In a recent survey of 2,800 global office workers Tarkett, our suppliers of high quality carpet, asked their employees how they felt about going back to work after the pandemic and found that indoor air quality has now become the top concern.
This concern is not unfounded. A recent Harvard University study from April 2020 has found that even small increases in long-term exposure to fine dust and particles in the air can increase the risk of serious complications from COVID-19.
What’s even more alarming is that indoor air quality can be 2 to 5 times more polluted with invisible particles than outdoor air, as there is a risk that the particles keep on circulating until they are inhaled by someone.
How can you improve indoor air quality?
There are actions that can be taken to reduce the number of invisible particles that circulate in the air, where they are inhaled by yourself and your colleagues, potentially causing damage to your health.
DESSO AirMaster has been installed in workplace environments over the past 10 years, and has continuously proved to be at least 8 times more effective than smooth flooring at capturing and retaining airborne particles. Furthermore, the DESSO AirMaster is at least 4 times better than your standard carpet at retaining fine dust and invisible particles.
Impressively, it is the world’s first product to be awarded the GUI Gold Plus label, the highest possible accreditation granted by Germany’s leading independent air quality testing organisation (GUI).
What happens with the particles?
Not only is DESSO AirMaster better at capturing harmful particles floating around in the air, it is also better at releasing them into the vacuum cleaner during regular cleaning.
At least 80% of the captured dust is released when the carpet is being vacuumed – 16% more than regular carpets – which means that the particles are gone by the end of the day and you can come back to the office in the morning to a healthier environment.
As good for the environment as it is for your health
Tarkett believe in Doing Good. Together. In 2019 they launched their latest innovation within the AirMaster collection – AirMaster Gold, a true marvel when it comes to sustainability and human health, which has been certified Cradle to Cradle Gold. In addition to this, all of their AirMaster ranges utilise their Cradle to Cradle Gold certified EcoBase backing as standard.
Now they could have stopped there, but they haven't. With their ReStart programme, they can collect your carpet tiles when it is time for them to be replaced, sending them to their recycling facility. Here the yarn is separated from the backing and both components are reengineered in order to be used again. This process enables them to move towards a fully circular economy.
"DESSO AirMaster Sphere carpet was carefully assessed by our team to ensure that it fitted within our carbon budget and supports health and wellbeing." - Elinor Huggett, Sustainability Officer at UK-Green Building Council
Is DESSO AirMaster the right solution for you?
Whilst improving the indoor air quality of your workplace environment can help benefit the health of both yourself and your colleagues, there are many more reasons as to why you might want to consider DESSO AirMaster.
If you're interested in incorporating this exciting new product into your workspace we'd be happy to help! Contact us on 0800 6347 415 or sales@ofai.co.uk to talk to one of our experts today!