Proper ventilation: CO2 monitor "traffic light" helps to prevent the classroom from becoming a refrigerator
In times of the pandemic, infection protection in the classroom is of the utmost importance so that schools do not become corona hotspots. Proper ventilation plays a central role in reducing the aerosol concentration in the classroom - and the associated risk of infection with the coronavirus.
When it comes to ventilation, the German Federal Environment Agency came up with the 20-5-20 ventilation rule. This very general requirement states that after 20 minutes of lessons there should be five minutes of ventilation so that the remaining 20 minutes of lessons can then be held in a healthy indoor climate. However, especially in the cold season, many teachers and parents fear that the minimum temperature in the classroom will drop sharply when the windows are opened for ventilation. This minimum temperature in the classroom should be at least 19°C for sedentary activities in accordance with the technical rules for workplaces of the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. By ventilating the room for five minutes at low temperatures, the temperature in the classroom can quickly drop below 19°C.
Parents and associations worry about the minimum temperature in the classroom
Against this background, the German Federal Parents' Council, the German Education and Training Association and the German Education and Science Union view the current practice with great scepticism. "The ventilation control 20-5-20 becomes a huge educational challenge during rain and low temperatures", criticizes the association. Because freezing students not only get sick more quickly, they also have major problems following the lessons.
Daily life with Corona at schools must therefore be about efficient ventilation at the right time. Technical devices such as the CO2 monitor can provide valuable services in the classroom. They measure the carbon dioxide concentration in the classroom, which is a recognised indicator of the aerosol concentration. The CO2 traffic light signal lights up red when the threshold value for the CO2 concentration in the classroom is exceeded. When the air quality is good again, they give the all-clear. This prevents excessive and unnecessary ventilation. It gives students as well as teachers a feeling of security. You don't have to freeze and one can concentrate fully on the class.
CO2 monitor in the classroom increases performance and concentration
Even apart from the corona pandemic, the indoor climate has been an urgent problem in schools for years. Because there are always many people in a small space in the classrooms, the CO2 emissions are high - and often higher than is acceptable in terms of air quality. However, increased levels of carbon dioxide can have negative consequences. They can trigger headaches, make you tired and limit your ability to perform and concentrate.
Compared to other techniques for good indoor air quality, devices such as the CO2 monitor are very effective in connection with the subsequent ventilation. A study by German scientists recently demonstrated that regular ventilation in schools is much more effective than, for example, the use of air filter devices. These are also much more expensive. The CO2 monitor in schools are therefore a cost-effective and efficient solution against aerosols and a bad indoor climate - in times of the corona pandemic and beyond.
Four reasons for shock ventilation and against tilt ventilation
- Shock ventilation leads to a much more effective air exchange than ventilation with windows in the tilt position.
- Shock ventilation is more climate-friendly because the heat does not escape permanently - unlike with windows in the tilt position.
- This makes shock ventilation more cost-effective.
- If the windows are tilted permanently, mould can form more quickly.