A Review of IAQ Standards and Guidelines for Australian and New Zealand School Classrooms

Information on indoor environmental conditions in Australian and New Zealand school classrooms is limited. The indoor environments in schools are less studied compared to other building types such as offices. Limited data and scientific studies on measurements of school environments, particularly on thermal conditions and indoor air quality (IAQ) are available. Moreover, majority of the studies have been conducted in the northern mid‐latitudes. This lack of knowledge poses a big concern considering that children, unlike adults, are much more vulnerable, and are expected to perform work that is not optional and would almost always be new to them. This paper reports on the findings of a literature review that explores thermal comfort, particularly indoor air quality and ventilation requirements for Australia and New Zealand school classrooms. The objectives of the review are to identify national and international standards and guidelines associated with the provision of thermal environments and indoor air quality in educational facilities, to examine current knowledge on the relationship between indoor conditions and educational outcomes and identify findings of applicable indoor environmental quality (IEQ) research.