Classrooms with open windows that let in fresh air help create healthier environments for children, with various studies revealing their positive impact on performance, concentration and overall wellbeing.
For instance, a study in 2006 showed that children in classrooms with higher outdoor air ventilation rates tend to achieve better scores on standardised tests in math and reading than children in poorly ventilated classrooms.
Controlled studies published in 1999 and 2000 revealed that children performed school work with greater speed in classrooms with increasing ventilation rates. The performance of adults, including teachers and school staff, was also shown to improve with higher ventilation rates.
A 2005 study of 10-year-old school children showed that increasing ventilation rates could improve their performance in tasks representing eight different aspects of schoolwork, from reading to mathematics.
Another study conducted in eight English primary schools of over 200 pupils showed significantly faster and more accurate standardised test responses (by up to 15%) when classrooms had high ventilation rates compared with low ventilation conditions.
An international review found that green schools and universities delivered up to 15% improvement in student learning and productivity, and up to 25% improvement on test scores from good lighting and ventilation.
A German study of multiple buildings identified a 33% reduction in reported headaches and a 28% reduction in reported frequency of head colds in naturally ventilated office buildings as compared to air-conditioned office buildings.
Researchers conducting a study in a hot and humid climate found that students attending naturally-ventilated child care centres had lower levels of asthma symptoms and allergies than those in air-conditioned centres.
A case study of office workers moved from a building with sealed windows and mechanical ventilation to a building with operable windows and natural ventilation identified a 71% reduction in absenteeism.
A study across 434 classrooms from 22 schools showed that a carbon dioxide level (an indicator of ventilation rates) of 1,000 parts per million above the outdoor concentrations of carbon dioxide was associated with 10-20% increase in student absences.
Maximise ventilation benefits with Altair louvre windows
Altair louvre windows deliver ventilation through the entire window area, maximising the entry of fresh, outside air into the classroom. This high ventilation rate is also part of the reason why they’re incredibly energy efficient.
Altair louvre windows are constructed entirely from non-corrosive materials such as aluminium, stainless steel and industrial strength plastic, sufficiently robust to withstand the high activity environment. The louvre windows are also optionally available with the Stronghold System that uses an acetal plastic pin to mechanically fix the blades into the clips. Altair louvre windows with the Stronghold System can resist far higher forces than regular louvre windows with tools required to remove the louvre blades.
Image: The Breezway Head Office
