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Classrooms (and students) can benefit from better indoor air quality, ventilation, lighting and acoustics.
The United States Green Building Council is helping schools become greener and cleaner.
The council defines a green school as a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money.
With their Green Classroom Project, they help to renovate and “greenify” an existing classroom in schools to show what a difference certain elements such as a new energy-efficient HVAV system, day-lighting and natural light installations, improved acoustics and improved indoor air quality can have on students.
A second classroom without any updates serves as a control room.
The project includes the installation of air-quality monitoring equipment in both classrooms, which collect information on carbon dioxide levels, temperature and humidity, energy usage and more.
The project often relies on corporate donations from local and national businesses to provide funding for the materials and labor.
Source: OC Metro, US Green Building Council
Improve indoor air quality in schools and learning facilities
Among other factors, indoor air quality can have a big impact on student success with regards to learning and retaining information.
Room air purifiers with activated carbon and HEPA for individual classrooms.
Even small steps like keeping classrooms clutter-free and clean, using non-toxic cleaning agents, opening windows regularly and more can lead to a much improved indoor air environment.
The indoor air quality in classrooms can not only be compromised by lack of ventilation and too many students in a small space, other sources such as building materials, certain indoor activities and outdoor air pollution can also build up a toxic soup of contaminants.
A portable air cleaner with the right air filters can help remove pollutants such as chemicals, gases, odors, dust, particles, allergens, bacteria, viruses and mold.
Electrocorp has designed the most efficient and long-lasting air cleaners for schools and universities that contain a deep-bed activated carbon filter and HEPA filter as well as UV germicidal filtration (optional).
For more information, contact Electrocorp today.
Greener buildings can make workers more productive and help a company's bottom line.
A University of Notre Dame study shows that bank branches using LEED-certified buildings increases their revenues even if they offer the same products and services than other branches.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is awarded to certain buildings that have been built or renovated with energy efficiency and good indoor air quality in mind.
The five main categories are Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.
In their study, the researchers looked at 562 PNC branches (93 LEED, 469 non-LEED) and found that employees working in LEED-certified branches were more productive and engaged in their work.
This translated into big bucks for the branches: The study authors determined that sustainability equaled about $461,300 more per employee after controlling for other variables that influence performance.
This mirrors what many companies have been experiencing in the recent past: A high environmental and social impact can be maintained while achieving revenue and job growth.
In terms of the bank in the study, going green seems to work, whether it’s because the buildings look better or the people working there are more fulfilled and thus providing better services.
Source: University of Notre Dame
Good indoor air quality can improve productivity
Numerous studies have highlighted the benefits of good indoor air quality on a company’s bottom line. While LEED-certification may not be possible to attain right away, companies can do other things to improve their indoor air quality and worker satisfaction.
- Source control: Companies can opt for products, furnishings and other materials that are more natural and environmentally friendly and won’t add any pollutants to the ambient air. For example, glass desks or untreated office furniture won’t emit VOCs and other toxins.
- Ventilation: Companies can make sure that existing ventilation systems are well maintained and that the filters are replaced regularly.
- Air cleaning: Using portable air cleaners with activated carbon and HEPA can help keep the air clean and much healthier. These air cleaners work around the clock to remove airborne chemicals, odors, particles, dust, bacteria, viruses and mold.
Electrocorp offers high-quality air cleaners for a wide range of commercial and industrial applications, including
- Offices
- Schools and Universities
- Libraries and Archives
- Hospitals and health care settings
- Beauty Salons and Spas
Contact Electrocorp for more information and more options.
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Allergies can lead to poor productivity and missed work days, experts say.
Allergies are on the rise, and economists are warning about the impact they have on a company’s bottom line.
A study published in Current Research and Opinion reported that about 55 percent of employees experienced hay fever symptoms for an average of 52.5 days and they missed an average of 3.6 days per year because of their allergies.
During the allergy seasons, they could be unproductive for about 2.3 hours per workday because of their symptoms.
A different study, published in the American Journal of Managed Care, estimated that allergies cost companies more than $601 million in total lost productivity each year.
Lost productivity and missed work days were common when it came to allergies because the symptoms could be pretty rough on workers.
