Modine Manufacturing Company, a pioneer in technology in the HVAC industry, is dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ) in K-12 schools.
As part of that commitment, the company has developed a resource to help school facility managers discover and address their school’s IAQ needs. The IAQ Action Plan template was developed to help facility managers answer the White House’s Clean Indoor Air in Buildings challenge.
Importance of IAQ
“The COVID-19 pandemic created a challenging atmosphere for schools over the past few years, but it also created much-needed conversations regarding the importance of IAQ inside K-12 facilities,” said Kimberly Raduenz, Manager of Strategic Marketing for the IAQ division at Modine.
She adds, “COVID isn’t the only airborne pathogen that can negatively affect students and faculty. Flu, cold viruses, and even VOCs can be problematic for students or staff with health problems.”
IAQ Action Plan
Our IAQ Action Plan template gives facility and maintenance managers across the U.S. a simple tool to improve IAQ"
Kimberly Raduenz continues, “At Modine, our goal is to guide to assist schools in improving their IAQ to ensure students get the best learning experience possible. Students strive when IAQ is at a high level. In light of the White House’s challenge, our IAQ Action Plan template gives facility and maintenance managers across the U.S. a simple tool to improve indoor air quality.”
She further said, “From addressing your HVAC system’s baseline to determining if you need to alter airflow, this free template can be the catalyst for enhancing air quality and providing students with a safe learning environment.”
Improving IAQ
The Clean Indoor Air in Buildings challenge, presented by the White House, was launched to improve IAQ in buildings while reducing the risk of airborne pathogens such as viruses. Steps to improve IAQ were provided by the challenge fact sheet and include:
- Determine the HVAC system’s baseline.
- Assess ventilation, filtration, and air cleaning.
- Implement IAQ assessment approaches.
- Verify or measure air delivery for each room or space.
- Determine if users need to alter airflow in higher-risk areas of the building.
- Plan for regular maintenance.
- Ensure in-house IAQ experts receive ongoing education and training.