How to Protect Indoor Air Quality During Delhi's GRAP Stage II

Delhi's air quality has been "very poor" for four straight days. GRAP Stage II is now in effect across the NCR. It's the same cycle every year: outdoor air gets worse, emergency measures kick in, and everyone retreats indoors.

But here's the problem. Outdoor pollution doesn't stay outside. PM2.5 slips through ventilation systems, door gaps, windows. CO₂ accumulates in meeting rooms and classrooms. Without monitoring, you won't know there's a problem until someone already feels it.

When the Air Quality Index climbs above 300, the health impacts start immediately. Respiratory irritation, aggravated asthma, reduced cognitive function. Children, elderly people, and anyone with chronic conditions feel it first. Over time, the cardiovascular risks add up.

So if you manage a building, here's the question: How do you actually protect the people inside?

The standard advice is "stay indoors, use air purifiers." But that only works if you know what you're dealing with. Most buildings don't have continuous monitoring. HVAC systems run on timers, not data. When outdoor air gets bad, indoor air quietly follows.

We've spent the last few years solving this problem. Across offices, schools, and hospitals in India, we've helped teams maintain near-zero PM2.5 indoors, even during severe pollution episodes like this week.

Here's how it works.

Small monitors track PM2.5, CO₂, TVOCs, temperature, and humidity in real time. Breezers bring in fresh air with three-stage filtration in high-occupancy spaces. For buildings with existing HVAC systems, we add high-efficiency filters and automation that responds to actual air quality, not a schedule. Everything connects to the Airvoice.Indoor Platform where building teams can see what's happening and adjust conditions from anywhere.

The results: indoor PM2.5 stays at safe levels regardless of what's happening outside. Energy consumption drops. People breathe clean air.

This isn't a one-time event. Delhi goes through this every cold season. The difference is whether you're reacting each time or whether you've already built the system to handle it.