&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Envisioning Excellence
Lessons from Effective School
Indoor Air Quality Programs
A Snapshot of Profiles
in IAQ Excellence
Read more about the Profiles in IAQ Excellence and
the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management at
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/excellence.html.
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Profiles in IAQ Excellence
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed Envisioning
Excellence: Lessons from Effective SchoollAQPrograms to help schools take action
to advance health, safety and wellness initiatives. Envisioning Excellence presents
the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management guidelines that detail
the organizational approaches and practices that are fundamental to school IAQ
program success and tells the stories of several very different school districts
that applied the Framework to create effective and enduring IAQ programs. In
their diversity, these stories demonstrate the flexibility and adaptability of the
Framework. They make clear that any school, regardless of location, size, budget
or facility conditions, can use the Framework to launch and sustain a successful
IAQ program.
The following is a snapshot of school districts and the work they have done
to effectively manage IAQ. These Profiles in IAQ Excellence demonstrate
the Framework for Effective School IAQ Management in action by showing
how the Six Key Drivers of the Framework contribute to each school districts
program success.
The Framework for Effective School IAQ
Management: Six Key Drivers
Organize Communicate
Assess
Urban, suburban and rural district surrounding
Baltimore County the city of Baltimore, MD
Public Schools 167 facilities, 91% more than 30 years old
108,000 students & 17,000 staff
Used the IAQ Tools for Schools Framework to strengthen existing
programs and leverage a proactive approach to environmental
issues .. ...2
Blue Valley
School District
The School
Board of Breward
County, Florida
Suburban district in Overland Park, KS
38 facilities ranging from 0-88 years old
21,000 students & 3,100 staff
Urban district in the Fort Lauderdale, FL
area
258 facilities ranging from 0-80 years old
255,203 students & 35,000 staff
Built momentum and secured support for facility
investments by linking IAQ management to
student performance
Created a collaborative approach to IAQ management
that brought parents, unions, teachers, facilities,
and operations and maintenance together 4
Charlotte- Urban district in Charlotte, NC
Mecklenburg 650 buildings, 970 mobile units, 176 schools
Schools ranging from 0-80 years old
140,000 students & 18,000 staff
Committed to ensuring healthy indoor environments after an
expensive and exhausting IAQ crisis. Reorganization, training and
benchmarking all facilities led to a sustainable, institutionalized IAQ
management program 5
Hartford Public
Schools
Katy Independent
School District
Newark Public
Schools
North East
Independent
School District
Urban district in Connecticut (sixth highest
poverty rate of any large U.S. city)
48 facilities ranging from 0-128 years old
22,500 students & 3,700 staff
Rapidly growing suburban district outside of
Houston, TX
68 facilities ranging from 0-50 years old
60,857 students & 7,848 staff
Urban district in Newark, NJ
102 facilities ranging from 0-161 years old
42,000 students & 6,000 staff
Urban district in San Antonio, TX
65 school facilities ranging from 0-56 years old
66,000 students & 10,000 staff
Used the IAQ Tools for Schools Program to coordinate school health
and facilities functions across the district and engage community
organizations in an effort to address asthma 6
Turned an IAQ crisis into an opportunity by creating
an effective IAQ program led by key senior managers
at the district level and by health services representatives
at each school .. ...7
Created a proactive, results-oriented IAQ management program,
despite many 100+year-old facilities, by training staff, partnering
with community groups for support and cultivating program
ownersh i p 8
Transformed its reactive IAQ program into a proactive, comprehensive
environmental health regime by equating the health of school
buildings to the students' health and wellness 9
West Carrol Iton
School District
Suburban district near Dayton, OH
7 facilities ranging from 40-90 years old
3,675 students & 450 staff
Overcame an IAQ crisis and loss of public trust by
employing an open communications and planning
strategy to build understanding, improve assessments
and create ownership for IAQ results
.10
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BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Preventive, Preemptive, Proactive IAQManagement
To respond to a County Council resolution, Baltimore County
Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Dr. Joe A. Hairston formed
an Environmental Assessment Advisory Committee to evaluate
the district's IAQ management approach. Though BCPS' existing
maintenance program was strong and did not face any serious IAQ
problems, with the second oldest facilities inventory in Maryland, the district
needed a concrete plan to manage its facilities effectively. On the advice of
the Executive Director of the Department of Physical Facilities, Michael
Sines, the Superintendent hired two Industrial Hygienists who serve as
IAQ experts, David Classman and Sean Joyce, to team with Environmental
Services supervisor, Robert Merry, to develop a preventive, preemptive and
proactive environmental management program. Using the IAQ Tools for
Schools Program as a major component, BCPS initiated a school-driven,
prevention-focused IAQ management program.
Organize for Success Develop a Systematic Approach: BCPS assessed
the strengths and weaknesses of their maintenance program and incorporated
IAQ Tools for Schools guidance to address gaps in their IAQ management
approach. For example, BCPS devised formal schedules for HVAC air filter
replacements, walkthroughs and other maintenance activities to take the
guesswork out of preventive action.
