Air quality

BRE provides a wide range of air quality testing and advisory services to ensure that the air in and around your buildings is of optimum quality and meets regulatory and environmental requirements.

Why work with BRE?

BRE’s technical experts have substantial training, skills, experience and knowledge of monitoring and assessments in a wide range of indoor environments. We offer a flexible approach to testing with a variety of work patterns and testing protocols available to suit your organisation.

Our reports provide you with impartial findings and assurance, allowing you to commission testing of the air within an indoor space, or to demonstrate the safe and effective operation of an air treatment/cleaning product carried out in a real-life environment.

Our services include monitoring air quality, minimising outdoor air pollution impacts, investigating pollutant emissions, measuring ventilation improving indoor air quality and testing of monitors and air cleaning devices.

Preparing indoor air quality plans

Preparing indoor air quality plans to assist the client to fulfil the requirements of various environmental assessment and building certification schemes.

Indoor air quality for certification scheme compliance

Measuring air pollutants, including gases, particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to demonstrate compliance with health-related and building certification schemes (e.g. BREEAM, WELL, LEED).

Building ventilation checks

Helping to ensure that the ventilation present in buildings of all types contributes to optimum quality indoor environments, while making efficient use of energy and complying with Building Regulations (Approved Document F) and/or environmental assessment schemes (e.g. BREEAM).

Emission testing from building materials

Identifying and measuring TVOC and/or formaldehyde emissions from building components, materials, paints, office equipment and furnishings. The measurements can be carried out to show compliance with environmental assessment schemes (including BREEAM, LEED and WELL) as well as regulations and European standards such as the French Arrêté scheme. We have room-sized chambers (including a 30 m3 room conforming to EN 16516) and smaller cells (including FLEC, which conforms to ISO 16000-10) available.

Third-Party Indoor Air Quality Investigations

Responding to indoor air quality concerns or complaints, our expert team conducts third-party investigations in a wide range of building types (e.g. dwellings, schools, hospitals, workplaces), delivering clear and unbiased reports. Inspection and assessments are backed up with monitoring, sampling and analysis of the air for a range of air pollutants. We can identify possible sources of any pollutants found and suggest remedial actions.

Bespoke Testing in controlled environmental chambers

Using tailored testing regimes in our environmentally controlled chambers, we can replicate various indoor settings and conditions. This allows us to study the impact of activities including for example cleaning, cooking, vaping and smoking on indoor air quality.

Air Quality Monitor and Sensor Testing

Validation of the accuracy of air quality monitors and sensors by subjecting them to controlled, known environmental and air quality test conditions. This will benefit manufacturers and end-users by increasing their confidence in the quality of the data that the sensors/monitors generate.

Air Purifier/Air Cleaner Testing

Assessment of the effectiveness of air cleaners and purifiers using controlled environmental chambers. Such devices and technologies can be challenged with a variety of airborne pollutants to ensure that they perform effectively. Also, assessment of the safety of such devices by checking for unwanted and potentially harmful emissions such as ozone or by-products such as formaldehyde during their operation.

Evaluation of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) to BS 40102 Part 1

May 2023 saw the introduction of this new British Standard, which describes a Code of Practice for the evaluation of IEQ in non-domestic buildings. BRE can offer advisory, consultancy, testing and training services in connection with the implementation of the Standard, and review of areas where IEQ is found to be sub-optimal.

Bespoke indoor air quality testing

Bespoke monitoring and testing according to customer needs, using environmental chambers or purpose-built mock-ups of rooms or other indoor areas. Also, air quality testing in other enclosed environments, such as vehicles and temporary structures.

Example project – investigating a school’s indoor air quality

Following complaints from staff concerning a new build school, BRE was commissioned to evaluate the environmental conditions in the school. We carried out comprehensive four week programme of surveys, inspections, monitoring and testing to investigate the factors that may have led to ill health among building occupants, assess occupant comfort, and establish whether the school building complied with Building Regulations and contractual and statutory air quality requirements.
The programme included:

  • Thermal comfort assessment (temperature and relative humidity).
  • Inspection of heating and air handling systems (including controls).
  • Air quality monitoring (CO, CO2, particulate matter, SO2, NO2, VOCs, formaldehyde).
  • Airtightness and air change rate measurements.
  • Lighting assessment (daylight; electric lighting; glare; task-based lighting).
  • Background noise assessment.

 

The findings were presented in a full technical report, and later in person to senior educational officers at the local authority. The main findings and recommended remedial actions were also presented in layman’s terms to school staff and to maintenance staff working for the school’s contracted facilities management organisation. This included guidance on use of features such as trickle vents and HVAC controls.

BRE was later commissioned to undertake follow-up monitoring to verify that remedial actions had been effective.

people working in an office to illustrate indoor environmental quality

Indoor Environmental Quality training

Learn about the background, scope, and features of the Indoor Environmental Quality standard, BS 40102-1. This standard offers guidelines for monitoring and reporting IEQ and well-being in occupied buildings.

BRE Academy IEQ online course