The Importance of Clean Air in Classrooms

The Importance of IAQ
The Need for Clean Air in Classrooms
Gerald (Jerry) Lamping
Director for IAQ (Retired)
Green Classroom Professional USGBC
June 25, 2014
Boerne, Texas

What is a Green School ?
A Green School has Clean Air
Green Schools National Network
A Green School enhances student health and learning while
conserving natural resources and empowering students to
develop sustainable behaviors, enabling them to become the
stewards of the future.
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
We want all schools to be: Healthy, Comfortable, Energy
Efficient, Material Efficient, Easy to Maintain and Operate,
Commissioned, Environmentally Responsive Site, A Building
That Teaches, Safe and Secure, Community Resource,
Stimulating Architecture, and Adaptable to Changing Needs.
The U.S. Green Building Council
Green schools are healthier for students and teachers, better for
the environment, and cost less to operate and maintain.
The Environmental Protection Agency (Tools for Schools)
Green schools promote a healthy learning environment to
reduce absenteeism, improve test scores and enhance student
and staff productivity.
U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools
Green schools can help children build real-world skill sets, cut
school costs and provide healthy learning environments.

Costs for Student Absences
12% of U.S. School Children
are chronically absent and
miss 1 out of every 10 school days*
* TIME Magazine September 17, 2012 issue
One missed student day costs local
school district in TX state aid  $32
Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Rates
State wide ADA in 2009-2010 95.5%
Keller ISD ADA 97.0%
Boerne ISD ADA 96.0%
North East ISD ADA 96.1%

$$$ for Student Absences
Central Texas public schools districts
missed out on $91 million and
Bexar Co. public school districts
missed out on $642 million
in state daily attendance funding
http://missingschoolmatters.org/

EPA’s Health Effects Pyramid
Classroom air
should be at
lowest
contamination
level

Effects of airborne toxicants during
childrens’ lung development
• Exposure to toxicants during lung development has
the potential to affect the overall growth and function
of the respiratory system in infants and children and
can impact the risk for developing adult lung disease.
• Exposures during different stages of childhood may
result in different adult disease presentations
depending on the stage of maturation of the lung.
• These “windows of susceptibility” can affect the lungs
and airways and result in consequences through the
lifetime.
Soto-Martinez M and Sly PD, Chronic Respiratory Disease, 2010.
Pinkerton KE and Joad JP, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, 2006.

Health Effects of Unclean Air
• Unclean Air can commonly trigger an acute asthma
exacerbation that may be severe enough to lead to
hospitalization, and in some cases, death.
– Most common triggers include tobacco smoke, dust mites,
cockroach allergens, pets, and outdoor air pollutants such
as PM2.5, NO2, and Ozone.
– Illnesses, such as respiratory viruses (influenza, colds and
respiratory syncytial virus), sinus infections and allergies
may also cause asthma symptoms.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatric Environmental Health, 2012.
Kampa M and Castanas E, Environmental Pollution, 2008.
See also the “Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma” module in CEHN’s Pediatric Training Resource

Other health effects of Unclean Air
1. Aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease*;
2. Decreased lung function*;
3. Increased frequency and severity of respiratory symptoms*;
4. Increased susceptibility to respiratory infections*;
5. Effects on the nervous system¥
;
6. Cancer¥
;
7. Premature death ¥
American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatric Environmental Health, 2012.
Kampa M and Castanas E, Environmental Pollution, 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/3_90_022.html (Accessed 08/19/2013)
*Effects likely to occur in childhood and adulthood
¥
Effects likely to occur in adulthood, but associated with exposures in childhood

.
Better Classroom Ventilation Means Fewer Absences Association of classroom ventilation with reduced illness absence:
Mark Mendell, Ekaterina Eliseeva, Molly Davies, Michael Spears, Agnes Lobscheid, William Fisk, et al
Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB),
Indoor Environment Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
www.iaqscience.lbl.gov/sfrb.html
Research Shows the Absenteeism
Benefits of Clean Air
Desired level 1000 ppm > 7.10 l/s/p (15 cfm/p)
1 l/s of Clean Air
reduces absences by
1.6% yet most
classrooms have
unacceptable CO2
levels due to high
energy costs.

For every 1 l/s per person
increase in the Clean Air rate,
the proportion of students
passing standardized test
(i.e., scoring satisfactory or
above) is expected to increase by
2.9% (95%CI 0.9–4.8%) for math,
2.7% (0.5–4.9%) for reading.
Sources:
Dr. Richard Shaughnessy, Indoor Air Program, Uni. of Tulsa
Dr. P. Wargocki, International Centre for Indoor Environments, Uni. of Denmark
Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank (IAQ-SFRB),
Indoor Environment Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
www.iaqscience.lbl.gov/sfrb.html
Research Shows the Test Score
Benefits of Clean Air

Outside Air Is Not Always Clean
NAAQS Contaminants
Particle Matter
– PM10,
– PM2.5 ,
– UFPM,
– Nano-PM
Ozone; Hot & Sunny Days
Water Vapor in Hot and
Humid Climates
Other Gases; Sewer, Boiler
Gas, Industrial
Chemical and Biological
Threats; Pranksters
Source: ASHRAE 62.1-2007 Source: www.airnow.gov

EPA’s Air Quality Index
http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi (Accessed 08/19/2013)

“State of the Air - 2014”
Half of U.S. Live with Unclean Air
http://www.lung.org/about-us/our-impact/top-stories/state-of-the-air-2014-top-story.html
• Nearly half of the people in the United States (147.6
million) live in counties with unhealthy levels of either
ozone or particle pollution.
• More than 27.8 million people (8.9%) in the United
States live in 17 counties with unhealthful levels of all
pollutants measured in the report.
• Twenty-two of the 25 most ozone-polluted cities in the
2014 report – including Los Angeles, New York City, and
Chicago – had more high ozone days on average when
compared to the 2013 report.