BCPS tracks cost savings, IAQ
complaints and the number of
disruptions to school building operations
to continually communicate the IAQ
management program's value to the
district.
A Reduced average expenditures on
mold remediation activities from
$513,000 to $150,000 within one
year of program implementation.
A Observed a significant reduction in
both number and severity of IAQ-
related work orders and complaints.
A Reduced the number of
remediation projects that delayed
school openings from between 30-
40 to just a single incident since
program implementation.
Assess Your Environments Continuously Identify and Prevent Risks:
The Department of Physical Facilities compiles a list of campuses at risk
for IAQ issues due to building age, environmental conditions and other factors and then works with the multi-disciplinary
Environmental Action Team to review conditions and develop solutions to manage and solve each issue. The Department of
Physical Facilities communicates diligently with school communities throughout the year regarding the progress of the plan. This
communication transforms school-based IAQ Tools for Schools Teams into sentinels for environmental issues on their campuses so that
the Department of Physical Facilities can act at the first sign of a problem before little issues become big expensive ones. "We're a
low-cost, no-cost program, which means communication is our most important prevention tool. We tell our staff, 'We love little problems!'
because we hate big problems. Creating that awareness, participation and two-way communication is absolutely critical to our success. "
Sean Joyce, Industrial Hygienist
ORGANIZE FOR SUCCESS:
Create Champions
BCPS doesn't mandate
participation on campus-level
IAQ Tools for Schools Teams;
anyone can play a part. Once
teams are formed, BCPS trains
members on IAQ fundamentals.
Combining training with a
volunteer's sense of initiative,
leadership and commitment
transforms "team members"
into bona fide IAQ champions.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Address
Problems at their Source: When the Department of Physical Facilities notices repeat
issues in a space, they investigate how it is being used, cleaned and maintained. If any of
these practices are causing or contributing to the problem, the Department of Physical
Facilities and the campus IAQ Tools for Schools Team work together to communicate
why the behavior is a problem and suggest alternatives. Keeping a blame-free, solution-
focused approach ensures that occupants and staff are receptive to change, and digging
deep to find the root cause of issues helps BCPS reduce the number of environmental
issues.
Evaluate Your Results for Continuous Improvement Solicit Feedback: BCPS
modified its walkthrough inspection report to include a summary that is submitted to
the Department of Physical Facilities twice a year. Information on the summaries keeps
the Department of Physical Facilities in the loop regarding the realities and perceptions
at each campus. If there is the hint of a concern, action will be taken, often before
the school community realizes the need for action. This early intervention is key to
maintaining the confidence level critical to managing a large system. "Evaluating our
'. and sharing the results has allowed us to build a lot of confidence from our community both our internal community and external
community that we have the ability one, to assess our air quality issues and two, to solve them. " David Classman, Industrial Hygienist
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BLUE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Building Momentum Linking IAQ Management to Student Success
PROG
RESULTS
In 2000, Blue Valley School District (BVSD) launched an IAQ
management program to address increased parent interest in
environmental issues, counter the risks of a public relations disaster
like the one that occurred when a neighboring district closed a school for
IAQ problems, and ensure outstanding learning environments for their
students. BVSD applied the IAQ Tools for Schools model to create a structure
for facilities management that tied their existing programs together and
leveraged resources to radically accelerate their progress. "Ourprogram's
success didn't materialize overnight. It started with a vision and expectation
of excellence, and we have continued to push the program forward at every
opportunity. " Dave Hill, Executive Director, Facilities and Operations
Organize for Success Build an Effective Team: BVSD created an inter-
disciplinary IAQ team that includes design and construction, safety, energy,
operations and maintenance, and custodial functions. A designated IAQ
coordinator leads the team, and everyone in the district knows he is the 'go-
to guy' for IAQ The team also includes an executive-level leader who relays
the team's goals and investment needs to the district's strategic planning
committee. "Before adopting IAQ Tools for Schools, we had a lot of successful,
but... unrelated pieces in place for managing our environments... IAQ Tools
for Schools gave us a framework for organizing; it provided the comprehensive
approach we needed... to pull it all together, strengthen our existing practices...
and get more out of our work. " Dave Hill, Executive Director, Facilities and
Operations
Assess Your Environments Continuously Use Technology: Blue Valley uses technology to benchmark facilities, conduct
routine monitoring, and save money and man hours by avoiding problems. "With regular inspections, we can detect potential problems
before [they] become larger issues that require expensive repairs. By demonstrating the cost savings that preventive maintenance can deliver,
we convinced the decision-makers that upfront technology investments made sense. " Dave Hill, Executive Director, Facilities and
Operations
BVSD uses their work order system to
track reported IAQ concerns and monitors
operating expenditures to capture cost
savings from IAQ upgrades.
