Industries
Where we work.
The kit changes from building to building. The method stays the same: identify, apply, verify.
- 36 facility types mapped
- 33 codes and standards, each linked to its publisher
- 11 industries and applications
- September 2026 last reviewed
Healthcare & labs
Hospitals · ERs · clinics · labs · senior living
ASHRAE 170 ventilation, waiting-room air quality, and equipment that can never come down.
New Braunfels ER: fewer sick days on the HR recordExplore healthcare & labs
Food & beverage
Protein · dairy · bakery · bottling · cold chain
Re-exposure after sanitation, cold wet areas, and FSMA records on the line.
Coca-Cola: continuous bio-security at 42,000 bphExplore food & beverage
Data centers & mission-critical
Data centers · EOCs · defense · labs
Cooling capacity lost to fouled coils, and faults that must surface before outages.
Northrop Grumman: 18 months without an air-quality complaintExplore data centers & mission-critical
Commercial real estate
Class-A towers · HQ campuses
Tenant IAQ expectations, ESG reporting, and energy spend at HQ scale.
Morgan Stanley HQ: chosen over 7 alternativesExplore commercial real estate
Government & corrections
State facilities · corrections · civic
Aging plants, thin staff, and budgets that demand documented results.
Tennessee DOC: 10 facilities retrofitted in 6 weeksExplore government & corrections
Education
K–12 · universities · daycare
Crowded classrooms, aging equipment, and parents asking about the air.
Explore education
Hospitality
Hotels · multifamily · restaurants · venues
Musty rooms, out-of-order nights, and common areas guests judge on arrival.
Conrad Hotel: 12 months without a complaintExplore hospitality
Oil & gas
Gas storage · RNG · produced water
Souring, corrosion and fouling from microbes in water and gas streams.
Explore oil & gas
Airports & transit
Terminals · concourses · rail and bus stations
Massive AHU fleets where recurring coil mold eats capacity and budget.
Phoenix Sky Harbor: mold reduced in treated AHUsExplore airports & transit
Manufacturing & life sciences
Plants · warehouses · pharma · clean rooms
Biofilm on plant air-handler coils, drives that stop the line, and support areas that need a record.
Explore manufacturing & life sciencesFacility finder
Look up your facility type.
36 facility types, from acute care hospitals to underground gas storage: the systems we usually find, what we look at first and the codes and standards to check for each one.
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Find your facility type.
Grouped by industry and water application. Search by facility, equipment, industry or standard; each facility type opens on the page it belongs to.
Healthcare & labs
Industry page- Acute care hospitalInpatient, surgical, isolation, outpatient and support areas under one roof, running around the clock.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 170 · ASHRAE 241 · CMS 42 CFR 482 · Joint Commission · CDC environmental infection control · NIOSH 2009-105See this facility type
- Emergency departmentHospital-based or freestanding emergency care, with triage, waiting, treatment and isolation rooms.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 170 · ASHRAE 241 · Joint Commission · CDC environmental infection controlSee this facility type
- Outpatient and urgent-care clinicConsultation, exam and treatment rooms, often on smaller packaged systems with lean maintenance budgets.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 170 · ASHRAE 241 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Senior living and nursing careAssisted living, memory care and skilled nursing, where residents live in the building and care levels differ by wing.Codes and standards: CMS 42 CFR 483 · ASHRAE 170 · ASHRAE 241 · ASHRAE 62.1See this facility type
- Research and testing laboratoryResearch and testing labs, standalone or on a floor of a larger building, often on high-outside-air systems with conditions that have to stay stable.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · OSHA Laboratory StandardSee this facility type
Food & beverage
Industry page- Food processing plantRaw and ready-to-eat production, from cutting rooms and cook lines to packaging, with storage on site.Codes and standards: FSMA, 21 CFR 117 · HACCP · SQF Code · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Beverage and bottling plantFilling, capping and packaging lines with process water, CIP and syrup handling.Codes and standards: FSMA, 21 CFR 117 · HACCP · SQF CodeSee this facility type
- Refrigerated and frozen warehouseChilled and frozen warehouses, where every door opening brings warm, humid air onto the evaporator coils.Codes and standards: FSMA, 21 CFR 117 · HACCP · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Indoor farm and greenhouseControlled-environment crop production, where heat, humidity and disease pressure set the operating plan.Codes and standards: FSMA Produce Safety, 21 CFR 112 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
Data centers & mission-critical
Industry page- Enterprise and colocation data centerComputing halls with the cooling and electrical plant that supports them, run by one enterprise or shared by many tenants.Codes and standards: ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines · ASHRAE 188 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Edge data centerDistributed computing rooms and modules, often remote, with little or no staff on site.Codes and standards: ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Mission-critical and defense facilityEmergency operations centers, secure facilities and modular buildings that have to stay up, often on their own network rules.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · 42 USC 8253See this facility type
