Improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in the classroom has been shown to have a dramatic effect on student health and performance, resulting in higher attendance numbers, better test scores, and improved long-term outcomes.
Indoor Air Quality in the Classroom
Indoor air pollution is an under-researched challenge that likely poses significant long and short-term health risks to our nation's children.
Further, the exposure to the chemicals responsible for indoor air pollution has been attributed to direct and indirect cognitive and health impairments which limit student progress and contribute to a lifetime of preventable academic and life challenges.
Unfortunately, there is no single cause and, hence, no single solution to the challenge, as indoor air quality is a product of many sources, including:
- The percentage of time spent indoors.
- Improvements in construction processes rendering buildings more airtight than in previous decades, and;
- Occupant exposure to tens of thousands of chemicals in thousands of consumer products with little or no toxicology or exposure data.
According to environmental scientist Barbara Turpin;
What I’ve learned about the indoor environment is that it is a major location for exposure to chemicals in part because Americans spend almost 90% of their time indoors.
Indoors people are exposed to chemicals that are brought in from the outside environment and chemicals that are emitted from people’s activities, from consumer products, from building materials and furniture.
They are also exposed to chemicals formed through indoor chemistry.
[...] there are more chemicals in indoor air than what is currently known, noting that an Environmental Protection Agency database lists more than 75,000 chemicals in 15,000 consumer products, most of which don’t have toxicology or exposure data.
Environmental scientists express concern about indoor air pollution
Scientific evidence continues to mount in regards to the connection between exposure to indoor air pollution and concentrated toxic chemicals and student health and performance.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
Evidence continues to emerge showing that poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can cause illness requiring absence from school, and can cause acute health symptoms that decrease performance while at school.
In addition, recent data suggest that poor IAQ may directly reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory.
Air in most indoor environments contains a variety of particles and gaseous contaminants. These contaminants are commonly referred to as indoor pollutants performance.
Indoor temperature and relative humidity can also affect health and performance directly, and can affect human performance indirectly by influencing the airborne level of molds and bacteria.
Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance
Methods for Improving Indoor Air Quality in Schools
IAQ in educational facilities can be improved by:
- Identifying and removing sources of pollution.
- Switching to environmentally preferable cleaning products.
- Improving ventilation and the availability of outdoor air circulation, and;
- Implementing air purification systems.
In a recent two-year challenge, White Brook Middle School in Easthampton, Massachusets took on the task of improving IAQ in the classroom by;
- Removing worn carpeting throughout the facility, as well as peeling paint in the gym.
- Continuously running the ventilation systems.
- Removing tennis balls from chair legs.
- Implementing HEPA filtered vacuum cleaners combined with a process of wet wiping hard surfaces.
- Removing wet carpeting from the areas around doors, and installing door sweeps, and;
- Regularly removing debris from chalk trays.
This resulted in measurable improvements, including:
- A reduction of carbon dioxide from most areas of the facility below the recommended level of 800 ppm, and;
- A significant reduction in particulate matter, likely due to the removal of the source of the contaminant.
Source:
Switching to environmentally friendly cleaning products is another method of identifying and removing the source of toxic chemicals released into the air, commonly referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Several years ago, Blackhawk Intermediate School switched to environmentally friendly cleaning products and observed an immediate impact on the number of absences for students, faculty, and janitorial staff during the flu season, especially when compared to neighboring schools using more conventional commercial cleaning products and methods.
The EPA supports these findings.
Substandard environmental conditions in schools, such as insufficient cleaning or inadequate ventilation, can cause serious health problems for children.
Evidence continues to mount demonstrating that IAQ directly impacts academic performance and health.
[...] evidence demonstrating the relationship between IAQ and human performance and productivity has become more robust. Studies find boosting IAQ improves the performance of mental tasks, such as improved concentration and recall in both adults and children.
Studies also support a direct correlation between attendance and increased maintenance.
Additionally, improving ventilation and the circulation of outdoor air has been shown to reduce the prevalence of highly concentrated indoor air pollution, resulting in improved student and teacher performance, increased test scores, and the reduction of airborne disease transmission.
According to a 2006 study on the association between ventilation rates in classrooms and student performance;
[...] students in classrooms with higher outdoor air ventilation rates scored 14 to 15 percent higher on standardized test scores than children in classrooms with lower outdoor air ventilation rates.
How Does Indoor Air Quality Impact Student Health and Academic Performance?
Finally, the implementation of commercial-grade air purification systems has been shown to reduce airborne particulate matter and other pollutants.
According to reports, the challenge with implementing these systems involves a misconception regarding budgeting and costs which, in reality, are outweighed by the demonstrable benefits.
According to Airsystems Inc, ;
Air quality issues in particular can trigger health problems like asthma and allergies that in turn increase absenteeism and decrease overall academic performance.
Improvements in a school's indoor air quality can also increase teacher and staff productivity and retention.
Schools with indoor air quality issues are often those where budgets are tight.
For this reason, administrators often believe the cost of maintaining a healthy indoor environment is unnecessary considering the district's finances and fail to invest in management programs or indoor air filters.
An effective system that improves indoor air quality at schools can even save a district money on energy costs and long-term repairs.
Air purification systems necessary to improve indoor air quality in schools
References & Resources
Takeaway
Issues with indoor air quality and circulation have a substantial impact on occupant health, performance, attendance, and grades--issues that follow a child through to adulthood and negatively impact life outcomes.
Following simple strategies involving the identification and removal of the sources of air pollution, including commercial cleaning products, combined with increased ventilation and implementing air purification systems has a measurable positive impact on reducing instances of airborne virus transmission and asthma cases, as well as challenges with performance and cognitive functions.
Outsourcing your district's janitorial services to an experienced and dedicated service provider is a cost-effective method for the rapid onboarding of needed green cleaning and infection prevention services.
If you would like further information on how green cleaning services can help improve the indoor air quality for your school district, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facilities janitorial requirements, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
