Indoor air quality certification

A Global Benchmark for Indoor Air Quality.

Health, Wellbeing and Social Value

Problem Addressed

A sustainable built environment is one that promotes the health and wellbeing of its occupants. However, many indoor spaces are extremely polluted and there is a distinct lack of awareness and understanding when it comes to the causes and effects of poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). In a recent survey AirRated commissioned, only 22% of respondents stated that they are knowledgeable about air quality.

Solution Overview

The AirScore aims to solve the challenge above by evaluating one of the most important components for health, productivity and wellbeing: air. AirRated support its clients in promoting healthy environments for their building occupants by raising awareness of IAQ and providing strategies for air quality improvement.

AirRated has established a global benchmark for IAQ. Its pioneering certification, the AirScore, uses the latest sensor technology, cutting-edge research and a data-driven approach to assess indoor environment health. An AirScore enables landlords, developers and employers to easily communicate the health of indoor environments to their tenants, residents and employees and ensure their wellbeing remains a priority.

Implementation involves a rigorous three-week environmental survey, whereby AirRated gathers information about the building’s IAQ. The sensor monitors five key parameters: humidity, temperature, PM2.5, TVOCs and carbon dioxide. Data from outdoor environmental stations is also analysed, as this can significantly impact IAQ. An AirScore is then determined and clients are provided with a detailed report analysing their IAQ, alongside any suggested remedial actions.

The benefits of an AirScore include attracting occupants, enhancing marketing campaigns and responding to changing expectations for indoor spaces; fundamentally, an AirScore considers the wellbeing of people within indoor environments. The effectiveness of the solution also lies in its ability to accelerate leasing campaigns and reduce void periods. One client, an asset manager of a large building in Europe, was leasing commercial office space during 2020. This was a difficult time for many but was also a time when potential occupiers became more aware of the importance of IAQ. The AirScore served as a simple and effective way to illustrate the building’s capability to provide healthy and productive indoor spaces. It accelerated their leasing campaign, with a prospective tenant taking space as a direct result of the certification.

The cost of an AirScore varies, however the three core offerings are priced as follows:

Commercial AirScore: £2,250 & £0.05 per sq. ft. (+VAT) Includes tiered rating, plaque, executive IAQ summary and 5 hours of marketing support. This includes an in-depth overview of your building’s air quality in relation to the 5 parameters with recommendations.

Commercial AirScore+: £4,500 & £0.05 sq. ft. (+VAT) Everything included in the standard AirScore, as well as an extra 30 hours deep dive into the findings of your AirScore and simple remediation strategies.

(Sq. ft. measurements are taken from NIA. In the case of Residential AirScore, the same base fee applies with the addition of £0.05 per sq. ft. of communal space and a charge per apartment being monitored.)

AirScore D&O £7,500 (+VAT): Includes tiered rating, full report and 5 hours of marketing support. This includes an in-depth review and assessment of your building’s HVAC system and other innovations to improve indoor air quality, with recommendations for optimisation.

There is no maintenance cost involved. The only recurring fee is to renew the AirScore, which comes at a cost of 30% discount on the original Year 1 fee.

The ROI will vary based on each specific client. Common tangible benefits include:

Accelerating leasing campaigns
Reducing void periods
Employee attraction and retention
Increasing occupant productivity
Increasing occupant health
Reducing sick days

Company name

AirRated

UK availability

Yes

Solution launch date

March 2020

Case Study

The success of the solution lies in the AirScore’s ability to communicate data to the end user in a clear and accessible way. This was particularly valuable in a recent project with The Future Works; they needed a solution to optimise the IAQ of their building whilst empowering building occupants with knowledge of their environment.

AirRated wanted to communicate its findings through KPIs that would make sense to the everyman, so The Future Works’ residents understood their wellbeing was prioritised. It incorporated QR codes alongside the AirScore certification around the building. When scanned, the users saw detailed descriptions of the building’s score, the components that had been measured (what they are, their sources and impacts), and how thoughtful design and operation continues to deliver a consistently healthy and productive space to work.

This demonstrates the way in which the solution can not only help to make spaces healthier, but increase awareness and understanding of IAQ.

You can see how clients have used the AirScore to raise awareness of IAQ here:

The Future Works/Ashby Capital

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