As students prepare to return to classrooms across the United States, a new study released by the American Lung Association, in partnership with Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) and Carrier, highlights the importance of clean indoor air for student health and academic performance.
The study points out that children and adolescents spend up to half of their waking hours at school. According to research, indoor air in schools can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been associated with increased illness, asthma attacks, absenteeism, and reduced academic achievement.
“Clean indoor air isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity for healthy, thriving students and staff,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “Through this collaboration, we gained valuable insight into how schools can take an approach to understanding IAQ, a critical first step in creating a better learning environment for every child.”
Schools often face unique challenges compared to homes or offices due to higher occupancy rates and diverse activities under one roof such as kitchens, science labs, gyms, and pools. Aging infrastructure can worsen IAQ problems, making proactive management crucial.
“Carrier is proud to collaborate with the American Lung Association to help schools create healthier, more productive learning environments,” said Gaurang Pandya, President, Climate Solutions America at Carrier. “With students spending over 90% of their time indoors, indoor air quality isn’t just important — it’s essential. Carrier offers the full suite of solutions schools need to improve air quality, support student well-being, and build trust with families and communities.”
The study was carried out at LILA in Forest Lake, Minnesota. LILA is an International Baccalaureate World School serving pre-K through 12th grade students on three campuses. The project focused on assessing current IAQ conditions and identifying actionable steps for improvement.
The American Lung Association recommends that school leaders make improving indoor air quality part of their overall health and safety planning for students.
“To ensure that students and teachers can focus, learn and thrive, we must treat indoor air quality as essential infrastructure,” said Wimmer. “This study demonstrates that taking a holistic, data-driven approach to assessing a school’s indoor air quality is an important first step in creating healthier learning environments for all.”
More information about the case study as well as resources for improving school IAQ are available at https://www.lung.org/casc.
