ENSURING HEALTHY SPACES:
AIR QUALITY AND BUILDING CERTFICATIONS

Click to learn more about indoor air quality standards and building certifications.

Air Quality
and Building Certifications

Evolving Standards
for Green Buildings

Choosing the Ideal
Air Quality System

Air Quality and Building Certifications

As awareness grows regarding the significant impact of buildings on individuals’ health, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions, more building owners are turning to green building certification programs to assess and enhance environmental performance. Recognizing the crucial role of indoor air quality (IAQ) in creating healthy and energy-efficient spaces, modern green building standards prioritize optimal IAQ levels. Monitoring IAQ not only fosters healthier indoor environments but also earns points towards green and healthy building certifications, benefiting both owners and occupants.

The increased time spent indoors highlights the importance of building environments, particularly as public awareness of the connection between well-being and air quality intensifies. Studies demonstrate a clear link between IAQ and human productivity and performance, underscoring the necessity of improving air quality for better cognitive abilities and productivity gains.

According to a study conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center, adequate ventilation significantly improves people’s ability to respond to crises, use information, and strategize.

A rise in VOC concentration by 500 ug/m3 correlates with a 13% decrease in cognitive function¹

With every 400 ppm rise in CO2 levels, cognitive function scores decrease by 21%¹

Information usage during a crisis response within a clean air environment was 172% higher¹

Beyond occupants improved well-being, additional research shows companies that invest in health strategies can benefit from enhanced performance, attendance and increased financial returns like:

7.7%

higher rents per sq ft in certified healthy buildings.²

$115

per sq ft in 10-year NPV for healthy, high-performing buildings.³

78%

of employees said they would be more likely to come into the office if it had a healthy building certification.⁴

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Health and the Global Environment
MIT Center for Real Estate Research: https://realestateinnovationlab.mit.edu/research_article/the-financial-impact-of-healthy-buildings/
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: https://stok.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Stok_High-Performance-Buildings-Report.pdf
2022 AirRated Research Study

Evolving Standards for Green Buildings

Various groups have developed healthy building certifications and standards like WELL, LEED, RESET, and others to aid building owners and managers in creating healthier environments. These certifications offer guidelines for achieving health, wellness, and sustainability goals across different types of buildings. Pursuing these certifications and implementing wellness improvements not only supports the healthy building movement but also demonstrates the safety and comfort of certified buildings.

WELL Certification

This building certification is specifically focused on human health and wellness, including thorough and stringent standards for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). It covers essential factors including air quality, ventilation, and filtration.

Certification is based on a point system across ten major concepts and requires on-site verification by a third party to review all requirements.

IAQ Related Requirements of WELL Certification

Air quality standards, air filtration, microbe and mold control, ventilation effectiveness, operational polices and maintenance.

How IAQ Systems Help Support Points Towards WELL Certification:

Monitor PM levels
Monitor Humidity and Temperature
Monitor CO2 levels
Monitor TVOCs
Ability to promote air quality to occupants
Improve air supply through air purification and increase air exchanges
Sensor data to develop operational polices and guide maintenance scheduling

Fellowes Array devices contribute to five out of the total 18 points of the WELL Air Concept, including enhanced thresholds for particulate matter, installation of indoor air monitors, promotion of air quality awareness, and improvement of air supply.

2 pts Meet Enhanced Thresholds for Particulate Matter
Fellowes Array air purification and monitoring devices provide continuous monitoring of PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10
1 pt Install Indoor Air Monitors
Each of the Array air purification and monitoring devices includes monitoring of 10 critical IAQ factors including PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10, and TVOCs
1 pt Promote Air Quality Awareness
With multiple access points into real-time air quality, like the Array Lookout display and Array Community Dashboard, anyone can have confidence that their office, room, or workspace is safe.
1 pt Improve Supply Air
Fellowes Array offers a variety of installation options (suspended, recessed, wall, and stand units) designed to cover a wide range of square footage that will deliver 3-5 incremental air changes per hour.

LEED Certification

LEED is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. This certification emphasizes the holistic environmental footprint of buildings, addressing energy efficiency, sustainable materials, and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as an integral component.

Certification is based on a point system across several categories like sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design.

LEED v5 is the upcoming version of the internationally renowned framework for green building practices. Responding to market demands for increased accountability, v5 will promote solutions that align the built environment with crucial priorities such as decarbonization, ecosystem conservation and restoration, equity, health, and resilience.

IAQ Related Requirements of LEED Certification:

Enhanced ventilation, low-emitting materials, air quality testing after construction and before occupancy, construction, IAQ management plan for during construction, and tobacco smoke control.

How IAQ Systems Help Support Points Towards LEED v5 Certification:

Monitor PM levels
Monitor CO2 levels
Monitor TVOCs
Improve air quality through filtration
Strategies for handling changes in air quality

Requirements: 13 points through a combination of 3 options with limitations to point accumulation within each option.

