1 October 2023
This is the first study to investigate the field performance of a roof-mounted solar air heater in NZ primary schools. Results of this study provide insights for the use of solar energy without need for energy storage to heat and ventilate the classrooms.
27 April 2023
New Zealanders need to be more aware of indoor air quality and its impact on health, particularly over winter, caution the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, the Indoor Air Quality Research Centre of New Zealand (IAQRC) and NIWA.
30 November 2022
Over the last 12 months, the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s COVID-19 ventilation programme, in collaboration with its advisory group of ventilation experts, have carried out a series of targeted studies which enhanced the understanding of the role of natural ventilation and informed our ventilation guidance to schools.
28 February 2022
Ventilation is a key and relatively underutilised public health measure that can reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Last year we outlined the need for adequate ventilation in schools and highlighted the need for nationwide ventilation surveillance. In this blog we provide an overview of the results of carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring carried out in a variety of schools at the start of the Omicron wave. These results highlight that excessive levels of CO2 can build up in classrooms – and that this can be prevented by window opening.
17 December 2021
It is important you consider how you ventilate your teaching and other occupied indoor spaces. Along with testing, vaccination, good hygiene and physical distancing, good ventilation is important in minimising the risk of airborne transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.
5 December 2021
As Covid-19 pops up in more places, the Ministry of Education and NIWA are investigating how well ventilated New Zealand classrooms are.
21 September 2021
New Zealand classrooms are often crowded, damp, mouldy and poorly ventilated – prime conditions for Covid to spread. And with new strains affecting children more than ever, making our schools safer should be an urgent priority
10 September 2021
Ventilation is a valuable protection that works well in combination with other pandemic control measures such as vaccination and mask use, with additional benefits for improving children’s learning and concentration.
1 October 2019
Using commercial equipment to test the air quality in every New Zealand classroom would be prohibitively expensive. This project developed a low-cost sensor platform with remote logging and data transmission and tested it in 11 schools.
1 October 2019
A study of the air quality in a Wellington primary school classroom measured temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulates. Elements in the particulates were also identified to find the source of the pollution.
1 March 2019
Children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of air pollution and as they spend a large proportion of time at school, this is an important environment for children’s exposure to air pollution. Understanding the factors that influence indoor air quality in schools is critical for the assessment and control of indoor air pollution.
22 October 2018
Growing evidence that the air we breathe in our homes, schools and offices is an overlooked but potentially huge health threat has prompted calls for new standards.
12 April 2018
A low-cost, low power consumption indoor environment monitoring device, called SKOMOBO (SKOol Monitoring Box), was developed. SKOMOBO includes the sensors to monitor temperature/relative humidity, carbon dioxide, particulate matter (PM) and motion (PIR). SKOMOBO was developed using the open source software on Arduino Pro Mini.
1 January 2017
A literature review of healthy homes and schools with emphasis on the issues pertinent to New Zealand.