University of California – Davis. (2019, November 5). Are students getting enough air? Many California classrooms don’t have sufficient ventilation. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 6, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191105152650.htm 

 

Approximately 85 percent of HVAC systems installed recently into K-12 classrooms in California have been found to not provide adequate ventilation according to a study done by UC Davis. 104 classrooms in 11 different schools were visited for this investigation. The improper installment of any air conditioning system can cause damage to student health and learning. These systems help air out indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde. This toxin comes from building materials, finishes, and furniture. 

 

There are certain rules and expectations for ventilation systems, which require for there to be a balance between indoor air quality and energy efficiency. These rules have been set by ASHRAE, a global professional society which creates standards for building property. Their standards are similar to that of the 2016 building energy efficiency standards put into place in California, called Title 24. Each classroom is required to have a ventilation system that functions at a rate of 15 cubic feet per minute per person. Without these systems, the classrooms have higher temperatures which led to 60% of students calling it an extreme distraction. From this article, I was really satisfied with how they included solutions to help prevent ventilation issues.