Do you know that more than 90 percent of children under 15 years do not breathe in a safe environment? A majority of the figure faces death.
The World Health Organization reported deaths of approximately 600,000 children due to acute respiratory diseases caused by the poor quality of air in 2016.
Air Pollution and Children
According to a study, air pollution, whether indoor or outdoor, is a serious threat to children. Polluted air has adverse impacts on their cognitive abilities, learning, and overall health. Research studies have also found that children breathe faster than adults; therefore, a higher breathing rate leads to higher susceptibility to poor indoor quality and its consequences.
It means that children are at a higher risk, and schools all across the globe must pay close attention to their air quality in order to protect their children and provide them with a safe environment.
Indoor Air in Victorian Schools
Recently, many sources on the internet have surfaced with news of polluted indoor air quality in Victorian schools. A research study by RMIT Australia reported a shocking discovery that primary and secondary institutions in Victoria have higher levels of carbon dioxide, which exceeds the maximum threshold – of 850 ppm.
National Construction Code (NCC) in Australia has specified that CO2 levels below 850 ppm are an indication of good indoor air quality. However, the discovered concentration ranges between 912 ppm and 2,235 ppm. UNSW also conducted research only to find classrooms with concentration levels of 4,000 ppm, which is four times the standard threshold specified by NCC.
Higher concentrations have adverse impacts on human health, such as breathing issues and respiratory problems. Poor indoor air quality can also trigger various health symptoms. The situation has become critical, specifically after COVID-19, because children spend a significant part of their day in school.
But can’t we just open the windows?
One of the driving causes of higher concentration levels is poor ventilation in classrooms. Natural ventilation plays a key role in diluting the concentration and replacing stale classroom air with fresh air.
However, opening windows is not always possible due to outdoor pollutants and unnecessary noise pollution.
With no air exchange and buildup of stuffy air within the classroom, the indoor air becomes poor, leading to poor cognitive abilities, declined performance and productivity, and loss of concentration.
While regulatory bodies in Australia have rolled out different guidelines with respect to building designs for improved ventilation, compliance is still a challenge because they are not mandatory. That is why natural ventilation is not the only solution. Then how do we keep our children safe and protected at all times?
No wonder this has been one of the most common questions since the pandemic and a topic of concern for parents, teachers, and school administration. Technology has transformed the process of virus mitigation and the creation of a safe breathing environment.
So what is the Solution?
Air purifiers are one of the smartest solutions on the market that combat poor indoor air quality in different commercial settings. The air quality experts highly recommended the installation of air purifiers in classrooms to protect children from the virus and other indoor air pollutants.
Experts suggest that robust air purification technology with fine mesh filters is adequate for classrooms. As such, air purifiers with HEPA filters are available on the market, which is known to extract viruses and bacteria from the environment.
However, it is vital that the volume of classrooms and the number of occupants are taken into consideration for maximum protection.
Euromate Pure Air to the Rescue
Euromate Pure Air is aware of Australian guidelines and has an understanding of the air purification requirements to keep children protected. Our technology is considered the best of its kind on the market due to its advanced purification system.
VisionAir Blue Line and Pure Air Shield (PAS) 3300 in our portfolio are specifically designed with HEPA filters, featuring fine mesh to pull out airborne viruses and other pollutants from the environment. Both air purifiers have multiple air exchanges, which means they exchange classroom air five to six times an hour.
The best part about our air purifiers is that they provide quieter operation to maintain the decorum of classrooms.
Now, if you are a school striving to maintain quality levels of indoor levels to waive off parents’ concerns, equipping your classrooms with high-quality air purifiers is nothing but the perfect solution.
Also, the application of our air purifiers is not confined to classrooms and other commercial settings; they are ideal for healthcare facilities, daycare centers, and domestic use as well.
