How does school air conditioning benefit students?

When we think about air conditioning we might think about holiday apartments, big department stores and office blocks, but more and more schools and colleges are now realising the benefits of installing systems in their settings. It is easy to think that air conditioning is just about keeping cool, but there are some significant benefits for students in an educational environment.

Our children spend huge amounts of their time in school, so it is only right that they are comfortable properly taken care of while they are there. In this article, we take a look at what the advantages are when it comes to adding air conditioning to schools and how your students can benefit.

Temperature

As you might expect, maintaining a comfortable temperature in the classroom is one of the most obvious benefits of installing an air conditioning unit. By keeping the temperature stable and moderate, students will suffer from less distractions and be in a better mindset to work and concentrate.

Studies in the workplace have shown that productivity can reduce by as much as 15% when the temperature rises above 24 degrees Celsius.

It is worth remembering that air conditioning systems work to keep a steady temperature and not just cool it, so you can set it at something that everyone will find comfortable and keep it there at all times of the year.

This can be particularly important as class sizes continue to grow, and more and more students are crammed into small spaces. An already significant temperature can become completely oppressive if too many people share the air, and so an air conditioning unit can make even the largest classes feel more bearable.

Asthma and allergies

The summer doesn’t just bring more sunshine, it also creates higher levels of humidity. This doesn’t just make it sweaty and sticky, but it can also trigger a lot of allergies. A humid environment allows things such as mould, bacteria and dust mites to thrive, which can make life very difficult for anyone who suffers from asthma or allergies.

An air conditioning unit can also act as a humidifier, which will help to eliminate these harmful indoor pollutants. The filters in the system can trap many of these contaminants, ensuring that the quality of the air in the classroom is much better, and meaning that children will need to miss less days of school.

Focus and concentration

Any teacher will know that getting and holding the full attention of a classroom of children or young people can be incredibly difficult at the best of times. When the heat rises, this can be even harder to achieve as focus, and concentration begins to wane.

Some studies have even found that test results tend to be lower if they are taken on hot days. Installing an air conditioning unit will help to maintain a healthy working temperature which will make it easier for students to keep their concentration and can help to reduce the number of disciplinary issues that are brought about by the problems that the weather can bring.

Exercise in schools

Schools are increasingly being pushed to increase the levels of exercise for children during the school day. The weather brings plenty of challenges for this in the winter, but it can be even harder during the summer. For many, the heat of the direct sun is too much for PE lessons to be held outside but running them in a school hall or gymnasium can also feel stifling.

An air conditioning unit can make sure that your indoor spaces are cool enough for physical activity to take place even when the sun is beating down, ensuring that schools meet their requirements and children are able to stay active whatever the weather.

Energy bills

All schools will find that their budgets are stretched, and rising energy bills are meaning that these are now even tighter than ever. One thing that many schools are finding is that an air conditioning system can actually help them to save money. Many systems now offer hot air in addition to cold air and can therefore be more environmentally friendly as well as cheaper to run.

Viruses

We all know how easily children can spread germs and viruses, and the COVID-19 pandemic made us more aware than ever of how easily these can be transmitted. When a lot of children are in one space, the air can be full of bacteria that can quickly and easily be passed from one child to another, causing many to miss time at school with illness.

The filters in an air conditioning unit can help to remove some of the things that are floating in our air, ensuring it is healthier for our children to breathe and minimising the number of bugs that can be passed around.

Staying on track

Teachers put a lot of effort into planning their lessons, and it can be frustrating when they have to change their plans because the weather is too hot. Whether it is concentration levels, active hours or even the way certain materials might react to the heat, air conditioning units can keep temperatures under control and allow the teachers to continue with the lessons that they have planned without needing to cancel or adapt anything.

Heat stroke

High temperatures can also bring a risk of heat stroke, which means pupils can be ill at school and need time off. There are lots of measures available to minimise this risk, but air conditioning is one of the most effective ones. By keeping everybody at a comfortable temperature, you can help to protect the health and wellbeing of your students.

For many years, air conditioning has not been seen as a necessity in the British climate. However, with temperatures beginning to rise, the benefits of school air conditioning are now becoming more and more obvious. It has a great many benefits within a school setting that can make the lives of both pupils and staff easier and more comfortable even in double maths!