Provides tips on using air filtration to control indoor air quality in educational facilities, including dedicated spaces with unique air quality conditions such as in libraries, museums and archival storage areas, kitchens and dining areas, and laboratories. The control of particulate contaminants, gaseous contaminants, and moisture buildup are…

The installation of proper control systems is estimated as saving up to 25 percent of the energy used in schools. Other potential energy-saving areas are transmission (heat loss or gain through walls, especially ceilings); internal load (heat from students, lights, and machinery); ventilation; and equipment maintenance. (Author/MLF)

A new high school in Stillwater, Minnesota, was completed in June 1993 with the objectives of creating a safe indoor environment, minimizing health risks to construction workers, and avoiding a negative impact on the environment. Lists the guidelines used to evaluate products and methods. Displays the findings of five school systems regarding the…

This article, the second in a three-part series of articles that discuss indoor air quality (IAQ) issues affecting schools, looks at the effects of carpet maintenance and environmental influences on IAQ. (MLF)

This article, third in a three-part series of articles that discuss indoor air quality (IAQ) issues affecting schools, looks at studies that compare the health effect of carpet and hard surface floors. Concludes that carpet is appropriate for use in schools when it is properly maintained. (MLF)

Part 1 of this article, the first in a three-part series of articles that discuss indoor air quality (IAQ) issues affecting schools, provides a general overview of IAQ and discusses the three major health problems associated with IAQ: sick building syndrome, building-related illness, and multiple chemical sensitivity. (MLF)

Indoor air quality is a major concern for educators involved in the development of new school facilities, or the remodeling and maintenance of existing ones. This guide addresses the issue of air quality, the health concerns involved, and procedures for minimizing the impact of pollutants in the school environment. It defines common indoor air…

The American Institute of Architects National Committee on Architecture for Education presents this guide which addresses methods of energy conservation in school buildings with simple design, construction, and equipment-control technology so that trained and creative people can take over functions normally done by machinery and automated…

Explains how indoor air quality is affected by pollutants in the air and also by temperature, humidity, and ventilation. Increased ventilation alone seldom solves the "sick building syndrome." Lists ways to improve indoor air quality and optimize energy efficiency. (MLF)

This first article in a series about cooling classrooms by ventilation explains that energy consumption for one day of refrigeration cooling is equal to energy use for 35 days of ventilation cooling. Schools using only refrigeration cooling are passing up energy savings that could be provided by ventilation cooling. (Author/MLF)

School systems should test the air in every school building for the presence and level of contaminants such as radon and asbestos and whether the ventilation system is circulating the proper amount of air. Periodic maintenance is required for all mechanical systems. (MLF)

Building design and construction that helps deliver both superior air quality and occupant thermal comfort, while minimizing energy consumption, are examined. The paper explores an integrated building systems approach that combines the principles of "directed air flow control" and "demand controlled ventilation" where ventilation is effectively…

The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in older buildings often do not adequately handle air-borne contaminants. Outlines a three-stage Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessment and describes a case in point at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, school. (MLF)

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a situation in which at lease 15-20 percent of a building's occupants exhibit physical symptoms in a pattern that is linked to the building in which they work. Describes health effect, factors and causes of SBS, implications for risk management, and precautions school officials should take. (MLF)

Both existing and new English school premises are required by law to comply with minimum construction standards published by the Department for Education and Employment. This building bulletin provides practical guidance on meeting these standards covering acoustics, lighting, heating and thermal performance, ventilation, water supplies, and…