Indoor air pollution testing
Indoor air pollution testing for UK buildings
Indoor pollutant concentrations frequently exceed outdoor levels because emission sources sit inside the envelope and dilution is limited. Pollution testing quantifies the dominant contaminants so action targets the right source — not the loudest complaint.
Pollutants we test
Core indoor pollutants and what they reveal
Different pollutants point to different sources. Testing the right combination is the fastest way to distinguish ventilation, chemistry and combustion issues.
Particles
Outdoor ingress, combustion, indoor activity.
Chemistry
Materials, furnishings and cleaning products.
Formaldehyde
Composite wood, foams and some textiles.
Combustion / vent
Gas appliances, traffic ingress, occupancy.
Calibrated reference instruments
Optical particle counters, photo-ionisation and NDIR sensors maintained against traceable standards.
Laboratory speciation
Sorbent tubes for TD-GC-MS and DNPH cartridges for HPLC quantify individual compounds.
Source attribution
Spot samples near suspect materials, equipment and intakes isolate the dominant emitter.
Ventilation context
Measured fresh-air supply provides the dilution baseline needed to interpret concentrations.
When to test
Typical pollution-testing scenarios
Post-refurbishment commissioning, persistent odour or irritation complaints, lease-event due diligence, schools and healthcare estates with sensitive occupants, and any building where bad indoor air quality is suspected but unconfirmed.
Combine with indoor air investigations, poor indoor air quality review and continuous air quality monitoring.
Benchmarks
Reference values used in reporting
| Pollutant | Reference value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (24-h) | < 15 µg/m³ | WHO 2021 |
| PM10 (24-h) | < 45 µg/m³ | WHO 2021 |
| NO₂ (annual) | < 10 µg/m³ | WHO 2021 |
| Formaldehyde (30-min) | < 100 µg/m³ | WHO IAQ guideline |
| TVOC | < 500 µg/m³ | WELL v2 Air |
| CO₂ | < ~800 ppm above outdoor | BS EN 16798-1 Cat II |
Commission indoor air pollution testing
Calibrated instruments, laboratory analysis and a written report with source attribution.
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