According to a National Bureau of Economic Research Study, higher classroom temperatures can directly result in lower test scores. With the new school year rapidly approaching, educational facility managers should take precautions to service and fine-tune their building’s HVAC systems and temperature controls, before the new school year.
As years go on, HVAC systems deteriorate and no longer operate at maximum capacity or efficiency leaving students and faculty in a potentially uncomfortable environment. When a school has old or poorly operating HVAC systems that have not been adequately maintained or repaired, the system may fail, causing pain, a potential waste of money, and utilization of excess energy. Furthermore, when a classroom is properly ventilated, disease and virus rates go down and reading and math scores go up. In the winter, under/overheated classrooms create distractive learning environments for students, impacting their health and wellbeing, as well as affecting energy efficiency.
Proactive maintenance will ensure an HVAC system is running reliably and properly all year round. Simple solutions will help improve a building, the learning environment, and students’ and teachers’ well-being.