Published Research on IAQ

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Effects of Classroom Ventilation Rate and Temperature on Students’ Test Scores

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.

Haverinen-Shaughnessy, U., & Shaughnessy, R. J. (2015). Effects of classroom ventilation rate and temperature on students’ test scores. PloS one, 10(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136165 

The ventilation problem in schools: literature review

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.

Fisk, W. J. (2017). The ventilation problem in schools: literature review. Indoor air, 27(6), 1039-1051. https://doi.org/10.1111/ina.12403

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Is CO2 an Indoor Pollutant? Direct Effects of Low-to-Moderate CO2 Concentrations on Human Decision-Making Performance

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.

Satish, U., Mendell, M. J., Shekhar, K., Hotchi, T., Sullivan, D., Streufert, S., & Fisk, W. J.(2012). Is CO2 an indoor pollutant? Direct effects of low-to-moderate CO2 concentrations on human decision-making performance. Environmental Health Perspectives, 120(12). https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104789 

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The Relationships Between Classroom Air Quality and Children’s Performance in School

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.  

Wargocki, P., Porras-Salazar, J. A., Contreras-Espinoza, S., & Bahnfleth, W. (2020). The relationships between classroom air quality and children’s performance in school. Building and Environment, 173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106749