The objective of the 3SQAIR project is to define RIS3¹ strategies to improve indoor air quality IAQ in classrooms. One of the levers to achieve this objective is to share best practices (BP) with all stakeholders in order to enhance their knowledge, and consequently, their practices. To this end, we propose to identify the major action criteria to help stakeholders to improve IAQ in educational buildings.

Our work consisted in drawing up a first state of the art of methodologies for assessing the IAQ in educational buildings. This first analysis made it possible to identify a list of IAQ improvement levers considering technical and organizational. And, we propose a simplified methodology assessing a synthesis profile of the IAQ for feedback from operations.

In fact, the characterization of IAQ has many components, themselves linked to the complexity of the life cycle of a building. Such an analysis must be holistic because the IAQ of a classroom also depends on organizational aspects (maintenance and management of real estate), sociological (behavior and comfort of the occupants), economic (available resources) and even political considerations (exemplary public policies for contractors).

We propose a baseline to define common criteria for promoting best practices in IAQ in classrooms, which also lays down common guideline settings for smart, sustainable and energy efficient IAQ solutions. Through a selective bibliographic study and an in-depth presentation of the modeling of IAQ pollutants, we have identified 10 major indicators for the inclusion of IAQ, classified into 2 areas:

This report offers a common reference simplified methodology to establish comparative studies on IAQ in educational buildings. This methodology constitutes a basis for the practical resource (best practices experience feedback case studies) for stakeholders that have to be produced within the 3SqAir project, through the eponymous online platform website. It will be used to build an analysis framework for the 12 operations that are the subject of experience feedback as part of task 3.2.1 of the 3SQAIR project.

Within the classroom, there are CO2 sensor in the return conduct, 6 humidity-controlled air inlets and outlets and a 14,20 m² Windows surface

The ventilatin has a manual type of maintenance with an automatic (dirty filter alarm) upkeep and is changed when necessary

• Heat recovery unit for installation in commercial premises with high-performance backflow exchanger (up to 93%).
• Flow rates from 600 to 10,000 m3/h.
• Structure of aluminium profile and sandwich panels with 25 mm thick rock wool for equipment up to UR-33 / HE and 45 mm with polyurethane from UR-42 / HE
• Interchangeable openings and lateral registers for all models. Upper and lower registers for models up to UR-33 / HE.
• Low height design for installation in false ceilings (up to UR-33 / HE).
• Vertical versions available.
• Series control that regulates the speed of the fans, the bypass (temperature probes included), the dirty filter alarm. Possibility of mounting optional probes.
• Optional internal heat battery. Possibility of mounting electric batteries, cold water or direct expansion in external drawer.
• Range that complies with 1253/2014 (ErP 2018) regulation: high efficiency, “EC” type low consumption motors and integrated regulator, 100% by-pass and series control.
• Laboratory measurements according to applicable regulations. (including AMCA 200-07 y UNE EN 308).
• >Models UR-55/HE tested with rectangular mouth.
• F6 + F8 Filters in air drive and F6 in air extraction.

On this demo-site there are no air purification system.

The building management is done by Giroa (Veolia) it is a Heating system

Certification 1

Date of last acquisition, 2021. Support procedures have been put in place Mechanical Ventilation System in classroom A2EERR. The renovation works are in an intermediate phase, classroom A2EERR is finished.

This work proposes a methodology for evaluating the IAQ in educational buildings. Through a deliberately simplified approach, we have defined a baseline based on two domains describing the building’s facilities and the organization of the whole stakeholder chain actors.

A summary of the multi-criteria analysis for this operation is presented in the form of a radar made up of the 10 benchmark indicators, established in task 3.1.2 of the 3SqAir project.

We have previously indicated that this type of analysis requires a transversal (holistic) approach, since all these criteria are interconnected and influence each other. In order to determine the relevance of taking into account the IAQ of a building, we propose to carry out a two-step approach:

1)First, an analytical approach:  characterization of each of the 10 criteria separately, through a qualitative or quantitative approach;

2)Secondly, a global synthesis, through a graphic representation in the form of a “3SqAir profile”, with a radar representation, according to the a “basic” or “thorough” rating scale (see below, an example of fictive radars on the basis of a 1-5 scale, with a representation mode).

For operation Classroom A2EERR- Zubigune, Spain, the result is as follows:

This result was established after a collective analysis of all operations, during the workshop held in Coimbra (Portugal) on 08/11/2022. During this workshop, the partners presented the 12 feedbacks and voted collectively to define the level of performance for each criterion and establish the corresponding radar profile.