)
Key takeaways
CO2 shows whether ventilation keeps up with the number of people in a room, PM2.5 shows how well filtration and the AC system are working, TVOCs show what furnishings, paint and cleaning products are releasing, and humidity shows how well moisture is controlled. Aim for CO2 below 1,000 ppm, PM2.5 below 35 µg/m³ (ideally under 12), TVOCs below 500 µg/m³ and relative humidity between 30 and 60 percent.
Most offices have no idea what their indoor air looks like on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. Four readings change that. Carbon dioxide (CO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and relative humidity each describe a different part of how a building is run, from ventilation and filtration to cleaning products and moisture control.
In UAE workplaces, where central AC runs almost year round and windows stay closed, these readings are often the only early warning that something in the building has drifted. Read together over a full month, they give facilities teams a clear, evidence based picture of where a workplace performs well and where it needs attention.
No single number describes indoor air. A meeting room can show excellent PM2.5 and still have CO2 climbing past 1,200 ppm by mid morning because ventilation is not keeping up with occupancy. A newly fitted floor can have perfect CO2 and still show elevated TVOCs from fresh paint, adhesives and furniture.
Timing matters as much as the parameters. A month of continuous readings captures the working week, weekend shutdowns, cleaning schedules and occupancy peaks that a single spot test would miss. This is why professional indoor air quality testing looks at trends over time rather than one snapshot.
| Reading | What It Measures | What It Tells You About the Building |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 | Carbon dioxide concentration in ppm | Whether ventilation matches the number of people in a space |
| PM2.5 | Particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller, in µg/m³ | How well filtration and air handling are working |
| TVOCs | Combined gases released by materials and products, in µg/m³ | What furnishings, finishes and cleaning products add to the space |
| Humidity | Moisture in the air as a percentage | How well the HVAC system is controlling moisture |
Swipe left or right to see all columns →
CO2 in an office comes mainly from the people in it. Every occupant exhales it, so when fresh air supply falls behind, the concentration rises. ASHRAE, the body that sets ventilation standards for buildings, describes indoor CO2 primarily as an indicator of how well a space is ventilated relative to its occupancy, rather than as a pollutant in itself at typical office levels.
The RESET Air standard, used widely in commercial interiors, sets an acceptable CO2 level below 1,000 ppm and a high performance level below 600 ppm. Rising CO2 is one of the most common reasons staff describe an office air quality problem as stuffiness or afternoon tiredness.
PM2.5 refers to particles small enough to stay suspended in the air for long periods. Indoors, they come from outdoor air entering through doors and ventilation intakes, from printers and office equipment, from cooking in pantry areas, and from dust that settles and gets disturbed. In the UAE, outdoor dust events can push indoor levels up quickly when intakes and filters are not well maintained.
The World Health Organization guideline for PM2.5 is 15 µg/m³ as a 24 hour mean and 5 µg/m³ as an annual mean. RESET Air sets acceptable indoor levels below 35 µg/m³ and high performance below 12 µg/m³.
A rising PM2.5 baseline in a workplace usually points to three areas:
1. Filter grade and condition - Low grade or overdue filters let fine particles pass straight into the supply air.
2. System cleanliness - Dust that builds up in coils and ductwork can be released back into occupied spaces every time the fans run.
3. Cleaning practice - Dry sweeping and vacuums without proper filtration put particles back into circulation instead of removing them.
For workplaces with central systems, knowing the difference between AC cleaning and duct cleaning helps decide what kind of maintenance the system actually needs.
Volatile organic compounds are gases released by everyday materials and products. The US Environmental Protection Agency lists paints, cleaning supplies, building materials, furnishings, copiers, printers and adhesives among common sources. A TVOC reading combines these into one figure. RESET Air sets acceptable TVOC levels below 500 µg/m³ and high performance below 400 µg/m³.
The practical responses are straightforward. Specify non-VOC painting during fitouts, let new spaces ventilate before full occupancy, and review the products used for office cleaning, scheduling that work so the space is ventilated before staff arrive.
Relative humidity is the reading most directly tied to how the HVAC system manages moisture. The US EPA advises keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, and ideally between 30 and 50 percent, to limit conditions that support mold growth.
Sustained high humidity indoors usually points to cooling coils that are not removing enough moisture, oversized systems that cool quickly but switch off before dehumidifying, or water intrusion from leaks and condensate drains. In coastal UAE cities, humid summer air makes these weaknesses show up fast.
Humidity is also the reading that connects most directly to building fabric. Prolonged high moisture is what allows mold to establish itself on ceiling tiles, in ductwork and behind furniture. Understanding how to use the AC for humidity control is a useful starting point for facilities teams reviewing system behavior.
Consumer air monitors are a reasonable first step, and many workplaces already have one on a desk. Their limits show up quickly, though. Single devices sit in one spot, sensors drift without calibration, and a number on a screen does not tell you whether the cause is a damper setting, a dirty coil or a cleaning product.
The Healthy Home's trained specialists combine calibrated monitoring across representative zones with a physical inspection of the AC system, ducts and moisture-prone areas. That way the readings are tied to a specific cause and a specific fix, and the same team can carry out the cleaning, coil servicing or mold work the data calls for.
For organizations that want independent recognition of their results, Healthy Workplace certification uses 30 days of continuous data across CO2, PM2.5, PM10, TVOCs, temperature and humidity to produce a Total Wellness Score. Certification is awarded at 71 percent or above and stays valid for one year.
Disclosure: Healthy Workplace Middle East is delivered locally in the UAE by IEQ Technologies, parent company of The Healthy Home.
Reach out to us through any of these channels
Give us a Call
WhatsApp Support
Send us an Email
UAE
KSA
Kuwait