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Air Quality Management in Care Home Environments
The installation aimed to reduce airborne infection risk, manage odour, and improve the indoor environment for residents and staff across the home.
Solihull Care is a residential care setting where the quality of the indoor environment directly affects the health, comfort and dignity of its residents. Care homes present unique air quality challenges — high room occupancy, residents with respiratory conditions, the need for rigorous infection control, and the constant management of odour in shared spaces.
Solihull Care partnered with We Share Clean Air to assess their indoor air quality, address specific odour challenges in individual rooms, and introduce a solution that would create a safer, fresher environment for both residents and the team caring for them.
The Problem
Illness outbreaks, odour management and respiratory vulnerability in a residential care setting
In February 2026, Solihull Care identified two pressing air quality challenges across the home. First, increased outbreaks of illness were affecting both residents and staff — a significant concern in a setting where residents are medically vulnerable and close contact is unavoidable. Second, a specific resident room presented persistent odour management challenges that were affecting comfort and dignity.
Solihull Care installed one Philipiak KJ350 Air unit to reduce the spread of airborne viruses, support residents with respiratory challenges through the integrated humidifier function, and enable Ozone decontamination for deep cleaning of rooms where required. A Hextio Air Steriliser was installed in the resident room where odour control was the primary concern.
Air quality monitoring followed a structured three-phase approach: baseline sampling before installation, an interim assessment two weeks post-installation, and a final evaluation in March 2026. The data reveals a substantial and sustained decrease in airborne particulate matter across the monitored environment.
Particulate matter measuring 0.3 micrometers (μm) and smaller is of particular concern in care home settings. These ultrafine particles can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream directly — making them especially dangerous for elderly residents and those with pre-existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions. They frequently act as vectors for airborne bacteria and viruses.
Pre-installation measurements exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for indoor air quality. Following installation of both units, readings improved considerably across all monitored measurements and continued to improve at the six-week follow-up reading — demonstrating sustained, not temporary, improvement.
The Solution
Installing the Philipiak KJ350 and Hextio Air Steriliser
Two units were selected to address the distinct challenges across the home. The Philipiak KJ350 was chosen for its multi-function capability — combining HEPA air purification with an integrated humidifier and Ozone decontamination mode, making it particularly suited to environments where both air quality and deep cleaning are operational priorities.
The Hextio Air Steriliser was installed in the specific resident room where odour was the primary concern, providing targeted, continuous air sterilisation in a compact, discreet unit suitable for a residential setting.
Key benefits across both units include:
High-efficiency filtration targeting ultrafine particles, bacteria and viruses
Integrated humidification to support residents with respiratory conditions
Ozone decontamination capability for deep cleaning without chemicals
Targeted odour elimination in individual rooms
Quiet, discreet operation appropriate for residential environments
Proven performance verified through professional air quality monitoring
Our Products
What we did for Solihull Care
To help Solihull Care address their air quality and odour challenges, We Share Clean Air carried out a structured, evidence-based approach — assessing the environment, selecting the right units for each specific need, and verifying the results through professional monitoring across three dates.
The Results
Cleaner air, no illness during the monitoring period, and investment in three further units
The installation of the Philipiak KJ350 and Hextio Air Steriliser resulted in significant and sustained reductions across all measured particulate types. Readings continued to improve across all three monitoring dates, creating a noticeably fresher environment and delivering measurable benefits for residents, visitors and staff.
Ultrafine particles (<0.3 μm) dropped dramatically from 19,474 to 4,323
A reduction of 78%. These are the particles most capable of entering the bloodstream — their reduction represents a meaningful improvement in infection risk management for vulnerable residents..
PM2.5 reduced from 8.8 μg/m³ to 2.0 μg/m³
A reduction of 77%. Fine particulate matter associated with respiratory irritation, cardiovascular impact and airborne pathogen transmission fell well below WHO indoor air quality thresholds.
PM10 reduced from 17.4 μg/m³ to 5.4 μg/m³
A reduction of 69%. Larger inhalable particles — including dust, soot and allergens — reduced significantly across the monitored period.
Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) dropped from 19.2 μg/m³ to 4.7 μg/m³
A reduction of 76%. The overall particulate load in the environment fell dramatically, contributing to the noticeably fresher feel reported by staff.
Contact
We Share Clean Air is proud to support Solihull Care in delivering safer, cleaner air for every resident and member of staff in their care
This case study demonstrates the measurable impact professional air quality management can have in residential care settings. Where residents are medically vulnerable and infection control is a daily priority, the quality of the air they breathe is not a secondary concern. It is fundamental to the care you provide.
We Share Clean Air works with care homes, residential settings and sensitive environments across the UK to assess, improve and verify indoor air quality — with data you can evidence, share with families, and use in CQC preparation.