Review and Assessment of the Health and Productivity Benefits of Green Schools An Interim Report (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-7
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This interim report has been prepared at the request of MASSTECH. MASSTECH is preparing a legislative proposal for green school guidelines, to be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in December 2005.
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Various sets of guidelines have been developed to suggest a multitude of ways in which the objectives can be achieved to some degree. Typically the guidelines move well beyond design and engineering criteria for school buildings to address land use, processes for construction and equipment installation, and operation and maintenance practices.
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Box ES.1 National Academies' Hierarchy of Evidence for Scientific Inference in Health-Related Studies Sufficient Evidence of a Causal Relationship: Evidence is sufficient to conclude that a causal relationship exists between the agent and the outcome. That is, the evidence fulfills the criteria for sufficient proof of an association, and in addition, satisfies evaluation criteria such as strength of association, biologic gradient, consistency of association, biologic plausibility and coherence, and temporally correct association.
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· Excessive moisture in a building can lead to structural damage, deterioration of the performance of building systems and components, and cosmetic damage, all of which can result in increased maintenance and repair costs. · Guidelines for green schools typically do not adequately address the design detailing, construction, and long-term maintenance of building envelopes to ensure that allergen sources are controlled, moisture is controlled, and a building is kept dry over the long term.
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· A growing body of evidence suggests that teacher productivity and student learning, as measured by absenteeism, may be affected by indoor air quality as well. · Indoor pollutants and allergens from house dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches, and rodents also contribute to increased respiratory and asthma symptoms among children and adults.
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Recommendation 3: For green schools in which the lighting strategy is to use daylight extensively, control systems that can be easily operated, such as manual blinds or other types of window treatments, should be specified in order to control excessive sunlight or glare. Finding 5: In regard to noise, acoustics, student learning, and teacher health, the committee has found the following: · Sufficient evidence exists to conclude that there is an association between decreased noise levels in schools and improvement in student achievement.
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Standard S12.60, "Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools." Finding 6: In regard to building condition and student achievement, the committee has found the following: · The body of available research is suggestive of an association between the condition of a school building and student achievement. All of the studies analyzed by the committee found that student test scores improved as the physical condition of school buildings improved.
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