Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality in Schools

Overview In the 1998-99 school year, U.S. K-12 public schools provided instruction to over 46 million students. An estimated 70% of all school buildings have indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, leading to an unhealthy environment. Because children breathe a greater volume of air relative to their body weight compared to adults, they may be more sensitive to indoor air pollution. Additionally, occupants of school buildings are close together, with approximately four times the occupant density in schools compared to office buildings. A 1995 GAO study reports that ventilation, indoor air quality, temperature (heating and cooling), and lighting are among the leading unsatisfactory environmental conditions in school buildings. Because mounting evidence indicates that the quality of a school’s physical environment affects educational achievement, increased attention to both energy efficiency upgrades and indoor air quality in schools could provide significant benefits.