Race against heat waves: 10 simple solutions to improve comfort in schools

Eight months to December.

As exceptional as the tedium of the metropolitan summer has been (it was the warmest since 1906), the nightmare could repeat itself.

The question about schools and the heat is imposed, after the unlivable days of March in which several establishments deemed it imperative to suspend face-to-face attendance.

Along these lines, an architect, an engineer and a civil servant specialized in these issues highlight ten aspects in pursuit of improving the thermal comfort of children and teachers.

The thing about "an" official is because it was only possible to interview an authority from the Buenos Aires Ministry of Education.

's questions

.

The other specialists are

, an architect focused on the environment and sustainability and director of the "Urban Life" project, which depends on the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism of the UBA;

and

, engineer, Master in Environmental Health, director of the Air Quality Laboratory of the National University of San Martín and (ironic) "building pathologist": "My job is to investigate sick buildings and cure them."

Both emphasized a little-known issue: the impact of proper ventilation in the classroom on school performance.

Before detailing

that should be considered for them in order to achieve some improvements,

, Undersecretary of Resource Administration of the Ministry of Education of CABA, warned that "they were exceptional days".

Teachers in La Matanza, demanding fans in the classrooms, due to the heat wave in the schools.

Photo: Luciano Thieberger

Tomaghelli manages a huge area, which covers very sensitive aspects of school life: from infrastructure, maintenance and school transportation to canteens, cooperators and hiring.

As he said, "ventilation and cooling in schools are not issues that are usually a problem. Or they can be, but this was an exceptional situation for Argentina and for the City. We are preparing to face everything better in the future."

However, no matter how “exceptional” it may have been, the tendency for the four seasons to radicalize in a dichotomous way (summer vs. winter) is clear, with the average temperatures of autumn and spring diluted.

These are the expected effects of

.

What are the education authorities going to do to accompany this unavoidable change?

How to update buildings designed for another era?

1. Thermal comfort

Chamorro spoke of a concept from which one would have to start, which will seem new to many.

It implies thinking about the classroom in terms of “thermal comfort”.

“It includes four elements: the air temperature, the relative humidity, the gusts of wind that pass over the skin of the students and what is known as radiant temperature, which alludes to the fact that if, for example, one is next to a window and feels colder or hotter," he explained.

A percentage is derived from these variables.

“I work a lot in the United States and schools there are designed for between 90% and 95% thermal comfort.

That is to say that between 90% and 95% of the students will feel 'thermal comfort when they are in the classroom'”, she clarified.

In the city and in the province of Buenos Aires, hundreds of schools do not have drinking fountains.

Argentina is far from this, perhaps because (taking figures from Tomaghelli) "

."

The rest is not much better: an eclectic conglomerate of buildings with very different qualities, depending on the time of construction.

Some green shoot is emerging, Chamorro admitted, but only in the sector of privately run schools.

“There are some projects that today seek to have LEED certification,” the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a kind of quality seal created by the United States Green Building Council, of which Chamorro is a certified evaluator.

But, as will be seen, although there is no clear criterion on thermal comfort and it would be interesting to propose a "minimum" comfort percentage to meet in Argentina, there are other possible goals that local schools could aim for.

2. Cross ventilation

Both González and Chamorro alluded to cross ventilation as a key issue, which is often poorly managed or underestimated, and which is simple to incorporate: cross ventilation (yes, the same one we learned about due to Covid). 

For González, “nobody wants what they don't know.

Everyone asks for air conditioning in the classrooms because it is the known solution, but we must promote training in possible solutions, and this includes managers and teachers, who in general do not know the benefits of new air, renewed air”.

Complaints in schools due to power cuts and poor conditions due to the heat wave.

Going to the practical, he explained that, "although cross ventilation is usually thought of as a classroom with an open window and door,

to generate air circulation", something that is not minor because - Chamorro clarified - "sometimes A lot of noise from the street enters and that does not help school performance.”

González was clear: “Let's suppose that the classrooms on the ground floor are relatively cool, but those on the first floor are very hot.

As the heat tends to rise, what could happen in this case is that the building would have a second floor with all the windows closed, both in the corridors and in the rooms.

This prevents the generation of an air current, which would greatly improve the conditions of the first floor”.

Because?

“The air flows, not by force (there is no need for there to be wind) but by differences in pressure.

, ”he explained.

Thus, “if there are open windows or an air outlet in the upper parts of the school, the hot air that was below will want to go there.

To do this, it will naturally suck in cooler air that is even lower down.

It is a

that does not require any artificial mechanism”.

“But you have to educate about this because perhaps it

, which perhaps are welded to prevent the entry of rats, or because splits have been installed.

Thus, a general relief that would be immediate is prevented, ”he emphasized.

3. Trees

Many will be surprised to learn the central role that trees play.

Beyond the fact that they represent a long-term solution, it is worth commenting on it, since, González assured, “around a tree there is

”.

Alejandro González, architect, director of the "Urban Life" project (FADU-UBA), spoke with Clarín about the building problems of schools in the face of heat.

“Planting trees is key.

If you surround a school of trees, the tree provides humidity all day, cools down, gives a particular type of shade, depending on the species.

And in fact, around the tree there are several degrees less, compared to the same space without a tree.

In short, a different air movement is generated”.

“Trees have their cycle.

At one point, the leaves fall, so that in winter the branches let the sun pass through and heat the spaces.

When temperatures rise, on the contrary, they provide shade, ”he added.

What happens today?

," she said indignantly.

“The problem is that, when the leaves drop, many school administrators who are not trained in these issues send the tree in question to be pruned to

.

This happens especially in privately managed institutions, since in public ones, at least in Buenos Aires, pruning is the responsibility of the City, and I would say that pruning is done 'sensibly'”, he opined.

