Clean Air Can Improve Student Productivity

Improving student learning conditions, like indoor air quality, is vital to our students' cognitive health and performance. The time spent in school is a rapid time of physical growth, hormonal changes, intense learning, and critical neurological and social development. And by the time students graduate high school, they have spent over 15,000 hours in school classrooms.

Unfortunately, classroom environmental factors can impact these critical developmental processes and student performance.

Concerns over indoor air quality have increased since the COVID pandemic; schools can stay safe throughout the ongoing pandemic and improve student productivity by addressing indoor air quality. Read to learn more:

How Indoor Air Quality Impacts Cognitive Performance

Cognitive performance and cognitive health are impacted by many things, including genetics, nutrition, and home life. Unfortunately, the aging buildings within school systems make it harder for kids to learn due to poor indoor environmental conditions.

Overcrowded and windowless classrooms with poor ventilation, uncomfortable temperatures, and water damage/mold growth are common adverse exposures children face at school, impacting indoor air quality and hurting student health and cognitive function. All IEQ issues above are associated with building decay and dramatically impact indoor air quality.

Poor indoor air quality can cause several health conditions and even contribute to absenteeism. According to American Asthma Association, 13.8 million students miss school yearly due to asthma-related flair-ups. Poor indoor air quality in schools contributes to asthma-related absenteeism and could be prevented with cleaner indoor air.

Indoor air pollution can cause:

• Breathing problems
• Concentration problems
• Wheezing, asthma, or worsening allergies
• Declining cognitive health and cognitive function
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Long-term chronic health conditions
• Chemical sensitivities
• And more

Schools can improve student well-being and productivity by addressing poor air quality in classrooms.

Benefits of Improved Air Quality for Student Productivity

School is where children spend the most time aside from their home. By the time students graduate high school, they have spent 15,600 hours inside a school. The time spent indoors and long-term exposure to adverse indoor environmental conditions is crucial to improving indoor environmental quality in classrooms.

With better indoor air quality, students will be breathing and feeling better. They are also less likely to get sick and miss school. Students with lung conditions, health problems, and allergies will be less afflicted and less likely to miss school due to these illnesses. Additionally, fewer students have headaches or fatigue issues after being in classrooms for more extended periods.

Better air quality will improve the lives of your students, but it will also reflect better on your school. Parents want to know that their children are being taken care of. Showing parents that you are investing in your students' health will make them more likely to send their children to your school.

Tips for Improving Student Productivity via IAQ

School officials can implement several techniques and methodologies when improving indoor air quality problems for student productivity.

To start, schools should consider testing for indoor air quality. This can give school administration a baseline for understanding common air pollutants impacting your air quality. For example, you may find a lot of mold growth in specific areas; testing for IAQ can alert you and your staff to these problems.

School administrators should then assess the class parameters and indoor environment. Your classroom environment might not have windows or doors that can be opened regularly. Assess the classroom’s HVAC system, duct quality, and ventilation rate. If these systems are old, they will likely not provide adequate ventilation and need improvement. You can also consider in-duct HVAC air purification systems for schools that want a long-term IAQ solution that is energy efficient.

Portable indoor air purifiers can supplement whatever existing system is in place. While cheaper than a new HVAC unit or a duct system, a portable air purifier gives schools options for improving indoor air quality and student function immediately.

Air purifiers often come with multiple air filtration technology stages to capture numerous particulate matter.

For example, Sanalife’s multi-stage air purifiers clean air with five filters:

• Negative ionization for attracting large debris
• Activated Carbon for getting our dangerous odors, mold, and VOCs
• High-quality HEPA filter for capturing the most penetrating particle size (MPPS)
• And ActivePure technology for neutralizing all pathogens, mold, mildew, and viral particles

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Implementing Cleaner Air in Your Classrooms

Whether you’re in the planning stages of construction, the building phase, or already have an air quality solution you’re looking to upgrade; we have a solution for you.

Sanalife provides industrial-grade air purification coverage, a custom solution engineered for your building’s needs. Our proprietary technology is a safer, more efficient method of cleaning the air.

• Our solutions will provide superior air quality while avoiding costly capital expenditure and high operational costs.
• Help reduce energy costs, lower your carbon footprint, and help achieve your sustainability and ESG goals.
• Our active air purification technology significantly reduces viruses, bacteria, odors, and volatile organic compounds.

Clean air is more important than ever to your students, teachers, and faculty, and planning for the best long-term IAQ solution is essential. Choose the superior air purification supplier. Being proactive and continuous is vital, and Sanalife can help you take the next step in improving indoor air quality.

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