Many Older Buildings Are Overdue for Healthy Upgrades

Research consistently shows that high-quality indoor air within commercial buildings can help improve the comfort, well-being and cognitive functioning[i] of employees who work in them. While newer buildings often have state-of-the-art technology that optimizes indoor air quality (IAQ), many older structures may have outdated, inefficient HVAC systems and other potential hazards that make for less-than-ideal working environments.

As employers and workers navigate “return to work” in the age of COVID-19, they are increasingly demanding healthier workplaces with improved IAQ. This is putting pressure on building owners and managers who have not yet modernized their legacy structures and systems. Fortunately, advances in smart building technology now make it easier and more cost effective for them to upgrade.

Yesterday’s Buildings Don’t Meet Today’s Expectations

Simply put, many of the world’s older buildings don’t optimize IAQ because it’s not required. The Global Air Quality Guidelines[ii] set by the World Health Organization (WHO) are not legally binding, and regulations and laws vary widely by region, country and local jurisdiction. In the United States, for example, the federal government sets exposure limits for known respiratory hazards, but there are no uniform OSHA requirements for IAQ. In fact, just two states – California and New Jersey – currently have indoor air regulations.[iii] This lack of coordinated oversight means many older structures, including those with less-than-optimal IAQ, comply with existing local regulations or are grandfathered into building codes from when they were constructed.

This is particularly problematic because of the sheer number of older buildings still in use: In the United States, analyses conducted within the past decade estimate that 72% of buildings are more than 20 years old[iv] and half of the more than 5.9 million commercial buildings were built before 1980[v]. In the European Union, similar research found that about 35% of buildings are more than 50 years old and almost 75% of the building stock is energy inefficient.[vi] Without technology updates, many of these older buildings may harbor poor IAQ and be prone to wasting energy, which can result in avoidable costs and working conditions that could negatively impact worker well-being and productivity.

Indoor Air Quality Is an Urgent Priority

As COVID-19 heightened overall awareness of IAQ and its potential role in the spread of airborne contaminants and pathogens, it ratcheted up employer and worker demands for healthier workplaces. In a recent Honeywell survey, 65% of workers surveyed worldwide say they would leave their job if their employer isn’t taking steps to create a healthier indoor environment that promotes their well-being.[vii]

This is forcing building owners and managers to seek new ways to create healthier and safer conditions. In fact, three-quarters of U.S. facility managers — also surveyed by Honeywell — say COVID-19 caused them to permanently rethink how their facility operates. The majority (58%) say they consider having a healthy building a top priority right now, and 62% say it will be a top priority post-pandemic.[viii]

It’s also becoming a top priority for policymakers. In the United States, for example, new initiatives, including the recently announced Building Performance Standards Coalition,[ix] will empower state and local governments to create programs and policies that make older buildings more sustainable, healthier and more affordable.

There’s Never Been a Better Time To Act

While it’s not always practical to give every older building a full smart-tech makeover, it’s no longer an all-or-nothing proposition because smart upgrades can be rolled out in phases. For example, modern building management systems can provide a strong foundation for high-impact smart enhancements without the need for structural work. IAQ systems can be upgraded by installing air cleaners and IAQ sensors within existing HVAC systems without needing to remove old equipment. Easy-to-install occupancy sensors can contribute to a more optimal environment for areas where people are congregating while managing energy use in vacant rooms or floors, and smart building technologies that provide real-time environmental health information can give facility managers automatic control over key IAQ parameters.

Even with incremental steps to retrofit older buildings with smart technology, facility owners and managers can cost effectively improve the performance of their buildings, help them operate more cleanly and safely, comply with new and emerging guidelines and create the healthier spaces that employers and workers demand.

[i] United States Environmental Protection Agency, Indoor Air Quality [Accessed March 14, 2022].

[ii] World Health Organization, New WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines aim to save millions of lives from air pollution, September 22, 2021 [Accessed April 12, 2022].

[iii] United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Indoor Air Quality [Accessed January 12, 2022].

[iv] The American Institute of Architects and Rocky Mountain Institute, Deep Energy Retrofits: An Emerging Opportunity, 2013 [Accessed January 12, 2022].

[v] U.S. Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), March 4, 2015 [Accessed January 12, 2022].

[vi] European Commission, New Rules for greener and smarter buildings will increase quality of life for all Europeans, April 15, 2019 [Accessed April 13, 2022].

[vii]Honeywell, 2022 Building Occupant Survey Report, February 15, 2022. [Accessed February 18, 2022].

[viii] Honeywell, Rethinking Buildings Post-COVID-19, June 23, 2021 [Accessed January 12, 2022].

[ix] The White House, FACT SHEET: Biden Harris Administration Launches Coalition of States and Local Governments to Strengthen Building Performance Standards, January 21, 2022 [Accessed January 21, 2022].