by Sara Greenwood

You know that unbearable feeling of being trapped in a crowded elevator or bus? Not knowing how near or how far you are to your destination; breathing in hot, stuffy air and yearning for relief? Now imagine that poor air quality in a classroom of some 30 students demanding the teacher’s attention. It would make it nearly impossible for students to concentrate on multiplication tables or the War of 1812.

Unfortunately, many schools across the nation are plagued by poor indoor air quality resulting from inadequate ventilation and pollutants. Not only does it create an unbearable learning environment, it also can have lasting effects on children’s health. A recent study that was published in the New York Times, found that one of every four children in central Harlem has asthma, which is double the rate researchers expected to find. This is one of the highest rates ever documented for an American neighborhood.

The quality of school facilities contributes directly to the well being of students and staff. It is for this reason that the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) was established in California to facilitate the design of high performance schools: environments that are not only energy efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit and contain the amenities needed for a quality education. CHPS has created a set of design guidelines to build environmentally sustainable schools.

Children are especially vulnerable to respiratory hazards that may cause illness because of their size, rapid development and metabolic rates, and their behavior, making it vital to monitor and protect indoor air quality in schools. Through the efforts of CHPS, supported by scientific studies like the one presented below, children in our nation’s schools will hopefully begin breathing a little easier.

To learn more about the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, or to attend a CHPS Event, please go to: www.chps.net . Nearly 6.2 million children, teachers and administrators (in California alone) spend their day inside a school, both the design and interest to build a high performance school is growing.

Additional DesignShare Sponsors & Collaborators:

Fielding/Nair International
Planning innovative learning communities.

The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
Information on planning, designing, financing, building, and maintaining school buildings..

Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
Training and resources on high-performance school procurement and design.

BuildingGreen Inc
Authoritative information on green building design & construction.

C/S Group
The global innovator in architectural specialty products for 50 years.

School Construction News
The newspaper for the school construction industry.