A Fewer per capita IAQ concerns
each year.
A Reduced operating costs through
IAQ upgrades (e.g., $23,000 energy
savings at one school in one year).
A Rise in test scores every year since
program began (highest ACT scores
in the state; four out of six of state's
top-ranked schools are in BVSD).
A Marked decrease in lost instructional
time due to facility problems.
ACT TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL,
INSTITUTIONAL AND
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES: Educate
Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior
"We have been able to sustain
the excellence of our district's IAQ
management program because we have
cultivated an atmosphere of program
ownership and building stewardship
among all of the employees who are
responsible for maintaining excellent
IAQ."
- Dave Hill, Executive Director,
Facilities and Operations
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Put Goals in Writing: Blue
Valley institutionalized their program by including IAQ goals in the district's
strategic plan and establishing metrics to evaluate their progress against goals.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Share Your Goals: By tying
the IAQ work to a goal that people care deeply about, BVSD was able to build
the depth of commitment the IAQ initiative needed right from the start.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate
Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: Blue Valley used training to cultivate a
culture of stewardship and to create IAQ champions across the organization. All
facilities staff members were trained to identify root causes of IAQ problems and
to avoid cosmetic fixes.
Evaluate Your Results for Continuous Improvement Solicit Feedback:
BVSD asks occupants to rate the school's indoor environment on annual
surveys and aims to receive scores of at least four out of five from 100 percent of
respondents.
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THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BROWARD COUNTY
The More Open and Collaborative the Program, the Better the IAQ Outcomes
The School Board of Broward County, Florida (Broward)
experienced a mold crisis in 2002 that led to the implementation of
a comprehensive, district-wide IAQ Tools for Schools Program. "Before
2002... we were taking some action to address IAQ, but our activities were
not systematic and they were not undertaken in a spirit of collaboration. Our
crisis caused a paradigm shift in our approach.. .Now, we're much more focused
on involvement, communications and collaboration with the community, the
unions and all the disciplines throughout the district. Before, we worked behind
the scenes. ..in a veiled way... but now, everyone in the district understands IAQ
and knows they have a role to play in promoting healthy school environments. "
JeffMoquin, Executive Director, Support Operations
Organize for Success Identify Existing Assets: When the district was
hit with a crisis, they looked for an organization that was viewed as effective
and trustworthy to carry their IAQ plans forward. In 2002, they engaged the
existing Facilities Task Force, comprised of union members, teachers, parents,
school board members and others.
Build an Effective Team: Broward engaged all possible stakeholders for
the IAQ Subcommittee, including the district's superintendent. Then
they recruited IAQ committees in each school to serve as trainers, survey
administrators and community liaisons.
Broward uses survey results to track IAQ
concerns and responses over time, and
monitors workers' compensation claims.
A Implemented IAQ Tools for Schools in
206 locations so far and continues to add
at least 20 new schools each year.
A Achieved a 50-percent decrease in IAQ
complaints, and continues to observe a
declining trend.
A Observed correlation between schools
with IAQ programs and decrease in
reported IAQ issues, as well as workers'
compensation claims and the average
expense per claim.
A Institutionalized IAQ and other green
initiatives by including them in district
strategic plans and following up with
written plans of action for all members of
the school community.
Design Standard Operating Procedures: Broward created a comprehensive
manual codifying all of their IAQ management policies and standard
operating procedures into one unifying document, ensuring the best
practices that have become institutionalized over the past eight years never lose their meaning or purpose. They distribute the
manual at annual kick-off training sessions and make it readily available to anyone on their website. By making sure everyone in the
community knows how their IAQ management program operates, they have created a legacy of knowledge and practice that virtually
guarantees its sustainability.
PLAN YOUR SHORT AND LONG-
TERM ACTIVITIES: Put Goals in
Writing
"As our IAQ program grows, we strive
to grow with it and stay current. We
realigned our policies and procedures
with the Key Drivers and Technical
Solutions of the Framework to
develop a comprehensive Indoor
Air Quality Manual and concise IAQ
Resource Guide. Along with our
Environmental Stewardship Strategic
Plan, these are the blueprints we will
use to realize our vision of success in
environmental management."
- Jeff Moquin,
Executive Director, Support Operations
Assess Your Environments Continuously Listen to Occupants: To ensure
that the district-level team gets thorough input from building occupants,
Broward's online survey is designed to be simple and comfortable for building
occupants to use (e.g., no name required), and the robust, online survey
assessment instrument automatically compiles survey findings and maps required
response activities to create a complete picture of each facility.
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Prioritize Actions: Broward's
system names IAQ work orders according to a priority ranking based on the
seriousness of the IAQ concern and the nature of the required response (e.g.,
behavioral change versus equipment repair).
