October 9, 2006—Along with pencils and paper, increased ventilation is a fundamental necessity for students returning to the classroom this fall, according to research from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Research shows that kids learn better in schools with better air quality. An article describing the research is featured in the October issue of the ASHRAE Journal. The research was funded by ASHRAE and conducted in Denmark. A final report is due later in the year.
The research indicates that lowering the temperature and increasing ventilation in classrooms increases student performance by 10 to 20 percent. The students’ performance improved mainly in terms of how quickly they worked and also how many errors were made.
Results from the research, once finalized, will be incorporated into ASHRAE technical guidance, used by engineers around the world in designing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems in all types of buildings.
For more information, see the ASHRAE Web site.
