London Mayor to install air purifiers in schools to combat pollutionStudy shows air purifiers and open windows improve classroom air quality

A recent study from the University of Surrey suggests that using air purifiers in classrooms during the school day and opening windows after hours can significantly improve air quality. The research, conducted by Nidhi Rawat from the Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), found that this combination was effective in reducing pollution levels.

In England, a staggering 7,800 schools are located in areas where air pollution exceeds the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). This prompted the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to announce the installation of air purifiers in 200 schools last month.

According to Rawat, “alternating the use of air purifiers and scheduled window openings is an effective way to clean up the air in classrooms.” However, she also acknowledged that this approach may not be practical or comfortable all the time. Therefore, a tailored solution is recommended, taking into account the specific characteristics and location of each classroom.

To test the effectiveness of this method, scientists monitored pollution levels in two classrooms at an infant school in Guildford, UK. One classroom was located just 10 meters away from the A3 road, which sees a daily traffic of 31,000 cars. The other classroom was on the opposite side of the building.

The results showed that the greatest improvements in air quality were seen when air purifiers were used in combination with scheduled window openings. In the classroom closest to the road, coarse particle pollution decreased by 18%, while in the other classroom it decreased by 36%. Similarly, carbon dioxide levels decreased by 28% and 11% respectively.

On the other hand, opening windows without using air purifiers resulted in smaller improvements in air quality. Professor Prashant Kumar, director of GCARE, explained that “our study can help policymakers decide when and how to best use air purifiers and window openings in classrooms.” He also emphasized the global importance of this issue, stating that millions of children worldwide are exposed to poor air quality while they learn.

The findings of this study have been published in the Journal of Building Engineering. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the development of strategies to make classrooms safer and promote the health of students.

Alton Shaffer
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