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Be Transparent & Inclusive:
Where once IAQ issues were addressed quietly, now the district broadcasts
information about its facilities problems and all on its website, on its cable
access television station, and through written action plans to remediate the issues
identified on their walkthroughs, which are distributed to all stakeholders.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate
Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: By engaging the unions and parent
groups, the IAQ Subcommittee changed the way the Facilities and Maintenance
and Operations Departments did business. They helped staff become
collaborative problem-solvers rather than secret keepers.
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CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
Organizing to Institutionalize Proactive IAQ Management
For Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), IAQ troubles began with
parent concern about possible mold in one school. An investigation
concluded that mold was not an issue, but skeptical parents took
their concerns to the media, inciting a whirlwind of bad publicity and
community mistrust. Although CMS weathered the immediate crisis, this
event spurred a new commitment CMS set out to ensure that proactive
IAQ management became a way of life in the district. CMS followed
the IAQ Tools for Schools Program guidance to establish a district-wide
facility assessment program, assign departmental responsibilities to address
environmental risks, partner with community groups to implement the
management approach, and train everyone across the school community on
IAQ management. The result is a sustainable and successful program, a sense
of ownership among the staff for facility and occupant health, and improved
trust and openness with the community.
Organize for Success Empower an IAQ Leader: For CMS, a sustainable
IAQ program required a strong advocate with the power to make big decisions.
Senior management created a new position, Manager of Environmental Health
and Safety, and hired an IAQ expert with extensive experience managing
environmental health in large, institutional buildings.
CMS tracks IAQ work orders and monitors
costs saved by their proactive approach.
A Summer-time program emphasizing
IAQ fundamentals cut mold work orders
by 54 percent.
A One hundred percent of IAQ complaints
investigated within 24 hours.
A Early identification and prompt
response to IAQ concerns have
reduced response costs: items costing
$150,000+ in the past are safely
handled for less than $10,000 today.
A Change in school culture: Greater
awareness and responsiveness and a
new commitment of fiscal resources to
address IAQ issues district-wide.
Assess Your Environments Continuously Walk the Grounds: CMS
implemented a two-track system for continuous assessments. Track one is a proactive inspection system consisting of routine
monthly walkthroughs. Track two is a reactive system for responding to all reported occupant concerns within 24 hours to assess the
conditions and initiate a response plan. "We're proactively looking for problems. By finding and cleaning up problems early, we make the
classrooms healthier and save maintenance funds in the long run." Brian Kasher, Manager of Environmental Health and Safety
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Work in Stages: The Executive Director of Building Services, Phil Berman,
understood that he couldn't sustain an effective IAQ program alone; successful management requires a team approach. CMS worked
with the University of Tulsa to plan a district-wide assessment program for all 150+ school facilities. To ensure adequate time,
budget and thoroughness of inspections, they conducted the baseline assessments, including surveying occupants, inspecting HVAC
equipment, conducting walkthroughs and collecting monitoring data over two years.
"The Framework is really just
a natural progression for an
IAQ management program. Our
program's approach has always
been the Framework, before we
even knew what that was."
- Brian Kasher, Manager of
Environmental Health and Safety
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Share Your Goals: A written
mission and vision that aligns with the district's strategic plan helps keep the Building
Services Department on track and acts as an anthem for their efforts. The mission
resonates with everyone: "to provide excellent educational facilities for all stakeholders
that are safe, clean, well-maintained and environmentally secure." "The less time
teachers and school-based administrators spend worrying about facilities-related issues and
instead focus on their primary mission of educating children, the better. " Phil Berman,
Executive Director, Building Services
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate
Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: By conducting training for all school groups
about how everyone can help maintain healthy IAQ Building Services demonstrated
that every department and function has value. The result was a visible shift in CMS culture: a change in perceptions, behavior, and
ultimately, the mindset of the school community. One of the first signs of this change was a new appreciation for the facilities staff
the unseen champions of any IAQ program. "Now... we understandIAQ issues are not an agenda item, they are a way of doing business.
We have received so many thank you letters from staff and for a usually thankless job. " Chip Irby, Director of Maintenance
Evaluate Your Results for Continuous Improvement Solicit Feedback: CMS noticed a sharp spike in their mold work orders
during the summer months not surprising considering the humid North Carolina climate but the facilities staff noticed many
were repeat calls. By talking to people experiencing repeat problems, they discovered they could address the repeats by revising the
summer energy management program. The results: a 54-percent reduction in mold work orders from repeat calls during the summer.
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HARTFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Using IAQ Management to Address Asthma in an Urban District
The city of Hartford has the sixth highest child poverty rate of any
large city in the United States. In 2001, a study of Medicaid eligible,
school-aged children in Hartford revealed an asthma prevalence of
19 percent. The city council declared an asthma emergency and called
on the school district to help manage asthma. Hartford Public Schools
(HPS) was challenged by old buildings and limited resources. Two dedicated
champions used the IAQ Tools for Schools Program to create a wellness
program for the district. They recruited collaborators from across the
community and established a network of Health and Safety Teams in the
majority of schools linked through the district-level nursing and building
and grounds functions. Although recent changes in upper management have
resulted in new challenges, bundling IAQ Tools for Schools with the Health
and Safety Teams has maintained a sustainable structure to address school
wellness. A more targeted focus on training and education has empowered
building occupants to be stewards of their environments.
