Grantee Research Project Results

2018 Progress Report: Balancing Sustainability, Clean Air, Healthy Learning Interiors, and Structural Safety when Designing and Building Schools

EPA Grant Number: R835634
Title: Balancing Sustainability, Clean Air, Healthy Learning Interiors, and Structural Safety when Designing and Building Schools
Investigators: Holliday, Lisa M. , Lynch, Robert A. , Johnson, David L , Floyd, Evan , Wachter, Hans-Peter , Wang, Jun , Keesee, Marguerite , Magzamen, Sheryl
Current Investigators: Holliday, Lisa M. , Lynch, Robert A. , Magzamen, Sheryl , Keesee, Marguerite , Wachter, Hans-Peter , Floyd, Evan , Wang, Jun , Johnson, David L
Institution: University of Oklahoma , Colorado State University , University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: November 1, 2014 through October 31, 2018 (Extended to October 31, 2019)
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2017 through October 31,2018
Project Amount: $984,175
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:

1. Objectives of the Research
   1. Investigate school building features & student performance
   2. Explore the importance of building features
   3. Determine which building features influence student scores
   4. Develop an Evidence Based Tool
      1. A complete source of building features categories, elements, and their associations with student performance for principals, architects, contractors, and school decision makers

Progress Summary:

1. Progress Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes)
   1. Outputs of Year #4
      1. Evidence Based Tool as described in (d) above.
      2. This is in the form of a website that is hosted by the K20 Center on our campus. The K20 Center partners with educators at all levels to promote innovative learning. Their mission is “to cultivate a collaborative network engaged in research and outreach that creates and sustains innovation and transformation through leadership development, shared learning, and authentic technology integration.” More on the K20 Center can be found at k20center.ou.edu.
      3. The website can be found at the link below. It is currently undergoing some maintenance that should be complete in the next few days so access to it may be intermittent through the end of May.
         1. https://beta.k20center.ou.edu/research/oklahoma-healthy-schools
      4. We are currently working on promotional materials to inform the public about the website what it offers. See the enclosed documents that are currently in draft stages.
         1. Flyers for distributing and posting (x2).
         2. Website banner ads (x2).
   2. Outcomes
      1. While this website is in its early stages, the team fully expects it to be a useful tool for all parties involved in the planning, design, and construction of school buildings (new construction, renovations, and additions).
      2. The housing of this website in partnership with the K20 Center was done purposefully. Since the K20 Center is already working with school stakeholders across the state, there is a built-in network that they can reach out to.

Future Activities:

1. Future Activities Plans:  We are developing a new version of our data collection instrument that is applicable to more school facilities and can be administered by a wider group of people. We will include a link to the online instrument in the website once it has been piloted and updated.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 17 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

1. Supplemental Keywords
   1. Oklahoma Healthy Schools
   2. School Building Features
   3. School Construction
   4. School Renovations

Relevant Websites:

Oklahoma Healthy Schools

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2015 Progress Report

2016 Progress Report

2017 Progress Report

Final Report