Sources of Exposure
Distribution of national total emission estimates by source for
specific pollutants, 2010.
http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/2011/graphics/figure02.gif (Accessed 08/19/2013)

People Living in NAAQS Non–Attainment Areas
http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/2011/graphics/figure01.gif (Accessed 08/19/2013)

Estimated Lifetime Cancer Risks
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nata2005/ (Accessed 08/19/2013)
The National-Scale Air
Toxic Assessment
(NATA) assesses
ambient levels,
inhalation exposures,
and health risks
associated with 177
toxic air pollutants and
diesel particulate.
The figure shows the
estimated lifetime risk
for cancer across the
continental US by
census using 2005
NATA model estimates.
The national average of
cancer risk in 2005 was
50 in a million with
many urban areas and
transportation
corridors above the
national average.

AQI Values Greater than 100
Number of days on which AQI values were greater than 100 during 2002-2010 in selected cities
http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/2011/graphics/figure06.gif

One in 10 Children Attend
Schools Near Chemical Plants
• Nearly 4.6 million children in 10,000 schools are located
within a mile of a chemical facility
• The Center for Effective Government studied the EPA’s Risk
Management Program and said these chemicals can be
dangerous to the public if they are spilled, released into the air,
or are involved in an explosion.
http://tesla.foreffectivegov.org/RMPOne/bin-release/

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nata2005/
Estimated Respiratory Hazards
The National-Scale Air Toxic
Assessment (NATA) assesses
ambient levels, inhalation
exposures, and health risks
associated with 177 toxic air
pollutants and diesel
particulate. NATA estimates
risks from breathing air
toxics that are emitted from
large and small industrial
sources, and from mobile
sources such as cars, trucks
and construction equipment

Who’s in Danger
http://comingcleaninc.org/whats-new/whos-in-danger-report
More than 134 million Americans live in the
danger zones around 3,433 facilities in several
common industries that store or use highly
hazardous chemicals.

USA Today and EPA Project:
Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools
The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air and America's Schools
What might be in the air outside your school?
• The air outside 435 other schools — from Maine to California
— appears to be even worse, and the threats to the health of
students at those locations may be even greater. The 435
schools that ranked worst weren't confined to industrial centers.
Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania had the highest numbers, but
the worst schools extended from the East Coast to the West, in
170 cities across 34 states, USA TODAY found.
• At thousands of locations, the model used by USA TODAY
indicated that the air outside schools appeared far more toxic
than the air in the neighborhoods where the kids lived. At
16,500 schools, the air outside appeared at least twice as toxic
as the air at a typical location in the school district. 01/13/09
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/methodology
www.epa.gov/schoolair/index.html

Outside Air Tests Reveal Elevated Levels
of Toxics Around Schools
• Using the government's most up-to-date model
for tracking toxic chemicals, USA TODAY
spent eight months examining the impact of
industrial pollution on the air outside schools
across the nation.
• The result: a ranking of 127,800 public, private
and parochial schools based on the
concentrations and health hazards of chemicals
likely to be in the air outside.
• The potential problems that emerged were
widespread, insidious and largely unaddressed
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/smokestack/methodology
www.epa.gov/schoolair/index.html

Schools Near Major HighwaysNear-roadway Health Concerns
• Over the last decade, hundreds of studies published on the health of
populations living near major roads
– Respiratory symptoms in asthmatic children
– New onset asthma
– Cardiovascular disease
– Premature mortality
– Neurodevelopmental delays
– Birth outcomes
– Cancer
• In 2004, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended siting
schools and child care facilities away from high-traffic roadways
• This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
developed a new national public health objective for “Healthy People
2020”
– Decrease the number of new schools sited within 500 feet of a freeway
or other busy traffic corridors
Source: Traffic-Related Air Pollution: A Critical Review of the Literature on Emissions, Exposure,
and Health Effects, Special Report 17 Health Effects Institute Boston, Massachusetts

School Locations Near Major Highways
U.S. Public Schools in ‘Air Pollution Danger Zone’
• The University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have found
that more than 30 percent of American public schools are
within 400 meters, or a quarter mile, of major highways
that consistently serve as main truck and traffic routes.
• Research has shown that proximity to major highways—
and thus environmental pollutants, such as aerosolizing
diesel exhaust particles— can leave school-age children
more susceptible to respiratory diseases later in life.
Proximal exposure of public schools and students to major roadways: a nationwide US survey
Alexandra S. Appatova; Patrick H. Ryan; Grace K. LeMasters; Sergey A. Grinshpun:
Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA’
Journal of Environmental Planning and Management,51:5, 631 — 646, 01 September 2008

School Locations Near Major Highways
One recent research study
revealed a significant 24%
increase in the risk of
experiencing multiple
emergency department
contacts for asthma for every
log-unit of traffic exposure.
Another study found
pronounced deficits in attained
lung function at age 18 years
were recorded for those living
within 500 m of a freeway
Use of a total traffic count metric to investigate the impact of
roadways on asthma severity: a case-control study
Cook et al. Environmental Health 2011, 10:52
http://www.ehjournal.net/content/10/1/52
Yifang Zhu, William C Hinds, Seongheon Kim, Si Shen,
Constantinos Sioutas, Study of ultrafine particles near
a major highway with heavy-duty diesel traffic
Atmospheric Environment, Volume 36, Issue 27,
September 2002, Pages 4323-4335
http://www.epa.gov/ncer/reports/r827352C006fr.pdfEffect of exposure to traffic on lung development from 10 to 18
years of age: a cohort study
W James Gauderman et al
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PII
S0140-6736(07)60037-3/abstract

