Ventilation when beeping: digital air monitor at Gautinger middle school

Created: 07/20/2022, 09:00

The small device works wonders: Engineer Michael Kögler, Bayernwerk CEO Dr.

Egon Westphal, the students Morena and Emma with the measuring device, headteacher Birgit Hecktor, students Marcus, Silke Mall, students Gino, Deputy District Administrator Matthias Vilsmayer and Mayor Brigitte Kössinger (from left).

© Andrea Jaksch

The municipality of Gauting is not making any progress with the purchase of ventilation devices for schools, but at least in the middle school there is an alternative: measuring devices from Bayernwerk that beep when a classroom needs to be ventilated.

Gauting - Effective ventilation to protect against corona viruses is the goal of a pilot project "Smart Airspace Sensors" by Bayernwerk AG, in which the Gautinger Paul-Hey-Mittelschule is involved.

As soon as the room air is "used up", the traffic light of a digital measuring device jumps from green to yellow and finally to red with an acoustic beeper - the signal for the students to open the window, engineer Michael Kögler explained at a press conference with Mayor Dr.

Brigitte Kössinger, Deputy District Administrator Mathias Vilsmayer and Dr.

Egon Westphal, CEO of Bayernwerk AG.

"Our students are enthusiastic," said the middle school principal, Birgit Hecktor, during the presentation in the 10a classroom.

Before the meter beeps, a pre-assigned student opens the windows on yellow.

The pilot project has been running in 15 classrooms at the middle school since April, explained Kössinger.

With the digital boards connected to the Internet, Gauting's schools already have the technical requirements for the measuring devices.

She was "doubly happy" about the pilot project.

After all, the municipality of Gauting failed with the EU-wide tender for the ventilation devices in all classrooms for the under-twelve years - there was only one offer, but that was insufficient.

The next step is for the municipal council to decide

how to proceed with the ventilation units.

With the digitally initiated shock ventilation, there is a simple way to protect yourself from viruses, emphasized the head of the town hall.

In addition, good air in the classroom improves the concentration of the students, Matthias Vilsmayer praised the pilot project.

Engineer Michael Kögler from Bayernwerk explained how the system works on a digital board.

The town hall has "easy and convenient" access to the values ​​measured in the 15 classrooms of the middle school via the Bayernwerk energy portal.

Last Wednesday at 11 a.m., for example, the measured CO2 concentration in the 10a classroom jumped to “poor air quality” for a short time.

Ten minutes after the forced ventilation, the digital traffic light was green again.

The high CO2 concentration developed because there was no ventilation before moving to another classroom, explained student Morena Ferrera (13).

In the meantime, she also practices airing at home, she emphasizes the learning effect.

Anyone who ventilates intelligently instead of tilting windows for longer

"Saves energy costs," emphasized Bayernwerk CEO Westphal with a view to the coming heating season.

With the pilot project at the middle school, which will run until 2023, the municipality has a good data source for weighing up the risk of infection and heating energy.

Because the room temperature is also measured.

Christine Cless-Wesle