School Infrastructure Impact Studies

An amazing feat. Take a bow, Dr Rita van der Walt. Rita’s research addresses the evidence gap in classroom indoor air environmental exposures. It presents a longitudinal dataset that quantifies environmental inequities across brick, prefabricated, and container classrooms. Observational analyses show that temporary structures fail to buffer thermal extremes or maintain adequate ventilation, confirming that infrastructure type shapes environmental equity, even with active HVAC. Beyond measurement, the research develops a novel model-agnostic framework to derive building-physics proxies directly from measured temperature data. This enables targeted, cost-effective retrofits without the need for detailed building modelling. Finally, the work translates technical evidence into enforceable policy, helping to ensure that climate-resilient infrastructure protects learners’ health and supports learning. Rita’s work is an excellent example of research spanning knowledge, methodological, and policy contributions. A 25-minute presentation on her work is available here: https://lnkd.in/dqwKJe6d Some of her most important publications: • Indoor temperature and CO2 in South African primary school classrooms: inspecting brick, container, and prefab structures: https://lnkd.in/dfjptmm8 • Time-series distribution-based global sensitivity analysis of weather impacts on classroom indoor temperatures: measurement-driven RC characterisation and retrofit insights: https://lnkd.in/d4gXppUA • Lifting the unseen smokescreen on indoor air quality due to amenity indoor fireplaces in South African homes: https://lnkd.in/dxmuQuay Rita was supervised by me, Sara (Saartjie) Grobbelaar, and Pieter Rousseau . #IoT #IAQ #Schools #AirQuality #Sensors #EngineeringEducation Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch University - Faculty of Engineering Electrical & Electronic Engineering Department (Stellenbosch University) Industrial Engineering | Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch University Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤’𝐬 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓+ 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Education debates often centre on curriculum, pedagogy, or assessments. Yet, as this new World Bank report argues, the physical environment of a school is a silent teacher. It shapes safety, attendance, well-being, pedagogy, and climate vulnerability. The report proposes a comprehensive framework — RIGHT+ — to rethink Physical Learning Environments (PLEs) in low- and middle-income countries. A few sobering facts from the report: (i) 1 million school buildings worldwide are vulnerable to natural hazards, placing ~2,500 children at risk of death each year from collapsing schools.  (ii) Exposure to cyclones reduces early-grade enrolment by up to 28%, with girls disproportionately affected. (iii) 19% of schools globally have no drinking water service; 36% lack basic hygiene facilities, affecting nearly 900 million children. (iv) Traditional classrooms, rigid layouts, and inadequate ventilation suppress engagement and well-being. The report argues that PLEs must be redesigned across six interconnected dimensions; Resilient, Inclusive, Green, Healthy, Teaching & Learning-Conducive, and Effectively Implemented (+). For practitioners working in/with public systems or running schools, this report is essential reading. Find the full report in the comment section. #SchoolInfrastructure #EducationPolicy #LearningCrisis #ClimateResilience #InclusiveEducation #GreenSchools #PublicEducation #EdDev #WorldBank #RIGHTFramework #GlobalSouthEducation

How can a Facility Condition Audit and EBCx project impact a K-12 School system A Facility Condition Audit (FCA) and Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) project can significantly impact a K-12 school system in several positive ways. Both are strategic approaches to understanding and improving the physical and operational conditions of school facilities. Here's how they can make a difference: Facility Condition Audit (FCA) Identification of Critical Repairs: An FCA systematically assesses the condition of school buildings, identifying areas that require immediate repair, thereby preventing minor issues from becoming major expenditures. Long-term Planning: It provides a clear picture of the current state of the facilities, which can be crucial for strategic planning, budgeting, and prioritizing long-term maintenance and upgrade projects. Safety and Compliance: The audit ensures that buildings meet safety standards and are compliant with local, state, and federal regulations, reducing the risk of penalties and ensuring a safe environment for students and staff. Enhanced Learning Environments: By identifying areas for improvement, FCAs can lead to the creation of better learning environments, which have been shown to positively affect student performance and staff satisfaction. Cost Savings: Through the early identification of maintenance needs, schools can avoid costly emergency repairs and replacements, leading to significant savings over time. Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) Improved Energy Efficiency: EBCx focuses on optimizing building systems to ensure they are running as efficiently as possible, which can lead to significant energy savings and reduce the school system's carbon footprint. Enhanced Comfort and Air Quality: By ensuring that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are functioning optimally, EBCx can improve indoor air quality and comfort, contributing to a healthier environment for students and staff. Reduced Operating Costs: Optimized systems require less energy and maintenance, leading to lower operating costs. These savings can be redirected towards educational programs and resources. Increased Equipment Lifespan: Regular commissioning helps in identifying and fixing issues before they become major problems, extending the lifespan of building systems and equipment. Sustainability Goals: EBCx supports sustainability initiatives by reducing energy consumption and encouraging the use of green technologies, aligning with environmental goals and possibly qualifying the school system for green certifications or incentives. Documentation and Training: EBCx projects often include the development of system documentation and staff training, ensuring that the benefits of the commissioning process are maintained over time. https://lnkd.in/e4zAustD

K-12 Superintendents and District Administrators, and Industry Architecture / Construction / Engineering / Bond people, this article is for you: "Does Capital Spending on Schools Improve Education?" by Yale School of Management Barbara Biasi, a labor economist at Yale SOM, and her colleagues Julien Lafortune of the Public Policy Institute of California and David Schönholzer of Stockholm University looked into this question. "Their new study, which they’ve been working on since 2018, examines data from across the entire United States and takes into account differences in schools and communities in order to quantify the effects of capital projects on the quality of education and the price of real estate." "28 states, encompassing approximately 70% of the nation’s public school students, and on 17,000 bond issues, which they sorted into eight separate spending categories: classroom space, school infrastructure, IT and STEM labs, athletic facilities, land, vehicles such as buses, and improvements to meet health and safety standards." "The researchers discovered that, on average, capital projects raise both test scores and property values. The impacts, though, are almost uniquely present in districts with more disadvantaged students." "the categories that most benefit test scores, like improving HVAC systems or other infrastructure issues, don’t raise house prices." "Projects such as expanding classroom space or building new athletic facilities, on the other hand, increase house prices, likely because they’re easier for people to notice.” Implication: - If you're going for a bond measure, and you want it to pass, include things that help students/staff health/performance like HVAC (which may be more appealing to current families with students in the district to vote Yes) and message this in your "Yes on Measure T" campaign AND also include shiny curb appeal things like new facilities and other aesthetically inclined upgrades (which may be more appealing to property owners with no children in the district who pay the taxes to vote YES) and message this in your "Yes on Measure T" campaign Many in the K-12 bond world already do this, but now you have a great article and study here to reference. #education #k12education #k12clarity https://lnkd.in/gW4wtjVj Coalition for Adequate School Housing (C.A.S.H.)