How Can School Air Conditioning Benefit Students In The Classroom?
In the UK, air conditioning was once viewed as a luxury, but it is now an essential tool in all kinds of environments. One of the most important places you can find air con is within schools and education settings where students can enjoy a massive range of benefits from it.
Schools face unique cooling challenges
Schools present a wide range of temperature control challenges, with every educational setting having its own unique needs. These challenges often include:
- Large classrooms with a number of windows
- Spaces with varying usage patterns, such as libraries, assembly halls or staff rooms
- Listed or structurally restricted buildings
- Budgets with emphasis on energy efficiency
- The need for quiet, disruption-free environments
So, how can we ensure that staff and students are comfortable throughout the day, with minimal disruption to learning and teaching but with on eye on the temperature? Air conditioning is an essential component in creating a productive learning environment for students, and we discuss how this can be achieved.
Maintaining comfort
One of the main benefits of air conditioning in schools is maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout a building. When there are no extremes of temperature, your students are likely to be more comfortable and less distracted, which allows them to focus on their work and be more productive. It can also help with things like concentration levels and mood, ensuring that the classroom is a more pleasant place to be for everyone.
Whilst there is no maximum legal temperature for schools, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 does state that employers have a duty to ensure the health, welfare and safety of their staff and anyone else present in the workplace, such as students.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 recommend that classrooms need to be at least 18°C in order to fully comply and should never fall below 16°C.
Being aware of indoor air quality
Another key benefit of air conditioning in schools is its role in maintaining a good indoor air quality, which is crucial for the health and well-being of students and teachers, especially since staff and students
A good quality air conditioning unit will not only control temperature and humidity levels but will also come with filters that can help to deal with pollution, allergens, dust and a range of toxic gases.
say the air quality in their school is below standard. However, when the indoor air is filtered through air conditioners, it is possible to create a healthy and comfortable environment. Air conditioning reduces the spread of germs and viruses and keep triggers for allergies and hay fever at bay, enabling students to perform at their highest levels throughout the day.
Considering energy efficiency
We all know how tightly squeezed the budgets of schools are these days and so it is important to save money wherever possible. Energy efficiency is another benefit of air conditioning units, they can help schools to save money on their energy bills whilst reducing their carbon footprint at the same time.
This is due to the temperature control that air conditioning offers, which can help to reduce the energy consumption of an education setting all year round, meaning there is more money available to spend on important education resources.
Prioritising air flow for focus and concentration
If our body temperature becomes too high or too low, it focuses on regulating to a comfortable temperature. This means both students and staff can become distracted if the temperature strays from a comfortable and controlled level.
Studies show that when temperatures rise above 24C, productivity decreases by 15%. As well as this, most classrooms experience overheating for more that 40% of school hours.
Raised temperatures can also lead to more behavioural issues in the classroom as it is likely to make students become more agitated and distracted. Therefore, a key benefit of air conditioning is its ability to support focus and concentration by keeping the classroom environment stable, enabling pupils to engage fully with lessons and perform at their best.
Keeping staff comfortable and productive
The benefits of air conditioning apply to staff just as much as students. It is essential that a comfortable working environment is provided in order for teachers to deliver lessons effectively and maintain high morale. If the temperature and air quality is stable and healthy, then your teachers will be able to teach to the best of their ability, and students can benefit from a better learning experience.
In a nutshell, what’s the importance of air conditioning in schools?
Air conditioning units in schools should be an essential, not an after thought. The benefits of air conditioning in schools are substantial, and proven to contribute to:
- Improved staff and student comfort and concentration
- Cleaner, healthier air
- Energy efficiency and savings
- Protection against damp and humidity
Air conditioning offers fantastic levels of control, which means they can be put to use throughout the year to provide a comfortable, healthy and focused atmosphere throughout every classroom in your school.
Create a healthier, more comfortable school
Enjoy improved comfort in the classroom with our school air conditioning units! To discuss your requirements, give us a call on 03450179963, or email at sales@chillairconditioning.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help! We’ll aim to provide a competitive quote that meet your budget and needs.
