The role of CO2 and PM in the definition of IAQ in schools

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) significantly contributes to the health and productivity level of workers, users and visitors of indoor environments. Italy currently does not have a reference legislation on indoor air quality. The relationship among microclimatic conditions, PM and CO2 is crucial for this evaluation. Basically, CO2 concentrations in indoor are higher as they are emitted mainly through the respiratory acts of the occupants. A high level of CO2 causes a perception of poor air quality, also reducing worker productivity. This paper would like to discuss the results of a study conducted on CO2 and PM10 levels measured in real time in hot and cold season in different classrooms of primary and secondary schools present in a large Italian urban area in order to understand the IAQ state and identify possible improvement actions. The data obtained, compared with the main references and with other similar European studies, highlight that the investigated schools show serious problems related to the ventilation management.