Organize for Success Develop Systematic Approach: In 2001, HPS
applied the IAQ Tools for Schools Framework to create a district-wide wellness
program and address rising rates of asthma. They didn't add IAQ activities
to a to-do list; they used IAQ Tools for Schools to create a systemic solution.
They recruited teams at each school site and partnered with health and
environmental organizations from across the city (universities, non-profits,
local and state government, etc.). These Health and Safety Teams remain
intact despite shifting priorities in the district.
PROGRAM Rt
HPS monitors IAQ Tools for Schools
implementation at the District's schools,
and the nursing staff tracks asthma
outcomes.
A Decrease in asthma visits to school
health rooms over the initial three
years of systematic data collection.
A Sustainable and active health and
safety teams in the majority of schools.
A Greatly enhanced staff commitment,
involvement and stewardship of
facility health.
A Widespread staff awareness of how and
why to report IAQ concerns; IAQ Tools
for Schools recommendations used in
renovations and new buildings.
A Proactive approach ensures IAQ
problems are addressed in a systematic
and timely manner.
Assess Your Environments Continuously Listen to Occupants: HPS trained the site-based Health and Safety Teams with the
tools and information they needed to assess their facilities. The teams gather detailed information from building occupants about
facility history, health trends and comfort issues and use that information to develop a list of priority activities; prompt response to
improvement requests from Facilities and Nursing Services provides positive reinforcement. By allowing school staff to assess their
facilities and prioritize their own IAQ needs, the district empowers school-based teams to be facility experts and stewards.
ORGANIZE FOR SUCCESS:
Develop Systematic Approach
"From our very first pilot project...
we were driven by the question,
'what are we going to do about
asthma?' The fact that IAQ Tools for
Schools provides support for asthma
management was a major selling
point for us and our administrators."
-Pam Clark,
Hartford Public Schools
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Work in Stages: HPS put
together the components of success over time. At first, there was a single pilot
project. But, they used that example to build momentum and support; used the
support to build a training program; used the training program to create school-
based Health and Safety Teams; used the teams to assess the facilities; and so
on. And now, they are ensuring sustainability by reinforcing the program with
IAQ Tools for Schools on Health and Safety Team agendas and active outreach
to administration and principals that emphasizes the relationships among IAQ
management, student health and student performance.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Make IAQ Meaningful: The
IAQ program champions in HPS marketed the program by describing their goals
for it in the terms that were most relevant to each audience: for administrators, it
was a solution for asthma and attendance; for school-based teams, it was the key
to achieving "safe, clean and healthy" schools.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Train Occupants to Address IAQ Risks: HPS keeps IAQ
management front and center by continually communicating the importance of IAQ to various groups within the school district,
from focused training for custodians throughout the district, to annual staff training on asthma and the environment, to regular
meetings with the principals, and even educating teens on asthma in high school. No one person or group is overwhelmed by
the workload because the responsibility for good IAQ in the schools is spread and shared across the district, the schools and the
community. "Although many programs compete for attention at HPS, the IAQ initiative is sustained because health leadership continues to
see the value o/TAQTools for Schools in supporting a, healthy learning and teaching school environment. " Paula Schenck, University of
Connecticut Health Center
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KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Turning Crisis into Opportunity... and Thriving
Katy Independent School District (KISD) launched their IAQ Tools for
Schools Program to respond to a mold crisis that led to the closing of
one of their schools and the sudden relocation of over 700 students in
the spring of 2002. The community voiced disapproval and expressed
distrust that the district could maintain healthy buildings for their children.
The district learned some powerful lessons during that crisis and put those
lessons to work immediately: a comprehensive IAQ program is essential; it
costs less to prevent IAQ problems than to fix them; IAQ management has
to be integrated into the culture to be successful; continuous improvement,
not just remediation, is the goal; and open and honest communication with
the public is essential.
Organize for Success Empower an IAQ Leader: KISD's IAQ Program
is led by an assistant director inside the Maintenance and Operations
(M&O) Department. This level of authority lets the IAQ coordinator hire
staff, set policies and apply funds as required to meet the IAQ challenges.
"The IAQ Tools for Schools Program has become apart of the KISD culture and
the 'way we do business.' The expectation is that we will provide a clean, healthy
environment for our students and staff, and the IAQ Tools for Schools Program
allows us to do just that. As time passes, we continue to instill those lessons in our
employees and see buy-in at all levels; it has become an integral part of our day-
to-day operations." Peggy Caruso, Assistant Director, M&O Department
Assess Your Environments Continuously Determine a Baseline-. The
IAQ team recorded baseline environmental conditions at all facilities by
conducting walkthrough assessments in the first year of the program. The
baseline has provided a way to measure progress over time and continuously
motivate staff to take effective actions. And ongoing assessments show
continuously improved facility performance over time.
