Healthy Buildings Europe 11-14 June 2023
TAPAS 'Indoor Environmental Quality in Schools' Workshop
The TAPAS network hosted a workshop at Healthy Buildings Europe to discuss ‘Indoor Environmental Quality in Schools'. Complimenting the conference theme 'Beyond Disciplinary Boundaries' we invited speakers from across the globe to speak on this topic. Our speakers covered a range of indoor environmental quality in schools topics including monitoring, interventions, schools engagement and communications, improving IEQ at low cost and the benefits of investing in these improvements. Speaker presentations can be viewed and downloaded here.
This workshop was well attended and instigated some interesting discussion. We hope to further develop our network across the globe and continue to facilitate a cross-border transfer of knowledge by setting up a new Global TAPAS Network.
Workshop programme
Our workshop kicked off with presentations from our four international speakers, followed by a panel discussion chaired by Nicola Carslaw (Professor in Indoor Air Chemistry at the University of York), Henry Burridge (Senior Lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London), and Patricia Fabian (Associate Professor of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health). We then used an online collaborative tool to pose the following questions to our audience:
- With the knowledge we have after years of research carried out globally, why does the indoor environment in schools continue to present such a problem?
- Who should take responsibility to ensure classrooms have good air quality?
- What measures and/or solutions should schools prioritise to improve classroom air quality?
- What are the barriers against improving air quality in schools?
Responses to these questions were collected and a summary in graph format can be viewed below.
Global TAPAS Network
The 'Tackling Air Pollution At School' (TAPAS) network has been active in the UK for 3 years, but tackling air pollution in schools is a global issue. We would like to invite our international colleagues to join a new network of researchers, policy makers, campaigners, school leaders, engineers and more, working to improve conditions in and around schools, including but not limited to: air quality, environmental quality, air pollution, building design, behavioural change, & interventions. By connecting people across the globe, we can share experiences, knowledge, and best practices to help find solutions. Please help us connect by sharing this network with your colleagues.
Responses to workshop questions posed to the audience:
