Primary School Buildings Research Articles

Research on Facade Components Design of Primary School Buildings in the humid tropics Based on Noise Insulation Performance and Natural Ventilation—Take Shenzhen Xinzhou Primary School as an example

As the noise and energy consumption problems in high-density urban development zones become increasingly serious, a structural design based on noise insulation and natural ventilation was proposed by taking the façade design of Shenzhen Xinzhou Primary School as an example. The design and structure of the façade were studied and analyzed, and its actual noise insulation performance and ventilation capacity were evaluated through field measurement. The experimental results testified that the façade could reduce noise by up to 10 dB and the ventilation amount could meet the ventilation requirements of primary school classrooms, which provides guidance and reference for the subsequent design of façades with natural ventilation and noise insulation.

What do we know about indoor air quality of nurseries? A review of the literature

Considering the alarming rise in the rate of asthma and respiratory diseases among school children, it is of great importance to investigate all probable causes. Outside of the home, children spend most of their time in school. Many studies have researched the indoor environmental quality of primary and secondary school buildings to determine the exposure of school children to indoor air pollution. However, studies of very young children in nurseries are scarce. Unlike at elementary schools or universities, children in nurseries are more vulnerable due to their physiology, inability to articulate discomfort and to adapt their behaviour to avoid exposures. This article reviews current studies on the indoor environment in nurseries. It summarizes air pollution levels and related environmental and behavioural factors in nurseries that have been reported in the literature. Additionally, exposure to indoor air pollution and related potential health outcomes are examined. This review concludes that indoor air pollution in nurseries often exceeds current guidelines, and designers and policymakers should be made aware of the impact on the health and wellbeing of children in nurseries. Proper interventions and guidelines should be considered to create a healthy indoor environment for nursery children. Practical application: Previous IAQ assessments have mainly focused on indoor temperatures and CO2 levels. Data on comprehensive monitoring (including PMs, NO2, O3 and other pollutants) of indoor air quality of nurseries are scarce. Particularly in the UK, studies about indoor air quality in nurseries have not been founded. This paper categorized relevant articles according to the focus of the study, to provide evidence to a better understanding of current indoor air quality in nursery environments.

Indoor air quality and the associated health risk in primary school buildings in Central Europe - The InAirQ study.

The indoor air quality (IAQ) was investigated in sixty-four primary school buildings in five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and Slovenia). The concentration of volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, PM2.5 mass, carbon dioxide, radon, as well as physical parameters were investigated during the heating period of 2017/2018. Significant differences were identified for the majority of the investigated IAQ parameters across the countries. The median indoor/outdoor ratios varied considerably. A comprehensive evaluation of IAQ in terms of potential health effects and comfort perception was performed. Hazard quotient values were below the threshold value of 1 with one exception. In contrast, 31% of the school buildings were characterized by hazard index values higher than 1. The maximum cumulative ratio approach highlighted that the concern for non-carcinogenic health effects was either low or the health risk was driven by more substances. The median excess lifetime cancer risk values exceeded the acceptable value of 1×10-6 in the case of radon and formaldehyde. PM2.5 mass concentration values exceeded the 24h and annual guideline values set by the World Health Organization in 56 and 85% of the cases, respectively. About 80% of the schools could not manage to comply with the recommended concentration value for carbon dioxide (1000ppm).

Energy consumption, self-reported teachers’ actions and children's perceived indoor environmental quality of nine primary school buildings in the Netherlands

Literature shows that both building systems and occupants’ behaviour contribute to the amount of energy used to create a comfortable indoor environment. To determine possible relationships, energy consumption of nine school buildings was studied in relation to identified building characteristics, self-reported frequency of teachers’ actions, and (perceived and measured) indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of the school children in the classrooms studied. These schools were located in different areas in the Netherlands, and their yearly energy consumption differed a lot. Results demonstrated significant relationships of electrical energy consumption with lighting distribution in classrooms and the frequency of teachers’ light switch behaviour: the higher the measured illuminance in the classrooms, the more electricity was used in the school building. The more electricity was used, the more children complained about the IEQ in their classrooms; and the more frequently the teachers turned on the light, the less electricity the schools consumed. It was concluded that stimulating teachers to be more active in controlling the light might lead to energy saving, but a larger sample of schools with more variation in buildings systems is required to confirm this.

