Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Two Illinois Public Schools Gain Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Systems

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/19/24

IAQ monitoring systems solutions provider Attune and the Illinois Chapter of ASHRAE recently partnered to provide new equipment to two K–12 public schools in Western Springs, Ill. Forest Hills Elementary School and McClure Junior High received Attune IAQ monitoring systems as part of an ASHRAE sustainability research project that began in February 2024.

The three-year initiative will include sensor installation to collect breathing data in areas like classrooms, libraries, gymnasiums, and cafeterias. It also entails workshops and educational materials for the district community, according to a news release. The monitoring devices will measure levels of airborne pollutants and maximize HVAC efficiency. Teachers, administrators, and even students will all have access to degrees of real-time and real-life data within the Attune online platform.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with D101 and ASHRAE to help educate students on indoor air quality in Chicago,” said Attune Co-Founder and CEO Serene Almomen. “The research from this project will improve the learning environments for students and teachers and the future of Chicago education.”

The research project will conclude in February 2027. ASHRAE will share annual results with the school district and will also compile a case study to be featured at the 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Las Vegas, the news release reports.

“This project combines the science and research from ASHRAE and the latest technology from Attune. It creates an excellent educational opportunity for the public schools in the district and is a leap forward in continuing education for the future generation,” said Sumayyah Theron, ASHRAE Sustainability Project Chair. “This sustainability project will help showcase indoor air quality in schools and will open up a dialogue on methods to improve it. Indoor air quality is an important component for healthy environments.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.

  • New Arizona Fine Arts School Reaches Construction Milestone

    Construction of the new Hilltop School for the Arts and Theater in Litchfield Park, Ariz., recently hit a significant milestone, according to a news release. The Agua Fria High School District held a beam-signing ceremony to celebrate the building’s topping out, or the placement of its last structural beam.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.