Data Sample: 70 elementary schools in a district in Southwestern USA in 2008-2009 school year

IAQ Measure(s): temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide

Other Data: teacher data (e.g., highest degree), student data (e.g., ethnicity, absenteeism, etc.), student performance data from state assessments (math, reading, science)

Measuring Device(s): TSI QTrak Monitors

Findings: Increase in ventilation rates (+1 L/s, in range of 0.9-7.1 L/s) and more comfortable temperatures (-1 ℃, in range 20-25 ℃) statistically increased student math scores. Similar magnitude effects were shown for reading and science scores, but with more variability.

A review of papers on ventilation rates and carbon dioxide concentrtations in schools. The review found that 8 of 11 studies showed statistically significant increased student performance on some measures of student performance with improved ventilation or lowered carbon dioxide levels.

Data Sample: 22 adult particpants in an office-like experimental environment

IAQ Measure(s): Carbon dioxide

Other Data: computer-based test of decision making, questionnaires on health symptoms and percieved air quality

Measuring Device(s): unspecified environmental monitors

Findings: Increased concentration of carbon dioxide relative to 600ppm led to moderate to larg statistically significant declines in up to 7 of 9 scales of decision making performance.

Literature review of studies of IAQ in K-12 classrooms published between 1996 and 2015. According to the authors of this review, an analysis of findings of these studies show that a reduction in classroom CO2 could have an increase in student performance and a reduction in absenteeism.