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 51 - 60 of 585 | Export entire research library
A one-school year longitudinal study of secondary school teachers' voice parameters and the influence of classroom acoustics
Calosso, Giulia
Longitudinal study of 31 teachers in Italy linked voice use over a school year with classroom acoustics. Higher noise and reverberation time predicted increased vocal effort and sound pressure level, indicating occupational vocal strain risk.
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Teachers' voicing and silence periods during continuous speech in classrooms with different reverberation times
Bottalico, Pasquale
Study of 22 elementary teachers showed longer voicing and silence periods in classrooms with high reverberation time. Teachers in rooms with RT > 0.90 s showed greater vocal load, suggesting reverberant acoustics may affect vocal behavior.
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The effects of acoustical refurbishment of classrooms on teachers’ perceived noise exposure and noise‑related health symptoms
Kristiansen, Jesper
Intervention study in 2 schools measured RT, activity noise, and surveyed 102 teachers. Acoustic upgrades reduced noise exposure and equipment disturbance.
Keywords: Classroom acoustics, Well-being, Intervention, Acoustical working environment, Noise exposure, Extra-auditory effects of noise exposure
Noise exposure among teachers in technology educational shops in selected British Columbia, Canada, high schools
Summan, Ahmed Saleh
Study monitored 17 high school technology education shop teachers’ noise exposure using dosimeters. Nearly 60% exceeded safe levels. Results support improved engineering controls and policies to reduce occupational risk and enhance learning…
Keywords: Noise, Occupational exposure, teacher's exposure to noise, Technology educational shops
Out of the noise: Effects of sound environment on maths performance in middle-school students
Caviola, Sara
Mental calculation tasks under traffic/classroom noise vs. quiet were tested in 162 middle-school students. Noise effects varied by age and task complexity, with younger students most impaired. Findings support better acoustic design for equitable…
Keywords: Classroom acoustics, Noise, Children, Math, Achievement, Task difficulty
A critical review on occupant behaviour modelling for building performance simulation of naturally ventilated school buildings and potential changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Franceschini, Paula Brumer
This critical review analyzes methods used to model occupant behavior in naturally ventilated schools. It highlights gaps in simulation assumptions and how COVID-19 may shift window use patterns, underscoring the need to refine models for realistic…
Keywords: Occupant behavior, Behavior model, Building performance simulation, School buildings, Natural ventilation, COVID-19
Voice symptoms in teachers during distance teaching: a survey during the COVID‑19 pandemic in Finland
Patjas, M.
Surveyed 121 Finnish teachers on voice symptoms before and during COVID-19 distance teaching. Symptoms were reduced overall, but worsened for teachers with poor room acoustics, dryness, and noise, suggesting environmental risk factors in home…
Keywords: Voice, Teacher, Voice symptoms, Distance learning, COVID-19, Background noise, Air quality, Work ability
Understanding teachers' experiences of ventilation in California K-12 classrooms and implications for supporting safe operation of schools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sanguinetti, Angela
Surveyed 84 teachers in 11 California schools and paired results with IEQ monitoring; found teachers misunderstood ventilation systems and could not reliably perceive under-ventilation, highlighting the need for CO₂ monitoring and staff training to…
Keywords: Air quality, Classrooms, Occupant perceptions, Thermal comfort
School Indoor Air Quality and Health Risk on the Junior High Schools Students in Depok, Indonesia
Pakpahan, Sasnila
Air quality (PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, CO₂, HCHO) was assessed in 3 Indonesian junior high schools; PM exceeded safe levels, posing health risks. Policy implications include improved school air quality monitoring.
Keywords: Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), Respirable particulate matter (PM 10), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Formaldehyde, School health
Indoor PM2.5 concentrations and students’ behavior in primary school classrooms
Zhou, Yuhe
Indoor PM2.5 was monitored in primary classrooms in North China for one year. Symbolic regression models quantified the effect of student behavior on pollution spikes. Findings support managing activity patterns to reduce PM2.5 exposure in schools.
Keywords: Indoor PM2.5, Symbolic regression, Student behavior