India’s conversation about productivity has focused on skills, technology and workplace culture. Yet one of the most decisive factors shaping how millions think and perform each day remains largely invisible:
the quality of air inside the rooms where they work and sleep. In cities, households seal themselves off from outdoor pollution and offices rely on central air- conditioning, indoor air, rather than city smog.
Indoor air-quality expert Barun Aggarwal, in conversation with host Mukul Deora on The Secret Sauce Podcast, highlighted that India is overlooking the indoor air that shapes how rested, alert and effective people feel; an environment now recognised as a quiet determinant of cognitive sharpness and daily performance.
The Morning Deficit Hidden in Indian Homes
Aggarwal explains that Indians spend 80-90 per cent of their time indoors, far more than most people assume. In closed bedrooms, where windows remain shut for comfort or noise reasons, carbon-dioxide levels can quietly rise to 2000-4000 ppm overnight which is several times higher than the ideal range of 600-900 ppm.
Such levels directly reduce the amount of deep sleep the brain receives. People wake up tired, foggy or irritable, often blaming lifestyle or stress. “You start your morning already at a deficit,” Aggarwal says, noting that stale indoor air, not individual habits, shapes morning energy for millions.
This observation is mirrored by global research. A widely cited Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study showed that even modest increases in indoor CO₂ were linked to slower response times and reduced accuracy in office workers across six countries. In controlled “green building” experiments, the same research group found that improved ventilation and lower pollutant levels increased cognitive scores by 61 percent, and by over 100 percent when ventilation was enhanced further.
When Meeting Rooms Become Cognitive Burdens
The problem extends into the workplace. Modern offices with sealed windows, recycled air and high occupancy quickly accumulate CO₂ during meetings. Aggarwal notes that afternoon drowsiness is often misattributed to lunch when, in reality, elevated CO₂ is slowing decision- making and reducing mental clarity.
Particulate matter 2.5, entering offices through dust, printers, carpets or outside infiltration,interferes with oxygenation and subtly burdens the brain. Over long workdays, even incremental rises affect judgement, creativity and problem-solving.
The Harvard-led “COGfx” studies reinforce this point: for every 500 ppm increase in CO₂, cognitive throughput declined by 2-4 percent, directly affecting workplace efficiency.
These findings position indoor air not as a comfort variable, but as a measurable productivity metric.
The Chemicals That Blur Attention Without Warning
Beyond CO₂ and PM2.5, Aggarwal highlights volatile organic compounds released from office furniture, paints, polishes, cleaning sprays and fragrances. He notes that Indian homes and workplaces contain over 1,200 VOCs, including formaldehyde, many of which continue off-gassing for years.
These chemicals rarely cause acute symptoms, but their steady presence shapes focus, afternoon alertness and overall mental stamina. Over days and weeks, they become part of
the environmental “background,” subtly influencing workers who may never suspect the air around them.
This aligns with building-science research showing that low-level, chronic VOC exposure dampens cognitive performance even when occupants report no discomfort.
Low-Cost Interventions, High Productivity Gains
Despite the significance of the issue, Aggarwal emphasises that solutions are accessible.
Increasing fresh-air intake in HVAC systems, ventilating rooms between meetings, reducing fragranced cleaners and placing air purifiers in high-density zones all make measurable differences. Monitoring CO₂, he says, provides a real-time indicator of when air is limiting performance.
Companies that track absenteeism, afternoon energy dips and meeting outcomes often see immediate improvements after such interventions. Harvard’s research strengthens this logic: ventilation and filtration are among the highest-ROI health and productivity investments, often outperforming far costlier workplace programmes.
A Broader Understanding of What Drives India’s Productivity
The conversation underscores a shift in how productivity must be understood as an environmental issue as much as a behavioural one. Indians inhale thousands of litres of air each day, making indoor environments central to cognitive functioning, energy and long-term wellbeing.
“If the air inside a room shapes how we think and work,” Deora reflects, “then understanding it is part of modern work culture.”
As India invests in new workplaces, learning spaces and homes, the evidence is increasingly clear: cleaner indoor air may be among the simplest, most cost-effective ways to improve how the country works, learns and rests.
