Recent figures show that levels of air pollution in schools can be dangerously high (Ref 1). This includes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), radon, CO2, benzene, formaldehyde and mould. As a result, tens of thousands of children are exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution in schools.
These dangerous indoor air pollutants can cause a lack of concentration and fatigue, which consequently affect a child’s learning capabilities.
In addition, early exposure can result in long term respiratory illness, such as asthma. Younger students are often more vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution as they can be less resilient to illnesses.
Schools should provide a healthy environment in which students can thrive. On average children in the UK spend 180 days of the year at school. So the conditions in which they spend this time should therefore be an important consideration.
The study showed that air pollution levels were high enough to threaten children’s health in:
- 33% of nurseries
- 20% of primary schools
- 18% of secondary schools
- 43% of further education colleges.
New Guidelines
In response to concerns surrounding air pollution in schools The Department of Education is in the process of updating the Building Bulletin 101 (BB101). As a result the bulletin has now been renamed: ‘Guidelines for Ventilation, Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality in Schools’. This is because the proposed new guidelines will have more of a focus on CO2 levels and air pollution in schools.
As a result, there is an urgency to start installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment that provides the following functions:
- Air purification – to improve air quality and reduce indoor air pollution
- Demand-controlled mechanical ventilation with CO2 sensors i.e. can monitor CO2 levels and react to rooms conditions automatically.
The Solution
The Ingenious Air® Small Duct System is an intelligent air conditioning system. It provides a safe and comfortable indoor environment with clean, purified air. Furthermore, the optional high specification air purification module removes VOCS, airborne bacteria, viruses and airborne particulates that cause allergies.
The system also has an option to add up to 100% fresh air ventilation with or without mechanical heat recovery ventilation. This can further improve air quality and save energy. A CO2 sensor can be added to create demand-controlled ventilation which measures and responds to the room’s conditions.
To find out more about improving air quality in schools, call today and speak to one of our air quality experts:
0800 731 6352
or email info@ingenious-air.com.
Read more about the devastating effects of air pollution on health in our previous post: ‘92% of People Living in UK Cities Do Not Breathe Safe Air’
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Email: info@ingenious-air.com
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Head Office: Unit 5 Barleylands Equestrian Centre, Whites Farm, Barleylands Road, Basildon, Essex, SS15 4BG, UK