PROGRAM Rt
KISD tracks baseline facility conditions
and improvements over time based on their
walkthrough assessments and the number
of reported IAQ concerns from work orders.
A Walkthrough assessments of all schools
show continuous improvement from
baseline.
A Decrease in reported IAQ concerns.
A Improved student, teacher and staff
comfort, performance and satisfaction.
A Decreased absenteeism and reduced
number of nurse visits for asthma.
A Turned once negative publicity into
positive publicity for the district.
A Ongoing public support for major
facility investments, including facility
upgrades.
A One of 12 schools internationally to
win Facilities Masters Award from the
Association of School Business Officials
International.
ORGANIZE FOR SUCCESS:
Secure Senior Buy-In
KISD continues to ensure program
sustainability by obtaining support
from new administrators.
"I believe ensuring we have skilled
technicians and managers able to
respond to any feedback or concern
from the end user is critical to our
success."
- Tom Gunnell,
Chief Operations Officer
"Providing a safe and orderly
working and learning environment
is essential to the district's
performance."
- Alton Frailey,
Superintendent
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Prioritize Actions: KISD prioritizes
IAQ activities in at least two ways: after the assessments, supervisors in the M&O
Department review their action lists and rank priorities according to risk; and before
any money is spent on major facility upgrades, the department prioritizes sealing
building envelopes, windows and doors to prevent moisture intrusion and manage
mold risks.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Be Transparent & Inclusive:
KISD began an aggressive and open communications campaign when the crisis hit
and since then, has never stopped engaging their community. The IAQ team shares
their IAQ plan, continuously updates the community on its progress, and willingly
opens their facilities to community tours. This openness and the team's follow-
through on their commitments built trust and significant support for the program
in a once-doubting community.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate Staff
About IAQ to Change Behavior: KISD saw a change in the principals' reactions
from Year One to Two of the assessment process. At first, principals hardly noticed
their reports, but by Year Two, they paid close attention. The district-level staff's
reaction to the reports demonstrated that "this IAQ stuff" must be important.
When the assessments were quickly followed by M&O activity in their schools, the
principals took notice. The IAQ team continues to train administrators and staff on
key IAQ issues and appropriate occupant behaviors.
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NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Proactive lAQManagement Accelerated Through Empowering Education
As the record-holder for the most school facilities over 100 years
old, Newark Public Schools (Newark) faced a challenge when in
2004, New Jersey enacted new school IAQ regulations. Facilities
Management Executive Director Steve Morlino formed an IAQ
Team to establish a comprehensive IAQ management plan that would
go beyond minimums set by state regulations and establish Newark as
a national model for facilities management. With superintendent and
administrative staff approval, and participation from the entire school
community, Newark implemented a proactive, results-oriented program.
Thorough program organization, staff training and collaboration with
community members helped Newark achieve its goal of IAQ excellence.
Today, the district is a national model for IAQ management, school
operation and community relationship-building.
Organize for Success Create Champions-. Newark convened an
Educational Summit for Facilities Management staff to learn the new
state IAQ regulations and share specific goals for IAQ excellence and the
actions necessary to achieve them. By bringing everyone together to learn
why the program was important and what it would accomplish, Newark
created champions with a commitment to the IAQ program and its goals.
Assess Your Environments Continuously Use Technology:
To streamline its operations district-wide, Newark uses SchoolDude, a
suite of online operations management tools that help coordinate routine
maintenance, schedule proactive IAQ actions and manage responses to
potential problems. All facilities staff speak the same language and use
the same tools to track
their work, which saves
time and energy.
Newark tracks complaints submitted through
an online form and monitors trends in student
attendance.
A Observed decrease in missed school
days since IAQ program implementation
and asthma-friendly policy changes.
A Switched all chemical cleaning
products to green alternatives.
A Experienced fewer and less severe IAQ
problems.
A Only school district to win the Facilities
Masters Award from the Association of
School Business Officials International
(ASBO) for four consecutive years.
A Achieved widespread community buy-in
and support through a commitment to
transparency and honesty.
A Continued positive environmental
changes by installing solar panels on
five facilities reducing the district's
carbon footprint by 400 tons of carbon
dioxide.
COMMUNICATE WITH
EVERYONE, ALL THE TIME:
Communicate Results
"We're passionate about what we
do. We want to share the message,
'If Newark can do it, anybody can.'"
