Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Why DOAS Are Right for School Buildings

  • By Kevin Miskewicz
  • 02/01/16

An estimated 70 percent of all school buildings have indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, leading to an unhealthy environment. Many common IAQ problems are associated with improperly operated and maintained HVAC systems, overcrowding, moisture incursion and dampness, and presence of outside air pollutants. IAQ problems have a greater impact on children than adults, as children breathe a greater volume of air relative to their body weight. This increases their sensitivity to indoor air pollution, resulting in greater susceptibility to airborne illnesses such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Additionally, occupants of school buildings are close together, with approximately four times the occupant density in schools compared to office buildings. Mounting evidence indicates that the quality of a school’s physical environment affects educational achievement and more attention is now being paid to addressing IAQ issues.

With this in mind, the instillation of a DOAS system can dramatically improve a school’s indoor air quality, creating a happier, healthier and more productive environment for students, teachers and staff, and some systems earn valuable LEED points. DOAS systems condition up to 100 percent of outdoor air — improving air quality and reducing the load on other HVAC equipment in a building. This reduction in HVAC equipment load can result in significant savings in energy consumption over the lifetime of a system.

Humidity control is another great benefit of these systems. Human occupants and certain equipment in a school will generate moisture, but most moisture comes from the ambient conditions. If an uncontrolled amount of moisture is continually added to a building, a mold-friendly environment will result. Even if mold is not a concern, the moisture content in the air will affect the comfort level for students, teachers and staff. These and other benefits make DOAS systems the perfect choice for school buildings.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Kevin Miskewicz is the director of Commercial Marketing with Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. He can be reached at [email protected] or 888/979-9686.

Featured

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • California District Debuts New High-School CTE Center

    The West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new CTE Center at Analy High School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) for the facility’s design and GCCI for its construction, and funding came from local Measure A bond funds.

  • University of Mary Washington Selects Builder for New Theater, Dance Facility

    The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., recently announced that it has selected construction and development firm Skanska to lead a series of renovations and upgrades to fine arts facilities, according to a news release.