Project context
Modern office environments are increasingly dense, technology-driven, and highly occupied. While contemporary buildings are typically equipped with advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, real-world performance does not always align with design intent. Variations in occupancy, system operation, and outdoor air quality can materially affect indoor conditions, with direct implications for employee comfort, health, and confidence in the workplace.
For large organisations, indoor air quality has also become a governance issue. Employers are expected not only to provide safe working environments, but to demonstrate that risks are understood, assessed, and actively managed.
Project overview
In 2019, Accenture became the first tenant to occupy its B1 module beneath the historic Gare Maritime vault at the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels. Originally constructed in 1904, the site was redeveloped into a contemporary, high-performance workplace environment. Across four levels, the office accommodates approximately 1,150 employees sharing 630 hyperconnected workstations.
Airscan was invited to assess indoor air quality conditions within the Accenture offices. The objective was twofold: to evaluate the operational performance of the ventilation system under real conditions, and to anticipate how indoor air quality might evolve as occupancy patterns or ventilation strategies change over time.
Scope
The assessment focused on understanding indoor air quality across different operational scenarios, including variations in occupancy levels, HVAC airflow rates, and outdoor air quality conditions. In addition to performance evaluation, the project aimed to provide reassurance to Accenture employees regarding the quality of their working environment.
Airscan deployed a combined measurement approach, integrating real-time indoor air quality monitoring with targeted active sampling and laboratory analysis. Parameters assessed included total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀), and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Active sampling was followed by laboratory analysis using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), including DNPH and Carbotrap media.
This hybrid methodology enabled both continuous insight into day-to-day conditions and high-resolution chemical analysis of specific pollutants.
Result
Collected data were analysed and visualised through comprehensive charts and benchmarked against relevant threshold values. In line with the project’s objectives, Airscan developed air quality models to predict indoor conditions under different occupancy and ventilation scenarios.
Based on these findings, Airscan identified several practical “quick win” measures capable of improving current indoor air quality performance without major system modifications. The analysis also functioned as an indoor air quality risk assessment, supporting Accenture’s legal obligations as an employer and providing a documented basis for workplace health and safety assurance.