Education
Industry page- K–12 schoolClassrooms, gyms, cafeterias and offices, with childcare and assembly spaces that have their own requirements.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241 · EPA IAQ Tools for Schools · CDC ventilation in schoolsSee this facility type
- University campusTeaching buildings, labs, residence halls and athletics on one campus, each with its own HVAC approach.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241 · LEED · OSHA Laboratory StandardSee this facility type
Government & corrections
Industry page- Correctional and detention facilityPrisons, jails and detention centers, with housing, medical, visitor and administration areas in secure buildings.Codes and standards: ACA standards · ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- CourthouseCourtrooms, offices and public corridors, sometimes with secure holding areas and historic fabric.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · IBC 2024, Chapter 3See this facility type
- Federal, state and municipal buildingAgency offices and civic buildings, often on aging central systems, where upgrades go through public procurement rules.Codes and standards: 42 USC 8253 · ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241See this facility type
- Animal shelterKennels, isolation, veterinary, adoption and staff areas, with ventilation working hard against odor.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
Hospitality
Industry page- Full-service hotel and resortGuest rooms with restaurants, meeting rooms, pools and back-of-house, often with a cooling tower on the roof.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 188 · ASHRAE 62.1 · WELL v2See this facility type
- Select-service and extended-stay hotelGuest rooms with few shared services, a small crew and a PTAC or split system in nearly every room.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1See this facility type
- Multifamily residentialApartment and condominium buildings, from high-rise towers to affordable housing, where residents live with the HVAC every day.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.2 · ASHRAE 62.1 · WELL v2 · LEEDSee this facility type
- Restaurant and commercial kitchenDining rooms and kitchens with hood exhaust, grease and heat working on the HVAC.Codes and standards: NFPA 96 · ASHRAE 62.1See this facility type
- Casino, theater and convention centerGaming floors, auditoriums and exhibition halls that swing from empty to full in an hour.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241See this facility type
Commercial real estate
Industry page- Office buildingSingle- and multi-tenant offices and corporate campuses, where tenants judge the building by its air.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241 · OSHA indoor air quality · WELL v2 · LEEDSee this facility type
- Shopping mall and retail storeEnclosed malls and stores, from big-box and grocery to specialty retail, with common areas and tenant spaces on separate systems.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241See this facility type
Oil & gas
Industry page- Biogas and RNG production facilityLandfill, dairy and wastewater biogas upgraded to renewable natural gas, with its own treatment stages and delivery point.Codes and standards: 49 CFR 192 · API RP 1173See this facility type
- Gas gathering, processing and transmissionGas gathering systems, processing plants and transmission pipelines, with the compressor stations along them.Codes and standards: 49 CFR 192 · API RP 1173See this facility type
- Underground gas storageStorage wells, the reservoir and the surface facilities that inject and withdraw gas through the season.Codes and standards: 49 CFR 192See this facility type
Manufacturing & life sciences
Industry page- Manufacturing plantAssembly, fabrication and process plants, where dust, oil mist and process heat load the air handling.Codes and standards: OSHA 29 CFR 1910 · OSH Act General Duty Clause · ASHRAE 62.1See this facility type
- Pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturingSterile, nonsterile and biologic production, with cleanroom suites, validated processes and support areas around them.Codes and standards: 21 CFR 211 · ISO 14644-1 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Cleanroom suiteA controlled room or suite inside a larger facility, classified by airborne particle concentration, with the class it needs set by the process it serves.Codes and standards: ISO 14644-1 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Warehouse and distribution centerStorage and distribution buildings, from parcel hubs to large conditioned warehouses with dock doors open all day.Codes and standards: OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Water and wastewater treatment plantMunicipal and industrial plants treating drinking water, wastewater or process water, with corrosive air in the process buildings.Codes and standards: NFPA 820 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
Airports & transit
Industry page- Airport passenger terminalConcourses, gates, security checkpoints, concessions, offices and operations rooms, with occupancy that rises and falls with the flight schedule.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1 · ASHRAE 241 · OSHA 29 CFR 1910See this facility type
- Rail, subway and bus stationPassenger stations with enclosed waiting areas, platforms, tunnels and equipment rooms.Codes and standards: ASHRAE 62.1See this facility type
Cooling towers
Application pageNo facility type matches “”. Tell us about yours in a no-cost assessment, or clear the search.
