How to Measure, Manage and Maintain Indoor Air Quality

How to Measure, Manage and Maintain Indoor Air Quality

A Practical Guide to Creating Healthier Buildings That Stay Healthy

By The Indoor Air Academy

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is no longer simply a facilities management issue. It has become a strategic consideration that influences occupant health, well-being, productivity, energy performance and asset value.

Yet many organisations only investigate IAQ after complaints begin to emerge -persistent headaches, eye irritation, fatigue, unpleasant odours or rising absenteeism. By then, the underlying problems may have existed for months or even years.

The reality is simple:

You can't manage what you don't measure.

Healthy buildings don't happen by accident. They result from a structured approach to measuring, managing and maintaining Indoor Air Quality over time.

This guide explains how.

Step 1

Recognise the Warning Signs

Poor Indoor Air Quality is often invisible, but the symptoms are usually not.

Common warning signs include:

• Frequent occupant complaints

• Headaches and fatigue

• Eye, nose or throat irritation

• Persistent coughing

• Stale or unpleasant odours

• Excessive dust accumulation

• Condensation and high humidity

• Mould or damp patches

• Increased sickness absence

• Declining workplace productivity

Importantly, these symptoms often improve when occupants leave the building - a classic indicator that the indoor environment may be contributing to the problem. Poor IAQ has been linked to respiratory illness, fatigue, headaches and reduced concentration, while improving IAQ can enhance cognitive performance, reduce sick days and support better learning and workplace outcomes.

The first step is recognising that these are not simply "building issues" - they are potential IAQ issues.

Step 2

Measure What Matters

Many buildings are managed using assumptions rather than evidence.

Effective IAQ management starts with reliable measurement.

Measure what matters

Key parameters typically include:

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

An indicator of ventilation effectiveness and occupancy density.

Particulate Matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀)

Fine particles capable of affecting respiratory health.

Total VOCs

Emitted from furnishings, finishes, cleaning products and office equipment.

Temperature

Essential for occupant comfort.

Relative Humidity

Too high encourages microbial growth.

Too low creates discomfort.

Optional Measurements

Depending on the building:

• Formaldehyde

• Ozone

• Carbon monoxide

• Differential pressure

• Airflow

Modern IAQ should be measurable and defensible, using calibrated sensors and recognised performance metrics rather than assumptions.

Step 3

Identify the Source - Not Just the Symptom

An air quality monitor tells you what is happening.

An IAQ assessment explains why.

Potential sources include:

• Outdoor pollution

• Dust and sand infiltration

• Cleaning chemicals

• Building materials

• Furniture

• Kitchens

• Printing rooms

• Occupant density

• Poor filtration

• Water ingress

• Mould

• HVAC maintenance issues

Treating symptoms without identifying the source often results in repeated problems.

Step 4

Assess HVAC Performance

An HVAC system does much more than heat and cool a building.

It determines how contaminants move throughout occupied spaces.

A professional assessment should consider:

• Outside air strategy

• Air distribution

• Filtration performance

• Air handling unit condition

• Coil cleanliness

• Drainage

• Air balancing

• Control systems

• Maintenance records

Many IAQ problems originate not from equipment failure but from poor operation or inadequate maintenance.

Step 5

Move Beyond Monitoring to Active Management

Monitoring alone does not improve Indoor Air Quality.

It simply tells you when problems exist.

Healthy buildings require active management.

This may include:

• Source control

• Improved maintenance

• Better filtration

• Ventilation optimisation

• Humidity management

• Continuous performance monitoring

• Active air purification

Ventilation alone dilutes contaminants; it does not eliminate them. In modern, continuously air-conditioned buildings - particularly in hot, dusty climates - effective IAQ increasingly relies on combining ventilation, filtration and active air treatment rather than relying on ventilation alone.

Step 6

Verify Performance

Every improvement should be validated.

Repeat measurements should confirm:

• Reduced CO₂

• Lower particulate levels

• Lower VOC concentrations

• Improved thermal comfort

• Fewer occupant complaints

Performance should be demonstrated - not assumed.

Step 7

Maintain Healthy Air

Indoor Air Quality changes every day.

Occupancy changes.

Outdoor conditions change.

Building use changes.

Cleaning practices change.

Healthy buildings require continuous attention.

Best practice includes:

• Regular IAQ audits

• Preventive HVAC maintenance

• Sensor calibration

• Filter replacement

• Continuous trend analysis

• Periodic occupant feedback

• Annual performance reviews

Maintaining IAQ is an ongoing management process rather than a one-time project.

A Special Consideration for the GCC

Buildings across the GCC face unique challenges.

For much of the year they operate with:

• Continuous mechanical cooling

• High outdoor temperatures

• Elevated humidity in coastal regions

• Dust and sandstorms

• Urban particulate pollution

• High occupancy

  
  

These conditions make Indoor Air Quality management particularly important.

Simply increasing outside air is not always the most effective solution if that air itself carries heat, humidity and pollutants. Instead, IAQ strategies should balance ventilation, filtration, continuous monitoring and appropriate air cleaning to achieve healthy indoor environments while managing energy use.