Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Classroom Purifier Cuts Infection Risks in Half—Same as Opening Windows

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 03/08/21

A study in two South Korean high schools found that window ventilation reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection by 55%, while the use of an air purifier shrank the risk by 50%. The combination of the two dropped the risk by nearly three-quarters (73%). Researchers from the Infrastructure Safety department at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) said the use of the air-purifying device worked best when it was placed in the middle of the room, which was sized to hold about 25 students.

The study ran several rounds in which the performance of various antiviral and antibacterial air purifiers was tested in an actual classroom. Virus-like salt microparticles were released into the air as aerosols, and the researchers measured the concentration levels in succession in the center and at the edge of the room during each round to simulate the presence of an infectious student.

For a final round, the researchers worked with a specific air purifier: the AiroDoctor WAD-M20. The testing, which ran over the course of several days, assumed that students didn't move about the space and maintained distances from each other.

The AiroDoctor is a $4,000, free-standing device about the size of a 13-gallon garbage can. According to coverage of the study, students weren't bothered by noise from the machine.

"We are very pleased about the groundbreaking results from South Korea," said Carsten Hermann, managing director of ScreenSource GmbH, which produces the machine, in a press release. "We trust that the relevant authorities nationally and internationally will take notice of such important studies. After all, the globally unique filter technology of the AiroDoctor can make an important contribution in a long-term strategy against SARS-CoV-2."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.