Air filtration for schools THE PROBLEMS The statistics are a bit unnerving. In Canada, 5.7 million school children and close to one million teachers, administrators and others walk into 15,000 school buildings every day – at least 50 per cent of these schools have been diagnosed with indoor air quality problems.1 The most precious natural resource of any country is found in their young people. However, school systems in Canada and the United States are placing too many youth in jeopardy by exposing them to buildings that are less-than-conducive to a positive, healthy learning environment. Our nation’s K-12 schools are challenged to serve a growing student population and rising community expectations with aging buildings, constrained operating budgets, and everincreasing energy bills. Each year, Canadian taxpayers spend $750M on energy for these schools – about 25 per cent more than necessary. That $188M could be redirected to hire 3,500 new teachers or purchase five million new textbooks annually.2 Add to this energy bill another alarming statistic: The Asthma Society of Canada estimates over half a million school children miss some 800,000 days per year with asthma, making it is the leading cause of school absenteeism.3 The Canadian Lung Association states, “Proper indoor air
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quality in schools is necessary for a safe and healthy learning and work environment.” While we know many of the problems of school indoor air quality problems can be solved with good engineering practice and proper maintenance, repair and operation (MRO), cleaner air can be provided by increased levels of air filtration and provide the solution to many of the IAQ problems. IAQ CONCERNS IN SCHOOLS Schools represent a much denser population percentage than a typical commercial office building and as a result, the bio-burden becomes even greater. Viable and non-viable particulates are brought into the building on people’s clothing, and through open doors and windows. Furthermore, the activity level of most young people, which increases the shedding of skin cells and other particulates, makes school air some of the dirtiest air in any environment. Many schools continue to utilize low efficiency (MERV 1-6) filters that remove minimal levels of all particulate matter. For any parent who has taken their child to school first thing in the morning and picked them up in the afternoon, the difference in the smell of the school at the end of the day is astonishing. For those in the school, most have become accustomed to the con-
Air Filtration Specialists
4704 - 91st Avenue Edmonton, AB T6B 2L1 Tel: 780-468-9296 Fax: 780-468-5806
School Plant Officials Association of B.C. www.spoabc.org
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