The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council released a new report detailing how school districts around the country have managed air quality within their buildings during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report, Managing Air Quality in the Pandemic: How K-12 Schools Addressed Air Quality in the Second Year of COVID-19, says that the chief obstacle for schools in implementing many recommended indoor air quality (IAQ) measures is that buildings’ HVAC systems were not designed to implement recommendations for improvement. Specific challenges were not found to be associated with any particular school district characteristics studied, such as demographics, locale or size, the study says.
During the past year, schools prioritized increasing outdoor air intake by whatever means were available to them. Just over half of school districts reported that they felt they had access to funding to support additional indoor air quality-related building improvements.
Non-urban districts were more likely to lean on state and local guidance, while urban districts were more likely to use federal-level guidance and guidance from national organizations like ASHRAE. Over a quarter of districts responded that there were no new plans to implement additional ventilation, filtration, or other building changes in schools.
Related Stories
Coronavirus | May 22, 2020
Designing a health facility for the next pandemic
Planning with intent is the key to readiness, states Eppstein Uhen Architects, the guide’s author.
Coronavirus | May 22, 2020
COVID-19: Healthcare designers look to the future of medical facilities in light of coronavirus pandemic
The American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA) has released the key findings of a survey of its members revealing their insights on the future of healthcare architecture and the role of design in the context of the COVID-19 healthcare crisis.
Coronavirus | May 18, 2020
Will empty hotels provide an answer for affordable housing shortage?
A Los Angeles-based startup sees the Midwest as most fertile for adaptive reuse.
Coronavirus | May 18, 2020
Infection control in office buildings: Preparing for re-occupancy amid the coronavirus
Making workplaces safer will require behavioral resolve nudged by design.
Coronavirus | May 18, 2020
Global design firms collaborate on new COVID-19 mobile testing lab to bring testing to vulnerable communities worldwide
Perkins and Will, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, and Arup Group develop scalable solutions for increased testing capacity within high-density and under-served neighborhoods.
Coronavirus | May 11, 2020
Experts offer a 13-point plan to reduce coronavirus deaths in nursing homes
Two nationally recognized experts in the design of senior living facilities offer a 13-point plan to protect our frailest citizens.
Glass and Glazing | May 8, 2020
Vitro Architectural Glass releases guide on decontaminating glass surfaces
The five-page technical document offers methods for cleaning and sanitizing glass surfaces.
Coronavirus | May 7, 2020
White paper clarifies steps, roles for use of metal composite material
Responsibilities of manufacturers, distributors, and fabricators outlined.
Coronavirus | May 7, 2020
Architects release new resource for safer re-occupancy of buildings
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is releasing a new Re-occupancy Assessment Tool today that provides strategies for limiting exposure to COVID-19 in buildings.
Coronavirus | May 6, 2020
Reopening Main Street post-COVID-19 quarantine
Cities and communities will need to adjust public space to allow customers back in with distancing in mind.