Abstract
Students spend nearly one third of their typical day in the school environment, where they may be exposed to air pollutants. The main aim of this research is to study different interventions and scenarios as mitigation strategies towards air pollution exposure of school students in UK school settings. Comprehensive literature review of previous studies identified the gaps in existing knowledge base. Four field campaigns were carried out to fill some of the gaps and to improve classroom/school air quality. The objectives were to quantify: (i) the existing air quality in monitored schools and classrooms; (ii) to check the suitability of an appropriate intervention in classroom/school environment; (iii) to assess the effectiveness of selected intervention in classroom/school environment with respect to their advantages and limitations and (iv) to develop a recommendation framework based on findings of research objectives to minimise students’ exposure to air pollutants. As the first research, horizontal and vertical variation of classroom air pollutants and thermal comfort parameters in a naturally ventilated classroom and impact of technological intervention (air purifier) on these parameters were studied. The second study focused on combined application of technological intervention (air purifier) and scheduled natural ventilation’s effect on classroom air quality in an infant school. This was followed by an experimental study to find the effect of green infrastructure (green screen and green gate) on school air quality. The last study explored IoT based visual-acoustic CO2 self-surveillance display system (SAVE unit) on classroom air quality. Recommendations based on the findings of all above field campaigns and detailed literature review have been provided targeting school administration, teachers, policy makers and researchers. The results indicate that classroom air quality and thermal comfort can be improved significantly in a more cost-efficient way by strategizing the application of technological and natural interventions in a naturally ventilated classroom.