Reopening Schools

by Marcy Marro | September 1, 2020 12:00 am

We’re six months into a global pandemic, and children are starting to head back to school. Many left schools back in March, hoping to return, only to have to finish the school year online. Now, many are heading back to the school buildings, wearing masks and social distancing, trying to find a way to create a safe atmosphere, while many are staying home, keeping up with virtual classes.

Across the nations, colleges and universities are dealing with an influx of COVID-19 cases as students come back to campus and start hanging out with old friends or trying to make new friends. Many times, these gatherings have been without people wearing masks or social distancing, forcing schools to switch from in-person classes to all virtual, for at least a short period of time, hoping to slow down the spread of infection among students.

As part of its Reopening America initiative, the American Institute of Architects[1] (AIA) has released its Reopening America: Strategies for Safer Schools[2]. The initiatives look at how design strategies, backed by science, can be a public health solution by reducing the spread of pathogens in buildings, accommodating physical distancing practices, promoting mental well-being and fulfilling alternative operational and functional expectations. The Strategies for Safer Schools paper includes strategies for assembly spaces, cafeterias, classrooms, entrances, gymnasiums, HVAC, locker rooms and nurses’ offices. The document can be found here: http://content.aia.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/Reopening_America__Strategies_for_Safer_Schools_June_2020_.pdf[3]

Organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[4] (CDC), World Health Organization[5] (WHO) and ASHRAE[6] all agree that to reduce the risk of spreading the virus in buildings, ventilation systems need to be operating properly, increasing outdoor air circulation and improving filtration. Schools are also working to develop plans that meet the U.S. EPA and CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and high-touch places.

To help school officials as they work through their reopening plans, the Center for Green Schools[7] started reaching out to leading organizations working on indoor air quality (IAQ) guidance for schools, as well as members of its School District Sustainability Leadership Network[8], many of which are responsible for their district’s energy management, waste management and healthy school programs. In conversations with school districts around the country, the Center for Green Schools heard about the many challenges regarding indoor air quality and green cleaning, including a lack of direction at the federal, state and local level; the efficacy of products and technologies, making it difficult to know what products will work and where; limited resources to upgrade to better filtration systems, increased cleaning and more robust disinfection systems; and more. Additional information on the reopening for K-12 schools can be found at usgbc.org/about/covid-19-resources[9].

These next few weeks and months will be challenging for schools as they try and figure out the best way to teach and provide an education experience for the students. As more information is gained, we’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date on all you need to know for reopening schools, business and other buildings.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/blog/reopening-schools/

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