How points are awarded:

Fellowes Array can help support 12 out of the total 13 points required.

10 pts Option 1:
- Path 1 Continuous Indoor Air Monitoring (6 pts)
- Path 2 Meet Air Quality Thresholds (10 pts – limited awarding of 4 pts due to maximum points within option)
  Fellowes Array air purification and monitoring devices provide continuous monitoring of PM2.5, PM10, TVOCs, CO2
1 pt Option 2: Path 2 Filtration of Outdoor and Recirculated Air
Each Array air purification unit features H13 True HEPA filters, 2xs more effective than MERV 13. Our H13 True HEPA filters are certified by third party testing to meet performance standards and certification.
1 pt Option 3: Strategy 6 Episodic Outdoor Ambient Conditions
Array’s sense and react technology helps remediate any indoor air that may have been affected by episodic outdoor conditions like wildfire smoke.

Fitwel® Certification

Addresses a wider spectrum of health-related concerns, including Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). It is often perceived as more attainable and cost-effective compared to WELL certification

IAQ Related Requirements of Fitwel Certification

Enhanced Ventilation, low-emitting materials, Air Quality Testing after construction and before occupancy, Construction IAQ management plan for during construction, tobacco smoke control.

How IAQ Systems Help Support Points Towards Fitwel Certification:

Monitor PM levels 
Monitor CO2 levels
Monitor TVOCs
Improve air quality through filtration or disinfection
Ability to assess, record, and report indoor air quality

Possible IAQ Points:
Total 5.89 points available. These are comprised of 3.4 available points within the Operations category and 2.49 contributing from the Performance category.

How points are awarded:

Fellowes Array can help support 3.04 points out of the total 5.89 points available!

.58 pts for Implementation & Filtration Enhancements: With a large range of configurations and installation options, Array is designed to bring effective air purification to any space regardless of building design.
1.33 pts for Implementation of Monitoring and Testing Protocols: All Fellowes Array units and monitoring devices have a full advanced IAQ sensor suite, providing metrics through our cloud-based dashboard, Viewpoint Plus. This provides data and insights at the building, area or device level.
.21 pts for Indoor Air Quality Improvement Protocol of Air Cleaning or Purification System: With the ability to disinfect with Fellowes Array Recess UV-C units or capture 99.95% of particles as small as 0.1 microns with our proprietary H13 True HEPA and Carbon Filter featured purification units.
.92 pts for Assessment Results: Fellowes Viewpoint cloud-based dashboard or the Fellowes Array Lookout Display provides occupants access to real-time IAQ metrics. Viewpoint Plus also enables the ability to produce reports for assessment review.

RESET Air Certification

RESET™ Air, an innovative certification program with a 100% focus on IAQ, requires ongoing monitoring of crucial parameters to maintain optimal air quality and emphasizes the accessibility of monitored data.

IAQ Related Requirements of RESET Certification

Monitoring reliant with continuous reporting on PM 2.5, TVOC, CO2. Requires meeting RESET standards for 3 consecutive months for certification.

Choosing the Ideal Air Quality System
for Building Certification Goals

Navigating the landscape of certifications and standards can be daunting for building owners, often leading to confusion and hesitation. At Fellowes, our team of experienced air quality experts understand the intricacies of these frameworks. We collaborate closely with clients to simplify these complexities, pinpointing the most appropriate air quality solution for the certification they aim to achieve, and devising clear-cut plans to cultivate healthy environments for occupants.

Moreover, Fellowes Array air purification and monitoring devices are tailored to support your building in meeting these different IAQ requirements. Our devices offer continuous monitoring of critical factors such as Particulate Matter and TVOCs, aligning with the thresholds set for particulate matter and organic gases.o change. Employees are aware of the impact of air quality on their health.

Fellowes Array Signal Monitoring Device

Continuous monitoring of indoor air quality can be used in projects to support achieving preconditions as well as earning additional points for flexible optimization.

The Fellowes Signal is designed to support the different building standards, meeting the monitoring requirements for IAQ:

Sampling Frequency
Calibration
Parameter Range
Accuracy Resolution

The Fellowes Array unique cloud-based dashboard, Viewpoint, continuously visualizes real-time data and trends of the top ten air quality factors, facilitating informed decision-making. Viewpoint offers filter change notifications, enabling efficient maintenance management to remain on schedule. Viewpoint’s Community Dashboard provides real-time air quality status and filtration progress, instilling confidence in the safety of offices, rooms, or workspaces.

Reach out to us today, and our team of experts will collaborate closely with you to evaluate your space and certification objectives, providing tailored recommendations for the optimal system solution.

Resources

ENSURING HEALTHY SPACES: AIR QUALITY AND BUILDING CERTFICATIONS

ENSURING HEALTHY SPACES:
AIR QUALITY AND BUILDING CERTFICATIONS