Clean Air in the Office Has Positive Impact on Work Efficiency

"From an air quality perspective, in an office, the most critical is the air exchange of the meeting rooms, where many people tend to spend long periods of time. Therefore, in Icon-operated office buildings, we pay particular attention to the proper ventilation of meeting rooms by means of air handlers or more intensive operation of local exhaust ventilation. This is helped by systems that allow us to vary the amount of fresh air blown in and the extraction per room, with automatic control of the carbon dioxide level, either locally or centrally measured, where appropriate," says Róbert Flück, director of facility management at Icon Real Estate Management.

ICON manages and operates WELL-certified offices, so it is important for its experts to ensure that the air quality regulations applicable to these buildings are complied with and that the air quality meets the requirements of the certifications, the company says.

In addition to aesthetics, "living tapestries" also play an important role in noise reduction, bringing nature into the office, providing excellent stress relief and mental well-being, and regulating temperature and humidity with a minimum of fuss. In addition to this, they bind certain pollutants from the air. Indoor green walls can reduce microparticles by up to 60% per square meter, absorb 2.3 kilograms of carbon dioxide, and produce 1.7 kg of oxygen per year.

Depending on their type and vegetation, indoor living green walls require a specific maintenance plan and ongoing care. In general, plants need to be fed, pruned, cleaned, replaced, and caretaken to ensure that they do not overgrow, do not penetrate the building structure and, like people, are subject to disease, so their installation, care and maintenance require expertise.