Breathing effects ones
health and ability to
learn
In one day….
take 20,000 breaths
= 35 pounds
= 3,400 gallons
= 450 cubic feet

Breathe in 20 billion particles
• Consists of
• dust and combustion particles,
• volatile organic compounds,
• irritants and toxins,
• allergens and asthmagens, and
• microbial life
• The nose traps and filters up to
70 % of these particles.
• Particles are too small to be trapped
by the nose enter the airway.
Over the course of the day…

Air particulate exposure and air pollutants exert
adverse effects directly on the lungs and heart
causing
• respiratory conditions,
• asthma symptoms,
• acute bronchitis,
• cardiovascular conditions,
• blood pressure increases
• atherosclerosis.
Calderón-Garcidueñas
Effects of Inhalation of
Airborne Contaminants
Recent research studies suggest that
inhaled ultrafine particles may be
capable of entering the brain in
children which then effects their
ability to learn

The 3 P’s of Indoor Air Quality
PEOPLE
PATHWAYS POLLUTANTS

Pathway from built environment to health effects
(adapted from Mitchell CS, Hodgson MJ, unpublished data).
Source: F. Wu, D. Jacobs, et al, Improving Indoor Environmental Quality for Public Health: Impediments and Policy Recommendations,
Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 115 June 2007
Pathways

Society of Indoor Air Quality:
Protect Against Outdoor Pollutants
William W Nazaroff, Ph.D. of UC Berkeley states that the two pollutant
classes of greatest health significance coming into the indoor air from the
outdoor air are fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone. There are mature air
filtering and air cleaning technologies available for removing both pollutant
classes from air streams. Indoor Air 2013 vol. 23
William J. Fisk of LBNL concludes that ‘the largest potential benefits of indoor
particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing
indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air’. Indoor Air 2013 Vol. 23
Charles J. Weschler, Ph.D. of EOSHI notes that a substantial proportion
(25–60%) of daily ozone intake occurs indoors and that activated carbon or
chemically impregnated filters could be used to control ozone in mechanically
ventilated buildings. Environ. Health Perspectives Vol. 114 2006

3 Ways to Provide Clean Air
into Classrooms
• Natural Ventilation Injection and Dilution
• Mechanical Ventilation Injection and Dilution
• Filtration and Air Cleaning Re-circulation

ASHRAE Standard for
Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality, 62.1
Since 1973, Standard 62 has been the
primary Clean Air and Ventilation
document:
1) reduce indoor contaminant sources
2) prescribe minimum outdoor airflow rates
for listed occupancy categories.
3) The standard allows three alternative
ventilation approaches.
Ventilation Rate Procedure (VRP)
Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP)
Natural Ventilation Procedure (NVP)

• Fan energy is required
to force outside air into
the school building
• Fan energy is required
to exhaust air from
the school building,
• Thermal energy is required
to cool, heat and dehumidify
outside to indoor comfort
conditions
• Energy Cost is about
$1.50/Cubic Feet/Minute
Source: J. Dieckmann, et al, “Air Purification to Reduce Outside Air”,
ASHRAE Journal April, 2009, pps 68-70
Ventilation with Outside Air
Energy Penalty

Filtration and Air Cleaning for
Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
Filtration and Air Cleaning (FAC) Comments
BY H.E. BARNEY BURROUGHS, PRESIDENTIAL MEMBER/FELLOW ASHRAE,
“The focus on the indoor environment and related
human health effects include
Respirable Particulates,
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and
“Toxic” Mold.”
“FAC is a mature 70+ year old technology from the prior century,
but the technology has unique and established advantages and
has proven potential to offer as the HVAC industry faces
the challenges of the second decade of the 21st century.”

ASHRAE Journal
ASHRAE Journal, vol. 55, no. 8, August 2013

ASHRAE President
2013-14
WILLIAM P. BAHNFLETH, PH.D., P.E
Presidential theme,
Shaping the Next,
focuses on creating positive change for
our world, ourselves, and our work by
setting goals, making realistic plans to
achieve them, and having the
commitment to follow them.

Shaping the Next
Indoor Air Quality
Fundamentals
“the most important aspect of what I consider
to be our fundamental obligation to strive to
provide indoor environments that are
safe,
healthy,
productive, and
comfortable while
conserving resources and the environment.”
WILLIAM P. BAHNFLETH, PH.D., P.E ASHRAE Journal, vol. 55, no. 8, August 2013

Shaping the Next
Indoor Air Quality Goal
“Perhaps most importantly,
a critical shift in thinking from
a goal of indoor environments
that are acceptable to the occupants
to
that are truly healthy and productive.”
WILLIAM P. BAHNFLETH, PH.D., P.E ASHRAE Journal, vol. 55, no. 8, August 2013

Shaping the Next
Indoor Air Quality, Future
DENNIS STANKE - staff applications engineer at
Trane - Ingersoll Rand
“In the future, architects and designers may specify
better air-cleaning devices
to remove both indoor and outdoor source
contaminants.”

