Healthy, comfortable classrooms play a pivotal role in supporting success at K-12 schools. The problem is that millions of students across the U.S. are subject to less-than-ideal learning environments due to HVAC issues.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to half of schools in the U.S. suffer from poor indoor air quality. Between outdated HVAC systems, environmental factors, and other challenges lead to poor air quality that negatively affects classrooms across the country.
At Bard Manufacturing, we offer modern climate control solutions for schools that provide fresh outside air, temperature and humidity control, and flexibility. Below, we’ll share the role indoor air quality plays in schools and how to evaluate different HVAC solutions to support healthier, more comfortable classrooms.
The Impact of Indoor Air Quality on Students
When classrooms feel uncomfortable, sound is distracting, or air feels stale, teachers and students are the ones who pay the price. According to the American Lung Association, common problems include:
- Poor ventilation and air flow can lead to headaches, drowsiness, and other issues to make students less alert
- Untreated outdoor air can carry in allergens and pollutants, such as emissions from nearby school buses
- Shared air makes it easier for influenza and other airborne illnesses to spread
- Uncontrolled temperature and humidity can lead to less comfortable classrooms that impact both health and performance
These issues have a direct impact on both students and teachers. Statistics show that a more comfortable, healthier classroom results in better test scores, lower absenteeism, and reduced suspension and dropout rates. Better indoor air quality also benefits staff as well, as improved HVAC can reduce missed workdays and make for better learning environments for their students.
6 Criteria to Evaluate HVAC with Comfort and Health in Mind
Simply put, indoor air quality is no longer something that’s “nice to have” in schools. HVAC decisions help shape comfort, health, and overall success for both students and teachers. Let’s break down the criteria that should impact your search for HVAC solutions, along with our solutions to help address these needs.
Filtration for Fresh Air
Improved filtration supports healthier air by trapping fine particles that circulate in occupied spaces. The better you can filter air, the less likely that students and teachers will be exposed to unhealthy aerosols and other substances that affect overall health.
Look for these features:
- High-MERV filtration, with options ranging up to MERV 13 that are recommended for filtering out virus-sized particles.
- Multiple ventilation options that meet ASHRAE standards and your local ventilation codes.
- Individual room ventilation control provides a very efficient method to deliver required fresh air when students are in class.
Humidity Control
Classroom humidity has a dual impact on comfort and health in the classroom. Humidity affects both how comfortable a room feels and the potential spread of infectious aerosols and other potential issues. For example, too much moisture can encourage mold and mildew growth, while too little moisture can lead to dry air that irritates respiratory systems.
Look for these features:
- HVAC units with mechanical dehumidification (hot gas reheat) provide an energy-efficient way to control humidity and maintain comfort in the classroom.
- Two stages of cooling provide better comfort by more closely matching the required cooling throughout the year.
- Dedicated humidistat controls allow you to adjust more than just temperature to keep humidity levels within an acceptable range.
Individualized HVAC Control
For many schools, centralized HVAC means one system that can lead to uneven conditions.
Decentralization allows schools to embrace multiple independent HVAC units that provide a simplified, room-level approach. This flexibility gives each classroom control of its own comfort system that improves comfort and reduces the spread of infectious particles.
Look for these features:
- Purpose-built HVAC wall-mounts with heating, cooling, ventilation, and dehumidification all in one packaged unit
- Room-by-room ventilation control allows for precise control of required fresh air, providing an optimal learning environment.
- Interior and exterior options that enable individualized systems to be tailored to your building.
Sound Levels
Classrooms are active learning environments, and sound levels play a key role in overall comfort and student performance. Systems that introduce noise can undermine lessons, distract students, and frustrate teachers, making units that limit background sound essential.
Look for these features:
- Built-in sound reduction features such as acoustical insulation, discharge mufflers, and floating isolation mounting systems.
- Indoor and outdoor fans designed to minimize noise, such as Bard’s composite swept-wing blades.
- In-person demos like Bard’s mobile showrooms that allow you to hear HVAC units for yourself.
Ease of Access for Maintenance and Repair
The easier your HVAC units are to maintain and repair, the better they can support the comfort and health of your classrooms. Systems that are hard to reach or service have direct consequences for service frequency, cost, and downtime, which directly undermines indoor air quality.
Look for these features:
- Modular components and plug-and-play configurations that allow for quick, straightforward servicing
- Systems that eliminate the need for roof access and above-ceiling work to make units easier to work on.
- Individualized HVAC units that can limit any potential downtime to a single classroom instead of shutting down larger sections of the school.
Affordability and Budget Considerations
Budget constraints are real, and your future HVAC system can only support indoor air quality if they meet your financial requirements. Whether you’re planning a retrofit for an aging building or installing an HVAC system in a new building, the goal is to invest in a solution that serves health and comfort without unreasonable upfront or lifecycle expense.
Look for these features:
- Long-term service savings through complete, factory-built systems that don’t require expensive third-party vendors to service them.
- Flexible installation options that allow schools to break up larger projects over time to accommodate budgetary needs.
- Long-term energy efficiency through optimized performance and room-by-room control that makes it easy for school staff to lower annual energy consumption.
Bard: Supporting Healthier, More Comfortable Classrooms One Unit at a Time
Better indoor air quality isn’t defined by one feature alone. It’s a combination of multiple factors reflected by real classroom needs and operational realities. Bard’s individualized approach to HVAC allows us to make each classroom a safer, more comfortable space for learning.
Ready to invest in tailored HVAC systems that help keep your budget in line? Breathe easy. You’ve got Bard.
