Problem: A Mysterious Odor Threatens a Key Tenant Relationship

In a high-rise office building, a long-standing major tenant occupying the entire 12-story building began reporting a persistent, localized odor on one floor.

Despite a full internal investigation by facilities personnel, the source remained elusive. Complaints escalated. The landlord faced accusations of lease non-compliance, threatening to fracture a valuable tenant relationship and jeopardize long-term occupancy.

BHS Solution: Scientific, Discreet, and Human-Centered

BHS was engaged to identify the odor’s origin and assess potential health risks. Our multidisciplinary approach focused on both building science and occupant dynamics to identify the source of the odor and respective health effects, if any.

Investigative Steps:

• Exhaustive review and elimination of potential contributors:
  • HVAC system, comfort parameters, and particulate matter filtration
  • Building materials and possible off-gassing
  • Building pressurization, sewer gas, and integrity of plumbing vents
• Conducted:
  • On-site airflow and material testing
  • Daily employee logs and interviews
  • Cross-reference of odor incidents with personnel attendance

Discovery:

The odor correlated with the daily arrival of one specific employee. BHS determined the odor followed this employee’s daily path from the elevator lobby to her workstation. The source of the odor was her unusual hair conditioner.