Sustainability in schools

Learning outcomes – lift the spirit

Sustainable Schools aim to improve learning and working environments by increasing fresh air rates, improving daylighting and promoting better Indoor Environment Quality (e.g. thermal comfort, reduced off-gassing from materials, paints, etc).

Sustainable schools, by virtue of providing a healthy and comfortable work environment, can increase staff productivity, reduce sick days and increase learning outcomes. Various international studies have shown that this can lead to cost savings of between 1% and 15% of employees' salaries in office buildings and 20% improvements in learning outcomes in educational facilities.

For example, a rigorous statistical study for the California Energy Commission PIER Program (2001), involving 21,000 students in three US states, revealed that elementary school students in classrooms with the most daylight showed a 21% improvement in learning rates compared to students in classrooms with the least daylight.

In a study “The effects of outdoor air supply rate in an office on perceived air quality, sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms and productivity” by Wargocki et al, it was found that for each two-fold increase in ventilation rate, the performance of office based tasks improved by 1.7%. The study showed the benefits for health, comfort and productivity of ventilation at rates well above the minimum levels prescribed in existing standards and guidelines. It also confirmed the results of a previous study which showed that indoor air quality was improved by decreasing the internal pollution (material off-gassing) load.

Further information can be found at the following websites:

• Daylighting and Student Performance (PDF)

A study conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group for Pacific Gas & Electric Company tested 21,000 students in three states and found that those in classrooms with the most daylighting progressed 20% faster on math tests and 26% faster on reading tests in one year than those with the least daylighting.

Daylighting in Schools: Improving Student Performance and Health at a Price Schools Can Afford

This paper discusses the evidence regarding daylighting and student performance and development, and presents four case studies of schools that have cost effectively implemented daylighting into their buildings.

Indoor Air Quality Health and Performance