Can You Install Air Quality Monitors on the Ceiling for WELL Certification?

The WELL Building Standard provides specific placement guidelines for commercial air quality monitors to ensure accurate indoor air quality (IAQ) readings. However, complying with these guidelines can be easier said than done for projects with more complex floor plans.

We’ve been asked many times if a ceiling mount is acceptable for WELL Certification, and the answer is yes — with multiple caveats. Ceiling mounts tend to be more complicated due to the many challenges that come with installing IAQ monitors above the traditional breathing zone.

Challenges of Ceiling-Mounted Indoor Air Quality Monitors

The ideal air quality monitor placement for WELL compliance is on the wall, somewhere between sitting and standing height. If this is not an option, then ceiling-mounted air quality monitors can be considered. However, ceiling placement can impact your air quality data due to air stratification — different types of gases settling at different heights within a space. 

The risk of installing monitors too high is that you will only get readings on the gases and pollutants that tend to rise — instead of the rest of the air that is actually moving throughout each space. This can lead to inaccurate data for:

• Temperature. Warm air rises, meaning ceiling-mounted monitors tend to capture a slightly higher temperature in the space than what your occupants are experiencing, which can be problematic if you want to use your IAQ sensor data to assess and optimize the occupant experience.

• Certain air quality parameters. Particulate matter and gases like CO2 aggregate at different heights, making ceiling-level measurements potentially unreliable if you’re trying to understand the quality of air that occupants are breathing.

When Is a Ceiling Mount Acceptable for WELL Certification?

Despite the risks, WELL still recognizes ceiling mounts as a potential installation location. The Performance Verification Guidebook states that ceiling installations are acceptable if:

1. The ceilings are no higher than 3.7 m (12 ft) above the floor.
2. The space does not use displacement ventilation (where air is supplied at floor level and filtered at a higher level).
3. There is clear evidence that the air at ceiling height is evenly mixed (this requires a Letter of Assurance from an Engineer).

Many WELL projects cannot meet all three of these requirements, so while ceiling mounts are technically an option in the WELL Building Standard, there’s a good chance that your project is not eligible for this type of installation.

Need Help With IAQ Monitor Placement for Your WELL Project?

Kaiterra has in-house WELL APs that can help you analyze your floor plan and optimize your monitor placement to meet WELL’s requirements and get the most accurate IAQ insights. Reach out today to get connected!