Analysis of design solutions for strengthening the load-bearing structure of a building for further safe use

Purpose: The article present issues related to strengthening the supporting structure of swimming pool in a primary school building paying special attention to the damaged reinforced concrete pillars of supports. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of design solutions strengthening the supporting structure of the building for further safe use. Findings: Engineers noticed multiple cracks and deformations in rebar while performing on-site verification. Three posts (pillars) were damaged in the basement rooms and needed repair. Research limitations/implications: Structural elements of building structures wear out over time and cause damage that requires repair. The scope of repair works should be designed and carried out in accordance with applicable law. Practical implications: The solution, which has been designed in great detail, allows the building to continue working without the risk of damaging the structure. Originality/value: Due to the scale of damage to the reinforced concrete columns in the basement of the building, it was necessary to protect the facility against a construction failure.

Adaptability of Primary and Middle Schools to Post-Pandemic Reuse - A Discussion in the Context of Flexibility

This study discusses how the existing primary and middle school buildings can be adapted to the new needs emerging in the Covid-19 process. The three levels of adaptation are defined as follows: Building envelope-outdoor space relationship, plan layout-function relationship, and furniture relocation. In the scope of this study, five selected school plans were evaluated in the context of flexibility in the plan layout-function relationship. In this study, the concept of “adaptation” is considered as a design approach at the early design phase and/or intervention to respond to a new need in the life cycle of the building.

Design tactics for enhancing the adaptability of primary and middle schools to the new needs of postpandemic reuse

PurposeThe aim of this study is to present design tactics (DTs) for supporting the adaptability of existing primary and middle school buildings into the emerging needs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study introduces a novel algorithmic model for postoccupancy evaluation of the existing school buildings and provides solutions to enhance the adaptability of these buildings.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs the DTs defined by the authors, integration of DTs to the algorithmic model and tests the usability of the proposed model in the selected sample set. The sample set consists of four primary and middle school buildings with different architectural qualities. The degrees of flexibility of the existing sample set are evaluated depending on the outcomes of the implementation.FindingsThe degrees of flexibility are achieved as a result of execution of the algorithmic model for each selected school building. Initial results of the case studies show that the flexibility of a school building is highly related to affordances and design decisions of the plan layout which were considered in the initial phases of the design process. Architectural qualities such as open plan and having sufficient voids in the interior and exterior space become prominent factors for ensuring flexibility.Originality/valueDeveloping a systematic approach to the adaptation problem of primary and middle school buildings to postpandemic reuse is a novel research topic. Apart from this contextual originality, the proposed taxonomy for postpandemic reuse in terms of three levels of adaptation is a new conceptual framework. Moreover, the proposed algorithmic model itself can be considered as an original contribution, as well as a merge of qualitative values such as adaptation and flexibility with an algorithmic model.

Chemical Composition and Source Apportionment of PM10 in a Green-Roof Primary School Building

Research on air quality issues in recently refurbished educational buildings is relatively limited. However, it is an important topic as students are often exposed to high concentrations of air pollutants, especially in urban environments. This study presents the results of a 25-day experimental campaign that took place in a primary school located in a densely built-up area, which retains a green roof system (GRS). All measurements refer to mass concentrations and chemical analysis of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micrometers), and they were implemented simultaneously on the GRS and within the classroom (C3) below during different periods of the year. The results demonstrated relatively low levels of PM10 in both experimental points, with the highest mean value of 72.02 μg m−3 observed outdoors during the cold period. Elemental carbon (EC) was also found be higher in the ambient environment (with a mean value of 2.78 μg m−3), while organic carbon (OC) was relatively balanced between the two monitoring sites. Moreover, sulfate was found to be the most abundant water soluble anion (2.57 μg m−3), mainly originating from ambient primary SO2 and penetrating into the classroom from windows. Additionally, the crustal origin of particles was shown in trace metals, where Al and Fe prevailed (9.55% and 8.68%, respectively, of the total PM10). Nevertheless, infiltration of outdoor particles within the classroom was found to affect indoor sources of metals. Finally, source apportionment using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model demonstrated six main factors of emissions, the most important of which were vehicles and biomass burning (30.30% contribution), along with resuspension of PM10 within the classroom from human activities (29.89% contribution). Seasonal variations seem to play a key role in the results.

An Example of Primary School Buildings in Akçakoca, Belongs to Early Republican Period: Orhan Gazi Primary School

Cumhuriyet’in ilanıyla birlikte birçok alanda köklü değişimler yaşanmaya başlamıştır. Eğitim ve mimarlık değişimlerin hızlı yaşandığı alanların başında gelmektedir. Eğitim, halkın bilinçlenmesi açısından önemli bir role sahipken; mimarlık ise modernitenin mekânsal temsili açısından kritik rol oynamaktadır. Dolayısıyla, Erken Cumhuriyet döneminde eğitim yapılarının birçok açıdan önemli misyonlara sahip olduğunu söylemek mümkündür. Temel eğitimin verildiği ilkokullar ise; diğer kademelerdeki eğitim kurumlarından daha öncelikli olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Halkın çoğunluğunun henüz okuma-yazma bilmiyor olması nedeniyle; hızlı bir şekilde okur-yazar oranının arttırılması amaçlanmıştır. Bununla birlikte; Cumhuriyet ilkelerine bağlı ilköğretim okullarının yaygınlaştırılarak herkesin ilkokul eğitimi alması hedeflenmiştir. Bu kapsamda; kentlerde, kasabalarda ve köylerde yeni okul binaları tasarlanarak inşa edilmiştir. Cumhuriyetin ilk yıllarında inşa edilen eğitim yapıları; I. Ulusal Mimarlık Dönemi olarak adlandırılan mimari üslubu yansıtmaktadır. Çalışmaya konu olan Orhan Gazi İlkokulu da bahsedilen misyonla Akçakoca’da 1. Ulusal Mimarlık Üslubunun özellikleriyle inşa edilmiştir. Çalışmayla amaçlanan; dönemin mimari özellikleri paralelinde incelenen yapının Düzce ve Akçakoca’nın Erken Cumhuriyet dönemi mimarlık üretimine ışık tutması ve daha sonra yapılacak çalışmalara örnek teşkil etmesidir.

Winter Thermal Comfort and Perceived Air Quality: A Case Study of Primary Schools in Severe Cold Regions in China

In Northeast China, most classrooms in primary and secondary schools still use natural ventilation during cold days in winter. This study investigated the thermal comfort and the perceived air quality of children in primary schools in severe cold regions in China. Field measurements were conducted in four typical primary classrooms in two naturally ventilated teaching buildings in the winter of 2016 in the provincial city of Shenyang. Six field surveys were distributed to 141 primary students aged 8 to 11, and 835 valid questionnaires were collected. The results showed that the indoor temperature and the daily mean CO2 concentrations of the primary school classrooms ranged from 17.06 to 24.29 °C and from 1701 to 3959 ppm, respectively. The thermal neutral temperature of the primary school students was 18.5 °C, and the 90% thermal comfort temperature ranged from 17.3 to 20.1 °C. Children were able to respond to changes in indoor air quality, but there was no significant correlation between the children’s perceptions of air quality and the carbon dioxide levels in the classroom. In general, children have a lower comfort temperature than adults. In addition, children are more sensitive to temperature changes during the heating season than adults. Due to differences in thermal sensation between children and adults, the current thermal comfort standard based on adult data is not applicable to primary school buildings and children. The air quality evaluation during heating season indicates that it is necessary to add indoor air environment monitoring instruments and purification equipment to the naturally ventilated classrooms. At present and in the future, more research based on children’s data is needed to solve the indoor air environment problems in primary school buildings.

