Post-refurbishment air testing
Post-refurbishment air testing for UK buildings
New finishes, adhesives, sealants and furniture release volatile compounds and formaldehyde for weeks after a fit-out. Post-refurbishment air testing quantifies what occupants will actually breathe, so decisions about reoccupation, additional flushing or ventilation tuning are based on measured data — not a smell test.
What we measure
Indoor air quality after refurbishment — the core parameter set
The pollutants most likely to be elevated after a fit-out are predictable. Targeting the right set delivers a fast, defensible reading on whether the space is ready to reoccupy.
HCHO
Composite wood, panels, foams, some textiles.
Compounds
Paints, adhesives, sealants and new furniture.
Particles
Residual construction dust and outdoor ingress.
Ventilation
Confirms fresh-air dilution under occupancy.
Pre-reoccupation testing
Sampling after construction cleaning and ventilation flushing, in representative occupied zones agreed with the project team.
Laboratory speciation
Formaldehyde via DNPH cartridge with HPLC; TVOC via sorbent tube with thermal-desorption GC-MS to quantify individual compounds.
Ventilation verification
Measured fresh-air supply and CO₂ trends confirm the dilution capacity needed to drive remaining emissions down over time.
Re-test option
Where a parameter exceeds reference values, a targeted re-test after additional flushing or source removal confirms readiness.
When to test
Typical post-refurbishment scenarios
Office and workplace fit-outs before staff return; schools refurbished over summer breaks; healthcare estates after non-clinical refurbishment; landlord works between tenancies; and any project where occupants have reported strong odours or irritation after handover.
Often combined with BREEAM indoor air quality monitoring and ongoing continuous air quality monitoring through the post-occupancy period.
Benchmarks
Reference values used in post-refurbishment reporting
| Parameter | Reference value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Formaldehyde (30-min) | ≤ 100 µg/m³ | WHO IAQ guideline |
| TVOC | ≤ 300 µg/m³ (target) / ≤ 500 µg/m³ (acceptable) | BREEAM Hea 02 / WELL v2 Air |
| PM2.5 (24-h) | < 15 µg/m³ | WHO 2021 |
| PM10 (24-h) | < 45 µg/m³ | WHO 2021 |
| CO₂ | < ~1000 ppm occupied | CIBSE TM40 |
Commission post-refurbishment air testing
Independent verification of indoor air quality after refurbishment, with a written report and clear pass/observe/re-test outcome per zone.
Request post-refurbishment testingRelated services
Specific parameters