Clean air, clearer insights: How air quality sensors uncovered hidden health risks in an office building
- jillaineuk
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
With smarter sensors and real-time data, even invisible risks can be revealed. In a recent pilot installation, a set of wireless air quality sensors helped uncover a surprising health hazard inside a modern office building—leading to cleaner air, better routines, and a more sustainable working environment.
Sensors that do more than measure
Ensuring a healthy indoor environment is critical to wellbeing, especially in today’s workspaces where concentration, comfort, and long-term health are directly affected by air quality. At Linköping Science Park in Sweden a pilot project using wireless BLE-sensors and BLE air quality sensors was launched to explore how data could help ensure a safe, comfortable workplace.
The sensors reported air quality data to a Thingsboard IoT platform, offering facility managers a detailed, real-time view into indoor conditions. What seemed like routine monitoring soon delivered a valuable insight: the air quality sensors uncovered hidden health risks.
A spike at the same time every day
The sensors revealed that the indoor air quality index (IAQ) spiked daily at the same hour—without corresponding increases in CO₂ or particle levels. That ruled out overcrowding or poor ventilation as the cause. Instead, the spike was linked to rising Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs), which can signal the presence of chemical substances, and as it was not created by humans, the source had to be something else.
This led to a conversation with the tenant, and together with their cleaning contractor, they traced the issue back to a surprising source. Despite no change in routines, strong disinfectants—previously used during the pandemic—had accidentally been reintroduced a few times.
The data-driven discovery helped trigger an immediate correction: the team returned to less aggressive cleaning agents better suited to today’s working environment.
Better routines, cleaner air, healthier work
The result? Improved indoor air for everyone in the building, including the cleaning staff, who now work in a less chemically intense environment. Cleaning routines were updated to reflect the new standard, with a clear protocol for identifying and preventing similar issues elsewhere.
Thanks to the AKKR8 gateway and HibouAir sensors, the building now benefits from a smarter approach to quality assurance—one that doesn’t just monitor the environment, but helps protect the people inside it. Real-time sensor data uncovered a hidden problem and enabled a proactive response that made the workplace healthier, safer, and more sustainable.
We're proud to support companies in their mission to create healthier indoor environments—and we're ready to help your organisation take the next step.
