Page 17 - School Planning & Management, January/February 2019

FACILITIES \{ LEARNING SPACES \}
FRESH AIR: The Impact of HVAC Systems on Indoor Air Quality
Expecting children to learn in poorly ventilated classrooms is like requiring them to read blurry textbooks.
By Andrew LaRowe and Mike Raible
WE ALL LEARNED IN HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY that we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide (CO2). Both are natural gases along with others that make
up the air we breathe. Nature does a great job of maintaining the proper balance for all of us to live healthy lives. However, when we load a classroom space with 20 to 30 children for several hours each day, CO2 levels will invariably begin to rise.
Depending on the level of natural ventilation (windows and doors) and the mechanical systems used to condition the space, the amount of carbon dioxide in the classroom can increase signif- icantly by the end of the school day. While higher than normal CO2 levels do not present an inherent safety issue, numerous studies have shown attendance and academic performance are negatively impacted. Students exposed to high CO2 levels become drowsy,
inattentive, easily confused, and their capacity for learning is diminished when CO2 levels are high. Obviously, this is in direct opposition to the very reason we send our children to school.
To some degree, this is a problem of our own making, an unin- tended outcome of everyday facilities practices. Safety and security concerns can also contribute to higher CO2 levels in classrooms. The new standards require exterior doors and windows to be secured during the school day and often include keeping interior doors closed as well. The days of propping open a door or opening windows in classrooms to let in a little fresh air are all but over.
Unfortunately, in many school districts, providing fresh air in the classroom is often a low, or practically non-existent concern for maintenance staff. For many of them, the day begins and ends with hot or cold complaints and simply trying to keep equipment
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 17
PHOTO COURTESY OF CO2METER