As the schools still struggle with substandard ventilation, leading to poor air quality, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), makes The Guide freely available to schools throughout Australia.

This Guide is a new resource to improve ventilation in schools and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Authored by Brad Prezant, and reviewed by experts in ventilation and indoor air quality, the guide provides a better understanding of airborne transmission and building ventilation systems found in Australian schools. It also provides advice about building a strategy for different facilities.

Prezant is a certified occupational hygienist, public health scientist and epidemiology expert who has 35 years’ experience assessing indoor environments. Since the beginning of the pandemic, he has been working with schools to assess and improve their ventilation strategies – and has seen first-hand the challenges they face.

Earlier a team from the UNSW Sydney’s School of Built Environment released research which found concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in classrooms peaked significantly higher than the 850-ppm threshold prescribed by the National Construction Code (NCC) due to a lack of proper ventilation.

Poor indoor air quality and high indoor air temperatures in classrooms are critical problems worldwide.

This not only affects students’ ability to concentrate, but also leads to greater transmission of airborne diseases such as COVID-19,” AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson said.

The guide is available free at www.airah.org.au

Source: https://www.climatecontrolnews.com.au/news/latest/free-guide-to-improve-classroom-ventilation