Case Studies

Case Study 2.       The Woodend Primary School - Australia's First Healthy School

Design Issue:

Good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) contributes to a favourable learning environment for students, productivity for teachers and other staff and a sense of comfort, health and well-being. These elements combine to assist a school in it's core mission - educating children.

What is a Healthy School?

A School building or buildings constructed and maintained with Environmental Integrity and Occupant Health as the main guiding principles. A Healthy School is always highly energy efficient but an energy efficient school is not necessarily healthy.

Problem:

As a society we know now that outdoor air pollution can damage our health but most of us do not realise that indoor air pollution can also create significant health problems.

A Few Facts:

• We breathe in 8,000 to 10,000 litres of air per day.
• Indoor Air can be 2 to 5 times, and occasionally more than 100 times, more polluted than the outdoor air (U.S. EPA) CSIRO media release)
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentrations above 1000 parts per million can hinder a person's ability to concentrate, cause drowsiness, headaches and nausea,
• CO2 concentrations in classrooms can regularly exceed 1000 parts per million.
• Australia has one of the highest rates (increasing) of asthma and allergies in the world.
• One in four Australian school age children suffer from asthma. (National Asthma Campaign)
• Estimated annual cost of asthma in Australia, in terms of lost work and school productivity (Asthma Foundation of NSW): $400 million
• On Average, we spend more than 90% of their time indoors(U.S EPA) (CSIRO).

Solution:

In 1998 the Woodend Primary School embarked on a $1.7 million school expansion and refurbishment. Initial energy efficient design considerations were stimulated by the Victorian Government's 'Energy Smart Schools Program'. This grew into the 'Healthy School Project' with the realisation that indoor air quality is already a major issue overseas and a key factor in the control of Asthma. Woodend Primary School made the decision to establish a 'Healthy School' along the lines of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA)  Indoor Air Quality Program For Schools. The U.S. EPA program is made available, throughout the United States, to over 110,000 schools from kindergarten through to year 12.

As a result four Venmar HRV 1200i units were installed as part of the new design. These units provide up to 1200 cfm (566 l/s) of ventilation while recovering up to 55% of the energy lost from conventional exhaust systems. This ventilator is one of Venmar's most cost-effective models featuring the lowest first cost per cfm. The HRV delivers year-round comfort by providing sensible heat recovery between the exhaust and supply air with virtually no cross leakage between the two air streams.

"The Woodend 'Healthy School' project aspires to be a benchmark which other schools in Australia will aspire to in the future", states Principal Ruth Reid-Hobbs.

This project must be seen as an investment in our children's future.The rewards are clear:

• A bettter learning environment for students;
• Reduced absenteeism due to illness (asthma in particular);
• Better working conditions for staff; and
• Significantly reduced operating costs for the school.