“Today, you pass a public school and it usually has a tree at the door.

You pass by a private school and in general it does not have trees.

Neither, pigeon feces or leaves in the gutters.

There is an 'image', let's say,” she noted.

For the architect, training on the importance of many natural processes is lacking: "A tree does not improve the climate, but it makes

extreme temperatures

4. Air conditioners

According to Chamorro, "the new school buildings, if they are well designed, should incorporate centralized air conditioning systems that allow thermal conditioning, with outside air filtering."

All this "is very important because it prevents air recirculation. There are studies that show that students

when the air quality is better."

Armando Chamorro, engineer, Master in Environmental Health and director of the Air Quality Laboratory at the San Martín National University.

"In addition, when outside air is incorporated, thermal discomfort and the spread of diseases are reduced," he added.

The problem is that even if the “budget” factor were not on the table, many older schools would not be able to incorporate the ductwork needed to install these systems.

We then come to the critical chapter of "splits and fans".

In the heat waves of these days, the lack of these elements was cause for complaint, as was their deterioration or, even, the impossibility of using them due to power outages.

Some private schools chose to move the boys to the

modality , at least a few days.

In the public ones, on the other hand, protests were generated.

According to Tomaghelli, "

at all levels have air conditioning", but he qualified when explaining that, although "it is good to have air conditioning, it is not the priority of the City".

"Our priority is the enhancement of schools," he said, and clarified that the air is reserved for "special" classrooms, which, for example, have afternoon sun.

Broken fan in a classroom at the Mariano Moreno school in the city of Córdoba.

Photo: courtesy Eldoce.

In addition, he noted two issues: one, that "the air

."

The second was a complaint against the energy distributors. 

The official pointed out that every time a school increases its energy demand (because, for example, it installed new "splits") and needs to modify the capacity of the cables that enter the school establishment from the street, "the distribution companies take two years to provide that service."

"For the parents we are guilty, but it is not like that. There must be more commitment from the distributors," he said.

In any case, it is clear that something is not right if the horizon is the splits when experts warn that closing the windows poisons the air and worsens school performance. 

According to González, “you can go days without eating, but if you don't breathe, after six minutes you're dead.

It is the most necessary.

When students get bored or fall asleep in class, they are

.

The atmosphere is saturated.

You have to train about this."

5. Fans

Also, about the installation of fans, he said.

Tomaghelli gave some figures: “We have

.

We have had them for a long time, beyond breakage and that with the wave some have broken.

The same with the air.

But in the last few months, the whole situation was stressed."

Both he and Chamorro considered that they are a good tool, as long as those who operate them know the "ABC".

That is to say, that the blades can rotate to one side or the other, and that this modifies that the hot air rises or falls.

González was even more critical: “I have seen classrooms in which the electrician puts on the fan, and he does it depending on the length of the cable and what is comfortable for him;

not thinking about a

and the students".

"These decisions are tied to a technician and not to a professional who thinks about effectiveness," he added.

Tomaghelli did not deny the problem and said that they are attending to it: "We are reviewing adding fans and modifying their location in some cases."

6. Useful patches I: awnings or parasols

Tomaghelli spoke of "other strategies" that they are looking to implement for next summer.

On the one hand, the placement of

, in order to add recreation spaces when the sun hits the open patios of the schools.

“It was very difficult for us to find someone who could give us that service.

There are many awnings, but we couldn't find a manufacturer of fireproof awnings”, he clarified.

Horacio Rodríguez Larreta at the beginning of classes 2023, together with Minister Soledad Acuña and the Buenos Aires Chief of Staff, Felipe Miguel.

Chamorro, fully attentive to the human factor, opined that “good parasols or awnings are an ideal solution: they allow views from the outside to be seen, which are very important for students and teachers to rest their eyes.

It is very important, since it allows you to 'go out' and look at a pleasant spot, controlling the solar incidence”.

7. Useful patches II: filters and curtains on the windows

Tomaghelli reported that, in addition, "in some schools that get the afternoon sun, curtains will be added," and a second solution will be lowered: "A sunscreen that is placed on the window itself."

Some kind of polarized?

"Something similar," said the official, and clarified: "These filters

. They are a solution that we take note of for classrooms that have afternoon sun and those that do not reaches with the curtain”.

8. Useful patches III: the ceilings

González added another proposal, thinking about the 2024 school year: review the roofs of school buildings.

“What is common to all schools is the insulation of the roof.

If they are well insulated, they prevent heat from entering.

If you ask me what work I would do in schools, I would answer, without hesitation, 'the roofs'”, he said.

“Be it Styrofoam, polyurethane foam or glass wool;

If you have a tile or sheet metal roof, in all cases,

greatly improves radiation.

It implies a work of two or three months.

It's something to deal with in the summer, but it makes sense to do it,” he said.

9. Useful Patches IV: Holes to Heaven

This may sound strange, but architecturally it is a logical and simpler solution than insulating school roofs.

González alluded once again to the importance of cross ventilation, and explained that, in schools with few windows, "holes could be made in the ceilings themselves, in order to promote convection

"

"Thus, the heat would have a way out, generating that kind of suction due to the pressure difference," he said.

10. Water

Anything else?

Anyone who sends their children to publicly run schools knows that in many there are no drinking fountains, something that goes against all official recommendations regarding healthy eating and, especially, measures against heat stroke.

The boys, however they can, end up drinking bath water.

Tomaghelli, however, assured that all the primaries now have drinking fountains, although he admitted that

.

He said they are making progress on their placement in kindergartens.

And that for now they are a pending account in the secondary schools of Buenos Aires.

PS

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