The Right to Breathe / Healthy Buildings Policy
The “Right to Breathe” / Healthy Buildings Policy
Discussion Title: [Feedback]: CO2 Monitors, Ventilation, and School Health
We are stress-testing the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Standards.
🧪 For HVAC Engineers
The Standard: We mandate ASHRAE 241 (Pathogen Mitigation). Is this feasible in older school buildings without a massive retrofit? Can portable HEPA filters meet the legal requirement instead?
Key questions:
- What is the minimum ventilation rate required per classroom to meet ASHRAE 241 for pathogen mitigation?
- Are portable HEPA units an acceptable interim compliance strategy while capital upgrades are planned?
- What monitoring and maintenance regime would be required to ensure HEPA units remain effective (filter replacement intervals, CADR requirements, placement guidance)?
💼 For School Boards / Business Owners
Productivity ROI: Research shows high CO2 makes students/workers drowsy. If this policy costs $10k per building, do we make that back in test scores or productivity?
Considerations:
- Evidence and metrics to quantify productivity/learning gains tied to IAQ improvements.
- Energy penalty: bringing in fresh air increases heating/cooling loads. How does this interact with Net Zero goals?
- Financing models: grants, low-interest bonds, or utility on-bill financing for HVAC upgrades.
🏠 For Parents
Transparency: Should every classroom have a visible CO2 monitor that parents can check online? Or is that too much surveillance?
Points for discussion:
- Privacy vs. transparency: design a public dashboard that shares aggregated/room-level IAQ without personal data.
- Rapid response: define trigger thresholds for CO2 and CO2+PM2.5 that require immediate action (e.g., increase ventilation, pause indoor activities).
- Equity: ensure low-income schools receive prioritized funding for upgrades rather than being left behind with only portable units.
Implementation Notes / Draft Questions
- Compliance pathway: ASHRAE 241 retrofit, or interim HEPA-based compliance with scheduled capital upgrades.
- Monitoring: require visible CO2 monitors and central telemetry to the school district facilities dashboard.
- Maintenance: mandate documented filter replacement cadence and a service log for each unit.
- Funding: prioritize federal/state grants for low-income districts.