WRDSB approves classroom air quality pilot project

By Luke Schulz

A new air-quality pilot project may soon be on the way to a select number of schools in the region's public board. 

Approved by trustees on Monday, the pilot directs staff to “investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of placing CO2 monitors in a minimum of three schools” in order to determine whether they could be used to measure and log statistics on air quality and clean air delivery rate. 

In a report prepared for trustees, Waterloo Region District School Board staff noted that higher levels of CO2 leading to low levels of oxygen is known to “affect cognitive abilities and alertness.”

It argues CO2 levels are “commonly used as an indicator of when an occupied space requires fresh air.”

Trustee Joanne Weston is the board member behind the motion, and said the push behind the pilot project came from the board's experience of COVID-19 and examining air quality in the classroom.

Weston said the board realized there should be attention paid to the steps forward out of the pandemic, and the potential for other viruses and annual illnesses to spread in the classroom. 

“So this is a long term project, and this is hopefully the start of getting data that will show us where changes need to happen.” said Weston.

“Ideally, I want to hear that there are no concerns in individual classrooms (…) and that is very possible, that we'll have a bunch of classrooms that have no concerns at all.”

Weston noted the motion still needs to be fully ratified by trustees at the next WRDSB board meeting on April 25th, though she said that there was “really positive feedback” from both parents on social media and other trustees.

“We would likely start in the fall,” Weston said.

“It would roll out with three schools for about three months, then that information would all be gathered together and a report would be brought back to trustees.”

“There's many different things that could come from that report, and that's what the intent of it is for – to gather data, figure out if there are any concerns… then what are the steps to move forward.”

The board staff report on the pilot project indicates several approaches that will utilize existing WRDSB infrastructure to measure CO2 levels, including utilizing current sensors, augmenting existing sensors and using battery operated, stand-alone CO2 sensors in each classroom to log data individually.

In terms of which schools could see the pilot project, Weston said that decision will be left up to staff, though there has been an emphasis placed on gathering from a range of schools. 

“We want different data from different types of schools and buildings,” Weston said. “But we're leaving that up to staff to figure out the specifics.”

The pilot project is estimated to cost roughly $110,000 from the public board's existing facility services budget, including $90,000 for the purchase and installation of wall or ceiling mounted CO2 sensors at three schools.

A consultant will also be engaged to assist with “developing a methodology for data collection and analysis” and to generate a report of the findings.

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