School Infrastructure Impact Studies

How can a Facility Condition Audit and EBCx project impact a K-12 School system A Facility Condition Audit (FCA) and Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) project can significantly impact a K-12 school system in several positive ways. Both are strategic approaches to understanding and improving the physical and operational conditions of school facilities. Here's how they can make a difference: Facility Condition Audit (FCA) Identification of Critical Repairs: An FCA systematically assesses the condition of school buildings, identifying areas that require immediate repair, thereby preventing minor issues from becoming major expenditures. Long-term Planning: It provides a clear picture of the current state of the facilities, which can be crucial for strategic planning, budgeting, and prioritizing long-term maintenance and upgrade projects. Safety and Compliance: The audit ensures that buildings meet safety standards and are compliant with local, state, and federal regulations, reducing the risk of penalties and ensuring a safe environment for students and staff. Enhanced Learning Environments: By identifying areas for improvement, FCAs can lead to the creation of better learning environments, which have been shown to positively affect student performance and staff satisfaction. Cost Savings: Through the early identification of maintenance needs, schools can avoid costly emergency repairs and replacements, leading to significant savings over time. Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) Improved Energy Efficiency: EBCx focuses on optimizing building systems to ensure they are running as efficiently as possible, which can lead to significant energy savings and reduce the school system's carbon footprint. Enhanced Comfort and Air Quality: By ensuring that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are functioning optimally, EBCx can improve indoor air quality and comfort, contributing to a healthier environment for students and staff. Reduced Operating Costs: Optimized systems require less energy and maintenance, leading to lower operating costs. These savings can be redirected towards educational programs and resources. Increased Equipment Lifespan: Regular commissioning helps in identifying and fixing issues before they become major problems, extending the lifespan of building systems and equipment. Sustainability Goals: EBCx supports sustainability initiatives by reducing energy consumption and encouraging the use of green technologies, aligning with environmental goals and possibly qualifying the school system for green certifications or incentives. Documentation and Training: EBCx projects often include the development of system documentation and staff training, ensuring that the benefits of the commissioning process are maintained over time. https://lnkd.in/e4zAustD

🧑🎓 Why Infrastructure facilitating Safer commute to Schools are important? 'National Study on Safe Commute to School' report 2021 shows that nearly #30% children witnessed a road crash during their commute to school, with #6% personally involved in the crash. Ten schools audited by Raahgiri Foundation in #Gurugram reveals a concerning scenario regarding the safety and accessibility of school environments. Key findings include: 🚦 1. Lack of basic infrastructure: Absence of footpaths, pedestrian crossings, no signages and missing speed calming measures, exposing children to high speed vehicular traffic. Children as young as 7 years old were seen navigating such adverse traffic conditions on their own. 🗑️ 2. Waste Disposal near schools: Unmanaged waste near school premises creates hygiene issues making children vulnerable to diseases. 😷 3. Exposure to vehicular emissions: Prolonged exposure to vehicular emissions directly impacts the physical and mental health of the children. #RoadSafety #Childrensafety #Saferoads #Safercommutetoschools #safeschoolzones #Raahgiriforstudents #Raahgirifoundation #lowemissionschoolzones UNESCO

In these cold days in Kosovo, when children attend schools, most of which fail to meet even the minimum hygiene standards, another alarming issue is the polluted environment in which learning takes place. According to data from the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MASHT), there are 551 schools heated with stoves inside classrooms, 600 schools with central heating that uses coal or wood, and 102 others using oil for heating—each method more polluting than the other. Studies show that prolonged exposure to environments where wood and coal are burned severely impacts children’s health. These conditions lead to respiratory illnesses, eye, skin, and throat irritations, cardiovascular system issues, reduced lung capacity... Beyond health impacts, such environments may have long-term consequences on the well-being and future of children. Schools, which should be places of education and development for children, are instead turning into spaces where their health and future are compromised in countless ways.

“Many school buildings have inadequate ventilation, rudimentary if any air filtration, and aging and poorly maintained mechanical systems, all of which can lead to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). These issues are especially acute in environmental justice (EJ) communities where schools are located in polluted areas. This community-based participatory research examines how IAQ in naturally ventilated school buildings is affected by the use of air purifiers, air change rates, outdoor pollution levels, and teacher and staff behavior.”