DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS TO IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS USING THE US EPA INDOOR AIR QUALITY TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

摘要

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (TfS) Program is a voluntary program designed to help the nation's schools improve indoor air quality conditions in school buildings. It is well documented (1) that over 50% of schools have reported indoor quality problems in classrooms ranging from poor ventilation, the presence of asthma triggers, lack of maintenance, moldy carpeting, exposure to dust during renovation, radon, etc. Since the publication of TfS in 1995, EPA has developed a number auxiliary tools to enhance the implementation of this national program by producing instructional videos, training modules, as well as guidance on mold in schools, benefits of improving IAQ in the classroom, asthma triggers, IAQ and productivity, etc. The New England Regional EPA office (2) has gone a step further by assisting in the formation of statewide partnerships with a variety of organizations which have yielded impressive results and which can arguably be called national model programs. Perhaps the most outstanding of these has been the Connecticut State Indoor Environment Resource Team. Another factor influencing the effectiveness of TfS implementation is state legislation which, together with dedicated partnerships, paves the way for ultimately having TfS fully implemented in every state.