Interrelationship between thermal conditions and indoor pollutants in primary schools of Himachal Pradesh

Thermal conditions in primary school buildings are very important to ensure healthy aproductive learning environment in primary classrooms. In addition to thermal conditions, poor indoor air quality (IAQ) may decrease productivity, reduced ability of learning, health threats, lack of attentiveness etc. This study is an attempt to discover the interrelationship of the thermal conditions with indoor pollutants in primary schools of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study summarizes the investigation of eight naturally ventilated schools in Hamirpur city of Himachal Pradesh (India). The on-site investigation was performed to monitor the concentration of Carbon monoxide (CO), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Particulate Matter (PM2.5) as indoor pollutants and Indoor Temperature, Humidity and Ventilation rate for thermal conditions. The Higher concentration of indoor Particulate Matter (PM2.5) has found associated with humidity and ventilation rate. However, the CO2 concentration has found directly associated with temperature and ventilation rate. Indoor pollutants were also found associated with some building design parameters of the primary school building. Based on the data analysis, some recommendations are made to reduce the exposure of pollutants to the occupants in the conclusion.

Specific seismic retrofitting of a compact reinforced concrete building with X-bracings and steel jackets. Application to a primary school in Huelva.

Previous research has indicated that many European buildings are vulnerable to moderate-magnitude earthquakes. For example, during the L´Aquila (Italia, Mw 6.3, 2009) and Lorca (Spain, Mw 5.9, 2011) earthquakes, many old buildings were severely damaged and some of them collapsed. In specific, significant damage has been found in several school buildings after past earthquakes in Europe. This is due to the fact that many of them were constructed prior to the current seismic codes, thus considering only gravitational loads and with no seismic design whatsoever. Primary schools are even more vulnerable than other typologies because of their low adult/child ratio. The seismic activity of the Iberian Peninsula is low-moderate. However, the Algarve and Huelva regions, which are situated in the south-west, are influenced by large faults which have caused major earthquakes of long-return periods. The European project PERSISTAH (Projetos de Escolas Resilientes aos SISmos no Território do Algarve e de Huelva, in Portuguese) aims to cooperatively evaluate the seismic vulnerability of primary schools in the Algarve (Portugal) and Huelva (Spain) regions. The present work is framed under this project. The objective of this paper is to determine the most effective retrofitting scheme for a typical primary school building in this area, considering structural, architectural and constructive parameters. The scheme could be applied to several buildings of the same typology, decreasing costs and time. An existing reinforced concrete frame building has been selected for the study. This is one of the most commonly used typologies for primary schools in this area. A nonlinear static analysis has been carried out in order to study its seismic behaviour. The performance point of the building has been obtained through the capacity-demand spectrum method. The preliminary results have confirmed the poor seismic behaviour of this building. Specifically, soft-story behaviour has been identified in the ground floor and short columns have been observed in the upper floors. Therefore, specific seismic retrofitting solutions have been proposed and evaluated in order to identify the one that is the most efficient. The combination of reinforcements has been done considering the structural and architectural impact and constructive parameters. The calculations have shown that steel X-bracings are the best solution for preventing the formation of a soft-storey in the ground floor. Unfortunately, this scheme increases the deformation in the upper floor columns. The best solution for the upper floors' short columns has been the use of steel jackets. The results have also shown that this combination produces an important reduction of the expected general damage level. The resulting retrofitting scheme can be extrapolated to other buildings with a similar typology.

