How important is the air inside your school? Air quality and performance in schools have long been a concern, especially since there are more than 50 million K-12 students1 in America who spend, on average, 1,000 hours in school each year.2
Even well before the global pandemic, researchers reported that maintaining proper indoor air quality (IAQ) can help reduce absenteeism, affect test scores, and enhance student and staff perceptions of productivity.3
According to a literature review published in 2005 in Indoor Air Journal4, evidence suggests that poor indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in schools is common and adversely influences the performance and attendance of students, primarily through health effects from indoor pollutants.
Many schools can still tap ESSER funding through Sept. 30, 2024, to help optimize indoor air quality (IAQ) as part of creating the best IEQ in their schools.5
Take a holistic, human-centric approach
Much like the educational process, the building IEQ wellness process starts with an assessment. As part of its Wellsphere human-centric, holistic approach to building wellness, Trane can help you evaluate your building’s IEQ and establish a plan to mitigate challenges.
Once the challenges are identified, administrators may be advised to consider in-room devices to mitigate risks and improve air quality for the in-person learning environment. This solution proved effective for Adams 14, a suburban Denver school district which was already working with Trane on an energy audit.
Consider In-Room Air-Cleaning Devices
After factoring in the conditions of district buildings, HVAC systems, ambient outside air and other considerations, Trane recommended Synexis technology as an occupant-approved effective and low-maintenance option to improve district-wide IAQ without negatively affecting energy efficiency and operating costs.
The selected, free-standing, Synexis Sphere units offer patented microbial-reduction technology, which continuously reduces harmful microbes in air and on surfaces. Synexis is the sole developer of the process by which naturally occurring oxygen and humidity in the air is converted to Dry Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) or DHP.
30-Days – Start to Finish
The district was able to expedite purchase of the devices through their participation in Omnia Partners, one of the largest cooperative purchasing organization for public sector procurement.
Last fall, Adams 14 leaders purchased and installed 427 free-standing Synexis Sphere units in classrooms and common areas throughout the district’s 17 buildings, which serve 6,500 students. Turnaround from grant submittal to installation of the Synexis Sphere units was completed in a quick 30-day period
District leaders helped to reduce the risk of airborne contaminants, improving IAQ across the district and creating an enhanced academic environment for students, teachers and staff.
Learn more about how you in-room devices may fit into your overall IEQ plan.
- Riser-Kositysky, Maya, Jan. 7, 2022, “Education Statistics: Facts About American Schools”
- School Hours: Is There Enough Time to Learn?”
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, How Does Indoor Air Quality Impact Student Health and Academic Performance?
- Mendell, Mark J., Heath, Garvin A.; 2005, Indoor Air Journal, vol. 15, p. 27032, Do Indoor Pollutants and Thermal Conditions in Schools Influence Student Performance? A Critical Review of the Literature
- Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund