Officea REFRESH / Methodology and independence

How the Officea REFRESH Health Audit works

By Officea Design & Build. Updated 15 October 2026.

What is the Officea REFRESH Health Audit?

It is an independent, private assessment of an office, carried out by Officea's own trained auditors. It is not a government approval.

We benchmark what we see against published Indian standards and good practice, and we say clearly which items rest on a law or rule and which are Officea's own benchmarks. The result is a score out of 100, a rating tier and a written report.

What does the audit cover?

Ten areas of the office, scored from a fixed set of 90 questions.

The areas are safety and statutory papers, air, light and comfort, cleanliness and hygiene, power, network and IT, space planning, finishes and physical condition, maintenance management and records, washrooms, pantry and utilities, accessibility and wellbeing, and visitor experience. Each question scores 2 for Yes with proof, 1 for Partly and 0 for No, and each area is scaled to its weight, so safety counts more than brand experience.

How is the audit carried out?

An Officea auditor visits the office, inspects what is visible and accessible, and asks to see the documents.

The auditor takes photographs, measures where a measurement is part of the question (for example light levels with a lux meter), and checks papers such as fire licences, test reports and service records. The audit is visual and documentary. We do not open sealed equipment, test structural strength, carry out laboratory testing or make destructive checks.

What is the REFRESH rating, and what is it not?

It is Officea's private rating of the office on the date of the visit. It is not a statutory approval.

The rating does not replace the fire no-objection certificate, an electrical inspector's approval, a structural stability certificate or any other certificate that law requires. Where the audit finds that a statutory paper appears to be missing or out of date, the report says so and recommends that you obtain it from the competent authority or a licensed professional.

Which standards and laws do you refer to?

The National Building Code of India 2016, relevant Bureau of Indian Standards codes, and the Indian laws and rules that apply to offices.

The table shows the main references for each area. The status column says whether an item rests on a law or rule (Legal), on a published standard that becomes binding only where a law or the local authority adopts it (Standard), or on Officea's own benchmark (Officea). Fire safety is a state subject, so the rules differ between states and cities.

Area	Main references	Status
Structure and finishes	National Building Code 2016, Part 6 (Structural Design); local municipal rules	Standard. The audit is visual only; a structural engineer is needed for any stability opinion.
Electrical	Electricity Act 2003; Central Electricity Authority safety regulations; IS 3043 (earthing); National Building Code Part 8, Section 2 (Electrical and Allied Installations)	Legal for inspection duties. An earthing test every 12 months is an Officea benchmark.
Fire and life safety	National Building Code Part 4 (Fire and Life Safety); state fire rules; IS 2190 (extinguishers)	Legal through the state fire law; standards for details.
Air and ventilation	National Building Code Part 8, Section 3 (Air Conditioning, Heating and Mechanical Ventilation)	Standard. Air-quality targets are Officea benchmarks.
Lighting	National Building Code Part 8, Section 1 (Lighting and Natural Ventilation)	Standard. Light levels are guidance, measured with a lux meter.
Water and plumbing	National Building Code Part 9 (Plumbing Services); IS 10500 (drinking water)	Standard. Water testing is done only by a laboratory.
Accessibility	Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016; Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India 2021	Legal duty under the Act; the Guidelines are the detailed benchmark.
Housekeeping and waste	Solid Waste Management Rules; local body bye-laws	Legal
Security and access	National Building Code on egress and access	Standard and Officea
Documentation	Fire licence, electrical test reports, lift licence and inspection, AMC records, occupation certificate	Legal for statutory papers; AMC records are Officea practice.

Employer safety duties sit in the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. Rules change, so we review this table regularly.

Is the audit independent if Officea also does repairs?

Yes. Our auditors work independently of the repair team and score only what they find.

Officea REFRESH carries out the audit and, if you choose, the repair and maintenance work. The audit report is delivered in full before any quote is made, every finding is stated on its own, and you are free to have the repairs done by anyone.

How long is a rating valid?

It reflects the condition of the office on the audit date.

We suggest a re-audit every 12 months, or after major works. A lapsed critical item, such as an expired fire licence, can suspend the rating until it is renewed.

What happens to the photographs and documents?

They are used only to prepare your report and quote, and are not shared without your permission.

We handle personal data in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. You may ask us to correct or erase your records by writing to [email protected].

Scope. The audit covers the premises and areas shown to our auditor on the visit date, on a visual and documentary basis. Hidden, inaccessible or sealed parts are excluded. The report is advice on condition on that date, not a guarantee. Responsibility for statutory compliance stays with the owner or occupier.