- Steve Morlino, Executive Director,
Facilities Management
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Work in Stages: Newark
organizes its activities into phases with defined measures of success and starts
with small tasks to build momentum to support bigger goals. For example,
when Newark transitioned to green cleaning, they first educated occupants and
custodians about the new products and the reasons for the switch. After a trial
period, they asked for feedback. If anyone had reservations, Facilities Management
listened and found an alternative. This "educate, test, listen and refine" approach
to IAQ management engaged the entire school community and built trust and
support for the IAQ program.
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate Staff About IAQ to Change Behavior: Facilities
Management worked with Health Services on their common goal to reduce environmental asthma triggers. Together, they teamed
with the Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey (PACNJ) to educate nurses, principals and teachers about the relationship
between IAQ and asthma. New awareness led to asthma-friendly and lAQ-friendly policies and institutional culture changes, which
resulted in every school in the district meriting an Asthma-Friendly School Award from PACNJ. "We call nurses our 'first line of
defense.' When someone comes to them with a, health complaint that could be related to IAQ, they call us immediately to give us a heads-
up... and explain the medical side of the story. Our partnership is indispensable because they help us understand the complete lAQpicture. "
Warren Williams, Senior Engineer in Charge
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Communicate Results: When Newark won the EPA IAQ Tools for Schools National
Excellence Award, the ASBO Facilities Masters Awards and other accolades, they publicized their accomplishments through local
newspapers, on the district's cable television channel, the district website and in a parent e-newsletter. By broadcasting their success,
Newark ensured everyone in the school community knew how important and how effective their work is to school health.
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NORTH EAST INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
Making the Connection Between Asthma and IAQ to Proactively Manage Environments
In 2006 the North East Independent School District (NEISD) recognized
the link between IAQ management and asthma control, as a large number
of students with asthma were visiting the school nurse regularly for
reliever inhaler doses and missing school. Once the connection was made
to student health and productivity, NEISD's IAQ management program took
on new urgency. By developing the Department of Environmental Health,
the district sought to improve its control over IAQ in its classrooms through
reducing airborne pollutants and other asthma triggers. NEISD strives to
maintain a sustainable and institutionalized IAQ management program, while
continuing to transform its mission to create healthy buildings for all students
and staff.
NEISD captures cost savings from facility
upgrades and improvements, tracks
student health and performance and
monitors IAQ parameters.
A Installed Web-based HVAC software,
which cut energy costs by 9.4 percent
in 2009, saving $1.3 million.
A Increased State of Texas Exemplary
and Recognized rated campuses to 87
percent of all schools and received a
Recognized rating for the district three
years in a row.
A Converted to Green Cleaning custodial
products, which resulted in a six-fold
decrease in VOC levels in classrooms
and reduced costs by 30 percent.
A Adopted LEED and CHPS school
design recommendations and
purchased low VOC emitting
furnishings.
A Moved over 200 classrooms from
temporary wood framed buildings
to eight new two-story brick face
permanent buildings.
Organize for Success Empower an IAQ Leader: To create a proactive
and focused IAQ management program, NEISD needed a leader to prioritize
the districts IAQ needs and make important decisions. As NEISD's Executive
Director for Facilities Maintenance and Support, Ron Clary fits this role and
leads three departments that are dedicated to maintaining healthy buildings: the
Department of Environmental Health, the Department for Custodial Support
and the Department for Facilities Maintenance. He also created the IAQ
Committee, which works across these departments to synergize their efforts and
ensure that all IAQ issues are resolved quickly and completely.
Organize for Success Build an Effective Team: NEISD joined building
and human health specialists under one umbrella, the IAQ Committee, to create
an effective group that looks at all aspects of IAQ in a classroom. The team
members have the credibility and the authority to implement corrective actions
at all levels both in the classroom and in the health clinic. "We have great
individual expertise and programs, so when we work together and include input
from both sides of the health equation, it makes a world of difference in our school
environments and our student health. "jerry Lamping, Director for Indoor Air
Quality
Assess Your Environments
Continuously Walk the Grounds: NEISD conducts routine environmental
health assessments, which are based on safeguarding the health of students and staff by
monitoring the conditions within the classrooms. During regular walkthroughs, airborne
contaminants, such as particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are measured
as primary indicators of the room environment using portable IAQ test instruments. In
addition, reliever inhaler usage by children with asthma and lAQ-related symptoms they
experience are recorded and tracked. If the IAQ Committee notices a high rate of reliever
usage in one school, it is a red flag that there may be an environmental issue.
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Plan for the Future: To ensure
future IAQ protection and continue best management practices, NEISD is designing and
constructing new school buildings that can be certified under the U.S. Green Building
Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building
rating systems. Safe and effective practices, such as low VOC emitting tested materials
and high efficiency rated air filtration devices, are being included in all classroom project
specifications and design plans.
