A WARRINGTON primary school has become first in the north west to adopt indoor air quality monitoring.
Following the return to school in March after the third national lockdown in the UK, Stockton Heath Primary School became the first school in the region to adopt indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring to provide peace of mind for teachers, pupils and other visitors to the school.
The technology, provided and installed by IAQ Solutions, has a Virus Risk Indicator which the school will use to monitor and ensure a safe environment to protect its pupils and staff against Covid-19 transmission and other viruses. Innovative sensors paired with cloud technology produce real time air quality monitoring which can be monitored using a QR code that connects to a digital dashboard allowing staff to see the air quality throughout the school day.
Headteacher Dan Harding said: “We’re very proud to be the first school in the north west to have adopted this important and potentially lifesaving technology in our classrooms, offices and staff rooms. The past year has really highlighted our need to understand the quality of the air we breathe. Having IAQ monitoring will ultimately improve the children’s concentration and their long-term educational outcomes, whilst increasing the school’s overall efficiency. I’d like to thank IAQ Solutions for raising our awareness of the importance of monitoring our indoor air quality and for providing a seamless and professional service.”
Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) increases virus transmission and respiratory illness, reduces productivity and impairs cognitive function. The installation of IAQ technology in care homes, offices and schools will help those returning or living in those spaces feel safer and have confidence in the air that they’re breathing. The technology can be tailored, meaning parameters can be set. For example, in a care home environment each resident’s room can be set dependent on their needs and the monitors can be accessed from anywhere in the world, giving the families and friends the ability to know their loved ones are safe and virus risk is low.
Backing the installation of the IAQ monitoring across all Warrington schools, Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South said: “Stockton Heath Primary School are leading the way to improving air quality in our schools across the borough. I personally understand the importance of being able to monitor the air quality for the safety of our employees. Having recently installed the technology in our office, we uncovered concerning air quality issues that we were able to swiftly resolve with the expertise of IAQ Solutions.”
