Modern Offices Demand Upgraded Air Filtration

As companies compete for the best talent, many are looking to improve their work culture beyond just salary and benefits. So, what is the wisest front you can get competitive on? Your workplace. 

With WFH so common, it can be hard for businesses with active corporate leases to pull their employees back into the office. Let's face it, how can you beat conference calls from their own kitchen? So we're here to admit that the responsibility to bring employees back into the office falls on the employer- that's right! 

To get team members to return to in-person collaboration, you have to make your corporate space an environment they actually want to go to. This means your CRE should offer something that they weren’t already getting at home or in the old office. And this calls for updating old safety measures for new features held to higher terms to cultivate comfort and productivity for your most important asset, your people.  

One way to do this is by focusing on air quality. In recent years, air purification has become a more prominent issue in the corporate world. With concerns about things like COVID, businesses are realizing that they need to take a closer look at the air their employees are breathing every day.  

Corporate spaces are being held accountable for how well they promote the health and wellness of their employees. And as we move forward, it is likely that this focus on air quality will only become more common. 

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Air Quality is Critical to Employee Health and Productivity 

Air quality is still in the spotlight from COVID-19. Updated filtration systems are demanded across the board as employees refuse to be in crowded corporate spaces where they risk contamination of disease. However, the benefits of clean air exist far beyond halting the spread of disease. - and businesses better pay attention. 

There is a direct link between poor indoor air quality poor and diminished brain activity. According to a study conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, indoor environments with lower ventilation rates and increased concentrations of fine particulate matter reduce the response times, ability to focus, and accuracy of the people in them. Senior author of the study and associate professor of exposure assessment science, Joseph Allen said, 

“The world is rightly focused on COVID-19, and strategies like better ventilation and filtration are key to slowing infectious disease transmission indoors...Our research consistently finds that the value proposition of these strategies extends to cognitive function and productivity of workers, making healthy buildings foundational to public health and business strategy moving forward.” 

Healthy Indoor Air Quality Metrics 

Carbon dioxide levels (CO2) are measured in parts per million (ppm). Normal outdoor air quality CO2 levels range from 350-450 ppm. Breathing will be normal. In environments where this increases to 600-1000 pmm, breathing becomes belabored. Rates from 1000-2500 ppm cause drowsiness and inability to concentrate. What does this mean for businesses? According to Propmodo, "A typical CO2 level in an office is consistently in that 600-1000ppm range, often exceeding 2,000 ppm in closed rooms with less ventilation." Yikes! In an industrial or commercial setting, it is important to be aware of the CO2 levels in order to maintain a safe and healthy work environment. High CO2 levels can cause people to feel tired and irritable and can even lead to loss of consciousness. In extreme cases, CO2 levels over 10,000 ppm can be deadly. 

Let's look at this visually. 

With these figures in mind, you can track your office’s air levels consistently and benchmark them against what they should be. If there’s room for improvement, you now have an actionable way to improve the general experience of your in-person offices by changing the airflow. Clean, properly ventilated air makes people less prone to fatigue, negative emotions, and mistakes. So, you have a tangible method to create an environment where everyone is their healthiest, happiest, most productive and alert self... what business wouldn't want that? 

It doesn't say much for corporate society that providing safe breathing environments is going above and beyond what's expected in an office. The standard is poor indoor quality. But it is also an opportunity to stand out above the rest by investing in your people's well-being. So, then the question of the hour is: how can employers create a workplace with better air quality? 

How to Improve Office Air Quality 

Many experts believe that the key is to invest in higher-quality purification systems. This is an important step, but it is also important to remember that these systems need to be properly maintained in order to be effective. Additionally, it is important to make sure that your office space is well-ventilated to reduce airborne contaminants. This can be done by opening windows or using fans to circulate air. 

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)Purifiers  

By increasing the air quality, the disease risk will be significantly lowered- so don't leave it to chance. HEPA filters (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) are increasingly becoming the go-to solution for improving air quality and reducing the risk of disease, by stopping 99.97% of human-generated airborne contaminants associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.  

A HEPA Filter is an addition to your building’s existing HVAC systems. Air flows through carbon filters to increase the clean air delivery rate of your office’s existing air filters. By installing HEPA filters, offices can ensure that they are taking the necessary precautions to protect their employees from potential health risks. And regularly maintaining these filtration systems is critical to their success. Dirty air filters are worse than none at all.  

UVGI (Ultraviolet Technology)  

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) systems are also being installed in offices across America to improve the quality of cleanliness of air purifiers and ventilation systems. UVGI technology disinfects enclosed spaces by killing viral, bacterial, and fungal organisms with short-wavelength ultraviolet light. It can also be added to your HVAC system to up its filtration abilities. 

Making Air Quality Visible 

There are also modern features that both improve air filtration and the ability to communicate it to employees. Corporate visibility of air quality is increasingly important to employees. In a study conducted by Allwork, nine out of ten employees want to be kept informed about their building's air quality. Give them the ability to do this. 

Air quality is often an unseen factor in our lives. But what if there were a way to see the air quality around us? Air purifiers by AuraAir have iPad-like panels that give real-time insight to the air quality of the rooms they’re in. They also notify users of changes to the air quality and whether they should relocate. This is a huge step towards corporate clarity of health-influencing workplace factors. Such devices are helpful for people with respiratory problems but are also useful for anyone who wants to be more aware of their environment. 

It's important to remember that to improve indoor air quality, it isn't just about how clean the air is. Temperature and humidity levels can also affect our comfort and health. So being able to see all of this information in one place can be helpful for making decisions about where to spend our time. Such technology has also been proven to "reduce COVID-19 infections by 30 percent." It can also be employed to monitor HVAC usage.  

The long-term benefits of providing such features make them well worth the initial costs. Not only do they help improve air quality, but they can also help reduce energy usage and save money in the long run. As such elements become the standard in offices, not having them also puts you at risk of losing team members. According to the CEO of Honeywell Building Technologies, "In a competitive labor market, demonstrating an effort to create a healthier work environment can be an advantage in retracting and retaining employees. Every dollar invested in updated workplace air quality... and communicating it to employees is a dollar strategically spent." 

Improve Your Ventilation Now 

There is no room for outdated ventilation systems. HEPA filtration elements, features that monitor air changes, etc. will bring overall ventilation improvements to your HVAC systems. And this is important now more than ever. Beyond culling the airborne spread of disease, you can create an environment that cultivates positive emotions and productivity for your team members.  

So don’t wait any longer. Companies that don’t integrate these features risk losing their employees to WFH jobs or companies that offer premium amenities. As Tenant Reps, we have seen this happen. By staying on top of CRE trends, we’ve noted that the modern office place is evolving. The pressure is on for corporate tenants to remain on the cutting edge. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. By working with a true Tenant Reps at iOptimize Realty®, the weight of CRE decisions is taken off your shoulders. We can help you capitalize on the ever-changing marketplace for the optimal features, property, and price.  

Read how we act as your ad hoc CRE team.  

If you’re ready to take your CRE to the next level, talk to an Expert Tenant Rep today.