Clean Air Ltd

03/08/2026

32 years of Clean Air!

On 25 July, we celebrated 32 years of serving the laboratory community and helping to provide the safety and containment needed for vital work.

Over the years, our fume cupboards have played a small but important part in work across diagnostics, life sciences, recycling, education, advanced materials, nuclear research - and a few projects we can’t talk about!

They’ve helped protect scientists, researchers, academics, technicians, teachers and students as they learn, experiment, discover and develop new ideas.

A lot has changed since Clean Air began, but we’ve never stopped looking for ways to make fume cupboards safer, higher-performing and more sustainable. Today, that includes challenging conventional design, reducing carbon emissions and working to remove the harmful greenhouse gas SF6 from fume cupboard testing.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far - our team, customers, suppliers and partners.

Here’s to the next chapter and to continuing to lead the fume cupboard industry in safety, innovation and sustainability.

Happy 32nd birthday, Clean Air!

29/07/2026

What does safe, accessible and energy-efficient containment look like in the University of Oxford’s largest-ever building project?

Our latest case study explores the 22 specialist fume cupboard systems Clean Air supplied, installed and commissioned for the award-winning Life and Mind Building.

From high-performance VAV and height-adjustable units to radio-isotope containment and specialist fume scrubbing, each element supports world-class research while contributing to the building’s low-energy ambitions.

Read the full case study:

27/07/2026

Just ask us. We’re fume cupboard specialists. It’s what we do, it’s what we know, and it’s why education, research and life sciences organisations rely on us for safety-critical equipment.

So, if you’re thinking about replacing or specifying fume cupboards, talk to us. We can help you map your processes, assess what you actually need and, just as importantly, tell you honestly what you don’t.

Our team genuinely loves talking about fume cupboards. Give them the opportunity and you’ll be surprised how interesting airflow, containment and extract systems can be.

And frankly, you’re their only hope. Nobody at home or in the gym wants to hear about their specialist subject, and there are only so many places available on Mastermind.

Ask us a question, arrange a no-obligation consultation, complete a contact form on our website or go old school and give us a call. Go on. Make a fume cupboard specialist’s day…

15/07/2026

A fume cupboard is only part of the solution.

Yes, ours deliver outstanding containment to help keep people safe. Yes, we can customise them to suit your application, your process and your lab. And yes, they look the part too.

But that's not what always makes the difference.

Recently, we visited a customer planning a phased laboratory refurbishment. They wanted to replace three existing fume cupboards.

Our first question wasn't, "Which models would you like?"

It was, "Why are you replacing like for like?"

A lab refurbishment is a rare opportunity to step back and rethink how a laboratory works. Could the layout be improved? Could the workflow be more efficient? Could one piece of equipment do the job of three?

In this case, it could.

Instead of three fume cupboards used for ovens, we recommended a single ventilated enclosure. It was a better fit for the application, freed up valuable laboratory space and reduced the overall project cost.

That's what more than 30 years specialising in fume cupboards and extract systems brings. Not just designing and manufacturing high-performance equipment, but asking the questions that help customers make better decisions before an order is ever placed.

Sometimes the biggest saving isn't on the quotation. It's in the brief.

09/07/2026

In true British fashion... let's talk about the weather.

It's hot. The labs are hot. Everyone's hot. And somewhere in your building, your HVAC system is wondering what it did to deserve this.

When temperatures rise, laboratory cooling systems have to work much harder. If your fume cupboards are extracting large volumes of beautifully (and expensively) cooled air, your energy bills could be feeling the heat too.

That's where Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems come into their own. When the sash is lowered, the extract rate reduces automatically, meaning less conditioned air is pulled from the lab. The result? Lower energy use, reduced running costs, and a fume cupboard that works with your building instead of against it.

If you're in higher education and the students are heading home for the summer, here's a quick reminder. If your fume cupboards need to stay on because of ventilation or safety requirements, make sure the sashes are closed whenever they're not in use. It's a simple habit that can make a real difference.

Didn't specify VAV when your fume cupboards were installed? Don't panic. It can often be retrofitted, giving you many of the same energy-saving benefits without replacing the whole cupboard.

06/07/2026

Another four awards for the University of Oxford's Life and Mind Building.

At the 2026 Construction News & Property Week Life Sciences, Tech & Research Clusters Awards, the project won:

• Project of the Year
• Best New Campus Development
• Sustainability & Environmental Impact
• Innovative Lab Space Solutions

These are the latest in a growing list of accolades for a building that has already achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating and Project of the Year at the OxProp Awards.

