Tag Archives: poor ventilation

More Fresh Air in Classrooms Means Fewer Absences

By Health, , , ,

Berkeley Lab study finds correlation between higher illness absences and lower ventilation rates in California elementary schools.

If you suspect that opening windows to let in fresh air might be good for you, a new study by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has confirmed your hunch. Analyzing extensive data on ventilation rates collected from more than 150 classrooms in California over two years, the researchers found that bringing classroom ventilation rates up to the state-mandated standard may reduce student absences due to illness by approximately 3.4 percent. (more…)

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Elevated Indoor Carbon Dioxide Impairs Decision-Making Performance

By Environment, , ,

Berkeley Lab scientists surprised to find significant adverse effects of CO2 on human decision-making performance

Overturning decades of conventional wisdom, researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found that moderately high indoor concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) can significantly impair people’s decision-making performance. The results were unexpected and may have particular implications for schools and other spaces with high occupant density. (more…)

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