RESET Air standard ensures optimal indoor air quality

Ms. Anjanette Green explains the RESET Air Standard mandates continuous monitoring of IAQ, data completeness, quality, and performance to promote healthier, more productive environments through actionable, real-time insights. RESET focuses on the air quality breathed by the people occupying the space.

RESET Air is both a standard and a certification for real-time monitoring and assessment of indoor air quality. RESET (Regenerative, Ecological, Social & Economical Targets) prioritises ongoing results and long-term occupant health with a focus on the built environment’s operational phase.

In the case of RESET Air, indoor air quality data is required to be continuously gathered through air quality monitors that measure the parameters of Particulate Matter (PM2.5), Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), temperature and relative humidity. Results are streamed to the cloud and can be viewed in real-time from any computer or mobile device, informing occupants on the quality of the air in their spaces and buildings.

The standard defines the requirements for collecting indoor air quality data via continuous monitoring of an interior space or building to standardise trustworthy, actionable, and relevant indoor air quality data. It takes a comprehensive approach to understanding indoor air quality and is scalable and affordable while delivering actionable results.

This standard considers monitoring performance, deployment, installation, calibration, data reporting, and data platform requirements. It also sets targets for daily IAQ (indoor daily quality) performance that can be certified by third parties.

Standard

RESET Air’s fundamental approach to data requirements can be classified into three parts.

Completeness: The completeness of data verifies whether or not all the data is there and whether there is enough data to understand indoor air quality. RESET Air standardises the continuous monitoring requirements of air quality in built environments. The monitoring makes visible the invisible factor that impacts all indoor spaces regarding health, productivity, and sustainability by using live data to highlight the changes in indoor air quality in real time.

Quality: The data quality verifies that it is correct and reflects the actual situation. RESET is the first and foremost standard for data quality. Air quality performance results are only as good as the data assessed. It addresses data quality at the source and specifies requirements for the monitors and the deployment methodology in a project. The standard also ensures that the data is trusted and relevant by requiring monitors to be installed correctly and having plans for long-term maintenance. Lastly, RESET sets requirements for reporting and connecting data to guarantee transparency and access via analysis and reporting.

Performance: This Standard is performance-based. It sets performance targets based on industry best practices and international standards. Acceptable targets are requisite for projects pursuing the RESET Air Project Certification, tracked through continuous monitoring and calculated into a daily average according to occupancy time. High-performance targets are considered a reference for projects striving for more rigorous IAQ goals and regions where ambient outdoor air quality levels typically stay within recommended health limits.

Health and productivity

Healthy air can lead to less health issues and higher productivity. Exposure to bad air quality in an indoor environment can make people sick and miss work days. It can also lead workers to be less productive due to the effect of pollutants on cognitive function. Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) refers to particles with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less. Exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 can cause diseases in respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) easily become vapours or gases . Common VOCs include formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and styrene. Long-term exposure to VOCs can damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentration directly impacts productivity and comfort. Elevated CO2 levels lead to drowsiness, dizziness and cognitive dysfunction.