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

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.