Indoor Environmental Quality in Finnish Elementary Schools

The aims were to assess indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Finnish elementary school buildings and to study associations between ventilation rate and student health and learning outcomes. The study population consisted of about one thousand sixth grade students from 59 schools in southern Finland. Students’ learning outcomes were assessed based on mathematics test scores as a part of a national assessment program. In addition students (with the help of their parents) responded to a questionnaire about their health. Indoor environmental quality in classrooms was assessed by on-site measurements of ventilation rates and temperatures. Background information of school building was collected from the Finnish register centre. Based on the measurements mean ventilation rate per student was 3.0 3.0 and 6.5 L/s/student for schools with natural mechanical exhaust and mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation systems respectively. Mean temperature was 22.40C.There was no significant correlation between measured IEQ (ventilation and temperature) and school level health and learning outcomes in this sample of schools.