Strategies for optimizing air quality in schools and offices in times of air pollution
BONECO clears the air
Reports of air pollution and smoggy cities as a result of industrial emissions and natural events such as forest fires are becoming increasingly common in times of climate change. However, the air quality indoors in particular is often many times worse than outdoors, as the indoor air remains stagnant, and pollutants accumulate. While outdoor air is filtered naturally as it circulates through the atmosphere, indoor air is dependent on the supply of fresh air through ventilation and additional filter systems.
In public facilities such as school buildings, office buildings, doctor's offices and hospitals, people are at the mercy of the conditions prevailing there. Ensuring high air quality in such spaces is crucial, as poor air can have both short-term and long-term effects on human health, as well as negatively impacting performance and absorption capacity. It is time to become aware of the "invisible" danger and act accordingly where we can.
Consequences of poor air quality in classrooms and offices
Poor air quality in classrooms and offices results not only from the increased concentration of CO2, that is exhaled with the air we breathe, but also from an increasing concentration of fine dust and other particles that are brought in from the outside air and are then no longer broken down naturally due to a lack of ventilation.
The resulting poor air quality in classrooms or offices often manifests itself in symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, irritation of the nose, throat and eyes, reduced performance or breathing problems. According to measurements of manual window ventilation by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), around two thirds of the classrooms examined had discouraging air quality.
Improving air quality in classrooms and offices
Indoor spaces are usually enclosed, which means that there is less natural ventilation than outdoors. Without adequate ventilation, pollutants can accumulate indoors. To avoid poor air quality, proper ventilation and an adequate air purification system is essential.
Tips for correct ventilation:
- Ventilate thoroughly in the morning before starting work or lessons
- Ventilate the room after every break
- When ventilating, open opposite doors and windows to allow an effective draught
Avoid common mistakes such as:
- ventilating for too short a time
- not opening the windows fully
- lack of proper draught
Despite the potential presence of outdoor pollutants, the supply of fresh air through ventilation can be beneficial for indoor air quality in many cases. The reason for this is that outdoor air generally has a lower concentration of pollutants than indoor air, as the air indoors stagnates and pollutants accumulate better. In addition, timing ventilation to times when outdoor air quality is better, e.g. when there is less air pollution or at times of day when there is less traffic, can further mitigate the effects of outdoor pollutants on indoor air quality.
Additional filter systems
Additional filter systems that improve the overall indoor air quality are suitable for capturing outdoor pollutants.
The powerful BONECO P710 Air Purifier was developed for large rooms up to 75m² and for environments with high levels of pollution. Thanks to special filter packages that include HEPA and activated carbon filters, BONECO devices can effectively remove allergens, fine dust, smog, animal hair, smoke and odors from the air. The P710 Air Purifier offers particularly high air purification performance, an active laser particle sensor and VOC gas sensor and produces only 37dB at the lowest power level. In addition, it has functions such as auto mode, child lock, timer for setting operating times and a filter change reminder.
A combination of ventilation and an air purifier such as the BONECO P710 is essential for maintaining good indoor air quality in large rooms with many people.