Codes and standards
Every reference in the finder, by topic.
Each one is linked to its publisher and comes from Cognituv’s facility and code library, reviewed September 2026. Publication isn’t adoption: whether a document applies, and which edition, depends on your jurisdiction, its amendments and your project, and the authority having jurisdiction decides. A listing isn’t a compliance finding for your facility, and doesn’t mean any product, Cognituv’s included, is certified to it.
Air and ventilation
ASHRAE 62.1Consensus standard · 2025
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
Minimum ventilation and related indoor-air-quality requirements for the occupancies it covers.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs, Data centers & mission-critical, Education, Government & corrections, Hospitality, Commercial real estate, Manufacturing & life sciences, Airports & transit
ASHRAE 62.2Consensus standard · 2025
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings
Minimum ventilation, local exhaust and source-control requirements for indoor air quality in dwelling units.
Comes up in: Hospitality
ASHRAE 241Consensus standard · 2023
ASHRAE Standard 241, Control of Infectious Aerosols
Planning, design and operation of air systems to reduce exposure to infectious aerosols, including an infection-risk management mode.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs, Education, Government & corrections, Hospitality, Commercial real estate, Airports & transit
ASHRAE Thermal GuidelinesGuidance · Fifth edition, 2021
Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments (ASHRAE TC 9.9 Datacom Series)
Recommended and allowable temperature and humidity ranges for IT equipment in data centers, by equipment class.
Comes up in: Data centers & mission-critical
EPA IAQ Tools for SchoolsGuidance
Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
Guidance for building and keeping up an indoor-air-quality management program in schools.
Comes up in: Education
CDC ventilation in schoolsGuidance · Updated October 2024
Ventilation in Schools and Childcare Programs
Practical ventilation, filtration and air-cleaning strategies for schools and childcare programs.
Comes up in: Education
Healthcare
ASHRAE 170Consensus standard · 2025
ANSI/ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities
Ventilation design requirements for health care spaces, from patient rooms to procedure rooms.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
CMS 42 CFR 482Federal regulation
Conditions of Participation for Hospitals, 42 CFR Part 482
The health and safety conditions a hospital meets to take part in Medicare and Medicaid, including infection prevention and control (§ 482.42) and the physical environment.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
CMS 42 CFR 483Federal regulation
Requirements for States and Long Term Care Facilities, 42 CFR Part 483
The requirements a long-term care facility meets to take part in Medicare and Medicaid, including its infection prevention and control program (§ 483.80).
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
Joint CommissionAccreditation · 2026 hospital and critical access hospital programs
The Joint Commission physical-environment standards
Accreditation standards for a safe physical environment; the requirements depend on the program manual (hospital, ambulatory and others).
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
CDC environmental infection controlGuidance · 2003, with later updates
CDC Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities
Recommendations on air, water and environmental surfaces in health-care facilities.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
NIOSH 2009-105Guidance · 2009
Environmental Control for Tuberculosis: Basic Upper-Room Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Guidelines for Healthcare Settings
Design and safe use of upper-room germicidal UV for tuberculosis control in healthcare settings.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs
Life sciences
21 CFR 211Federal regulation
Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Finished Pharmaceuticals, 21 CFR Part 211
Minimum good manufacturing practice for finished drugs, including buildings and facilities, equipment, process controls and records.
Comes up in: Manufacturing & life sciences
ISO 14644-1Consensus standard · 2015
ISO 14644-1, Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments, Part 1: Classification of air cleanliness by particle concentration
How cleanrooms and clean zones are classified by the concentration of airborne particles.
Comes up in: Manufacturing & life sciences
Water
ASHRAE 188Consensus standard · 2021
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems
Minimum requirements for a water management program that reduces Legionella risk in building water systems.
