Poor office air slows workers down

Poor indoor air quality affects office workers' productivity, researchers have found.

The International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy found that typing and reading speeds in offices with poor air quality were reduced by up to 9%, equivalent to four hours in an average working week.

The researchers examined air-conditioned call centres in Denmark. Used filters on air conditioning systems and fumes given off by new computers also reduced workers' ability to type accurately and quickly.