The Brief
Construction firm Besix, working with Sweco, needed post-construction air quality performance verification against three specific criteria: that emissions from building materials complied with WELL, BREEAM, and occupational health limits; that outdoor pollutants were not infiltrating the indoor environment; and that the ventilation system was operating as designed. The results needed to stand up to scrutiny from both the International WELL Building Institute and BRE Group.
What We Did
Airscan carried out extensive post-construction, pre-occupation air quality testing across the building, measuring nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and biological pollutants including fungi and yeasts. The testing programme was structured directly against the verification requirements of WELL and BREEAM, producing a dataset that addressed each of the three certification objectives systematically rather than as a general air quality survey.
How It Works
Post-construction performance verification is the point at which design ambition meets physical reality. A building can be designed to emit at acceptable levels, ventilate correctly, and keep outdoor pollution out – but only measurement confirms whether it actually does. Testing across this range of parameters, before any occupants move in, also identifies where concentrations are elevated and intervention is still practical, rather than discovering problems after the building is in daily use. The verification results are what certification bodies assess: without them, the certification process cannot proceed regardless of how well the building was designed.
Outcomes
Airscan delivered the full performance verification reporting required for both the WELL and BREEAM certification submissions, with documentation prepared to the standard expected by the International WELL Building Institute and BRE Group respectively. For areas identified as at risk of exceeding acceptable concentration limits, Airscan developed a targeted action plan – ensuring the project team had a clear path to compliance rather than an open-ended problem. Both certifications are expected to be achieved across 2024 and 2025.
