A recently released White House Fact Sheet, Back to School 2022: Giving Every School the Tools to Prevent COVID-19 Spread and Stay Safely Open All Year Long, cites improving indoor air quality across America’s school buildings through effective ventilation and filtration as an important part of COVID-19 prevention.
Proper ventilation and indoor air quality
In addition to other layered prevention strategies, taking action to improve indoor air quality can also reduce the risk of exposure to particles, aerosols, and other contaminants, and improve the health of building occupants.
Proper ventilation and good indoor air quality have also been shown to improve school students’ academic performance.
HVAC systems
Greenheck offers ventilation products for educational facilities for a safe and comfortable environment
Greenheck is in a unique position to support school districts seeking to improve their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in their buildings.
A manufacturer of ventilation systems for commercial and institutional buildings, Greenheck offers a complete line of ventilation products for educational facilities that create a safe, comfortable, and productive environment for students and staff while keeping operating and installation costs low.
Dedicated outdoor air systems
Of particular benefit to school facilities, Greenheck’s dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) with energy recovery provide an energy-efficient solution to bring fresh outdoor air into a building, helping to cool in the summer and heat in the winter.
Energy recovery ventilators help reduce energy costs and improve indoor humidity levels by capturing energy (heat) from exhausted air to precondition (warm or cool) air before bringing it back into the building.
Performance parameters
A member of Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International, Greenheck products undergo stringent testing to adhere to the performance standards of the AMCA Certified Ratings Program ensuring products perform as specified.
AMCA offers certification for 18 performance parameters, including air performance, sound, fan energy index (FEI), and leakage.
Failing to meet ventilation requirements
American Rescue Plan and other federal dollars may be used to make indoor air quality improvements
A vast majority of school buildings in the U.S. are 20 to 50 years old and fail to meet current ventilation requirements. Likewise, many newer buildings also have technologically outdated HVAC systems or do not meet current codes.
The Fact Sheet goes on to explain the American Rescue Plan and other federal dollars may be used to make indoor air quality improvements and the White House will continue to provide support to schools to help in making these improvements including connecting schools with experts to provide support for indoor air quality.
improve ventilation rates
In addition to helping schools plan and implement indoor air quality improvements, including through the use of federal funds, the sheet also encourages connecting schools with experts to provide support for indoor air quality.
“Greenheck continues to work with school administrators, educating them on the importance of indoor air quality and solutions to improve ventilation rates and bring more fresh outdoor air into our schools,” said Mike Wolf, P.E., Greenheck director of regulatory business development.
cost-effective way
“Ventilation is a necessity and we need to shift the narrative from indoor air quality to indoor air safety. Moving fresh, outside air in and cycling that fresh air in a room is the quickest and most cost-effective way to remove the majority of harmful pollutants in the air.”
“Additionally, it’s the only effective way to mitigate carbon dioxide levels, especially in large gathering areas holding a lot of people such as school gymnasiums and auditoriums.” Greenheck and its nationwide network of manufacturer’s representatives are ready to help schools plan and implement energy-saving indoor air quality improvements.