Air Quality and
Current Clean Air Standards
Air Quality Standards are applied
•Outdoor Air, EPA NAAQS at www.airnow.gov
•Air Plane Cabins, ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 161-2007,
Air Quality within Commercial
Aircraft
•Computer and electronics facilities, ISO 14644 Parts 1 and 2
•Nuclear facilities, No. NS-G-2.2 Operational Limits and
Conditions and Operating Procedures for NPPs
•Pharmaceutical facilities ISO 8573-1:2010 Compressed Air
Contaminants and Purity Classes
•Commercial/Instructional facilities CO2 level 700 ppm above BG

Current USA Filtration Practice
ASHRAE 62.1-2013
MERV 8 before coil
USGBC LEED V4
MERV 11 Normal
MERV 13 Enhanced
CHPS Core Criterion
MERV 11 Normal
MERV 13 Enhanced
Only one level of particle filtration and no level
of gas phase filtration for all HVAC systems

European Union Filtration Law
3 Levels of Outside Air Quality - 4 Levels of Indoor Air Quality
Gas Phase Filters required in polluted areas for Clean Indoor air
http://www.freedom2choose.info/docs/EC_Standard_For_Ventilation.pdf

Air Filters for Particle Matter

The 3 I’s of Clean Air
that can affect health
and attendance
1. Invisible Particles
Aerosols Levels in the classroom
Airborne particles have the potential to cause allergic reactions, skin irritation, coughing,
sneezing, respiratory difficulties and circulatory system problems.
2. Irritant Gases
Ventilation Practices for the classroom
Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, body odors, and biological
contaminants are causes for occupant discomfort and poor health outcomes.
3. Infectious Microbes
Cold/Flu Virus Transmission Paths in the classroom
Bacterial and Viral respiratory tract infections, particularly of rhinoviruses, are associated
with the majority of asthma exacerbations in both children and adults.
Invisible particles + Irritants + Infections = Inflammation process

Sources of the 3 I’s
• Outside Air for Ventilation
• Toxic Gases
• Airborne Microbes
• EPA NAAQS Pollutants
• Occupants
• Acetone
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen Sulfide
• Infectious Microbes
• Building Materials & Processes
• Formaldehyde
• Total Volatile Organic
Compounds
• Asbestos and Lead
• Infiltration from open penetrations
• Atmosphere Dust
• Combustion Gases
• Airborne Microbes
• Animal borne Microbes

Clean Air Must have Low Levels of
Invisible Particles
Invisible particles

Invisible Particle Size
Relationships

• Animal dander
• Household dust
• Insect parts
• Pollen
• Pesticides
• Combustion by-products
• Microbes
• Common Reservoirs:
– Carpets, pillows,
couches, stuffed
animals
Invisible Particles In Dust

Invisible Particle Health
Effects
Source: Pope and Dockery, 2006
http://www.noaca.org/pmhealtheffects.pdf

Health Effects Of Sub Micron
Sized Particulate Matter (PM)
• Pulmonary inflammation initiating a
systemic response;
• Translocation of UFPM into the
blood circulation, leading to
interaction with endothelium and
white blood cells;
• Distribution to extra pulmonary
organs (e.g., liver, heart) thereby
inducing vascular effects and
cardiac events;
• Translocation of UFPM along
sensory neuronal pathways to the
CNS causing inflammation,
and activation of irritant receptors in
the conducting airways affecting
input to the automonic nervous
system.
Source: Assessment of Ambient UFP Health
Effects:Linking Sources to Exposure and
Responses in Extrapulmonary Organs : 2010
Grant EPA R827354, Günter Oberdörster et al,
University of Rochester; EPA PM Research Center

Research Finds That
Particle Size & Quantity Matters
• An increase in 10 micrograms per
cubic meter of indoor course particle
pollution, there is a 6 % increase in
the number of days of cough,
wheeze, or chest tightness in
asthmatic children.
• An increase in 10 micrograms per
cubic meter of indoor fine particle
pollution, there is a
7 % increase in days of wheezing
severe enough to limit speech.
Source: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine February 2009

A decrease of 10 micrograms per cubic
meter of fine particle air pollution
results in an
– increase in life expectancy
of 0.7 years
– in a 10% decrease in the risk
of premature death
Sources: Harvard School of Public Health, Jan. 2009
American Lung Association, Highlight of recent Research
on Particulate Air Pollution: Effects of Long Term
Exposure, www.lungusa.org Oct. 2008
Research Shows The
Effects of Fine Particles

Typical San Antonio Day
AQI 30
10 µg/m3
Air Quality Health Alert Day
in San Antonio
AQI 108
40 µg/m3
Outside Air in San Antonio

EPA PM Standard
For long-term effects of fine PM (PM2.5
), EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Committee (CASAC) recommended the primary health standard be tightened from
a current annual average of 15 µg/m3
to somewhere in the range of 11–13 µg/m3
.
The EPA’s new standard 12 µg/m3
annual mean
With an annual standard of 12 µg/m3
, the EPA estimates the annual health benefits are
$2.3–5.9 billion, with costs of $69 million.
About 30% of the U.S. population lives in the 191
counties or parts of counties designated as
“nonattainment” for the current annual PM2.5 standard.
Weinhold B 2012. EPA Proposes Tighter Particulate Air Pollution Standards. Environ Health Perspect
120:a348-a349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.120-a348a
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.120-a348a#r3
http://www.catf.us/resources/publications/files/SickOfSoot.pdf

Schools Located Near Major
Highway (Keck School of Med.)
Childhood Incident Asthma and Traffic-Related Air
Pollution at Home and School By Rob McConnell, et al
•Results indicate that children exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air
pollution at school and home are at increased risk of developing asthma.
•Almost 10% of public schools in California are located within 150 m of roadways
with >25,000 vehicles daily.
•Students in urban areas in eastern U.S. cities are even more likely … to attend
schools near major highways.
•And one in three US public schools is within about 1,300 feet, or a quarter mile,
from a major highway.
• Environmental Health Perspectives • volume 118 | number 7 | July
2010

Highway (UPTECH)
Ultrafine Particles from Traffic Emissions & Children's Health
(UPTECH)
•Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
•International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (ILAQH)
•University of Cincinnati, USA
•University of Cassino, Cassino, Italy
•National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, NZ
The project seeks to determine the effect of the exposure to
airborne nano and ultrafine (UF) particles emitted from motor
vehicles on the health of children in schools.
http://www.ilaqh.qut.edu.au/Misc/UPTECH%20Home.htm

