Ventilation Retrofit in Schools: Enhancing Air Quality for Health, Learning, and Energy Efficiency

Partel

Smart Building Envelope Components and Ventilation Systems for highly energy-efficient buildings.

Published Dec 17, 2024

Our second ventilation feature focuses on ventilation retrofit in the education sector and the importance of air quality in the learning environment. The basic principle is the same across all sectors that good ventilation is vital to ensure the regulation of healthy air for breathing and removing pollutants, as well as helping reduce condensation and mould growth.

Applicable to all building types, the Building Regulations Approved Document F outlines the requirements for ventilation in all buildings. The aim of the requirement is “to protect the health of occupants of the building by providing adequate ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, mould and internal air pollution might become hazardous to health.” It also states that ventilation may be delivered through natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation or a combination of both. Guidance for complying with Approved Document F for schools refers to Building Bulletin 101. This document offers guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools aligning with the latest health and safety standards and industry practice. The ventilation guidelines cover setting maximum levels of carbon dioxide in teaching spaces and minimum ventilation rates in practical space and specialist accommodation (eg students with special needs).

The guidelines on indoor air quality have three considerations, firstly a summary of the health effects of indoor air pollutants based on the World Health Organisation guidelines for Indoor Air Quality and the latest advice from Public Health England. Secondly, guidance on how to meet the maximum exposure levels for pollutants outlining ways to reduce the level of outdoor air pollutants in the supply air. Thirdly, advice on reducing sources of indoor pollutants, for example by using low-emission materials in the school building.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations, 2013 apply to schools and cover a wide range of basic health, safety and welfare issues including both ventilation and temperature. The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP), L24, 2013 gives guidance on the application of the Regulations.

In addition to the general ventilation requirements of section of AD F, the DfE has produced a set of performance standards for teaching and learning spaces which ensure compliance with the above Workplace Regulations 2013. The standards state that where mechanical ventilation is used, or hybrid systems are operating in mechanical mode in general teaching and learning spaces, sufficient outdoor air should be provided to achieve a daily average concentration of CO2 of less than 1000 ppm, during the occupied period. The maximum concentration should also not exceed 1500 ppm for more than 20 consecutive minutes each day.

Importance of Good Ventilation

Ventilating in classrooms is just as important as ventilation in your home, indeed some might argue more, as with around 30 students in one room, the air quality will be increasingly polluted. Good ventilation will not just improve the quality of air, by reducing pollutants and removing toxic air, but will also increase the concentration and productivity levels of the students.

Effective ventilation ensures there is constant air changes within the parameters of the classroom, ensuring there is fresh air circulated and polluted stale air is extracted from the room. Poor indoor air quality is linked to many health conditions with the build-up of pollutants and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) contributing to the pollution of the air inhaled by students and teachers. VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids and can include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. VOCs in an educational setting can come from a number of sources including solvents, paint, aerosol sprays, cleaning products, furniture and flooring.

Poor indoor air quality is linked to decreased concentration levels. With the high number of people in one room, there will be extremely high levels of CO2, which often exceeds the guidelines outlined above by the DfE. This will directly affect students’ performance and attention span, causing tiredness and resulting in a lack of concentration. Longer-term exposure to polluted air can also lead to headaches and irritation of the nose and throat.

Mechanical ventilation Units such as The LUNOS Nexxt, decentralised ventilation system and Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (CMEV) system from Partel, are the ideal solution to addressing classroom ventilation and can be successfully used for retrofit projects.

These systems not only allow the control of the indoor environment but also contribute to the temperature of the room. Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery units transfer the heat from the extracted air across to the incoming air without any cross contamination, allowing the heat to be retained in the classroom whilst the air is being ventilated.

Research

There have been many research papers and articles produced showing the negative outcomes for students in classrooms with poor air quality.

A study carried out in the USA back in 2010, looked at the relationship between classroom ventilation rates and academic achievement. The study found that there was a linear association between classroom ventilation rates and students’ academic achievement. For every unit increase in the ventilation rate, the proportion of students scoring satisfactory or above in a standardised test is expected to increase by 2.9% for maths and 2.7% for reading. The results of this USA-focussed study suggest that increasing the ventilation rates should translate into improved academic achievement of students.

Looking at more holistic approach, a 2015 study by Salford University explored the impact of classroom design on learning and concluded that well-designed classrooms can boost learning progress in primary school pupils by up to 16% in a single year. The research showed that, of the factors explored, air quality, daylight and temperature have the most influence on children’s progress, accounting for over half the improvement in progress.

More recently, headteachers were being urged to retain measures providing better ventilation that had been implemented during COVID, an article published by University of Leeds, states. The article goes on to say that a report by to two leading experts on pathogen spread in buildings, argue that maintaining good ventilation would help schools reduce absenteeism as pupils recover from the disruption to their education. They concluded that not only does good ventilation reduce the spread of respiratory conditions but can create conditions where children find it easier to concentrate and perform at their best. “Ventilation doesn’t just reduce the risk of illness. Studies have shown that it can also improve pupils’ concentration, cognitive performance, and productivity – in addition to reducing a range of respiratory symptoms.

