Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Cleaner Air Means Happier, Healthier Students

  • 08/01/15
Cleaner Air

Cleaner air means students will be healthier, and absent less, as was the case at Community Consolidated School District 181.

Nothing gets A principal’s attention quite like a parent or teacher concern. If it’s a health-related issue tied to air quality, the facility manager is also in the hot seat.

That’s where Mike Vilendrer, facility coordinator at Community Consolidated School District 181, found himself after a teacher and a parent voiced concern about air quality situations in separate classrooms.

Vilendrer’s IAQ to-do list included:

  • Science lab: A student with sensitive allergies had persistent health problems because of suspected air quality issues in a science room. The child’s parent asked that a HEPA filter purification system be installed.
  • Art room: Art supplies were sending lots of dust and other particles into the air, creating an uncomfortable and unhealthy environment.
  • Classroom: A teacher reached out to the principal about consistent problems with the air quality in her classroom.

Vilendrer quickly realized that the HVAC system for the 108,000-square-foot school was not equipped to handle the air quality problems he faced.

He installed four AeraMax Professional commercial-grade air purifiers — three for the main problem locations and one in the band room.

Another reason Vilendrer decided to take a targeted approach. The unit is designed to turn on and off on its own and remain quiet in public buildings.

“As far as the operational side, they’re quiet as can be and don’t impact teaching at all,” Vilendrer says.

Eight months after installing the units the difference was clear. “The issues we were having completely went away,” he notes.

More remarkably, the art teacher told Vilendrer that there had been a noticeable drop in absences compared with past school years.

www.aeramaxpro.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.