School IEQ: Components of an IEQ Program, Common Issues to Avoid, and the Greening of your facility

Transcription

1 School IEQ: Components of an IEQ Program, Common Issues to Avoid, and the Greening of your facility Luke Gard Center for Environmental Health Children s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

2 Current Educational Facility Stock 53,000,000 children spend 70% of their day in ~120,000 schools 31% built before WW II 43% built from ~ ~6000 new schools expected to be built in the next 5 years.

3 Sufficient data to show a significant relationship between indoor environmental quality* and: Student and staff health Attendance Academic performance General cognitive ability *Multiple references

4 Student success in the classroom has been shown to be related to / influenced by*: Temperature Ventilation adequacy Relative humidity Carbon dioxide levels Amount of daylight Presence of noise Indoor pollutants *Multiple references

5 A 1995 US GAO Report of Unsatisfactory and Very Unsatisfactory Environmental Conditions in Schools School Facilities: Condition of America s Schools. U.S. General Accounting Office, Washington, DC, GAO/HEHS 95-61

6 In 2000, U.S. Dept of Ed. Report - 25% of U.S. schools need extensive repair or replacement of one or more buildings, and ~40% of schools report at least one environmental problem U.S. Dept of Ed. Report - virtually nothing had changed. Mendell, Mark and Heath, Garvin, A Summary of Scientific Findings on Adverse Effects of Indoor Environment on Student s Health, Academic Performance and Attendance, U.S. Department of Education, April 2004, LBNL

7 Background Information In 2000, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental threats to public health and one of largest remaining health risks in the United States.

8 Additional Information Also in 2000, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology noted that about 50% of illnesses are either caused or aggravated by poor indoor air quality (IAQ).

9 1995- EPA created the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit to provide schools and school districts with resource materials to implement an IAQ Program.

10 U.S. EPA Envisioning Excellence and the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management: Six Key Drivers. The 8th Annual IAQ TfS Symposium, Washington, DC, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

11 2006 EPA report- Good News- 42% of schools nationwide have some type of IAQ management program in place. But, this means 58% of schools and approximately 30 million students attend schools with no IAQ management plan in place. Moglia, Dena, Alisa Smith, David L. MacIntosh, and Jennifer L. Somers, Prevalence and Implementation of IAQ Programs in U.S. Schools, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 114(1) 141-6, 2006.

12 2007 School Health Report from CDC One third (35.4%) of school districts had IAQ Plan Only half (51.4%) of the schools had an IAQ Management Program. Of the schools that had a program, 85% of them based their program on the EPA TfS program. Only 20% of states required districts or schools to have an IAQ Program Jones, Sherry Everett, PhD, MPH, JD, Robert Axelrad, Wendy A. Wattigney, M.Stat., Healthy and Safe School Environment, Part II, Physical School Environment: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006 Journal of School Health, Vol. 77(8) October 2007.

13 In early 2010, EPA website correlating IAQ with student performance

14 Goal of EPA Tools for Schools Kit is to create a proactive rather than reactive philosophy of school IEQ management. It shows that the school district administration is making a good faith effort to work on a process and create a communication system for identifying and resolving common issues found in their school facilities.

15 Reasons school districts try and fail to implement effective, sustainable IAQ management plans? Many districts feel overwhelmed when trying to create an IAQ program where none existed previously Once implemented, sustainability is a challenge interest wanes after an issue has been resolved time and budget constraints make it more difficult sustain activities often times the champion of the program pursues opportunities elsewhere

16 Schools Face Inherent Challenges: Schools represent the most densely occupied buildings we use Constant focus on educational needs; new programs, curriculum and instruction that require additional resources Budget dollars for regular maintenance and renovation of school buildings have been forced to a low priority.

17 Creating an Indoor Air Quality program should include: Administrative/management activities Evaluation of existing activities and structure Training of staff Facility Assessments w/ building-level team Tracking and Surveillance (document ROI) Publicize activities and results

18 Administrative/Management Activities: Identify high-level champion within the district Creation and integration of organizational structure (as part of other structures) Creation and integration of lines of communication and/or chain-ofcommand Establish district-level and buildinglevel teams

19 Get Everyone Involved District SHS Teams should include a board members, teacher representatives, and parents, and you? Building SHS Teams should include the principal, nurse, lead custodian, teacher representatives and district administrators. Recommend including as part of Health and Wellness programs

20 Begin by evaluating your district s policies and procedures: Assess health and wellness initiatives Establish routine maintenance and custodial activities and schedules Evaluate pest control strategies and activities Search for safer cleaning products and more effective custodial techniques Review waste management and recycling Assess presence of idling vehicles Evaluate Chemical Management, Safety, and Chemical Disposal plans

21 Create and include training opportunities for: Asthma education and training for nurses, coaches, teachers and students Education and training for maintenance and custodial staff Staff education and training in regards to occupancy-related issues Basic education and training for district-level and building-level teams

22 Teaching Teams How Buildings Work

23 Teach Staff to understand: The Four Main Factors That Affect School Indoor Environmental Health are: Contaminant sources Contaminant pathways Ventilation The health and medical history of the occupants

24 Teams Should Know the Basics What contaminants turn good indoor environments bad? Moisture Dust Bioaerosols Chemicals Allergens Gases Fumes

25 Building Assessments

26 Air Flow and Ventilation

27 Allergens and Dust

28 Is this Cluttered?

29 How about this?

30 What about this space?

31 Moisture Control

32 Chemical Exposure

33 Safety and Injury Prevention

34 The Learning Environment

35 Exterior Issues

36 The Most Common Problems Leading to Poor IEQ we ve observed: Poor occupancy practices. Poor maintenance & custodial practices. Inadequate design and/or maintenance of HVAC. A shortage of fresh air. Lack of humidity control.