Clean Air supplied the high-performance fume cupboards throughout the building, designing, manufacturing, installing and commissioning the systems. Most incorporate Variable Air Volume (VAV) technology to reduce energy use and carbon emissions, while height-adjustable units help make the laboratories more accessible for everyone who uses them.

Projects like this only happen because of great collaboration. Congratulations to NBBJ Design, SES Engineering Services, Wates Group, the University of Oxford, Oxford Development Company and everyone else involved in creating an outstanding research facility.

A special mention goes to Marco Lorenzana at SES Engineering Services. His communication and coordination helped keep our part of a very complex project running smoothly from design through to commissioning.

This building will be home to world-leading research for many years to come, and it'll be exciting to see the discoveries that emerge from the laboratories inside.

16/06/2026

This new fume cupboard testing room will support our next-generation testing capability, combining state-of-the-art analytics with highly repeatable and accurate test results, and we don't need to use SF₆! Looking forward to commissioning the facility and continuing to raise standards in fume cupboard performance testing. Big thanks to Spence & Warren Electrical for their sterling work

08/06/2026

Great Big Green Week is back from 6-14 June, bringing communities across the UK together for climate, nature and a more sustainable future.

At Clean Air Fume Cupboards Limited, the theme of aligns closely with our own sustainability values. From helping laboratories reduce energy consumption through high-performance fume cupboards to supporting safer, more efficient working environments, we're committed to solutions that deliver long-term environmental benefits.

Every action counts. Whether it's a community project, a workplace initiative, or investing in more sustainable technologies, collective action creates meaningful change.

Looking at ways to reduce your lab's environmental impact? Check out our VAV calculator to see how much an energy-efficient laboratory could save in fuel costs and carbon emissions https://tinyurl.com/VAVcalc

19/05/2026

Fire in a fume cupboard is not a minor incident - it's a serious risk to people, facilities, and vital research.

In laboratories and industrial environments where hazardous materials are handled, fire safety cannot be left to chance. Fume cupboards are designed for containment, but volatile chemicals, residues, and ignition sources can still create a real fire hazard.

At Clean Air Ltd Fume Cupboards, our pneumatically activated fire suppression systems are designed to detect and extinguish flames quickly, helping to stop small incidents from becoming major emergencies.

Why integrate a fire suppression system into your fume cupboard?
Rapid fire extinguishment
Protection for personnel and laboratory assets
Prevention of toxic fume release
Reduced fire damage and downtime
Automatic activation for immediate response
Enhanced compliance with safety standards
24/7 protection for your facility

Whether it's part of a standard fume cupboard or a bespoke solution, the right fire suppression system adds a critical layer of protection where it matters most.

When it comes to fire safety, prevention and rapid response are everything. Find out how Clean Air can help protect your lab or industrial environment.
Fire in a fume cupboard is not a minor incident - it's a serious risk to people, facilities, and vital research.

In laboratories and industrial environments where hazardous materials are handled, fire safety cannot be left to chance. Fume cupboards are designed for containment, but volatile chemicals, residues, and ignition sources can still create a real fire hazard.

At Clean Air Fume Cupboards Limited, our pneumatically activated fire suppression systems are designed to detect and extinguish flames quickly, helping to stop small incidents from becoming major emergencies.

Why integrate a fire suppression system into your fume cupboard?
Rapid fire extinguishment
Protection for personnel and laboratory assets
Prevention of toxic fume release
Reduced fire damage and downtime
Automatic activation for immediate response
Enhanced compliance with safety standards
24/7 protection for your facility

Whether it's part of a standard fume cupboard or a bespoke solution, the right fire suppression system adds a critical layer of protection where it matters most.

When it comes to fire safety, prevention and rapid response are everything. Find out how Clean Air can help protect your lab or industrial environment

Safeguard personnel and equipment with our fume cupboard fire suppression systems, tailored to suit your requirements. Find out more today.

19/05/2026

Following on from a fantastic show - London Lab Live - two weeks ago, the Clean Air team will be at on our colleague GPE Scientific’s stand, F70, in the Chemical Lab Zone.

Visit us at the NEC on 20-21 May to get up close with our fume cupboards and discover how we can add value to GPE’s turnkey lab fit-outs. Come and see the supersize walk-in and high performance OPTIMAX fume cupboards, and chat with our friendly experts. See you there!