Foul Odors Negatively Impact Schools and Colleges According to New Poll

Schools can easily become a stinky place if the source of bad odors aren’t properly addressed. A new poll from Oxy-Gen Powered, an odor eliminating solutions company, shows those foul odors can negatively impact educational environments.

According to the survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll, a majority of survey-takers (93%) say a foul odor would negatively impact their perception of an organization. When it comes to schools and colleges in particular, 55% of the survey-takers say a foul odor would negatively impact their perception of the educational institution.

“No building occupant or visitor wants to be greeted with an unpleasant smell in a lobby, restroom or anywhere else in a facility,” Andy Piucci, Vice President of Sales – North America at Oxy-Gen Powered, said in a statement. “This research highlights the risk organizations take when they fail to properly eliminate indoor odors caused by urine, feces, kitchens, mold, mildew, pets and more.”

The survey also polled how foul odors impact people’s perception of hotels, retail stores, entertainment venues, office buildings, and gym/fitness centers.

Once people encounter bad odors, many change their mind about the facility and take steps to avoid it in the future. More than half of those polled (56%) say after experiencing a foul odor in a facility they would assume the facility is not clean. More than half would look for an alternative facility. Half would spend less time in the facility, 46% would tell friends, family or colleagues about it and about 34% said they would never return to the facility again.

The survey was conducted from January 9-13, 2020 and polled 2,013 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

You can find more information about Oxy-Gen Powered and their line of odor eliminating solutions at www.oxygenpowered.com.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.