Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Healthy indoor environments influence the comfort, health and wellbeing of the occupants. Monitoring the indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO<sub>2</sub> levels in primary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic was mandated by a local authority in Scotland. The aim was to investiga...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Pollutants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4672/2/2/14 |
| _version_ | 1797483068456435712 |
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| author | Natalie Bain-Reguis Andrew Smith Caroline Hollins Martin John Currie |
| author_facet | Natalie Bain-Reguis Andrew Smith Caroline Hollins Martin John Currie |
| author_sort | Natalie Bain-Reguis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Healthy indoor environments influence the comfort, health and wellbeing of the occupants. Monitoring the indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO<sub>2</sub> levels in primary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic was mandated by a local authority in Scotland. The aim was to investigate the comfort and safety of the teachers and their pupils. This paper presents the measurements of indoor climate in 20 classrooms in four different primary schools in Scotland. The schools were of different architypes. The classrooms were of different sizes, orientations and occupancy, and had different ventilation systems. Ventilation was achieved either by manually opening the windows, or by a mechanical ventilation system. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were continuously monitored for one week during the heating season 2020/21. Occupancy and opening of the windows were logged in by the teachers. The ventilation rates in the classrooms were estimated by measuring the CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations. On the 20 classrooms of the study, data of 19 were analysed. The results show that four of the five mechanically ventilated classrooms performed better than natural ventilation, which indicates that opening the windows depended on the customs and habits. Classrooms in naturally ventilated Victorian buildings have the worst average ventilation rate (4.38 L/s per person) compared to the other classrooms (5.8 L/s per person for the more recent naturally ventilated ones, and 6.08 L/s per person for the mechanically ventilated ones). The results of this preliminary study will be used as the basis to find ways to ensure adequate ventilation in natural ventilated classrooms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:42:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64ca00c83a554904b317f5b5f031e103 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4672 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:42:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pollutants |
| spelling | doaj.art-64ca00c83a554904b317f5b5f031e1032023-11-23T18:35:42ZengMDPI AGPollutants2673-46722022-05-012218020410.3390/pollutants2020014Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 PandemicNatalie Bain-Reguis0Andrew Smith1Caroline Hollins Martin2John Currie3School of Engineering and the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UKSchool of Engineering and the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UKSchool of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH11 4BN, UKSchool of Engineering and the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UKHealthy indoor environments influence the comfort, health and wellbeing of the occupants. Monitoring the indoor temperature, relative humidity and CO<sub>2</sub> levels in primary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic was mandated by a local authority in Scotland. The aim was to investigate the comfort and safety of the teachers and their pupils. This paper presents the measurements of indoor climate in 20 classrooms in four different primary schools in Scotland. The schools were of different architypes. The classrooms were of different sizes, orientations and occupancy, and had different ventilation systems. Ventilation was achieved either by manually opening the windows, or by a mechanical ventilation system. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) concentrations were continuously monitored for one week during the heating season 2020/21. Occupancy and opening of the windows were logged in by the teachers. The ventilation rates in the classrooms were estimated by measuring the CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations. On the 20 classrooms of the study, data of 19 were analysed. The results show that four of the five mechanically ventilated classrooms performed better than natural ventilation, which indicates that opening the windows depended on the customs and habits. Classrooms in naturally ventilated Victorian buildings have the worst average ventilation rate (4.38 L/s per person) compared to the other classrooms (5.8 L/s per person for the more recent naturally ventilated ones, and 6.08 L/s per person for the mechanically ventilated ones). The results of this preliminary study will be used as the basis to find ways to ensure adequate ventilation in natural ventilated classrooms.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4672/2/2/14schoolclassroomventilation system typeindoor temperaturerelative humiditycarbon dioxide |
| spellingShingle | Natalie Bain-Reguis Andrew Smith Caroline Hollins Martin John Currie Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic Pollutants school classroom ventilation system type indoor temperature relative humidity carbon dioxide |
| title | Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full | Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_short | Indoor CO<sub>2</sub> and Thermal Conditions in Twenty Scottish Primary School Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
| title_sort | indoor co sub 2 sub and thermal conditions in twenty scottish primary school classrooms with different ventilation systems during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | school classroom ventilation system type indoor temperature relative humidity carbon dioxide |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4672/2/2/14 |
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