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Make IAQ Meaningful: Using CDC's
"Asthma Friendly Schools Toolkit" as a model, NEISD educated teachers and other school
building occupants about the importance of IAQ. Communicating and educating building
occupants about asthma gave environmental management clear meaning and importance
to everyone. Teachers understood the connection between their actions and student health
becoming active stewards of their classroom environment. " Teachers love their kids; they
don't want to do anything to hurt them. Many of our teachers simply didn 't know about asthma triggers. Armed with this education, they were
more than willing to change their classrooms to eliminate asthma triggers. " Diane Rhodes, Director for Asthma Education
COMMUNICATE WITH
EVERYONE, ALL THE TIME:
Make IAQ Meaningful
"IAQ management was never a
question, it was an answer. It
supports the health of our students,
so they can attend school and meet
their full potential. It supports the
health of our staff, without whom
educating students is impossible.
Finally, it helps me as an
administrator run a more efficient
school district, where I can stretch
my budget further and channel
limited resources where they are
needed most: in the classroom."
- Richard Middleton,
Superintendent of Schools
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WEST CARROLLTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Communicating to Build Trust, Conduct Effective Assessments and Deliver IAQ Results
West Carrollton School District (WCSD) began thinking seriously
about IAQ issues in the wake of a public IAQ, moisture and
ventilation problem that resulted in a lawsuit and negative media
attention in the fall of 2001. In response, WCSD launched an IAQ
management program in December 2001 to improve facility conditions and
regain the public trust. The district built a program using guidance from
the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit. "IAQ Tools for Schools gave us the
guidance we needed to form our original committee and assess our facilities...
an organizational framework and the credibility we needed in the wake of our
crisis." Dana Green, Business Manager
Organize for Success Build an Effective Team: WCSD's initial IAQ
Team was a diverse group. Members included once-skeptical parents, school
board members, the superintendent, the business manager, the operations
supervisor for maintenance and facilities, union representatives from the
teachers and classified workers unions, and at least one representative from
each building. This composition made the team a communications network,
a warehouse of facility expertise and a decision-making body that could
authorize spending and assign personnel. Over time, the make-up and focus
of the IAQ team has evolved to meet the shift from IAQ to student and staff
health, wellness and safety.
Assess Your Environments Continuously Identify and Prevent Risks:
WCSD continues to conduct preventive assessments by benchmarking all
rooms in the district and conducting in-depth occupant surveys annually.
The district uses these data to establish a picture of the normal functioning
of every location in every facility. These tools allow them to recognize small
problems early and act to prevent big problems from emerging.
WCSD tracks the number and type of IAQ
concerns reported on annual surveys.
A Found less severe IAQ problems that
take less time to address from year to
year.
A Improved student performance and
attendance, and increased levels of
staff and community trust.
A Increased voter support: converted a
fixed-term levy to a permanent one to
provide guaranteed funds for capital
improvements and operations.
"IAQ Tools for Schools is our framework
for promoting high quality environmental
health, safety and wellness. It provides
direction for the design, alignment
and deployment of our key operational
processes and IAQ management system."
- Dr. Rusty Clifford,
Superintendent
Plan Your Short and Long-Term Activities Put Goals in Writing: Including IAQ issues in the strategic plan ensures that
WCSD remains committed to the program because IAQ is linked to a core competency and a core belief. With a pirate as its mascot,
the district is serious about changing the community's attitude towards the importance of IAQ holding true that "the big 'P'
in 'Pirate' is perception." "IAQ management is more than apian, it is a, WCSD core competency defined by our belief that IAQ is
inextricably linked to wellness, and furthered by aligning our work systems and processes with the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance. " Dr.
Rusty Clifford, Superintendent
ASSESS YOUR ENVIRONMENTS
CONTINUOUSLY: Listen to
Occupants
"We would not have imagined doing
walkthroughs the way we now do
them with thorough input from
staff and reviewing each facility with
a fine-toothed comb if we hadn't
learned to do so from the IAQ Tools
for Schools Action Kit."
- Dana Green,
Business Manager
Communicate with Everyone, All the Time Be Transparent & Inclusive:
During the IAQ crisis, WCSD observed the positive values of integrity, honesty,
responsibility and open communication: it was the best strategy for diffusing
the media and demonstrating to the public and staff a "sincere commitment to
protecting school health and safety." "The IAQ Tools for Schools approach for
addressing problems has become a way of life for everyone in the school community, from
administration to students. It has allowed us to tell our story with passion and a sense of
purpose." Dana Green, Business Manager
Act to Address Structural, Institutional and Behavioral Issues Educate Staff
About IAQ to Change Behavior: WCSD involves all staff in the assessment process
to build their knowledge of and confidence in the IAQ program and to get better
data on facility conditions. Staff participation in the in-depth surveys transforms
them into educated IAQ champions and building stewards. This has resulted in an
annual decline in the number and severity of walkthrough-related
issues for six consecutive years.
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Read more about the Profiles in IAQ Excellence and the Framework for
Effective School IAQ Management at
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/excellence.html.
January 2011
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www.epa.gov/iaq/schools
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