Schools In Focus: Indoor Air Quality

Schools In Focus is a podcast dedicated to the design, planning and management of educational facilities and campuses. Listen in as we chat with industry experts, facility managers, architects, security and safety professionals, and other thought leaders. Catch up on previous episodes here.

Today's episode is on indoor air quality in classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools In Focus, Episode 10: Indoor Air Quality

Schools In Focus podcast logo and Mike Wolf and Ron Wendorski

COVID-19 continues to be a health risk to in-person learning at schools and universities. While we wait for more and more people to get vaccinated to obtain herd immunity, schools still need to prioritize clean and safe facilities for students, teachers, and staff. One way schools and universities can mitigate the COVID-19 risk is to utilize their HVAC systems to circulate clean fresh air.

In this episode, I spoke with Mike Wolf, Director of Regulatory Affairs, and Ron Wendorski, Director of the Bernard A. Greenheck Education Center from Greenheck, a HVAC equipment manufacturer, to talk about indoor air quality in classrooms. They explain how foundational technologies like increased air ventilation and filtration can help reduce the spread of COVID-19. They also explain how additive technologies like ultraviolet technology and bipolar ionization can help.

We also discuss cost-effective ways to improve HVAC systems and the long-term benefits of indoor air quality.

“It’s not a one-size fits all fix here,” Wolf explains in the episode. “There’s going to be different size of facilities, different HVAC systems in different buildings, maybe even within the same building. And in order to come up with the best solution, there’s not going to be a one silver bullet, most cost-effective solution that typically could be used. And the listeners are going to have to understand all these different options and explore what’s going be the best solution for their particular application.”

Listen in to learn more about indoor air quality.

Where to Listen

Schools In Focus is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. Subscribe today, or listen below!

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.

  • Haws Corporation Marks 120th Anniversary

    Haws Corporation, which provides hydration and emergency safety solutions worldwide, recently announced that the company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, according to a news release.