Highway (UPTECH)
Preliminary findings from AU, IT and NZ
• Concentrations at urban schools scale are higher due to traffic.
• Building lowers the particle concentration experienced by children in the
schools.
• A 30% indoor spatial variation in concentration at schools facing a
trafficked street
• Indoor PN concentrations were strongly influenced by outdoor levels and were
significantly higher during rush-hours (up to 41%)
http://www.ilaqh.qut.edu.au/Misc/UPTECH%20Home.htm

Improve Air Filtration
Install PM Filters with
ASHRAE Rating of MERV 8
to MERV 13 or employ
Polarized Media Devices
Reduce Classroom Clutter
and Furnishings
Airborne Particle Counts
Actual Air Particle Reduction
Methods

Portable Hand Held Particle
Counter Needed to Measure PM
Levels in Classrooms
Six Channels of Particle Sizes from .3 to 10 Micrometers in diameter

http://www.rimbach.com/cgi-bin/Article/IHN/Number.idc?Number=118
Cleanrooms are required for manufacturing of
electronics, drugs, food and beverage plants
Need a Clean Air Room Standard for Classrooms at Class 6
Computers
Medicines
Classrooms
Outside Air
Data Centers
Entry Rooms
ISO 14644-1
Medical Devices
Semiconductors
Meat Processing
Clean Air Room PM Standard

Actual Experience in Removing Invisible
Particles From Classrooms
Providing better thermal and air quality conditions in school classrooms would be cost-
effective by Pawel Wargocki and David P. Wyon, International Centre for Indoor
Environment and Energy, DTU Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark,
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132312002727
ASHRAE Research Project RP 1257

Actual Experience in Removing Invisible
Particles From Classrooms
Providing better thermal and air quality conditions in school classrooms would be cost-effective
by Pawel Wargocki and David P. Wyon, International Centre for Indoor Environment and
Energy, DTU Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark,
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132312002727
Particle SizeOutside Air Injection Rate
Particles
Per
cm3
Without air filter
operation
With air filter
operation
ASHRAE Research Project RP 1257

Particles In Classrooms
2,895
13,735
2,118
181
7,396
5,127
663
169,339
167
670
3,367
6,512
187,836
9,779
203,028
260,521
120,352
1,663,402
10
100
1,000
10,000
100,000
1,000,000
10,000,000
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0
Particle Size, Micromenter
Part./CuFt
Ten fold decease in Fine Particles after Air Cleaning in Room
After Air
Cleaning
Before Air
Cleaning
Actual Experience in Removing
Invisible Particles From Classrooms

Fine Particle Levels after
Construction Activities
Visual Airborne Fine Particle Contamination in Main Entrance Hallway
after Completion of Construction and at the Opening of the School

Portable Air Filtration Device
Portable Air Filter/Scrubber removed fine particles
from over 3 million particles per cubic foot
to less than 1 million particles per cubic foot
and cleaned the indoor hallway air to an acceptable level

Actual Experience Shows Benefits of
Air Cleaning to remove Invisible
Particles from Classrooms
• Teachers report less problems with sore and
scratchy throats, runny eyes, and loss of voice
during the school day
• Students report less symptoms of respiratory
illness and asthmatic experience less breathing
problems requiring use of reliever medication
http://www.neisd.net/athletics/PE/documents/DetectingAerosolsPPP.pdf

Actual Experience Shows Benefits
of Clean Air Program in Schools
“In North East ISD of nearly 70,000
schoolchildren, there were an
extraordinary 9,000 trips to school
nurses during the first six weeks of
classes before the environmental
intervention program began.
The next year, school nurse visits
dropped like a rock to half as many
during the same period”
Diane Rhodes, Asthma Educator
Allergy & Asthma Today vol 9 no 3, 2011
Comparison of Inhalers/Nebulizers
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
Aug/sept
Inhalers 2006-2007
Inhalers 2007-2008
Nebulizers 2006-2007
Nebulizers 2007-2008
Results of student Inhaler /Nebulizer Usage after initiating
‘Tips for a Healthy Classroom’ and ‘Asthma Trigger Education’
began being communicated to staff.
Data comes from the time period of first six weeks of school
which is when ‘most problematic’ allergy seasons are dormant. from
North East ISD Department of Environmental Health
“A significant increase in hospital admissions for asthma (20% to 300%) was associated with school return after each break. The strongest associations were observed following
summer vacation and for children age 5 to 11 years.” by Shao Lin, Rena Jones, Xiu Liu, Syni-An Hwang, Impact of the Return to School on Childhood Asthma Burden in
New York State International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, Vol 17, No 1 (2011)

Clean Air Must Have Low Levels of
Irritant Gases
Irritant Gases

Sources of Irritant Gases
http://www.ehs.utoronto.ca/resources/HSGuide/Scent.htm
http://www.yorku.ca/dohs/doc/GuidelinesNotices/ScentedProducts/scentedproduct.pdf
CLEAN AIR ROOMS
Allergy Friendly Rooms
Scented Products Use
RulesMany chemicals contained in scented products are known to
be respiratory irritants. Even at very low concentration levels,
they can trigger a wide range of adverse, and sometimes
severe, physical responses in individuals with respiratory
sensitivities.
For example, affected individuals can experience asthmatic
reactions, such as difficulty breathing, excessive coughing,
irritated eyes and nose, etc. Other responses could include
migraine headaches, itchy, sore skin, tingling body parts,
rashes, severe headaches, nausea, dizziness and shortness of
breath. When exposure is indoors, the impact is magnified.

