Ventilation within Schools

When school adjourned in March, the Provo City School District Facilities Department replaced all filtering systems throughout the district.

Before school starts in August, they will replace all filters, in every school, again.

Recently, the Facilities Department Director, Mark Wheeler, shared the following message about the high quality filter system within schools.

In each school, there are supply and return air systems designed. Outside air is pulled in/exchanged, daily, at each school. This air exchange is required in every K12 school. The air flow travels through large air handlers, plenum space, ductwork, coil systems, etc, and is designed to be routed to classroom by classroom, office by office, etc.

When air is exchanged, it does not “trade” air from one classroom to the next. When air is exchanged or “pulled” back into the main routing system, it does not get routed to another classroom. There is consistent air flow exchange, as required by strict design guidelines and building codes and carbon dioxide monitoring systems, etc.

Air exchange and mechanical systems are much higher quality in the K12 schools than what people experience in their personal homes. There’s also no data to confirm that a droplet can “survive” while potentially traveling from a roof top mechanical unit or a large air handler unit, through a significant filtration system, through extensive ductwork and then find it’s way to a desk or door knob, etc.

No data from any study.

It is important to note that there is no substitute for regular surface cleaning, disinfection, hand washing, hand sanitation, social distancing and face masks. The disinfection of critical touch points in each school will be much more critical than anything associated with the mechanical systems.