
In the air filtration industry, there are numerous standards for classifying, identifying, and evaluating the various performance characteristics of air filters.

In the United States, the organization responsible for setting these standards is ASHRAE. Since 1968, ASHRAE has released a series of test standards for air filters, which have been recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as the benchmark for filter performance classification.

In Europe, reference was made to ASHRAE standards, and CEN formally released the European filter standard EN 779 in 2012. In 2012, EN779 was revised for the second time, and the new standard defined the minimum filtration efficiency (ME) for F7-F9 efficiency filters, thus ensuring better air quality at the AHU outlet.

In 2016, the ISO 16890 standard was introduced, providing the possibility of global standardization in the air filtration industry and replacing the existing two regional standards: ASHRAE 52.2 and EN779:2012.