. Specify the edition in the project documents. A reference to “ASHRAE tested” without a report, configuration and acceptance requirement leaves important questions unanswered.
AM, AI and AU: which conditions were tested?
| Configuration | What to establish |
|---|---|
| As manufactured (AM) | The manufacturer's test arrangement and the exact cupboard configuration. |
| As installed (AI) | The cupboard in its installed room, with the ventilation conditions recorded. |
| As used (AU) | The equipment and operating arrangement present during the assessment. |
A factory result describes that tested arrangement. Installation adds the room supply air, doors, nearby movement, duct system and extract fan. Equipment inside the enclosure can change the flow again. Match the report to the question you need answered rather than treating these configurations as interchangeable grades.
Record the sash position and any operating restrictions with the result. If a report covers one opening height, that does not provide a result for every other opening.
Face velocity, smoke and tracer gas
Face-velocity measurements describe inward air movement at the opening. A fume hood smoke test helps make local flow patterns visible. Tracer-gas testing uses a controlled challenge and detection arrangement to assess containment under the specified method.
Read the observations as well as the numerical summary. Uneven inflow, a disturbance during a sash movement or an unusual equipment position may explain why a result differs from an earlier visit. The report should identify the test setup, instrument information and the conditions that could affect interpretation.
Keep the methods separate in your records. A smoke demonstration is useful, but it is not the same test as a measured tracer-gas assessment. Our face velocity guide explains how the opening and airflow relate.
Agree acceptance criteria before ASHRAE 110 testing
The method and the acceptance requirement do different jobs. The method describes how a test is performed; the project specification states what result is acceptable for the intended work. Ask the designer or responsible laboratory adviser to identify the required conditions and limits before the test takes place.
A clear request names the cupboard and location, the method and edition, the configuration, the operating sash opening and the relevant ventilation settings. It also states who will assess a result outside the requirement and how remedial work will be followed by verification.
This guide explains report terminology. The project's containment assessment and acceptance decision belong with the competent people responsible for that installation and its hazards.
Keep the New Zealand compliance record separate
Laboratory fume cupboards are identified as SS11 in MBIE’s specified-systems guidance. The building’s compliance schedule sets out the relevant inspection, maintenance and reporting requirements. An overseas test-method reference does not replace that schedule.
Keep the commissioning report, routine inspection records, repairs and operating instructions together. When a cupboard is moved, the extract system changes or a new process is introduced, give the responsible adviser the updated information. For the local service and reporting pathway, see our SS11 fume cupboard testing page.
If a specification also mentions EN 14175, identify the purpose of each requirement. Ask which tests each standards reference requires.
Questions about ashrae 110
Does an ASHRAE 110 reference mean a cupboard is certified by ASHRAE?
No. ASHRAE publishes the test method; the report should identify the organisation that performed the work, the conditions and the criteria used to assess the result.
Can a factory test replace an installed test?
A factory test describes the factory arrangement. Your project specification and compliance requirements determine what verification is needed after installation.