What are the real benefits of air treatment in offices and open spaces?
Financial benefits
Air purification in offices and open spaces has been shown to increase occupant productivity by 8% to 16%, thanks to cleaner air free from chemical pollutants. According to the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health, “better indoor air quality leads to an average productivity increase of around 11% at work.”
Air treatment in indoor workspaces also helps reduce absenteeism costs linked to poor air quality, estimated at €450 per year per employee.
Sources: Economic, Environmental and Health Implications of Enhanced Ventilation in Office Buildings – tests conducted in seven different cities – Green World Building Council – Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory – Harvard School of Public Health.
Health protectio
The health impact of viral and bacterial contamination is significant in companies, especially in open spaces. According to the Institut Pasteur, 29% of SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred in the workplace. The study also highlights that shared offices play a central role in the spread of workplace contamination.
Purifying the air helps create a contamination-free environment, ensuring protection for both you and your employees—whether in individual offices, open spaces, coworking areas, or even when working remotely or traveling.
In the medium to long term, reducing ambient pollutant loads and fine particles such as PM10 and PM2.5 helps lower health risks linked to prolonged exposure to these harmful substances.
Improved comfort
Reducing the social impact of viral and bacterial contamination leads to better interpersonal relationships among employees in open spaces.
A more comfortable work environment also means allergenic-free spaces. Today, 1 in 4 employees suffers from allergies, and air purification therefore helps reduce sick leave and the need for remote work.
Improving quality of life at work also involves odor management—strong body odors, stuffy meeting rooms, or food smells. Studies show a 100% improvement in cognitive functions when air is free from odors and VOCs.
What pollutants are found in office and open-space air?
1. Contaminants
Especially during winter (from October to March), offices—whether individual or open-plan—face a high risk of cross-contamination and transmission of seasonal viruses (influenza, gastroenteritis, airborne viruses, etc.)
2. Odors
Numerous odors can pollute the air in offices and open spaces, including:
- Strong body odors
- Food odors
- Sanitary odors
- Stuffy air in meeting rooms
- VOCs, O₃, NOx, and SOx depending on furniture, inkjet or laser printing equipment, and cleaning products
3. Chemical pollutants
The health hazards of formaldehyde (an irritating and carcinogenic substance used in adhesives, binders, and resins) and benzene (a carcinogenic substance with hematological effects, resulting from combustion sources such as vehicle exhaust, fireplaces, cigarettes, etc.) are well documented. These pollutants are widespread in offices and open spaces, especially those located in city centers.
PM10 and PM2.5 particles are major urban pollutants with a strong impact on health. Offices located near particle-emitting areas may therefore significantly affect employee health.
This category also includes chemical surface disinfectants and office furniture emitting pollutants over the long term, both harmful to health.
Pollutant levels, and air nuisances in general, vary mainly depending on the type of activity carried out in the office environment. Particular attention should be paid to pollutant-emitting activities.
4. Allergens
Airborne allergens, often harmful to sensitive individuals, are widespread in the workplace. Whether from dust mites or pollen, they can cause allergic rhinitis, mucous membrane irritation, asthma attacks, and more.
Our partner RNSA observes increasingly intense allergen peaks over longer periods. These peaks typically occur from April to September, when windows are more frequently opened.
Benefits of the Shield range
• Reduction of viral load: tests conducted by an independent laboratory according to the NFB44-200 standard procedure, assessing Shield® performance against continuous contaminant generation. Results show microorganism destruction rates ranging from 94% to 97% in ONE PASS (single air pass).
• Treatment of occasional odors: tests carried out under real conditions in a 40 m² room, simulating extremely high odor and VOC peaks. Results show a 90% reduction in odors in BOOST and CONTINUOUS modes in less than 30 minutes.
• Masterfully designed: created by RF Studio agency founder Ramy Fischler, named Designer of the Year in 2018 and awarded the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture in 2016.
• Low noise level
• Long-term performance and safety
• Eco-friendly: designed to protect both health and the environment, using easily recyclable materials such as steel, a consumable-free technology with no filter replacement, plastic-free packaging, and products that are repairable for up to 10 years
• Easy and safe maintenance
Key spaces and moments in offices
All key spaces and situations in offices and open spaces can be effectively managed using Shield and Shield Compact professional air purifiers. The most important include:
- Large meeting rooms, break rooms, cafeterias (Shield)
- During occasional odor events (lunch breaks, etc.) (Shield & Shield Compact)
- During contamination peaks (sick employees) or allergen peaks (Shield & Shield Compact)
- On individual desks (Shield Compact)
Testimonial from a company executive
User of the Shield Compact air purifier
“I learned a few years ago that indoor air is more polluted than outdoor air, and since then I’ve paid close attention to it. I had prior experience with air purifiers when I lived in Beijing, China, where I had a large air purifier in my apartment. From what I understand of how it works, this one seems just as technologically advanced. Throughout the entire trial, I took it with me from the office to home and back again, so I could benefit from it all the time. You almost forget it’s there—it’s discreet, makes very little noise, but you know you’re protected.”
Mr. Marc Gesberg
