Share a Desk Without Coughing Up a Lung: AQI-Inclined Coworking Spaces on Their Way to Beijing

Two issues dominate Beijing's headlines like no others: the capital's record-breaking pollution levels, and its rapidly rising rental rates. Naked Hub is hoping to offer a solution to both with its new AQI inclined coworking space, which will make its debut in the capital in early May.

A branch of the leisure and lifestyle organization Naked Group, naked Hub began developing such pollution-free shared office spaces in Shanghai late last year (the city where Naked Group is based). They enlisted a few others companies like PureLiving to install a filtration system, GAMS to affix AQI monitors, and enVerid to set up CO2 reduction technology, in order to boost the air quality in their coworking rooms. They had a successful test run, according to a recent statement that details how "After the installation" of the filters, monitors and CO2 reduction technology, "the average PM2.5 reduction rate vs outdoors reached 70 percent and average indoor CO2 levels were 570-810ppm, both meeting the US EPA and GB/T 18883 standards."

The clean air is an added attraction to these shared working spaces, the other attributes of which are plentiful according to Forbes: reducing costs in hot locations, spreading office resources out, and affording more flexibility to users. That article goes on to say that these trendy coworking spots are "no longer a fringe style of working just for hipsters and entrepreneurs" but rather a "mainstream" solution that is part of the "shift from traditional office and full-time jobs to flexible, freelance, and remote work [that is] spawning more coworking spaces."

Naked Group CEO Manoj Mehta tells the Beijinger that those conveniences and cost savings may be the primary draw for their shared offices, but that having substandard air quality in such spaces will become an even greater concern as time goes by.

"It will be even more important for our Naked Hubs in Beijing. Do we really want our members wearing masks while at work – how can some one be creative and innovative and inspired with air mask on?" he says.

You can read more about the project here, and look to the Beijinger for more updates about these lung friendly coworking spaces as their early May debut draws nearer.

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Photo: Naked Hub