Analyzing the data collected in buildings is always a shock. 🌍 Whether it’s energy monitoring, occupancy management or water consumption, the problems jump off the page. But today, let’s talk about indoor air quality. And we might as well warn you: what we discovered in an office building in Brussels is edifying.
Irrespirable air... but no one sees it
Our customer occupies 900 m² of mixed office space: fixed workstations, flex desks, meeting rooms and kitchens. A modern, well-equipped working environment… in appearance. Centralized ventilation is in place, hidden in the false ceiling. Everything seems to be under control.
However, from the very first days of measurements with our CO2, humidity and temperature sensors, the findings were alarming. 📈 CO2 levels soar within one to two hours of the teams’ arrival, and by early afternoon are even above legal thresholds.
And in the meeting rooms? A nightmare 😨 In less than an hour, levels explode. While the health limit is set at 900 ppm, some rooms show over 2000 ppm. Levels that affect concentration, increase fatigue and promote the transmission of viruses.
2 sensors were installed in this meeting room. A sensor for measuring air quality and a sensor that counts the number of people present. We see the direct relationship between the number of participants in the meeting, and the inefficiency of the ventilation of the room.
The real problem? Ventilation... or the illusion of ventilation?
Faced with the figures, the facility manager investigates. The verdict? Unquestionably:
❌ Ventilation system does not pulse fresh air. It only stirs stale air.
❌ The air ducts are damaged, probably as a result of building work.
❌ Some meeting rooms simply don’t have ventilation!
To put it plainly: an existing system does not guarantee good air quality. And what’s worse, no one was even aware of this before the sensors were installed.
A common problem, simple solutions
So, what lessons can we learn from this experience?
✅ Don’t be fooled by appearances. A building equipped with a ventilation system can still be poorly ventilated.
✅ Ventilation does not mean the injection of fresh air. Many systems simply stir the indoor air.
✅ Rearrangements change airflow patterns Partitions, new rooms… and the building’s original balance is upset.
✅ Maintenance is key Filters need to be changed every 3 months, regular maintenance… Who takes care of it for you?
Without data, it’s impossible to know whether the air you breathe is healthy.
Conclusion: Measure, control, react!
This company recognized the problem and took immediate action: more frequent ventilation, equipment maintenance, and regular monitoring of CO2 levels. But how many other offices suffer from the same ailment without knowing it?
💡 Air quality impacts health, productivity and well-being. You may not see the problem… but it may already be there.
📊 And do you really know what you breathe at the office?
