CLASSROOM AIR QUALITY STILL PRIORITY
Schools must not ignore existing regulation, despite uncertainty over BSF

As Trevor Palmer, managing director at field controls and peripherals expert, Sontay, points out, school facilities staff must not lose sight of the importance of controlling CO2 levels within classrooms, during the period of political uncertainty surrounding school building regulations:

The change at Westminster brings increasing speculation over the future of the Building Schools for the Future programme and, with George Osborne’s emergency budget set to take hold, many pundits are predicting the scheme to fall foul of the government’s impending austerity package. However, it stands that the existing Building Bulletin 101 (BB101) directive, which provides the regulatory framework in support of Building Regulations for the adequate provision of ventilation in schools, remains on the statute book and it is vital that CO2 levels continue to be monitored, regardless of whether planned overall refurbishment packages are cancelled.

The importance of good ventilation and fresh air quality in the classroom cannot be understated. With the initial implementation of BSF, the Zero Carbon Taskforce was established, to steer schools to a zero carbon existence by 2016. However, as well as the drive to reduce emissions, BB101 specified that a safe CO2 level in the classroom of 1,500 parts per million, must be maintained, in order to avoid adverse health effects and an impact on the learning performance of pupils.

Recent research published by the University of Reading and UCL demonstrated that a move towards airtightness, in order to reduce heat loss, had a staggeringly adverse effect on levels of CO2. Previous European studies on air quality, conducted in the late 90s, in which 800 students completed health symptom questionnaires while a computer-based programme scored their ability to concentrate, at the same time measuring CO2 levels in the classrooms, found that high CO2 levels were strongly related to student health symptoms and performance. This research was supplemented by the Technical University of Denmark which, in 2005, found that, by improving classroom ventilation in a Danish school, the performance of work by children could be substantially enhanced.

Effective monitoring
The evidence of these studies on air quality, supported by additional CABE findings in the UK, led to school design quickly moving to incorporate wider ranges of HVAC technology, such as on-demand ventilation. To achieve optimum results, though, on-demand ventilation has to be paired with effective monitoring of CO2 levels and this is an area in which Sontay has conducted a great deal of product development, culminating in the launch of the GS-CO2 range of CO2, temperature and humidity monitoring devices.

Offering full BB101 compliance, today’s sensors combine ease of operation with real-time monitoring and the ability to adjust ppm CO2 levels instantly – key to their successful and efficient application in the day to day running of schools. For example, Sontay’s range of sensors allow teaching staff to accurately monitor air quality and make adjustments without leaving the classroom and without the intervention of either maintenance staff or a central monitoring system – significantly increasing efficiency in operation.

Instant control
This user-friendly approach to air quality control is achieved through features such as easy to read, LCD CO2 concentration indicators, changing colour depending on the surrounding environment, and, with Sontay’s system, a unique ABC continuous calibration algorithm that adjusts an NDIR infrared sensor to accommodate for drift prevalent in other sensor types. Should readings warrant adjustment of the ventilation system, instant and accurate control is at the fingertips of teaching staff, via a simple wall-mounted or desktop control interface.

Crucially, from a maintenance perspective, the automatic calibration element of these modern sensors takes away the need for manual adjustment and, in larger school or university complexes, optional communication devices allow connection via Modbus protocol to the building’s central BMS, for added overall efficiency.

Overall efficiency
This advance in building controls technology has brought about significant advance in both the efficiency of air quality control systems for educational buildings and also in helping to create a productive and energy efficient academic environment – an element of school building management that continues to be a priority in these changing political times, with the guidelines of BB101 remaining a constant.

Sontay products and control solutions are designed to help improve building management system performance, reduce energy and maintenance costs and increase occupant comfort levels. For further information on the Sontay product range, contact sales@sontay.com.