How does IAQ affect perceptions of our facilities?

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) directly relates to facility health and cleanliness, so when IAQ suffers, the general perception of your institution is also at risk.

For example, 60 percent of people said they would inspect a school’s restroom quality before making the decision to enroll, according to a 2015 survey from Cascades Tissue Group. In bathrooms and other common areas, the cleanliness of air is integral to our perceptions. Germs, volatile organic compounds and odors not only make environments unpleasant, but also make them less healthy.

The memory of something as simple as walking into a room where the air feels stale or makes you drowsy sticks with you. Now, imagine losing productivity every day because your learning environment causes symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and eye irritation. In many facilities, in which air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, this is a reality.

Air quality also affects how seasonal illnesses, such as the flu, can rapidly spread around a campus. Dormitories, classrooms, health centers and offices all contain common areas that can be contaminated by airborne germs from a single cough or sneeze. Germs can then remain airborne for extended periods of time and travel remarkably far distances (sometimes more than 200 feet). Sick students and staff lead to reduced productivity and increased absenteeism, which in turn negatively affects perception.

Air purification, along with source control and increased ventilation, is integral to improving IAQ in these facilities and promoting healthier and cleaner campuses.

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

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • California Middle School Completes Two New Academic Buildings

    Sunnyvale Middle School in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on two new classroom buildings of two stories each, according to a district news release. The new wing will house seventh- and eighth-grade students and is part of a larger campus modernization project.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

Digital Edition