Our accessible certifications are based on AirRated’s global benchmark for indoor air quality and translate both building and air quality data into an easy to understand score that you can communicate to your stakeholders.
With certifications suitable for whatever stage your building or project is at, our certifications are designed to help you create and maintain healthy, safe and productive indoor environments.
Not sure whether you should get your building certified? Read our latest research to learn more about IAQ in the workplace.
Our Certifications
Referencing The RIBA Plan of Work
AirScore D&O
AirScore D&O is designed to perform a healthy building gap analysis of the current building specification and advise on adjustments/enhancements to create a healthier, sustainable building. AirScore D&O provides an indicative IAQ performance value based on the design specification and external air quality data of the building and site location.
Building stage
Design stage of new build or heavy refurbishment
Length of certification
From award til 3 months post-completion
Scores available
Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
AirScore
A three-week environmental survey gathers information about your building’s indoor air quality. This data is then tested against our scoring system to create your building’s own AirScore.
Building Stage
Post-completion/in-use
Length of certification
3 years (yearly assessment)
Scores available
Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
AirScore Plus
A three-week environmental survey gathers information about your building’s Indoor Air Quality. This data is then tested against our scoring system to create your building’s own AirScore.
AirScore Plus gives you the option to include extra testing with your AirScore certification to support additional building certifications or other requirements for your project and provide an enhanced overview of your IAQ performance.
Building stage
Post-completion/in-use
Length of certification
3 years (yearly assessment)
Scores available
Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Align your AirScore certification with the WELL Standard, Fitwel and BREEAM and test for all your indoor air quality requirements at once.
Monthly AirScore
Taking monthly datasets*, AirRated create a bitesized AirScore report to independently analyse and validate IAQ performance across our 5 core parameters and provide an indicative AirScore based on a buildings monthly performance for internal use.
Buildings that demonstrate best practice IAQ performance over a year are also given the AirScore 365 award.
Building stage
In-use
How it works
11 monthly reports, post-yearly assessment
Scores available
Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Learn more about Monthly AirScore
*The Monthly AirScore is only applicable to buildings with an existing (active) AirScore certification and have permanently installed IAQ monitors.
AirRated Certificate
The AirRated Certificate is a pass/fail certification for buildings and use cases that don’t require a performance rating.
A three-week environmental survey gathers information about your building’s Indoor Air Quality. This data is then tested against our scoring system to ensure your building meets minimum best practice thresholds.
Building stage
In-use
Length of certification
Yearly
Scores available
Pass/Fail
Earn points towards your 2023 GRESB Assessments
Not only does an AirScore quantify IAQ within your space and across your portfolio to benchmark and future-proof building performance and health, but it also helps you secure GRESB points across a number of different areas of the GRESB assessment.
Our AirScore certifications are recognised building certifications for GRESB, meaning that they align perfectly with GRESB’s scoring system.
AirRated – the core parameters for Indoor Air Quality
Humidity
What is it?
Relative humidity is the concentration of water vapour present in the air. It’s expressed as a percentage.
Where does it come from?
Respiration and activities such as cooking and washing increase indoor humidity.
Why is it a problem?
Both high and low humidity can directly affect occupant health and comfort, and the presence of biological pollutants such as mould spores. Incidence of absenteeism due to respiratory infections was found to be higher among people working or living in environments with low or high relative humidities.
What is it?
Particulate Matter 2.5 is fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5μm. Some common examples are dust, sea salt, ash and vehicle exhaust.
Where does it come from?
Indoors, PM2.5 can come from a number of sources, such as combustion (e.g. heating and cooking), mechanical processes and biological particles (e.g. bacteria and viruses). Simply opening a window isn’t always the best solution for poor IAQ as indoor PM2.5 concentration can also be heavily influenced by both manmade and natural sources from outdoors.
Why is it a problem?
These fine particles can easily penetrate into the lungs and bloodstream, causing irritation of both upper and lower airways, as well as cardiovascular issues: this can even reduce life expectancy.
Although the World Health Organisation (WHO) has set a guideline of 10μg/m3, there is said to be no safe level of PM2.5.
What is it?
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a naturally occurring, colourless, odourless gas that makes up 0.04% (400ppm) of the air we breathe.
Where does it come from?
Human and animal respiration and combustion are the main sources of indoor CO2. Occupied indoor concentrations of CO2 are significantly higher than those outdoors.
Why is it a problem?
Studies have shown that elevated levels of CO2 can significantly impair cognitive function and cause up to 11% reduction in productivity. And even though it’s naturally part of the air we breathe, even very low levels of CO2 have been shown to cause adverse health effects, such as aggravating respiratory problems. There is also a recognised connection between elevated indoor CO2 levels and increases in Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms.
What are they?
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are compounds that can become gases or vapours: common examples in our daily lives are acetone, benzene and formaldehyde. TVOCs is a collective term which defines a group of common VOCs
Where does it come from?
VOCs comprise a wide range of chemicals, which may be emitted over periods of weeks or even years from construction and furnishing products such as sealants, paints, cleaning products, and air-cooling refrigerants for building services.
Why is it a problem?
In the short-term, exposure to elevated levels of VOCs can cause adverse health effects such as eye and airway irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders and memory impairment. Long-term they can be even more dangerous, potentially causing damage to the central nervous system and even cancer. There is also an association between higher concentrations of VOCs in indoor air with allergies, asthma, and poor respiratory health.
What is it?
Room temperature describes the range of air temperatures that most people prefer for indoor settings that feel comfortable when wearing typical indoor clothing.
Where does it come from?
Indoor temperature is affected by many variables from occupant density to mechanical ventilation effectiveness and room temperature set point.
Why is it a problem?
Poor thermal comfort can contribute to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms, which include headaches, itchy skin, dry or sore eyes, blocked or runny noses and rashes. Research also indicates that performance of office work is maximised at 21°C to 22°C and for every degree above 25°C productivity is seen to decline by 2%: the same drop has been seen for every degree below 19°C.
What is it?
Relative humidity is the concentration of water vapour present in the air. It’s expressed as a percentage.
Where does it come from?
Respiration and activities such as cooking and washing increase indoor humidity.
Why is it a problem?
Both high and low humidity can directly affect occupant health and comfort, and the presence of biological pollutants such as mould spores. Incidence of absenteeism due to respiratory infections was found to be higher among people working or living in environments with low or high relative humidities.