About BrainTree

BrainTree is New Zealand’s first wellness centre dedicated to supporting people living with neurological conditions. The centre brings together a community of charities and specialists offering holistic care — from education and advocacy to exercise, equipment support, and therapy.

Home to ten tenants, most of them charitable organisations, BrainTree provides services for people living with Parkinson’s, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological conditions. The facility’s design emphasises comfort and accessibility, with features such as wide, light-filled spaces and accessible bathrooms that feel welcoming rather than clinical.

“Our goal is for people to come in and feel well — BrainTree doesn’t feel like a clinical facility,” says Leesa Loffhagen, BrainTree’s Front of House Manager. “Everything here is about supporting wellbeing.”

Monitoring the Invisible

To further enhance the quality of the indoor environment, BrainTree partnered with Jani-King and AirSuite to introduce indoor air quality monitoring. Four AirSuite monitors were initially installed to measure CO₂, temperature, humidity, and VOCs — providing monthly reports on the “health” of the building.

“The monitors have made everyone more aware of how our building environment affects how we feel,” says Leesa. “You can be in a meeting and suddenly feel a bit tired — now we can see the reason for that. It’s the high carbon dioxide levels.”

After four months of monitoring, the team decided to expand coverage to eight monitors to better understand air quality across the entire facility. “We wanted a more complete picture,” Leesa explains. “The information helps us make small changes that have a big impact — things like opening doors for ventilation, adjusting the HVAC, or adding plants to improve air quality.”

Positive Awareness and Practical Action

The initiative has sparked curiosity and engagement among the tenants and visitors. Regular discussions at staff meetings now include the air quality data, and adjustments are being made to improve ventilation throughout the building.

“It’s all about wellbeing here, so everyone’s interested,” says Leesa. “The monitoring has given us real insight into how our environment supports that.”

As a result, visitors, staff and tenants are increasingly aware of the connection between indoor air quality and how people feel day to day.

Next Steps

With the additional monitors, BrainTree will soon have complete coverage across their key activity areas — from meeting spaces to therapy rooms and studios. They plan to continue using the AirSuite dashboard and historical data to track trends and fine-tune building performance, particularly through the warmer months.

Jani-King will work with BrainTree to help interpret the expanded data set and explore further opportunities for improving air quality.