Page 12 - School Planning & Management, January/February 2019

FACILITIES \{ LEARNING SPACES \}
Deep Breaths
The EPA says improving indoor air quality can improve the performance of students and teachers.
By Michael Fickes
HAVE YOU EVER found yourself and your students in the midst of a coughing and sneezing fit? Have you ever felt yourself growing uncontrollably sleepy—after a good
night’s sleep? It’s happened to all of us. While there may be several explanations for such problems, one of the most likely is poor indoor air quality (IAQ).
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website (epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq): “Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and large populations of children might be more susceptible to indoor pollutants than the general population.”
Adequate ventilation can prevent indoor air problems. What is adequate ventilation? Check the “Standards and Guidelines” page at www.ashrae.org. ASHRAE or the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers is a global profes-
sional association seeking to advance heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems design and construction.
According to the ASHRAE website, “The high occupant densi- ties of schools and classrooms make it particularly important
for building designers to incorporate ventilation systems that provide adequate outdoor air (in compliance with the industry’s ventilation standard—ASHRAE 62.1-2010), while also controlling moisture and energy costs.
Of course, poor indoor air quality can have detrimental effects on the health of occupants. In a K-12 school (and other enclosed indoor spaces), says the EPA, poor air quality can cause coughing, irritated eyes, head- aches, and even respiratory distress related to asthma and allergies.
Such problems create serious roadblocks to learning for stu- dents in school. In addition, teachers and instructors will suffer and become less effective.
12 SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 WEBSPM.COM
PHOTO © WAVEBREAKMEDIA