Optimizing Classroom Success

Indoor Air Quality in Schools and its Effects

Outdoor air pollution is harmful, but human exposure to indoor air pollutants is 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air. Children are in a classroom for around six hours a day for 12 years, and increasing the protection of the school’s environment to optimize success should be a priority. If the indoor air quality is poor, it can increase long and short-term health effects for students and staff. Providing the students with a healthier school with better indoor air quality will benefit their growth since their bodies are still developing. Environmental exposures are more susceptible to children, and several effects due to bad indoor air quality include:

• Impacts on student attendance, comfort, and performance
• Reduce teacher and staff performance 
• Accelerates the deterioration and reduces the efficiency of the school’s physical plant and equipment 
• Increase potential for school closings or relocation of occupants 
• Strain relationships among school administration, parents, and staff
• Create negative publicity
• Impact community trust 
• Create liability problems

Health Problems linked to Indoor Air Pollution

The EPA has ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health. Some health problems include cough, eye irritation, headache, allergic reaction, and in rare cases, carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, asthma is increasing in children. Nearly 1 in 13 school-aged students have asthma, leading them to miss school. Common allergens in schools are dust mites, pests, and molds are common in school and trigger asthma symptoms. 

RadGreen is Here to Help!

Using RadGreen’s Safe or Pro monitor in the schools would provide data to help improve the classroom atmosphere. The healthier space will result in fewer absences, positively influencing academic performance. In addition, the classroom space will be comfortable with being able to adjust the temperature for a more diligent and focused space. Finally, with the better indoor air quality, the test scores will be better because the air ventilation will provide the mind more clarity when working on subjects such as math and reading.

Resource:

“Why Indoor Air Quality Is Important to Schools.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/iaq-schools/why-indoor-air-quality-important-schools.