An article published by the European Journal of Public Health in October 2023, considered an observational study to collect data on indoor and outdoor air quality in 24 schools over 10 school days and compare it with city-wide average air quality levels reported in rural/urban areas in the UK and Northern Ireland. Poor indoor air quality and higher levels of pollutants were found inside the majority of the schools across the regions. This led to the conclusion that there is a need for mitigation strategies to identify responsible factors for indoor air pollution. A regulatory framework for school ventilation and behaviour interventions may reduce pollutions and therefore impact on children’s health outcomes and mortality.

Ventilation Retrofit in Action

The Downs National School in Ireland is an exemplary ventilation retrofit project which was part of a pilot program to not only retrofit the school but build an extension, according to nZEB standards.

The Downs National School in Ireland ventilation retrofit project.

The work required the low-energy retrofit of the existing 3-classroom school and the construction of an adjoining single storey 4-classroom extension, to create a highly efficient building, including new ventilation and heating systems throughout, as well as a complex fabric upgrade.

The Partel technical team worked closely with the construction team to develop an efficient airtightness and ventilation design strategy for the deep energy-retrofitting of the building, to meet the final energy levels of the project.

The LUNOS Nexxt, decentralised ventilation system was installed, which is ideal for large spaces such as schools. The units require very little operating energy and work at a particularly low noise level. The heat exchanger achieves a heat recovery rate of up to 83%, with the classrooms now supplied with constant fresh air, with humidity monitoring and control.

The comfort and well-being of university students in their living accommodations is of equal importance, as again there is potentially many people in small spaces with the possibility of the air quality being poor. The University of Galway embarked on a student accommodation project with the primary objective of providing comfortable and healthy indoor air quality throughout the accommodation buildings. To achieve this, the project incorporated innovative ventilation solutions, specifically focusing on bedrooms, ensuites, kitchens, accessible W/Cs, and building-cleaning sluice rooms. The University of Galway student accommodation project prioritised indoor air quality by implementing Partels’ advanced Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (CMEV) system, with Silvento V-EC FK extract fans and ALD-R 160 passive intake units being installed.

The system has come with a number of tangible benefits to the student accommodation, firstly, the units were installed on external walls, minimising the need for extensive ducting within the building. Secondly, all units feature easily accessible washable filters on the room side, facilitating straightforward maintenance and ensuring a continuous flow of healthy air. Thirdly, the intelligent control boards allow for automatic boosting of the extract fan in response to air quality, eliminating the need for manual intervention and enhancing indoor air quality.

By considering the challenges associated with students returning to accommodation while work was ongoing, the project demonstrated its commitment to occupant comfort, safety, and satisfaction, ultimately contributing to the project’s success.

Lunos Continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (CMEV) technology has also been successfully installed in a new build development of private ensuite studios for Niche Living Dun Laoghaire. The objective was to ensure excellent indoor air quality and comfort for residents. The primary challenge of the project was to design and implement a ventilation system that effectively ventilated both the living/sleeping rooms and the technically separate “wet rooms” (W/C and shower). Compliance with designed flow rates was paramount to ensure optimal indoor air quality and regulatory adherence.

**Niche Living Dun Laoghaire** CMEV project.

Partel devised a unique system to accommodate a Silvento extract above a shower unit while simultaneously extracting from the W/C across the entrance hallway. This cost-effective solution ensured compliant flow rates from these “wet rooms.”

Again, all units, including the Silvento FK extract fans, were purposefully designed with easily accessible washable filters on the room side, to aid maintenance procedures and therefore guaranteeing uninterrupted, healthy airflow with minimal operational disruptions.

The FK control board’s advanced features enable automatic boosting of the Silvento extract, where the sensors react to air quality levels and autonomously increase the extraction rate until the unit’s control system is satisfied that indoor air quality is at acceptable levels. This automation significantly enhances the system’s effectiveness and efficiency, whilst ensuring a comfortable living environment for occupants.

Conclusion

Although there is research into how good ventilation can benefit students in the classroom in a whole host of ways, it is clear that more studies are needed to fully understand the relationships between ventilation rate, other indoor environmental quality parameters, and their effects on students’ health and achievement. Achieving and indeed exceeding the recommended guidelines and gaining a better understanding of the underlying relationships would ultimately support both sustainable and productive school environments for both students and staff.

Policymakers and stakeholders should prioritise the funding of ventilation retrofit in our schools to enable better outcomes for students. Investment and upfront costs are always an issue, however, with the range of innovative solutions offered by Partel, cost-effective ventilation strategies can be developed and implemented for any project.

We must also consider the logistics of a ventilation upgrade, ensuring the safety of staff and students and minimal disruption to the school whilst work is carried out, however this has shown to be achievable in the case studies outlined above. The potential payback is huge especially when we consider student achievement, behaviour and performance, as well as providing a more energy-efficient learning environment.

References

Ventilation Retrofit in Schools: Enhancing Air Quality for Health, Learning, and Energy Efficiency