Office air quality testing with ARM Environments usually combines a spot check, an on-site assessment measuring CO2, VOCs, particulates, temperature, and humidity at a point in time, with continuous monitoring using placed sensors over several days. This shows how conditions change across the working day rather than relying on a single reading. Portable consumer monitors can give a rough indication, but they don't offer the accuracy or compound-level detail needed to diagnose a problem or evidence compliance.

There's no single UK standard covering every pollutant. Employers have a general duty under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 to provide "effective and suitable" ventilation, some individual pollutants carry legally enforceable Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) under COSHH and HSE's EH40 guidance, and certifications like BREEAM and WELL apply their own voluntary benchmarks. Testing against the right combination of these is what an assessment verifies.

There's no single legal CO2 limit for offices in England and Wales, but CO2 is widely used as a proxy for ventilation adequacy.

As a general guide, CO2 readings that consistently sit well above outdoor background levels in occupied meeting rooms and open-plan areas usually point to insufficient fresh air supply for the number of people present. Testing establishes what your office's actual levels are, rather than working from a generic figure. 

Common signs include stuffiness or a "stale" feel in meeting rooms, persistent odours, staff reporting headaches, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating, and symptoms that ease once people leave the building. These are worth investigating promptly, since they often point to inadequate ventilation, elevated VOCs, or excess CO2 building up during peak occupancy.

A consumer monitor can be a useful ongoing indicator, particularly for tracking CO2 trends across the day, but it typically can't identify individual VOCs or match the accuracy of calibrated, professionally maintained equipment. Many facilities managers use both: a monitor for day-to-day tracking, and a professional assessment when they need to diagnose a problem or evidence compliance.

There's no fixed legal interval. As a general approach, we'd recommend testing after any refit, HVAC change, or occupancy increase, and again if complaints resurface after remediation.

Offices with ongoing sensitivity, such as those working towards a certification, often add periodic continuous monitoring on top of a baseline assessment. 

Yes, ARM Environments are highly experienced in testing offices during and after refurbishment works, when new materials, furnishings, and finishes are most likely to elevate VOC and particulate levels.

We've carried out office air quality assessments following fit-outs and odour complaints, including a TVOC investigation for a Cornwall office affected by nearby airport fumes.

Cost depends on office size, the number of rooms tested, and whether you need a spot check or continuous monitoring over several days. We scope this to your building rather than quoting a flat rate, so get in touch with some basic details and we'll come back with a proposal.

We're based across Wiltshire and Hampshire and can service most of the South East and South West of England, including key cities:

• Salisbury
• Portsmouth
• Southampton
• Bournemouth
• Bath
• Bristol
• Chichester
• Winchester
• Poole