Why Retrofitting IAQ Is Cheaper Than Managing Sick Buildings

It is cheaper to fix the air than to manage the consequences of ignoring it.

Many buildings were designed for an era when indoor air quality expectations were lower, energy was cheaper, and health impacts were poorly understood.

Today, those buildings are becoming liabilities.

The True Cost of a “Sick” Building

Poor IAQ manifests as:

• Frequent occupant complaints

• Higher absenteeism

• Reduced productivity

• Tenant dissatisfaction

• Increased maintenance calls

• Reputational damage

These costs rarely appear on a balance sheet — but they erode asset performance every day.

Managing a sick building is an ongoing operational drain, not a one-time problem.

Why Retrofitting IAQ Solutions Makes Financial Sense

Modern IAQ retrofit solutions are:

• Non-invasive

• HVAC-integrated

• Scalable

• Designed for occupied buildings

This allows owners to improve IAQ without major disruption or plant replacement.

Compared to structural HVAC upgrades or continuous ventilation increases, air purification retrofits are:

• Faster to deploy

• Lower in capital cost

• Easier to validate

• Immediately effective

Avoiding the “Deferred Cost Trap”

Delaying IAQ upgrades often leads to:

• Emergency interventions later

• Forced compliance upgrades

• Tenant loss

• Higher retrofit costs under time pressure

Proactive IAQ retrofitting avoids this trap by:

• Extending asset relevance

• Improving operational stability

• Protecting future valuation

From Liability to Performance Asset

Retrofitting IAQ transforms buildings from reactive environments into controlled, resilient systems.

It is cheaper to fix the air than to manage the consequences of ignoring it.

Indoor Air Quality is no longer a background technical issue it is a core determinant of asset value, financial performance, and long-term resilience.

Buildings that treat IAQ strategically will outperform those that treat it as an afterthought.