Classroom ventilation found to be bad
Teachers were asked to test air quality in classrooms around Montreal, and even leaving aside Covid, the results were not good. Do you remember feeling groggy by mid-afternoon in school? CO2 levels can get high enough in a crowded, closed classroom to do that.
This wasn’t a complete, controlled test, but a sampling. I’d be curious to know how much better the recently constructed school buildings are doing, compared to the big old brick piles still functioning as schools around town.
Update: CBC has a new science piece on how indoor air is the real risk with Covid. Washing hands and sanitizing surfaces will go on, but they’re not the key.
Ephraim 11:56 on 2020-11-25 Permalink
In most of Europe, you MUST open the windows in the classroom every 20 to 30 minutes, even in the winter, because of COVID. In Quebec… we have them sitting in classrooms with windows that won’t open and with no air filtration systems.
Seriously, how hard was it to spend $1000 a classroom to bring in some damn HEPA filters to keep kids healthy. You want the kids back in school… well, make it healthier for them.
walkerp 12:45 on 2020-11-25 Permalink
This is such a giant fail by the Legault government. Teachers have been complaining for years about poor air quality. Many suffer headaches and other issues because of it. They had a golden opportunity to do some real change and upgrade all the ventilation systems in Quebec schools this summer. The science has been screaming about ventilation since May. Sure it would have been a bit of a pork boondoggle, but isn’t that how this government works anyways?
Fundamentally, this government that is supposed to be so “business” has no vision or sense of innovation. Their plan is for kids to wear jackets in the classroom and teachers to open the windows. I bet those windows are also not easy to open, so this is one more burden on the teachers.
DeWolf 12:58 on 2020-11-25 Permalink
I just bought an air purifier for my bedroom because my wife and I are both prone to allergies. It cost $150, has a HEPA filter and UVC light, and if my past experience with air purifiers is any indication, it will do its job very well.
It’s not like this is complicated new technology. It’s not even very expensive. What kind of incompetence stopped the government from buying up thousands of air purifiers over the summer so there could be at least some improvement in classroom ventilation?
j2 13:55 on 2020-11-25 Permalink
DeWolf, sorry I don’t think that scales that simply. A class room is larger than your bedroom and will have more sources of pathogens, ie people. It also doesn’t solve the co2 problem.
Also one of the concerns with the older schools is the power. I’ve heard that Saint Monica (elementary in NDG) can’t even run fans in every room because the electrical will blow first. Purifiers will necessarily require more power because of the drain through the filter.
That said, I don’t disagree I just think it would be more expensive to do it. Much more likely.
Meezly 15:02 on 2020-11-25 Permalink
A parent had been lobbying and working with LBPSB to put this in place: https://www.iheartradio.ca/…/lester-b-pearson-board…
This also to clear the path for other school boards, and hopefully the province to take active measures to ensure the safety of children in the classrooms this winter.
On Monday, Nov. 9th, the LBPSB discussed and passed a resolution to purchase HEPA air filters. The topic of air quality across all schools was also discussed and recommendations for getting this implemented in other school boards.. The following are copied from notes of that meeting, which is available online at the board site and was shared in a FB group that I’m in.
It’s definitely doable for most schools who need this. Once again, what about the $432.2 million in federal funds allotted to Quebec at the start of the school year specifically to improve Covid safety measures? Why hasn’t this been used to improve ventilation or purchase air purifiers???
=-=-=
Resolution:
Due to Covid + Cold Weather Season
Is required to protect the safety of students and staff in naturally ventilated classrooms.
This is an emergency that threatens human safety allows the purchase outside of tender.
420 HEPA Units sole source purchase from: Novexco Inc / Hamster.
$518,600.54+Tax [$1235ea.]
Mechanically Ventilated schools:
Ministry has asked school boards to keep the fresh air dampers open as much as possible to keep bringing in as much fresh air as possible. Several non-normative HVAC references suggest an upgrade of filters to MERV-13, LBPSB is doing this, where possible, in addition to the fresh air guidance from Quebec. The MERV-13 were ordered the first week of September to arrive ten weeks later [by Nov. 16].
Naturally Ventilated schools:
Keeping the windows open will become difficult in naturally ventilated schools, so they are implementing their plan B, which is filtration.
One unit per classroom which allows the windows to be opened less amount of time.
The units should be arriving at LBPSB around Nov. 16th.
The HEPA filtration units go up to 1400sqft [implies “AeraMax Professional 4” from Fellowes running at 440CFM], providing 5 air changes per hour [5ACH].
Classroom sizes:
600sqft Elementary
800-900sqft Secondary
There will also be units in staff rooms.
LBPSB will keep windows open for some time to ensure fresh air, in both our naturally and mechanically ventilated classrooms. [This will provide additional ACH.]
Electrical load of the units was considered and the panels were confirmed to be adequate due to upgrades that had been made in the past years in the targeted schools.
Ref:
boardsite . lbpsb . qc . ca /webcast/2020-11-09.html
JaneyB 01:01 on 2020-11-26 Permalink
Another cheap but effective option here: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/how-to-make-diy-air-purifier/ – basically a HEPA filter strapped to a fan. Another talk he gives on his fan quest during the ‘airpocalypse’ in China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcl37ND-XM8
Provides all the data and specs.
Ephraim 19:17 on 2020-11-26 Permalink
HEPA filters need to be on when the room is occupied. There are also filters for bacteria, fungus and viruses that work by heating the air to over 200C and cooling it on the way out that are highly effective but need to run 24 hours a day, because they remove concentrations continuously. Unlike HEPA filters, which remove particulate. The air coming out of such a system is virus free but not particulate free. Two caveats… the right size and the 24 hour functionality. Basically, the way that virus is killed by a dryer, but in a smaller controlled system.