BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


Clearing up the brain fog A


ir quality can profoundly affect brain function, particularly in developing minds. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) is therefore crucial, especially in schools where students must concentrate for prolonged periods. In densely populated classrooms, air quality can be limited, and it can be hard for management teams to know where they stand without a clear benchmark. Here, Claire Robinson, sales director of IAconnects, explains why schools should proactively monitor their IAQ – and how they can do it.


Schools face unique challenges in maintaining good IAQ. With many students and staff occupying the same space for extended periods, air can quickly fill with allergens, dust and airborne pathogens. However, budgets are tight for schools and local education authorities (LEAs), making it hard to afford advanced HVAC systems in every classroom.


While there are a few quick wins, these aren’t a complete solution and can be impractical for schools. For example, opening a window may seem like a simple and cost-effective solution, but it can pose a safeguarding risk. Instead, schools should focus on setting a benchmark so they can establish the state of IAQ.


The indoor climate


Unfortunately, poorly managed IAQ can be quite common. Air pollutants like CO (carbon monoxide) are colourless and odourless, making them almost impossible to detect without advanced sensors. This introduces a phenomenon known as psychological distance: if a person can’t directly observe or experience a threat, they might perceive it as less urgent or important.


In our experience, building managers may overlook IAQ or at least be unaware of the long-term effects of pollutants. For example, while the importance of minimising CO2 (carbon dioxide) levels is common knowledge, it is not so well-known that higher levels of NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) are linked to poor attention span in young children.


Children also have developing lungs and immune systems, making them more vulnerable to allergens and irritants in the air. Exposing children with respiratory conditions to indoor pollutants can also heighten their sensitivity to allergens, making flare-ups more frequent and severe.


Getting ahead of IAQ


Buildings and facilities managers must prevent poor air quality from building up in schools, rather than just dealing with it once they’ve established that it’s reached a hazardous threshold. An effective solution is monitoring the trends and concentrations of the various pollutants, so they can identify high-risk areas and potential solutions.


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Air quality sensors, like those supplied by IAconnects, monitor temperature, humidity, CO2 and volatile organic compound (VOC) levels. These data points can provide an informed insight into the appropriate ventilation technology that the school needs.


The importance of monitoring


While the sensors can show what pollutants are present and when they peak, the bigger picture is only complete when compared to a benchmark. Such a yardstick provides a measurable goal for improvement, helping facilities and buildings managers track progress over time.


This advanced monitoring can also help schools track the flow of people, enabling effective space management. Once, we were approached by a UK university that required a system to monitor people traffic across two campuses, integrating this data with its Power BI platform. The pandemic had escalated the need for precise monitoring of CO2 levels and reduced people traffic. Therefore, our solution comprised PoE people counters, smart display screens for bathrooms and IAQ monitors. Together, this facilitated real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making.


Air quality can have a profound impact on children, and schools must create a safe, comfortable environment for them to learn. While advanced HVAC systems are not possible in every classroom, schools can still invest in sophisticated IoT monitoring solutions – a relatively inexpensive option – to capture the necessary data and set a clear benchmark.


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