Sources of Irritant Gases
Entrainment of Irritant Gases
Sewer vent gases and boiler combustion vent
gases are entrained with the outside air with the
intake hoods are located too close on the roof

Infiltration From Open Building Penetrations
Infiltration From Unsealed
Penetrations are a Source of Outside
Air Contaminants after Construction
Contaminated air flows through unsealed
penetrations for pipe, conduit and duct into
the return air conveyance system of HVAC

Research Shows the Health
Effects of Unclean Air with
Irritant Gases
The research study data available suggests that
• indicators of inflammation,
• rates of communicable respiratory infections,
• frequency of asthma symptoms and
• rates of short-term sick leave
increase with higher levels of unclean air in the
building environments studied
“Ventilation rates and health: multidisciplinary review of the scientific literature”
by J. Sundell, H. Levin, W. W. Nazaroff, W. S. Cain, W. J. Fisk, D. T. Grimsrud,
F. Gyntelberg, Y. Li, A. K. Persily, A. C. Pickering, J. M. Samet,
J. D. Spengler, S. T. Taylor, C. J. Weschler
2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S, INDOOR AIR

School A and School B
Used Std 62.1’s
Ventilation Procedure
and CO2 Demand
Controlled
Ventilation for OA
Damper Operations
Used Std 62.1’s IAQ
Procedure and two
stage Particulate and
Gas Phase Filtration
with constant OA flow
Case Study: School A had higher
levels of unclean air than School B
due to lower air flow (CFM)

Actual Experience Shows Health
Benefits of Clean Air in Schools
The 93 asthmatic students at School A were requesting their
PRN inhaler at 2 to 3 times more than the 102 asthmatic
students at School B
3
8
13
12
28
10
16
23
20
11
60
30
43
21
71
21
94
43 47
40
0
20
40
60
80
100
Total PRN per
Month
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May
Month Since Opened
PRN Inhaler Use since School Opening
School A
School B
School A had low air flow rates

Actual Experience Shows Test Score
Benefits of Clean Air in Schools
School B had higher percentages (up to 4% higher) of students
passing reading, writing and mathematics sections.
School B had 11% and 16% more students than School A obtaining the
Commended Level on the reading and mathematics tests
(students correctly answered 90% or better of the TAKS questions).
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
PercentMet
StandardR
e
a
d
in
g
/E
L
A
W
ritin
g
M
a
th
e
m
a
tic
s
S
c
ie
n
c
e
C
o
m
m
.
R
e
a
d
in
g
C
o
m
m
.
M
a
th
.
Subject Area
2011 TAKS Tests Results
School B
School A
School A had low air flow rates

VolatileVolatile Organic CompoundsOrganic Compounds
(VOC) in Perspective(VOC) in Perspective
• Volatile Organic Compounds = VOCsVolatile Organic Compounds = VOCs
= Odors & Irritants &Toxicity= Odors & Irritants &Toxicity
– Many sources include microbial life formsMany sources include microbial life forms
• Too small to remove through regular filtrationToo small to remove through regular filtration
– Many under 0.001 micronMany under 0.001 micron
– Removed by adsorption with carbon or otherRemoved by adsorption with carbon or other
adsorbent material in gas phase filtersadsorbent material in gas phase filters
– Removed by capture with ultra fine particles inRemoved by capture with ultra fine particles in
ppolarized media filtration devicesolarized media filtration devices
– Measurable with portable handheld devicesMeasurable with portable handheld devices
Portable Hand Held
Meter Needed to
Measure VOC Levels in
Classrooms

Asthma Risk and VOC Level
Source: Association of domestic exposure to volatile organic compounds with asthma in young children, K Rumchev
, J Spickett, M Bulsara, M Phillips, and S Stick
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1747137/?tool=pubmed
For every 10 unit increase in the concentration of
toluene and benzene (µg/m3
) the risk of having asthma
increased by almost two and three times, respectively.

Source: http://www.ewg.org/files/2009/10/school-cleaners/EWGschoolcleaningsupplies.pdf
Research Shows the Benefits
of Removing VOC’s
Ten fold decease in Total VOCs after Green Cleaning in Room

• North East ISD reported a savings of 30% in
Custodial costs and a reduction of 25% in Sick
Days among Custodial and Maintenance team
• Lockport Township High School, in
Lockport, Ill., reported a 3% increase in the
average daily attendance after the first year of
implementing an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Management plan).
Actual Experience Shows Benefits
of Removing VOC’s
http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/programs/gcs/success.php
http://www.cleaningforhealthyschools.org/documents/FAQs.pdf
http://media.cefpi.org/southern/EPA_GreenCleaning.pdf

Benefits of Applying
ASHRAE’s 62.1 IAQ Procedure
and Filtration and Air Cleaning
The IAQ Procedure in ASHRAE
Standard 62.1-2010 may be used
to determine outdoor air
ventilation rates.
The IAQ Procedure requires the
building and its ventilation
system to be designed to achieve
both objective and subjective
criteria.
– Identify contaminants of
concern;
– Determine acceptable
contaminant concentrations;
– Specify the perceived indoor
air quality criteria;
– Apply an acceptable design
approach to achieve the
performance criteria.

