Grantee Research Project Results

2017 Progress Report: Sustainable Places, Health and Educational Research in Schools (SPHEReS)

EPA Grant Number: R835635
Title: Sustainable Places, Health and Educational Research in Schools (SPHEReS)
Investigators: Cross, Jennifer E , Reynolds, Stephen J. , Dunbar, Brian , Magzamen, Sheryl
Current Investigators: Cross, Jennifer E , Reynolds, Stephen J. , Dunbar, Brian , Magzamen, Sheryl , Manning, Dale , Suter, Jordan , Schaeffer, Joshua
Institution: Colorado State University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: March 2, 2015 through March 1, 2019 (Extended to March 1, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: March 2, 2017 through March 1,2018
Project Amount: $999,387
RFA: Healthy Schools: Environmental Factors, Children’s Health and Performance, and Sustainable Building Practices (2013) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Children's Health , Human Health

Objective:

Objective(s) of the Research

1. Determine if new, sustainably built schools and sustainably retrofitted schools have a positive impact on human performance, including student health, student academic achievement, employee health, and work satisfaction compared to conventional school buildings.

2. Examine how features of sustainable buildings that improve environmental quality mediate the relationship between improved air quality and student and teacher health and performance.

3. Determine return on investment for sustainable building design and construction in terms of human performance measures.

Progress Summary:

Progress Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes)

Starting in Fall 2017, we began collecting IAQ and IEQ data at nine elementary schools in the Adams 12 School District. All sampling locations were selected based on where building renovations were planned. A walk though of each location was conducted to select classrooms and common space, and roof accessibility for outdoor sampling.

IEQ Assessment. IEQ data was collected at all nine schools in the four interior sampling locations. Data measures included lighting levels, lighting technical specifications, daylighting features, flooring and wall finishes, acoustics, and occupant controls. In addition, school-level specifications such as HVAC systems, cleaning practices, and energy management practices will be collected this summer.

IAQ Measurement & Verification. We successfully deployed the IAQ air sampling stations and collected data one time in three classrooms, one common area, and one outdoor (roof) area at each school. (Due to longer-than-anticipated time required for each sample and the need to ensure that at least one pre-sample was collected per school, we collected one, not three, samples at each.) Sampling, conducted over two occupied days (Thursday and Friday) and over the weekend to collect unoccupied data, included the following analytes: VOCs, aldehydes, NOx/ NO2, temperature, humidity, CO/CO2, PM10, PM2.5, PM4, and PM100. Minor challenges impacted data collection, including wet/windy weather and unoccupied Fridays due to teacher workshops or strikes. Gravimetric analyses on particulate samples have been completed. Additional analyses (HPLC/UV for aldehydes, GC-MS for VOCs, ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry for NOx) are being conducted and future analyses include endotoxin and B-glucan analyses on particulate matter collected on filters.

Geocoding has been completed using 111,545 student home addresses spanning the four years (2011 – 2014) of student standardized test data provided to the team (the school district was unable to provide student socioeconomic data). Each of the 82% of addresses located within the Adams 12 district

boundary has been assigned community-level environmental indicators (including oil and gas well sites, interstates, and sum of road lengths within home buffers).

Educational Labs. In early May, the curriculum team presented a webinar to recruit teachers to engage in IEQ/IAQ curriculum development. Upward of 20 teachers have expressed interest and a workshop is being scheduled for late June or early July that will provide teachers with the guidance and tools needed to integrate IEQ/IAQ measurements into their 2018-19 lesson plans. Included in these tools will be a survey (development in progress) to gather student perceptions of IAQ/IEQ.

Future Activities:

Future Activities

One of the primary goals of our research project is to collect longitudinal data on IAQ and IEQ in schools, and related student test scores. In Phase I, we collected four years of student performance data from all schools in the Adams 12 district. Thus far in Phase II, we have collected pre-renovation data from school cohort 1 (elementary schools undergoing renovations this summer). Over the next year, we will gather post-renovation data from these same schools, pre-renovation data in middle schools into which some of the cohort 1 students will transition this fall, and correlate these to student test score data. The project is on-track, as reflected here.

Human subjects review. The development of study elements requiring human subjects review is dependent on individual schools and the facilities department that wish to deploy surveys to teachers and/or students. Their interest in collecting such data for the district will influence what level of human subjects review is required, if any. In Phase III, we will work with the district to create post-occupancy surveys for both teachers and students that the district can use on an ongoing basis for assessment of facilities in need of improvements and renovations. The surveys will include measures of: perceived IAQ, perceived IEQ (light levels and quality, acoustics, thermal comfort, scents, air ventilation), health symptoms (e.g., asthma symptoms and somatic symptoms), and work/school performance (ability to concentrate, influence of IEQ on ability to do work). Depending on interest/willingness of schools being renovated in 2018-19 to deploy surveys, we will develop a human subjects study protocol to submit for review by the Colorado State University IRB, Adams 12 research review process, and EPA.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 16 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

Indoor air quality, indoor environmental quality, green schools, community-based research, health effects, public schools, student performance, teacher health, sustainable schools, cost benefit, sociology, epidemiology, agricultural and resource economics, built environment, modelling, western region, Colorado, CO, EPA Region 8

Relevant Websites:

Relevant Web Sites

http://www.ibe.colostate.edu/ Exit Exit

http://sociology.colostate.edu/people/jecross/ Exit Exit

http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/academics/erhs/Pages/stephen-reynolds.aspx Exit Exit

http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/academics/erhs/Pages/sheryl-magzamen.aspx Exit Exit

http://dare.agsci.colostate.edu/people/faculty/dale-manning/ Exit Exit

http://dare.agsci.colostate.edu/people/faculty/jordan-suter/ Exit Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2015 Progress Report

2016 Progress Report

2018 Progress Report

Final Report