A majority of school districts in the U.S. have taken measures to improve indoor air quality during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council and ASHRAE.
But many districts still have unmet needs, while facing high costs and outdated building infrastructure. “The results of the survey show that schools have implemented some protective measures to improve IAQ, prioritizing ventilation and filtration to reduce the transmission of the virus,” a USGBC news release says.
The report “provides a wide-scale, foundational framework to school leaders and lawmakers alike towards the implementation of new building design guidelines and to advance health and sustainability goals,” the release says.
The report’s findings include:
• School districts that have been able to act have leaned heavily on their mechanical systems, such as increasing air supply through HVAC systems or upgrading filters to implement protective air quality measures for students and teachers.
• Only two-thirds of respondents were regularly monitoring IAQ before the pandemic, indicating that providing time, staff, and funding for regular monitoring and data collection has not been a priority for many districts in the past.
• Respondents want to continue the measures implemented during the pandemic, citing student and teacher health. Seventy percent of school districts plan to continue some or all of the strategies they’ve implemented.
Related Stories
| May 3, 2012
Stay current on green codes at AGC Environmental Conference
Keep abreast of market trends such as 2012 changes to green standards and codes at the AGC Contractors Environmental Conference, June 7-8, 2012 in Arlington, Va.
| May 3, 2012
OSHA reduces fines in Cincinnati casino collapse
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reduced the number of violations from four to two against four firms it cited earlier this month in the collapse of a casino under construction in Cincinnati.
| May 3, 2012
New York City implements controversial crane licensing requirements
New York City officials announced strict new licensing and testing requirements for all crane operators in New York City to raise safety standards.
| May 3, 2012
Green-roof requirement now includes industrial facilities in Toronto
A mandate that requires installation of green roofs on new commercial and residential buildings in Toronto has been expanded to include industrial facilities.
| May 3, 2012
Innovative wastewater treatment helps achieve LEED rating
LEED for New Construction, Neighborhood Development and the LEED Volume Program offer some ways to achieve LEED points when dealing with wastewater treatment.
| Apr 26, 2012
Lack of bolts on steel support caused collapse at Cincinnati casino
Too few bolts connecting horizontal steel support beams with vertical steel columns was the cause of January’s construction accident at Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, according to the report of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
| Apr 26, 2012
OSHA criticized for taking too long to roll out safety rules
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration takes far too long to adopt new safety regulations compared to other agencies’ development of rules, safety experts said during a Senate hearing.
| Apr 26, 2012
Contractors fear that GSA scandal will lead to fewer federal construction contracts
In the wake of the recent scandal at the General Services Administration in which workers spent lavishly at a Las Vegas conference, a spokesman for Associated General Contractors of America said contractors are worried the scandal will result in cuts to GSA's construction and renovation budgets.