An integrated low-energy ventilation system to improve indoor environment performance of school buildings in the cold climate zone of China

This study proposed an integrated low-energy ventilation (ILEV) system for the primary school buildings located in the cold climate zone of China to solve the indoor air pollution and thermal discomfort issues in classrooms. The system comprises three main parts: fans, EAHEs, and a sunspace with plants.To explore the performance of the ILEV system, a typical school building located in the cold climate zone of China was selected. The research methods involved the dynamic thermal modelling (DTM) and experimental measurements.The simulation results and experimental data indicated that the air temperatures inside the classrooms were maintained in the range of 15 °C–27 °C throughout the year. The internal CO2 concentrations averaged approximately 900 ppm in all classrooms. The indoor PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were significantly improved and met the requirements of the Chinese standard. In addition, the ILEV system consumed approximately 12% of the energy currently used by the original benchmarked case study. The payback period of the ILEV system was 8 years. Compared to other renewable technologies, the ILEV system only required 16% of its lifespan to recoup the initial costs and provided economic benefits approximately 42 years.

School architecture for primary education in a post-socialist country: a case study of Poland

ABSTRACT The present educational paradigm, fundamentally unchanged since the 19th century, does not meet 21st-century educational needs. This paradigm shift must be accompanied by a strong educational architecture that fosters the skills needed for 21st-century success including creativity and cultural awareness. The present study investigates the primary school architecture of post-socialist Poland, tracing its evolution and asking whether its issues apply universally. A comparative review of representative primary school buildings illustrates that their developmental progress has been superficial, as only external forms have been adjusted. The standard spatial arrangement of the traditional corridor and classroom layout has remained stagnant. This layout is oversimplified, inflexible in design, and works against learner-centred pedagogies that stress diversity and multiplicity. This article highlights the inadequacy of Polish primary school spaces for 21st-century educational needs. The results indicate that this is a universal problem since corridor and classroom layouts are widely applied in all Western countries.

Tradition and innovation. Representations of a “good” learning environment among Swedish stakeholders involved in planning, (re)construction and renovation of school buildings

ABSTRACT This study highlights how 20 Swedish principals, school managers and architects involved in planning, construction and reconstruction of primary and secondary school buildings at regional, municipal and local levels represent good learning environments. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, the analysis focuses on how the stakeholders understand the physical, pedagogical and social aspects of learning environments, including the power relations and principles of control that are embedded in their understandings. The findings indicate two orientations when the interviewees discuss good learning environment, an orientation towards clearer boundaries and control in physical, pedagogical and social spaces (strong classification and framing), and an orientation towards weaker boundaries and control (weak classification and framing). The first orientation is directed towards what, in previous research and policy discourses, is described as traditional school design, whereas the second rejects some basic principles of traditional school design and aligns with what is commonly described as innovative school design.

Assessment of Degradations/Defects and Maintenance of Administrative Primary and Secondary School Buildings of the City of Bafoussam, Cameroon

This paper reports the findings of a survey on assessment of degradations/defects and maintenance of administrative primary and secondary school buildings of the city of Bafoussam, Cameroon. Data were collected with the use of structured questionnaires as shown in appendix II administered on various managers of public primary and secondary schools in the three districts of Bafoussam namely, Bafoussam I, Bafoussam II and Bafoussam III. Data were analysed with basic descriptive tools such as percentage. The results showed that the primary schools buildings in the city of Bafoussam are more degraded than those of secondary schools as an example 98% of primary school buildings in the city of Bafoussam show an aging of the paint on the walls, i.e. 127 buildings, while those of secondary school buildings show 86% i.e. 157 buildings. 85% of primary school buildings in the city of Bafoussam have a ceiling in poor condition i.e. 111 buildings, while those of secondary schools buildings have 76% i.e. 132 buildings. The secondary school buildings in the city of Bafoussam have undergone more maintenance works than those of primary schools. Keywords: Degradations/defects, Maintenance, Primary school buildings, Secondary school buildings, Bafoussam DOI: 10.7176/CER/12-6-03 Publication date: June 30 th 2020

