A Multidisciplinary Research Framework on Green Schools: Infrastructure, Social Environment, Occupant Health, and Performance. (May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Magzamen, Sheryl; Mayer, Adam P.; Barr, Stephanie; Bohren, Lenora; Dunbar, Brian; Manning, Dale; Reynolds, Stephen J.; Schaeffer, Joshua W.; Suter, Jordan; Cross, Jennifer E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of school health. Volume 87:Number 5(2017:May)
• Page Start: 376
• Page End: 387
• Publication Date: 2017-05
• Subjects: sustainable schools -- indoor environmental quality -- indoor air quality -- occupant health -- occupant performance; School health services -- Periodicals; School children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; 371.71
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12505
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4391

Abstract

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Sustainable school buildings hold much promise to reducing operating costs, improve occupant well‐being and, ultimately, teacher and student performance. However, there is a scarcity of evidence on the effects of sustainable school buildings on health and performance indicators. We sought to create a framework for a multidisciplinary research agenda that links school facilities, health, and educational outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a nonsystematic review of peer review publications, government documents, organizational documents, and school climate measurement instruments. RESULTS: We found that studies on the impact of physical environmental factors (air, lighting, and thermal comfort) on health and occupant performance are largely independent of research on the social climate. The current literature precludes the formation of understanding the causal relation among school facilities, social climate, occupant health, and occupant performance. CONCLUSIONS: Given the average age of current school facilities in the United States, construction of new school facilities or retrofits of older facilities will be a major infrastructure investment for many municipalities over the next several decades. Multidisciplinary research that seeks to understand the impact of sustainable design on the health and performance of occupants will need to include both an environmental science and social science perspective to inform best practices and quantification of benefits that go beyond general measures of costs savings from energy efficiencies.