Beside sniffling and sneezing (which workers might have been able to ignore), many employees suffer from sore throats, headaches, sinus infections, itchy eyes, fatigue and general malaise.
According to allergists, many workers could treat their allergies more aggressively to prevent these symptoms from interfering with their work.
Treatment possibilities include
- Begin taking medications earlier: Instead of waiting for allergy symptoms to become almost unbearable, taking allergy medications earlier can help prevent complications. Earlier means a few weeks before allergy season starts.
- Stick with your meds: Some medications (like nasal sprays) take up to five days to be effective, so stopping after a few days won’t do. Ask your health care provider if nothing seems to be working.
- Don’t forget nights: A good night’s sleep is important for productivity and well-being. Experts suggest taking an antihistamine at night. Opt for one that can make you drowsy.
- Keep eye drops handy: Prescription antihistamine eye drops can help control symptoms when you first feel an itch coming on.
- Use an air purifier to control airborne allergens and pollen: Keeping an air purifier with a HEPA filter in the bedroom and at work can help control exposure to allergens and other pollutants.
Source: Fox News
Air cleaners for the office and home
Electrocorp offers highly efficient and portable air purifiers for those suffering from allergies and asthma.
They can be used in the office or at home and they provide maximum particle and allergen control with the best HEPA filters as well as deep-bed activated carbon filters and other filters to remove pollutants that might cause or aggravate allergic symptoms.
Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
Poor indoor air quality can affect workers' health and productivity.
Indoor air quality has become a top public health concern, and the problems are not confined to people’s homes.
In many cases, their offices and work sites also expose them to indoor air pollutants such as VOCs, mold, chemicals and dust or smaller particles.
Long-term exposure to indoor air pollution has been linked to a wide range of health effects for some people, including respiratory issues, Sick Building Syndrome and more.
Even health departments are affected.
In the case of the Fairfield County Health Department in Connecticut, workers were exposed to moisture and mold problems as well as a flea infestation, bats and rodents, poor indoor air quality due to a lack of air circulation, lead and high radon levels.
Officials say some of the concerns have been addressed already, but humidity problems and black mold as well as other IAQ concerns have been too costly to fix.
The employees have been submitting complaints and voicing their frustration, but finding a new location may take some time, they say.
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Improve IAQ with powerful air cleaners
Electrocorp has designed portable and multistage air filtration systems for many industrial and commercial applications, including
The air cleaners remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants from the ambient air with the help of a deep-bed activated carbon air filter (which adsorbs airborne chemicals, gases, odors and fumes), a HEPA filter (to trap as much as 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns in size) as well as UV germicidal filtration (to neutralize mold spores, bacteria and viruses).
Along with source control and proper ventilation, the right air cleaner can help keep the indoor air clean and healthy.
Contact Electrocorp for more information and options.
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Poor IAQ at work can hamper productivity, experts say.
Poor indoor air quality at work is a widespread phenomenon and may have a detrimental impact on the economy, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) says.
Indoor air pollution can affect workers’ health, they say, which in turn hampers productivity and absenteeism.
PAHO is set to visit Antigua & Barbuda early next year to help the Ministry of Health raise awareness about poor indoor air quality.
The building that houses the Ministry of Health is among the IAQ-challenged buildings. It has been identified as having asbestos in the roofing and other health and safety concerns.
The employees continue using the building on a half-day basis.
The organization hopes to address various IAQ issues at the workplace, including asbestos and other hazardous substances, air monitoring, cleaning agents and more.
Source: Daily Observer
Take care of workplace air
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration, the quality of indoor air inside offices, schools, and other workplaces is important not only for workers’ comfort but also for their health.
Workers exposed to poor IAQ may experience symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lung, OSHA says, and the problems can come from many different areas.
Ways to control indoor air quality issues include good building maintenance, regular cleaning (without harsh chemicals), ventilation and air cleaning.
The industrial-strength air cleaners from Electrocorp are user-friendly, powerful and versatile. They feature an activated carbon + HEPA filter combination to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants, including many chemicals and gases, particles and dust, bacteria and viruses or mold.
For more information, contact Electrocorp.
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