Indoor Environment Quality

by The Division of the State Architect’s Sustainable Schools Resource, California

If a school building does not implement sound design practices to improve indoor air quality as discussed above, adverse occupant health conditions may occur. These conditions include “Sick Building Syndrome”, “Building-Related Illnesses”, “Multiple Chemical Sensitivities”, asthma and severe allergic reactions to pollutants such as VOCs, particles, and allergens from animals, insects, plants, dust mites and mold. Children are more susceptible than adults to air pollution, because their immune system and developing organs are immature. Thus, it is expected that schools with bad IAQ would have a lower Average Daily Attendance (or ADA), than a school with good IAQ. Therefore, schools with good IAQ are likely to receive more funding because more students are attending class daily. Schools with good indoor air quality are also likely to have high teacher retention rates and will spend less on substitute teachers to replace sick members of the staff. This can improve continuity in school programs and provide students with higher quality educations.