Question: What is an Indoor Air Quality Plan?
Answer: An Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Plan is a document that sets out how the design, construction and commissioning of a building will deliver good indoor air quality for its occupants. It considers the removal of contaminant sources, dilution and ventilation, procedures for pre-occupancy flush-out or testing, third-party testing and analysis, and maintenance of good air quality after occupation.
IAQ Plans are a requirement for BREEAM Hea 02 Indoor Air Quality credits and are increasingly requested by clients and occupiers concerned about health and wellbeing, particularly in schools, offices and healthcare buildings.
Question: What is indoor air quality testing?
Answer: Indoor air quality testing measures the concentrations of pollutants inside a completed building to verify that it is safe and comfortable to occupy. Testing commonly measures formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), carbon dioxide, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, temperature and humidity.
Post-construction testing is required for BREEAM Hea 02, WELL Air concept certification and some client specifications, and is used to investigate complaints in existing buildings.
Question: What are the BREEAM Hea 02 requirements?
Answer: BREEAM Hea 02 awards credits for producing an Indoor Air Quality Plan at RIBA Stage 2, specifying low-emission products such as paints, flooring, adhesives and furniture that meet defined emission limits, and undertaking post-construction testing. Formaldehyde must be below 100 µg/m³ averaged over 30 minutes and TVOCs below 300 µg/m³ averaged over 8 hours. Where limits are exceeded, remedial measures such as flush-out must be carried out and re-tested.
Question: Why is indoor air quality important?
Answer: People spend around 90 per cent of their time indoors, and indoor pollutant concentrations can be significantly higher than outdoors. Poor IAQ is linked to headaches, fatigue, respiratory problems, reduced cognitive performance and sick building syndrome. Good IAQ improves health, wellbeing and productivity and is a core requirement of WELL, BREEAM and Building Regulations Part F, which now includes guidance on monitoring and minimising indoor pollutants.
Question: What sources of indoor air pollution does an IAQ Plan address?
Answer: Sources include emissions from building materials, finishes and furniture, cleaning products, printers and equipment, combustion appliances, external pollution drawn in through ventilation, moisture and mould, and occupants themselves. The IAQ Plan sets out how each source will be controlled through specification, ventilation design, air intake location and filtration, construction practices and commissioning.
Question: How is IAQ testing carried out?
Answer: Testing is undertaken after construction is complete and finishes and furniture are installed, but before occupation. Samples are collected in representative rooms using calibrated sampling equipment and analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, following methods such as BS ISO 16000. Results are compared with BREEAM, WELL or WHO limits, and a report identifies any exceedances and recommended remedial action.
Question: Why choose Syntegra Group for IAQ Plans and testing?
Answer: Syntegra Group prepares Indoor Air Quality Plans and undertakes post-construction IAQ testing for BREEAM, WELL and client requirements across the UK. Our environmental consultants coordinate with our mechanical design and BREEAM teams to ensure ventilation, filtration and material specifications deliver the required air quality, and our testing uses accredited laboratory analysis.
We provide clear reports that satisfy BREEAM assessors and WELL reviewers and support healthy, comfortable buildings for occupants.
