Saturday, July 12, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Air

Air filters and opening windows can reduce classroom pollution by up to 36%, says Surrey study

March 12, 2024
in Air
A A

To improve air quality in classrooms, schools should use air purifiers during the school day and open the windows after hours. That’s according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

In England, 7,800 schools are in locations where air pollution breaches WHO limits. Last month, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced that air purifiers would be installed in 200 of them.

Nidhi Rawat, a researcher at Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), said:

“Alternating purifiers with scheduled window openings is an effective way to clean up classroom air.

“The most effective combination depends on the characteristics and location of the classroom, and when the teacher opens windows.

“We also understand that keeping the windows open is not always comfortable or practical – so a sensible, tailored approach is recommended.”

Scientists monitored pollution in two classrooms at an infant school in Guildford, UK. It is 10 metres from the A3 road, passed by 31,000 cars each day.

They studied two classrooms: one facing the road and occupied by 4 to 5-year-olds, and one on the other side of the building, occupied by 6 to 7-year-olds.

In both classrooms, the best improvements in air quality happened when air purifiers were alternated with scheduled window openings. Coarse particle pollution fell by 18% in the classroom nearest the road and 36% in the other classroom. Carbon dioxide fell 28% in the classroom nearest the road and 11% in the other classroom.

Smaller improvements were detected when windows were opened without air purifiers.

Professor Prashant Kumar, director of GCARE, said:

“Our timely study can help policymakers choose when and how to optimise the benefits of air purifiers and window openings in the classroom.

“Globally, millions of children are forced to breathe poor quality air while they learn. We hope our study can be used to design ways to make classrooms safer and pupils healthier.”

The study is published in the Journal of Building Engineering.

It contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (good health and well-being), 4 (quality education) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities).

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

Air

Report calls for ‘urgent, coordinated action’ by the Government to tackle air pollution

July 4, 2025
Air

Ships trigger high and unexpected emissions of methane

July 3, 2025
Air

Net zero planning platform to unlock investment in the West of England

June 25, 2025
Air

New milestone for efficient carbon capture technology

June 25, 2025
Air

Councils’ race to net zero is slow according to scoreboards produced by non-profit group

June 17, 2025
Air

Aged desert dust particles provide new form of SOAs, says study

June 13, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

How the Dire Health Implications of Climate Change Are Unfolding Globally

January 6, 2024

COP28 Left a Vacuum California Leaders Aim to Fill

January 29, 2024

Don't miss it

Energy

What Risks Texas’ Grid Faces

July 11, 2025
Activism

California Congressman Vows to Challenge Trump’s ‘Big Ugly Bill’

July 11, 2025
Energy

Brazil’s Last Asbestos Miners Are Switching To Rare Earth Minerals. Can They Offer a Brighter Future?

July 11, 2025
Activism

Despite Catastrophic Flooding, Drought Persists in Parts of Central Texas

July 10, 2025
Energy

It Just Got Easier to Build Nuclear Power Plants in Wisconsin

July 10, 2025
News

Water stored in dams has caused a shift in Earth’s magnetic poles

July 10, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

What Risks Texas’ Grid Faces

July 11, 2025

California Congressman Vows to Challenge Trump’s ‘Big Ugly Bill’

July 11, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.