www.heatingandventilating.net We can see where it’s heading. Net Zero 2050 and


the UK’s wider sustainability agenda are already prompting policymakers to adopt more explicit IAQ metrics. Research into pollutants from cooking, cleaning and heating is informing proposals that could one day mandate the use of monitoring or purification systems. But waiting for perfect legislation could cost time, efficiency and health. The knowledge exists, the technology exists, and the cost barriers are falling. The opportunity and responsibility sit with us.


Step One: a pragmatic path forward


I believe the industry is ready to define a voluntary “Step One” baseline for IAQ. It would not be a sweeping overhaul of how we design and operate buildings, but a practical, evidence-based starting point that everyone can understand and apply. Step One means every building should, at a minimum, monitor CO2 and PM2.5, apply ISO 16890 filtration and enable responsive ventilation control. At its heart lies a straightforward principle:


measure, respond and improve. To do this, we need to make air quality visible. To collect data on carbon dioxide, particulate matter and other IAQ indicators using reliable sensors, not as a box-ticking exercise but as a feedback loop that informs real decisions. From there, buildings can respond automatically through demand-controlled ventilation, adjusting airflow according to system occupancy and pollutant levels. Add to that effective filtration, verified under ISO 16890, which classifies filters by particulate matter (PM) removal efficiency, to capture PM10 and PM2.5, and we begin to see measurable differences in both health, comfort and building efficiency. The systems already exist. What’s missing is


consistency and confidence: a shared understanding that these measures are the baseline, not the gold standard. A collaborative approach can highlight what can be achieved and how effective that could be. Once widely adopted, Step One could be the bridge between aspiration and regulation, proving that progress is possible long before it becomes mandatory.


From data to decisions


We have spent years equipping our buildings with sensors, yet much of that intelligence sits unused. Data alone changes nothing; its value lies in how we act on it. If a monitor identifies poor air quality but no one assesses and improves the system, the information is wasted. The same is true for maintenance logs and filter performance data that never leave a clipboard. The more we use these insights, the more meaningful they become. When ventilation automatically responds to rising CO2 levels, or when filter-change intervals are based on measured performance rather than fixed schedules, the data closes the loop. Occupant well-being improves, energy consumption falls and confidence in building systems grows. The energy connection is particularly important.


Studies, supported by CIBSE and the International Energy Agency (IEA), show that HVAC&R systems may, on average, account for well over half of a commercial building’s energy use, with one study estimating this figure to be at more than 60 per cent. Automated control strategies that vary airflow based on real-time IAQ can reduce consumption by as much as 40 per cent. In other words, clean air and efficiency are not opposing goals. A healthy building is an efficient building.


Learning from the regulations we already have


Part F presents an interesting model for structuring IAQ improvement. It uses a tiered approach, matching ventilation measures to a building’s characteristics. We could apply the same principle to air quality itself: a staged progression that recognises where each building starts and what is achievable within its constraints. Imagine a roadmap with incremental steps rather than a single all-encompassing standard. Step One could focus on monitoring and basic filtration. Step Two might integrate automation, increased IAQ monitoring and energy optimisation. Step Three


INDUSTRY COMMENT


Above: Carrier. For the World we share


could introduce continuous auditing and predictive maintenance. By viewing improvement as a journey rather than a destination, we make participation possible for every project, not just the newest or most advanced. Crucially, this approach also allows data to guide


policy. Bridging indoors and outdoors


True progress on air quality requires both action and advocacy. That principle underpins Carrier’s collaboration with Pollution Solution on Roadvent®, a road emissions-capture system to be installed in Lewisham in 2026 that removes road pollutants and has demonstrated reductions in exposure of up to 91% at child height in pilot testing. It’s a project that moves beyond pledges and into measurable results. The same mindset should guide the regulatory approach to indoor air quality. The technologies may differ, but the purpose


is shared: to make the air around people visibly, measurably better.


A human-first call to action


Ultimately, this conversation is about people. Behind every data point is someone trying to focus at their desk, recover in a hospital bed, or rest in a well- sealed home. Clean air is the foundation of comfort, productivity and health. It shouldn’t be a premium feature available only in the most advanced buildings; it should be the starting point for all of them.


The industry has studied IAQ extensively. We


understand the science and the technology. What we need now is the confidence to implement the first step while we continue refining the rest. If we can collectively define and adopt that Step One baseline, we will have taken the most important stride of all: moving from discussion to demonstration. And once people begin to experience fewer complaints of tiredness, improved focus, lower absenteeism, and additional benefits for energy consumption and efficiency, the next steps will follow naturally. Carrier welcomes collaboration across the


Carrier Air Conditioning for residential buildings


supply chain, from developers and system designers to operators and policymakers, to help define a shared Step One baseline for indoor air quality. Together, we can turn shared intent into measurable progress


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