• Media is a combination of
activated carbon, and an
activated alumina substrate
impregnated with sodium
permanganate.
• By using these media in
combination, the removal of
most irritant gases is achieved.
Filtration and Air Cleaning with
Gas Phase Filtration Media
Air Cleaning in Practice – School Sustainability and Commercial Building Field Study Results
http://www.purafil.com/PDFs/Technical%20Papers/Commercial/Air%20Cleaning%20in%20Practice%20(IAQA%202009).pdf

-+
Grounded screens
+7,000 vdc applied to center screen7,000 vdc applied to center screen
Polarized media fibersPolarized media fibers
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
+
_
+
-++
_
- +
_
-+
Passive fiberPassive fiber
Loading CharacteristicsLoading Characteristics
Polarized fiberPolarized fiber
Electrostatic attraction & AgglomerationElectrostatic attraction & Agglomeration
Ability to collect particles < 0.3 MicronsAbility to collect particles < 0.3 Microns
Polarized Media Filtration DevicesPolarized Media Filtration Devices

a Living Green Wall as a Biofilter
http://www.suzukipublicschool.ca/building-features.html
http://www.hpbmagazine.org/case-studies/educational/dr--david-suzuki-public-school-windsor-ontario-canada
Living Walls break
down airborne VOCs,
through the process of
bio-filtration.
In controlled laboratory
studies, a system
removed up to 90% of
VOCs in a single pass.
http://www.naturaire.com/function

Table 1
Model the
Classrooms using
CONTAM airflow
and contaminant
transport analysis
software

• Contaminants Considered
in IAQP Modeling
– Building
• Formaldehyde
• TVOC
– Occupants
• acetone
• ammonia
• hydrogen sulfide
• methyl alcohol
• phenol
– Outdoor Air
• carbon monoxide
• nitrogen dioxide
• ozone
• sulfur dioxide
Air Contaminants of Concern

IAQP Contaminant Modeling
Contaminant Concentration
mg/m3
[ppm]
formaldehyde 0.12 [0.098]
TVOC 1.0
acetone 7 [3]
ammonia 0.5 [0.7]
hydrogen sulfide 0.042 [0.030]
methyl alcohol 1.5 [1.2]
phenol 0.1 [0.03]
• Target Concentration Limits used in analyzing results
(continued)
Contaminant Concentration
mg/m3
[ppm]
carbon monoxide 10 [9]
nitrogen dioxide 0.10 [0.053]
ozone 0.16 [0.08]
sulfur dioxide 0.079 [0.03]

Table 2
Calculate your
airflow rates for
each ASHRAE
62.1 Procedure

Table 3
Calculate the % of
the Limit for each
Contaminant of
Concern

• Example of Results – Minimum Supply
– All contaminants were less than target limits
% of Target Limit @ Min Supply
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
C6H5OH
HCHO
NH3
NO2
classroom
corridor Chemical Formulas
C6H5OH: phenol
HCHO: formaldehyde
NH3: ammonia
NO2: nitrogen dioxide

• Example of Results – Maximum Supply
– All contaminants were less than target limits
% of Target Limit @ Max Supply
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
C6H5OH
HCHO
NH3
NO2
classroom
corridor
Chemical Formulas
C6H5OH: phenol
HCHO: formaldehyde
NH3: ammonia
NO2: nitrogen dioxide

Table 4
Calculate the
energy savings
by reducing the
OA flow

Source Control for Irritant
Gases
Source: http://transparency.perkinswill.com/Main
Healthy Environments: A Compilation of Substances Linked to Asthma
Perkins+Will prepared this report on behalf of the National Institutes of Health,
Office of Research Facilities, Division of Environmental Protection August 8, 2012.

Clean Air Must Have Low Levels of
Infectious Microbes
Infectious Microbes

Clean Air has Many
Beneficial Microbes
• Human Microbiome Project
– 1000 species of bacteria on human
skin
• Home Land Security Project
– 1800 types of airborne microbes in
Austin and San Antonio ambient air
Source: Julia Segre, et al
National Institutes of Health May 29, 2009
Source: Gary Anderson, et al,
Berkley National Laboratory
National Academy of Sciences December 19, 2006

Microbiome of Humans and Buildings
microbiome is the totality of microbes, their
genetic elements (genomes), and
environmental interactions in a
particular environment.
The term "microbiome" was coined
by Joshua Lederberg, who argued that
microorganisms inhabiting the human body
should be included as part of the
human genome, because of their influence on
human physiology.
The human body contains over 10 times more
microbial cells than human cells,
although the entire microbiome only weighs
about 200 grams (7.1 oz).
Microbiomes are being characterized in
many other environments as well, including
soil, seawater/freshwater systems and
buildings. Information:http://www.yourwildlife.org/the-wild-life-of-our-bodies/

Microbiome of Humans
One person sheds each hour
2,400,000 skin cells
(Motionless, up to 500,000 particles per minute.
When active, this level can reach up to 45,000,000 particles per
minute.)
And 35,000,000 bacterial cells
“An important public health consequence…is that through
direct inhalation of resuspended or shed organisms there is a
potential for current or previous occupants of a room to
contribute substantially to inhalation exposure to bioaerosols”
Hospodsky D, Qian J, Nazaroff WW, Yamamoto N, Bibby K, et al. (2012) Human Occupancy
as a Source of Indoor Airborne Bacteria. PLoS ONE 7(4): April 18, 2012

Infectious Microbes
Viruses, bacteria, amoebae, fungi,
and other microbial parasites
can invade the human body
– 100 Trillion Bacteria cells on/in
human body
– 100 Bacteria species pathogenic
to humans
– 33% Humans carry
M. tuberculosis
– 50% Humans carry H. pylori
– 50% Humans carry S. AureusSource: B. Brett Finlay
The Art of Bacterial Warfare, Scientific American
February, 2010 pps 56-63
http://www.ploscollections.org/article/browseIssue
.action?issue=info:doi/10.1371/issue.pcol.v01.i13

Engineering Controls to Reduce
Infectious Microbe Transmission.
Strategies for Classrooms
Dilution Ventilation
Personalized ventilation
Source capture
Central system filtration
Local filtration/cleaning
The ASHRAE Position Document on Airborne Infectious Diseases January 2012
by the Society’s Airborne Infectious Diseases Position Document Committee.
http://www.ashrae.org/about-ashrae/position-documents
Add Shed and Resuspended Particles

