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7230.2 Indoor Air Quality/Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
7230.2 Indoor Air Quality/Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
The Board of Education recognizes that the maintenance of acceptable temperature, relative humidity and adequate fresh air ventilation in school buildings is a primary objective in the creation and maintenance of an optimal learning environment.
Indoor Air Quality in Existing Facilities
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall implement an indoor air quality program that provides for ongoing maintenance and facility reviews, in accordance with all applicable state statutes, necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the indoor air quality of all District facilities.
Starting on January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, for all District facilities the Board of Education shall provide for a uniform inspection and evaluation program of indoor air quality complying with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tools for Indoor Air Quality for Schools Program. The results of the evaluation shall be made available for public inspection at a regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting and also posted on the District’s website.
The District shall report biennially, in a manner as required, to the Commissioner of Education on the condition of its facilities, its long-range facilities program, its air quality program, and green cleaning program. The Board must utilize standard reporting forms to conduct and report on both IAQ and HVAC inspections and must provide The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) the completed forms for each school. The forms and/or reports must be made available at a regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting and on the Board of Education/individual school website.
The inspection and evaluation program shall include, but not be limited to, a review, inspection or evaluation of the following:
1. the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems;
2. radon levels in the air and water;
3. potential for exposure to microbiological airborne particles, including fungi, mold, and bacteria;
4. chemical compounds of concern to indoor air quality, including volatile organic compounds;
5. pest infestation, including insects and rodents;
6. pesticide usage;
7. the presence and plans for removal of certain hazardous substances identified under federal law;
8. ventilation systems;
9. plumbing, including water distribution systems, drainage systems, and fixtures;
10. moisture incursion (leaks);
11. the facilities’ overall cleanliness;
12. building structural elements, including roofing, basements, and slabs;
13. the use of space, particularly in areas designed to be unoccupied; and
14. the provision of indoor air quality maintenance training for building staff.
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems shall be maintained in accordance with the prevailing maintenance systems, such as Standard 62. The Board direct the Superintendent or his/her designee to ensure that such systems shall be operated continuously during the hours in which students or school personnel occupy school facilities except during periods of scheduled maintenance or emergency repairs or at other times when it can be demonstrated that the air supply system meets the Standards 62 requirements for air changes per hour.
Records shall be maintained on the maintenance of the District’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for a period of not less than five years. Such records shall be available to the public upon request.
Prior to January 1, 2025, and every five years thereafter, the local or regional Board of Education shall provide for a uniform inspection and evaluation of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system within each school building under its jurisdiction. Such inspection and evaluation shall be performed by a certified testing, adjusting and balancing technician, an industrial hygienist certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene or the Board for Global EHS Credentialing, or a mechanical engineer. Such heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems inspection and evaluation shall include, but need not be limited to:
Testing for maximum filter efficiency
Physical measurements of outside air delivery rate
Verification of the appropriate condition and operation of ventilation components
Measurement of air distribution through all system inlets and outlets
Verification of unit operation and that required maintenance has been performed in accordance with the most recent indoor ventilation standards promulgated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
Verification of control sequences
Verification of carbon dioxide sensors and acceptable carbon dioxide concentrations indoors, and
Collection of field data for the installation of mechanical ventilation if none exist.
The ventilation systems inspection and evaluation shall identify to what extent each school’s current ventilation system components, including any existing central or non-central mechanical ventilation system, are operating in such a manner as to provide appropriate ventilation to the school building in accordance with most recent indoor ventilation standards promulgated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The inspection and evaluation shall result in a written report, and such report shall include any corrective actions necessary to be performed to the mechanical ventilation system or the heating, ventilation and air conditioning infrastructure, including installation of filters meeting the most optimal level of filtration available for a given heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, installation of carbon dioxide sensors and additional maintenance, repairs, upgrades or replacement. Any such corrective actions shall be performed, where appropriate, by a contractor, who is licensed in accordance with chapter 393. The local or regional Board of Education conducting an inspection and evaluations pursuant to this subsection shall make available for public inspection the results of such inspection and evaluation at a regularly scheduled meeting of such Board and on the Internet website of such Board and on the Internet website, if any, of each individual school. The local or regional Board of Education shall not be required to provide for a uniform inspection and evaluation under this subdivision for any school building that will cease to be used as a school building within the three years from when such inspection and evaluation is to be performed.
Indoor Air Quality in New or Renovated Facilities
In order to secure appropriate indoor air quality in District schools, the Board of Education believes that when new facilities are constructed and when existing facilities are renovated, the following requirements shall be specified to the architect or design professional responsible for the construction project:
Adhere to the requirements defining minimum air circulation contained in the State Building Code which apply only when constructing new space.
The building/space meets or exceeds the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Engineers) 62-1999 standard, “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality,” which considers chemical, physical and biological contaminants that can effect air quality as referenced by the State Code adopted pursuant to C.G.S. 29-252.
Utilizing the ASHRAE 62-1999 standard, achieve a minimum ventilation rate per occupant of 15 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of outdoor air.
Design and placement of air handling equipment needs to be done in a manner where it is accessible to inspect and maintain the equipment; therefore, mechanical rooms are desirable versus exposed rooftop units or units hung above suspended ceilings.
With increased air flow requirements, attention must be given to the potential of air velocity noise within ductwork.
Fresh air intakes must be located, whenever possible, away from all types of vents and exhausts on roofs.
Air intakes and ventilation windows must be sufficiently distant from bus loops and loading docks.
Radon mitigation systems to provide a vapor barrier and protection from under-slab humidity should be a part of new school construction.
Attention must be given to the selection of carpeting, carpet adhesives and synthetic materials which may emit odorous and irritating volatile organic vapors degrading indoor air quality.
Reduce the potential of moisture intrusion through appropriately designed pitched roofs wherever possible.
Consider the economic feasibility of achieving dehumidification through air conditioning.
Install temperature control systems, which monitor temperature and other factors helpful in monitoring and diagnosing heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
When renovating an occupied building provide for the mechanical control of airborne pollutants associated with the construction process.
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10-220 Duties of boards of education
10-231(f) Indoor air quality committees
10-282(19) Definitions
10-283 Applications for grants for school building projects
10-286 (a)(9) Computation of school building project grants
10-291 Approval of plans and site. Expense limit
10-292 Review of final plans by Commissioner of Education. Exceptions; role of local officials
10-231g Green Cleaning Program at schools: Definitions, Implementation, Notice
PA 22-118 An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2023
PA 23-167 An Act Concerning Transparency in Education
Policy Adopted: December 14, 2023
7230.2
Appendix
Additional Resources
For more information on asthma contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Download the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit from EPA’s website.
Find more asthma resources on EPA’s website
Learn about EPA’s clean school bus initiative on EPA’s website
U.S. EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse (IAQ INFO)
(800) 438-4318
(703) 356-5386 Fax
Call to request the IAQ Tools for Schools Kit
Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc.
(800) 878-4403
Ask about obtaining their School Information Packet
American Lung Association
(800 LUNG-USA
Ask about the Open Airways for Schools program and the Asthma-Friendly Schools Toolkit.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
(800) 7-ASTHMA
Ask about AAFA’s Asthma Management at School presentation for parents and school personnel. Also available are additional school-based child and teen education materials.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(888) 232-6789
Find out more information on the Asthma Prevention Program by visiting this website.
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