William H. Farquhar Middle School, Olney, MD. Photo credit: Patrick Ross
School Health Research Library
We have curated a library of peer-reviewed scientific studies from around the world published since 2016, focusing on the school built environment and occupant health and performance. This research builds on the 2017 Schools for Health: Foundations for Student Success report released by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that synthesizes foundational research about school indoor environmental quality impacts on students and staff.
To help translate this research into action in schools, we have compiled School Health Research Highlights to help school staff and leaders access key findings and actionable strategies on priority topics.
Displaying 241 - 250 of 284 | Export entire research library
Associations between indoor environmental quality in schools and symptom reporting in pupil-administered questionnaires
Savelieva, Kateryna
Several of the IEQ indicators were highly correlated and indicators were therefore mainly analyzed by combining them into a summary score and into latent classes. Dose-response associations were found between IEQ problems and higher reporting of…
Keywords: Indoor environmental quality, Symptom reporting, Respiratory symptoms, School, Questionnaire, Child health
Indoor air quality in inner-city schools and its associations withbuilding characteristics and environmental factors
Majd, Ehsan
Exceedance of the WHO guidelines for indoor air was observed, mainly for the hourly average NO2 concentrations. Seasonal variability was statistically significant for indoor NO2 and CO concentrations, with higher exposures in fall and winter.…
Keywords: Indoor air quality, School, Exposure, Building characteristics, Environmental factors
Time-Resolved Characterization of Indoor Air Quality due to Human Activity and Likely Outdoor Sources during Early Evening Secondary School Wrestling Matches
Shendell, Derek
In summary, specific activities like takedown or pinning maneuvers within a bout combined with inadequate mechanical ventilation for the gym’s occupancy during matches led to higher indoor CO2 measures. Measured indoor CO2 concentrations in this…
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Building and Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment of Nigerian Primary Schools: A Pilot Study
Toyinbo
Based on the data, the quality of facilities in the buildings was low. Classroom occupancy exceeded ASRHAE 50 person/100m^2 standard in all cases indicating overcrowding. However, concentrations of C)2 remained below 1000 ppm in most classrooms. On…
Keywords: Indoor environmental quality, Thermal acceptability, Natural ventilation, Cleaning, School classrooms, Educational buildings
Air quality around schools: Part I - Air quality around schools: Part I - A comprehensive literature review across high-income countries comprehensive literature review across high-income countries
Osborne
Many of the included studies focused on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) both in the coarse and fine fraction, around schools across a range of countries. . Some studies also observed ozone (O3) and volatile organic chemicals (…
Keywords: Outdoor air pollution, School, Children, Exposure, Commuting
The effect of natural ventilation strategy on indoor air quality in schools
Stabile
Results revealed that the airing strategy differently affect several pollutants detected indoors depending on their size, origin and dynamics. Longer airing periods may result in reduced indoor CO2 concentrations and, similarly, other gaseous indoor…
Keywords: School, Exposure, Particles, Airing strategy, Carbon dioxide (CO2), Ultrafine particles, Ventilation
Assessing indoor air quality of school environments: transplanted lichen Pseudovernia furfuracea as a new tool for biomonitoring and bioaccumulation
Protano
The results demonstrated that transplanted lichen P. furfuracea is a suitable biomonitoring tool for metals and PAHs in indoor settings and can discriminate between different levels of air pollution related to urbanization and indoor conditions,…
Keywords: Indoor air quality, School, Heavy metals, Persistent organic pollutants, Biomonitoring, Lichen
Indoor environmental quality in naturally ventilated schools ofa dusty region: Excess health risks and effect of heating and desert dust transport
Sahin
The median CO2 concentration was measured to be >1000 ppm in all seasons/schools. Temperature and RH fell out of the comfort zone in October-December, during which pollutant concentrations were considerably increased, specifically in November,…
Keywords: Dust transport, Excess risk, Indoor air quality, Indoor environmental quality, Particulate matter (PM), Primary schools
Indoor exposure levels of ammonia in residences, schools, and offices in China from 1980 to 2019: A systematic review
Sun, Chanjuan
The results illustrated that the median concentration of indoor air
ammonia in residences, offices, and school buildings was 0.21
mg/m3, 0.26mg/m3, and 0.15mg/m3. There were 46.4%, 71.4%, and 40% of these samples exceeding the NH3…
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