There are resources available to facilities and schools
If you're concerned about the air quality in your public building or school, there are some funding options to improve the situation. First, you'll want to consult with your facilities manager and see what plans are already in place to address the issue. Then, you can explore some of the avenues for funding outlined below.
Controls Central Easy Credit
At Controls Central, we understand we offer easy credit terms for schools. Just send us your purchase order to get started.
Government Assistance
The United States Government has provided a financial assistance program to help state, territorial, and local governments recover from the recent Coronavirus epidemic.
- The State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund are available for use by these entities on air quality improvements through their respective departments in charge of education or health affairs, respectively - fittingly enough!
- The Department of Education funds schools, colleges and universities to improve indoor air quality in their buildings by improving ventilation from the Department of Education. In addition, the funding will also allow schools to make other necessary improvements, such as increasing cleaning and sanitization efforts, upgrading HVAC systems, and implementing social distancing measures. With this funding, schools across the country can take action now to protect their students and staff.
- American Rescue Plan Individuals, private businesses, and everyone else can apply for indirect assistance even though there aren't funds specifically for air quality improvements; almost anyone with a budget can loosen up to make some changes.
Don't forget to measure your building's Indoor Air Quality
Clean air is essential for good health, and that's why it's so important to perform building health checkups regularly. By evaluating indoor air quality (IAQ) baseline conditions, you can measure health performance indexes (HPIs) such as carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, temperature, and relative humidity. This information can then be used to track the success of IAQ upgrades and monitor healthy buildings. Regular building health checkups are the best way to ensure that your workplace provides clean air for your employees.
Why you should care about the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge
The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge is a great way to help ensure that everyone has access to clean, healthy air. The recommended actions are not perfect, but they will still be helpful for reducing the risks of spreading illnesses and provides resources for building managers/owners to implement these solutions so we can all play our part by improving indoor quality!
Some of the suggested actions include proper HVAC maintenance, increased ventilation, filtration, and air purification. While these solutions have existed for decades, the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge increases awareness and provides resources for building managers and facility operators to implement these practices. By taking action to improve indoor air quality, we can all play a role in reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses.
Schools are an important focus of the challenge, as poor indoor air quality can have a significant impact on student's health and performance. By taking action to improve indoor air quality in schools, we can help ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.
Don't wait for sick or absent employees to occur - protect your workforce by checking the health of your building today.
Download the EPA's Clean Air in Buildings Challenge Fact Sheet