Comes up in: Data centers & mission-critical, Hospitality, Cooling towers
ASHRAE Guideline 12Guidance · 2023
ASHRAE Guideline 12, Managing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems
System-by-system guidance that supports a Standard 188 water management program, cooling towers included.
Comes up in: Cooling towers
NFPA 820Consensus standard · 2024
NFPA 820, Standard for Fire Protection in Wastewater Treatment and Collection Facilities
Fire and explosion protection for wastewater treatment plants and collection systems.
Comes up in: Manufacturing & life sciences
Food
FSMA, 21 CFR 117Federal statute
FDA Food Safety Modernization Act; Preventive Controls for Human Food, 21 CFR Part 117
Risk-based food-safety law, applied through rules for each activity; Part 117 covers preventive controls for human food.
Comes up in: Food & beverage
FSMA Produce Safety, 21 CFR 112Federal regulation
Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption, 21 CFR Part 112
The FSMA Produce Safety Rule: minimum standards for farms that grow, harvest, pack or hold covered produce, including worker hygiene, agricultural water and records.
Comes up in: Food & beverage
HACCPFramework
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
Hazard analysis with documented critical control points; the rule that applies depends on the food and the agency.
Comes up in: Food & beverage
SQF CodeCertification program · Editions 9 and 10
Safe Quality Food (SQF) Code
Food safety and quality certification, audited against the code for your sector.
Comes up in: Food & beverage
Workplace
OSHA 29 CFR 1910Federal regulation
Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry, 29 CFR Part 1910
Workplace safety rules for general industry; which sections apply depends on the hazards and work on site.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs, Food & beverage, Data centers & mission-critical, Government & corrections, Manufacturing & life sciences, Airports & transit, Cooling towers
OSHA Laboratory StandardFederal regulation
Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories, 29 CFR 1910.1450
Protection for laboratory workers who use hazardous chemicals, through a written chemical hygiene plan, exposure monitoring and training.
Comes up in: Healthcare & labs, Education
OSH Act General Duty ClauseFederal statute
Occupational Safety and Health Act, Section 5(a)(1), 29 USC 654(a)(1)
An employer’s duty to keep the workplace free of recognized serious hazards.
Comes up in: Manufacturing & life sciences
OSHA indoor air qualityGuidance
OSHA Indoor Air Quality overview
OSHA has no general indoor-air-quality standard; this page points to the ventilation and contaminant rules that can apply.
Comes up in: Commercial real estate
Buildings
LEEDCertification program · v5, v4.1 and v4
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating systems
Green-building certification; the version that applies is the one the project registered under.
Comes up in: Education, Hospitality, Commercial real estate
WELL v2Certification program · v2
WELL Building Standard, version 2
Certification of building features and performance that support occupant health, verified by the program.
Comes up in: Hospitality, Commercial real estate
NFPA 96Consensus standard · 2027
NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations
Fire-safety requirements for the ventilation and exhaust systems of commercial kitchens.
Comes up in: Hospitality
IBC 2024, Chapter 3Model code · 2024
International Building Code 2024, Chapter 3: Occupancy Classification and Use
How buildings and spaces are classified by use, from Assembly (A) to Utility (U). Your jurisdiction may have adopted another edition, with amendments.
Comes up in: Government & corrections
Gas and energy
49 CFR 192Federal regulation
Transportation of Natural and Other Gas by Pipeline: Minimum Federal Safety Standards, 49 CFR Part 192
Minimum federal safety standards for gas pipelines; coverage depends on the operator and what the facility does.
Comes up in: Oil & gas
API RP 1173Recommended practice
API Recommended Practice 1173, Pipeline Safety Management Systems
A safety management system framework for pipeline operators.
Comes up in: Oil & gas
42 USC 8253Federal statute
Federal energy and water management requirements, 42 USC 8253 (supported by DOE FEMP)
Energy and water management, evaluation and follow-up requirements for covered federal facilities.
Comes up in: Data centers & mission-critical, Government & corrections
Corrections
ACA standardsAccreditation
American Correctional Association performance-based standards and accreditation
Accreditation standards for correctional operations, management and safety; the manual depends on the type of facility.
Comes up in: Government & corrections
Don’t see your industry?
If you have air, water, gas or equipment to look after, the method applies. Book a no-cost assessment and we’ll recommend what fits.