School may be out for the summer, but for the facilities themselves, the work is just beginning. This past year saw many abrupt changes for everyone, but students — along with their families — had to fight the constant back-and-forth battle of in-person to virtual learning as schools shut down, reopened and then shut down again during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released mountains of information to help schools navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, including operational and prevention strategies as well as mitigation toolkits. As of May 15, the CDC recommends the continued use of masks in classrooms as well as physical distancing between students. Ventilation and IAQ are also important components of school prevention strategies to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, school districts have been struggling with aging mechanical systems for years. Earlier this year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report showing an estimated 54% of public school districts need to update or replace multiple building systems or features in their schools. Improving HVAC systems is at the top of the list, with an estimated 41% of districts needing to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools, representing about 36,000 schools nationwide that need HVAC updates.