Built Environment Microbiome
Project
The BioBE Center is based at the University of Oregon and led by
Jessica Green (Director)
Brendan Bohannann
G.Z. (Charlie) Brown
http://biology.uoregon.edu/biobe/

Jessica Green on Building Microbes
http://www.ted.com/talks/jessica_green_are_we_filtering_the_wrong_microbes.html
http://biology.uoregon.edu/people/green/Science-2012-Humphries.pdf
Architectural
design
influences the
diversity
and structure of the
built environment
Microbiome.
http://www.nature.com/ismej/
journal/v6/n8/pdf/ismej2011

Tracking Flu Activity
Peak of Seasonal
Flu
Year 2010-2011 is shown in pink and peaked at 10 % of visits due to Influenza like illness (ILI) in mid February
Source: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/surveillance/2011/

Actual Experience with Seasonal Flu
ADA Rates for each 6 Week Periods of 10-11
98.1
97.3
97.1
95.5
97.5
97.8
97.2
97.9
96.9
96.5
95.6
97.0 96.9 96.8
97.5
96.6
96.1
94.7
96.5
96.7
96.4
94.5
95
95.5
96
96.5
97
97.5
98
98.5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Six Week Period
Attendance,%
School A
School B
District Average
Total
School A had low air flow rates*
4th
6 Weeks are during Jan and Feb and has about
a 2% drop in ADA from other 6 Week Periods
Seasonal Flu
period
*Li Y, et al., Role of ventilation in airborne transmission of infectious agents in the built environment: a
multidisciplinary systematic review. Indoor Air 2007;17:2-18.

Air Filtration Can Reduce the Risk of
Flu Infection at Lower Cost
Source: Parham Azimi and Brent Stephens, Ph.D., the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental
Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago http://built-envi.com/
Costs for Dilution at
Different Climates
Costs for Filtration at
Different Levels

Manage the 3 I’s to Provide Clean Air in
Green and Healthy Schools
Employ Filtration and Air Cleaning
(FAC) Technology to Lower the
Classroom Levels of the 3 I’s
Use EN 13799 Standard to select level of
filtration based on location of the building
and IAQ desired for the occupants
Use Modern IEQ Instrumentation to
verify Classroom Clean Air Conditions
Place Occupancy Limits on Rooms based
on Design Specifications
Include IEQ Expertise on Design and
Construction Teams
Monitor Health Clinic Visits to detect any
Unforeseen Conditions

Latest Estimates on Better IEQ Benefits
• Fisk and Brunner IEQ in Office Study *
The estimated benefits of the IEQ scenarios analyzed are
substantial in magnitude. The combined potential annual
economic benefit of a set of non-overlapping IEQ
scenarios is approximately $20 billion.
• Trasande and Liu Environmental Illness in
Children Costs Study**
Poor childhood health caused by environmental factors
costs the United States $76.6 Billion in 2008
*See the October 2011 issue of Indoor Air from the International
Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate – ISIAQ.
**See the May 2011 issue of Health Affairs

EPA References for Improved
Academic Performance, Student
Health, and Teacher Retention
Sources: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/student_performance/index.html
Test scores uniformly increase as building conditions
improve.
Test scores can increase by 3 percent to 17 percent.

EPA Guidelines for School Siting
and Environmental Health Programs
EPA’s voluntary School Siting Guidelines encourage
consideration of environmental factors in local
school siting decision-making processes.
http://www.epa.gov/schools/siting/
EPA’s voluntary State K-12 School Environmental
Health Program Guidelines provide a framework for
improving the health and well-being of students by
creating and sustaining healthy, safe, and productive
school environments.
http://www.epa.gov/schools/ehguidelines/down
loads/ehguidelines-draft.pdf

Center for Green Schools
USGBC
http://www.centerforgreenschools.org/docs/USGBC%20Mayors%20Summit%20Report_FINAL.pdf
• The report provides a comprehensive review of the benefits of green schools;
• a summary of local, state and federal policy solutions;
• leadership profiles of green school advocates; and
• case studies from both large cities and small communities.
• these resources serve as a roadmap on the journey to green schools.
Local Leaders in Sustainability: Special Report from Sundance,
A National Action Plan for Greening America's Schools
The Impact of School Buildings on Student Health and Performance
The report is an accessible account of current research connecting school buildings with
student health and performance and includes a summary of research needed and how
individual groups (teachers and students, design professionals, government agencies,
etc.) can help in the effort to draw connections between where students learn and their
well being.
http://centerforgreenschools.org/studies.aspx

Additional References on Impacts
of Indoor Environments on Human
Performance and Productivity
Source: and http://www.iaqscience.lbl.gov/
Impacts of Building Ventilation on Health and Performance
Indoor Dampness, Biological Contaminants and Health
Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Health
Impacts of Indoor Environments on Human Performance and Productivity
Benefits of Improving Indoor Environmental Quality
Scientific Findings Resource Bank
(IAQ-SFRB) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

ASHRAE IAQ Guide (Free)
www.ashrae.org/FreeIAQGuidance
American Institute of Architects,
U.S. Green Building Council,
Builders and Owners Management
Association International,
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning
Contractors of North America,
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.

High Performance & Healthy Classroom
with Clean Air from the 1950’s

Unhealthy Classroom without
Clean Air in the 2000’s

Classroom of the Future and
Quality of the Indoor Air ?
http://www.carpediemaz.com/learning-centers/

We Learn Here
and
Where We Learn Matters
http://vimeo.com/46229583

The Importance of Clean Air in Classrooms

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