In this special Season 1 Finale—which is actually the very first episode ever recorded (the pilot!)—host James Hallworth speaks with Francesca Brady (Co-founder, AirRated) about the CRE industry's biggest blind spot: the failure to prioritize Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

Francesca details her journey pioneering AirRated, the bizarre resistance she's faced, and why we still don't treat our offices like high-performance spaces.

Key Insights on Health, Performance & Outdated Standards:

• The 1960s Problem: Our core building standards, like those governing thermal comfort and performance, are still based on data from the 1960s and do not reflect the modern workforce or changing climate.
• The High-Performance Lie: We treat offices nothing like high-performance spaces, even though facilities like casinos and athletic centres are finely tuned for alertness and performance.
• The Sensor Trap: Installing sensors without context creates fear. Data without explanation does not educate; it just makes site teams feel they are being "exposed" or doing a bad job.
• The COVID Setback: Francesca argues that the knee-jerk reactions to COVID-19 ultimately set the IAQ industry back, diluting the original, strong business case centered on economic benefit and duty of care.
• Clean Air Has No Smell: Scenting office spaces to improve the "experience" introduces unnecessary Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs). The key takeaway is simple: clean air has no smell.
• The Investment Barrier: IAQ is seen as a "gaining" (in productivity and reduced absenteeism) rather than an easily quantifiable "saving," which makes it harder to secure investment in ROI-focused commercial real estate.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who designs, manages, or occupies commercial property, offering raw, practical insights into where the industry is structurally broken and how to fix it.

Timestamps

• 00:00:31: Introduction: From Petroleum Geology to Co-founding AirRated
• 00:01:28: Why Indoor Air Quality was considered a "dark art"
• 00:04:35: The COVID Setback: Why the pandemic didn't help the IAQ industry
• 00:06:15: The Paradox: Making buildings more airtight compromises health
• 00:08:16: Why Offices are Not Treated as "High-Performance Spaces"
• 00:08:57: The Problem with 1960s Building Data
• 00:11:37: The Incentive Barrier: Why Asset Managers resist new initiatives
• 00:12:47: Consulting at the Coalface: Bridging the gap between Landlord and FM
• 00:14:48: The Fear Factor: Why site teams are emotive about new sensor tech
• 00:16:40: Limitations in Existing Stock vs. Operational Management
• 00:17:50: The Business Case: Strengthening GRESB scores to drive adoption
• 00:19:54: The Fear of the Invisible: Why Landlords are afraid to collect air data
• 00:23:02: Why commercial properties are generally "unexceptional" (and that's a good thing)
• 00:23:50: TVOCs Explained: The New Car Smell and Off-gassing
• 00:25:44: Design vs. Health: Why phone booths lack ventilation
• 00:27:56: The Dangers of Scenting Workplace Spaces
• 00:28:47: The Takeaway: Clean Air Has No Smell
• 00:29:29: The Tech Focus: IAQ + Workplace Utilization Monitoring
• 00:31:40: Hotspotting: Switching desks to solve a ventilation problem
• 00:33:14: The Health Equation: Why air is missing from the wellness conversation
• 00:37:15: The Reality of Getting Venture Capital
• 00:40:38: Evolution or Revolution? Why CRE needs the latter
• 00:42:08: Final Thoughts