Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical issue for school facility leaders. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states about 50 percent of schools in the U.S. have IAQ complaints. These complaints could include odor issues and high concentrations of allergy and asthma triggers, and they affect the well being of teachers, staff and students every day.

The best practices for improving IAQ include source control, ample ventilation and air purification. All are necessary to reach optimal results and rely on each other for balance.

Increasing ventilation keeps carbon dioxide levels low, but can also accelerate the spread of germs and other contaminants. Limiting the sources of contaminants as much as possible reduces exposure and puts less wear and tear on your air purification system, but is not a solution for removing pollutants entirely. Air purification with true HEPA filtration removes up to 99.9 percent of contaminants from the air and can be used to address areas with higher levels of contaminants.

In sum, source control and ventilation are often school-wide initiatives, while air purifiers are a more targeted and effective approach to providing cleaner common areas.

Schools see the most benefits from enacting a comprehensive IAQ plan that includes all three of these components. Research shows that improving IAQ in educational facilities yields a big return, including higher productivity, reduced absenteeism and improved academic performance.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Jeff Dryfhout, global marketing director for AeraMax Professional, champions efforts to improve indoor air quality within organizations as the next frontier in well being.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.