Grantee Research Project Results
2017 Progress Report: Evidence-Based Interactions between Indoor Environmental Factors andTheir Effects on K-12 Student Achievement
EPA Grant Number: R835633Title: Evidence-Based Interactions between Indoor Environmental Factors andTheir Effects on K-12 Student Achievement
Investigators: Wang, Lily , Waters, Clarence , Bovaird, James , Lau, Josephine
Current Investigators: Wang, Lily , Bovaird, James , Lau, Josephine , Waters, Clarence
Institution: University of Nebraska at Lincoln
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, 2016 through October 31,2017
Project Amount: $998,433
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 of Research: The proposed research aims to establish how indoor environmental conditions in K-12 school buildings impact student scholastic achievement. The objectives are to: (1) study comprehensively the impacts of a wide set of indoor environmental factors (including indoor air quality, thermal, lighting, and acoustic conditions) on student achievement; (2) investigate how these conditions interact with each other to impact student achievement; (3) rank order the environmental variables in terms of their relative impact on student achievement; and (4) determine how these effects vary with different demographic (e.g. socioeconomic) groups.
Progress Summary:
Progress Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes): In this time period, measurements were completed in another 110 classrooms within three additional local school districts. Both occupied and unoccupied conditions were tested. Data have been collected from each classroom over two occupied days, three times seasonally. The raw data have been processed to assorted metrics commonly used to quantify acoustics, lighting, thermal and indoor air conditions. Student achievement data for classrooms tested in Year 2 became available in fall 2016. Preliminary statistical analyses, including construction of structural equation models, were completed. Statistical analyses of the comprehensive data set are not expected to be completed until Year 4.
Future Activities:
Future Activities: In Year 4 (2017-18), additional measurements will be made in approximately 60 classrooms to analyze potential causal relationships between environmental conditions and student achievement. We expect that the final batch of student achievement data will become available in late fall 2017. Statistical analyses of the comprehensive data set will then be completed in Year 4.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 24 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Student achievement, indoor environmental quality, indoor air quality, thermal conditions, lighting conditions, acoustic conditions, green buildings, high performance buildings, cost-benefit, architectural engineering, mixed linear models, midwest, Nebraska (NE), Iowa (IA)Relevant Websites:
University of Nebraska School of Engineering - School Environmental Effects on Student Achievement (SEESA) Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.