37 So we created

38 Don t Forget To Track changes/improvements and correlate to reduced operating costs, reductions in clinic visits and absenteeism, and improvements in test scores Publicize all air quality-related activities and outcomes and include stakeholders and general public in communication process

39 Just Do Something If starting an IEQ Program seems daunting, and you don t know where to begin just take the first step, start somewhere. Look for and change stained ceiling tiles in the facility Start using safer/greener chemicals Replace old vacuums with HEPA-equipped vacuums Begin using micro fiber cloths for cleaning Replace old light bulbs with CFL s Replace old light fixtures and ballasts when they fail Start a recycling program Once you take the first step, the process has already begun!

40 Going Green Simply put, this involves minimizing one s impact on the planet

41 Going Green in Existing Schools This involves making changes or improvements to the facility that help create safe, healthier, and more efficient learning environments, while reducing the impact of the facility on the planet

42 Going Green in Existing Schools Things to consider regarding new products during the decision-making process: Hazards, if any (reduction of hazards) Environmental impact of manufacturing the product Estimated lifespan of the product Maintenance and care issues Cost

43 Going Green in Existing Schools These changes and improvements can take place during: Ordering and Purchasing process Renovations Repairs Routine Maintenance Custodial Practices and Procedures Waste disposal and recycling

44 Ordering and Purchasing Process Research the possibilities to determine what can: be used as an alternative to existing products reduce or eliminate environmental concerns reduce time and money associated with maintenance and custodial activities reduce energy use (Energy STAR)

45 Energy STAR rating and available products Energy STAR rating was developed by the EPA as a way of identifying products that meet certain energy efficiency standards. Energy STAR ratings apply to: HVAC systems, fixtures and lights Computers, printers, copiers and other office equipment Kitchen appliances Audio/visual equipment

46 Renovations Green improvements that should be considered during the renovation process: Building Products Wall construction, roofing materials, doors, and windows Mechanical Systems HVAC systems (Energy STAR) Plumbing systems water conservation Finishes and furnishings Paints, sealants, flooring materials, and furnishings

47 Repairs Maintenance makes repairs to systems and equipment within district facilities. Often times, items will need to be replaced because they simply cannot be repaired. This provides the custodial and maintenance staff the opportunity to replace inefficient, outdated, and potentially hazardous items with ones that are more efficient, up-to-date, and items that maybe safer and healthier for occupants of the facility.

48 Routine Maintenance Routine maintenance provides another good opportunity for green substitutes to be made within the facility, including: changing out old or expired light bulbs for CFL s using low VOC paints, caulks, and sealants installing automatic sensors on facility lighting to reduce energy costs installing automatic sensors on sinks, toilets, and urinals to reduce water usage installing higher efficiency furnace filters to help reduce dust, allergens, and other contaminants to improve IAQ within the occupied spaces of the facility

49 Custodial Practices and Procedures Custodians play the most important role in maintaining safe and healthy conditions within the facility. Custodial activities include: Cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces, generally using chemical applications Maintaining the floors Hard surfaces require sweeping, mopping, and waxing (sometimes vacuuming) Carpeted surfaces require routine vacuuming and cleaning Dusting

50 Green Custodial Practices and Procedures Green cleaning chemicals are an alternative to standard products that can cause harm to both the environment and health. Green chemicals are generally produced using natural alternatives rather than the hazardous components commonly used in most commercial cleaning products. This helps minimize or eliminate student and staff exposure to potentially hazardous cleaning chemicals. Custodial and janitorial staff have exhibited some of the highest rates of asthma and other chronic respiratory issues in an occupational setting, as a result of repeated exposures to standard commercial cleaning products.

51 Green Custodial Practices and Procedures Routine floor cleaning is critical in maintaining reduced levels of particulates within the occupied spaces. For hard, resilient floor surfaces Micro fiber dust mops are very effective at collecting and holding on to dust and debris Green chemicals aren t as harsh as standard commercial cleaning products, which may extend the life of surface finishes For carpets and area rugs HEPA-equipped vacuums help reduce the dust and allergen load in carpeted and upholstered surfaces, which can help minimize or eliminate symptoms in sensitive individuals Vacuums equipped with HEPA filtration also capture particulates and keep them from being re-introduced into the occupied spaces and ultimately settling on surfaces. These surfaces then require less frequent dusting.

52 Sometimes you just have to be creative!

53 Waste Disposal Waste disposal is critical in the school facilities because of the variety of activities that take place in schools and the unique waste streams that are generated. Be sure to reference state and federal guidelines to ensure district is in compliance. Waste streams in science classrooms (Rehab the Lab) Art and graphic art classrooms Print shops and darkrooms Waste streams from maintenance and facilities Mercury containing devices Computers Kitchen and food service waste

54 Recycling Programs There are a number of items that could be recycled, rather than disposed of, including: Newspapers and office paper Aluminum cans Plastic bottles Composting of food waste Old florescent light bulbs and the newer CFL s, which contain trace amounts of mercury Old computers, office equipment, and even older office and classroom furniture can be donated to organizations in need, rather than throwing these items away Students, science classes, and even the PTA could all become involved in creating and operating recycling programs within respective facilities

55 If you have questions or need help getting started, don t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you! Luke Gard Safe and Healthy Schools Program Coordinator Center for Environmental Health Children s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics lcgard@cmh.edu