Luis Domingo de Rute, arquitecto de modelos para la construcción de escuelas públicas en España a comienzos del siglo XX

La Colección de planos modelos de escuelas públicas de enseñanza primaria, publicada en noviembre de 1908, constaba de doce modelos de escuelas de complejidad creciente. Habían sido diseñados por Luis Domingo de Rute, arquitecto adscrito al Negociado de Arquitectura escolar del incipiente Ministerio de Instrucción pública y Bellas Artes. Tenían por objeto servir de pauta o norma a la que los arquitectos habían de sujetarse en el futuro para el proyecto de edificios escolares públicos de enseñanza primaria. Aunque la Colección de Rute gozó de gran difusión, lo cierto es que su aplicación fue bastante limitada a causa de la rápida obsolescencia de los modelos y, también, del prematuro fallecimiento de su autor. Circunstancias ambas que sin duda contribuyeron a acelerar la creación, una década más tarde, de la Oficina Técnica para la Construcción de Escuelas por el Estado.No hay estudio referido a la arquitectura escolar española de comienzos del siglo XX que no mencione dicha colección y el nombre de su autor. Aparte de ello, poco más ha trascendido sobre la trayectoria de Luis Domingo de Rute. El objetivo de la presente investigación es doble: por un lado, rescatar la figura de Rute del olvido en el que se ha visto sumida –prácticamente, desde la publicación de su Colección– y, por otro, profundizar en el análisis de los modelos de escuela a él debidos.

A multi-criteria approach to affordable energy-efficient retrofit of primary school buildings

The majority of the buildings was built before the energy efficiency prospering in the construction sector. Hence, they are consuming an enormous energy amount that can be preserved considerably by applying some not even advanced retrofit measures. Schools' low budget is a problem that managers are encountered. Thus the high retrofit cost can prevent taking proper actions. However, considering the measures leading to higher energy efficiency with appropriate cost and payback period, together with taking the lifespan of buildings and the economic benefits during this extended period, would make the actions attractive. This research aims at defining a multi-parameter approach to distinguish energy efficient measures with proper cost, payback period and CO2 emission for primary school buildings’ retrofit. It is following the concept of cost-optimal building retrofit introduced by the EPBD-recast. To assess the proposed approach, two typical school buildings were considered as case studies, the model was created and validated by real consumptions, and then some measures were applied to the envelope, mechanical and lighting system. After driven cost-optimal measures, the comfort analyses were conducted and some of the measures were excluded due to worsening the comfort conditions. The results indicate that, in the suitable cost-optimal scenarios, the potential of primary energy savings and CO2 emission reductions are approximately 60%, and savings for global cost would amount to more than 42%, while the payback periods are less than seven years.

Evaluating the perception of thermal environment in naturally ventilated schools in a warm and humid climate in Nigeria

Field study was conducted in naturally ventilated primary school buildings in a warm and humid environment in Imo State, Nigeria to determine the thermal comfort perception of young children (aged 7–12 years) and to understand the thermal conditions in the classrooms. The comfort temperature was investigated in two types of classroom buildings during the rainy and dry seasons from October 2017 to May 2018. Approximately 7050 completed valid questionnaires were collected from 330 young children repeatedly surveyed twice a day. The children answered comfort questions at the same time the indoor and outdoor thermal variables were being measured. Results indicated that the combined ‘open-space’ classrooms produced a neutral temperature of 28.8°C with comfort range, 25.2–32.3°C. The neutral temperature of the combined ‘enclosed-plan’ classrooms is 28.1°C with 25.8–30.5°C as the comfort range. The differences in the comfort perceptions may be attributed to the differences in the architectural characteristics of both categories of classroom buildings. High temperature tolerance was shown by the participating children in the study area. This article, therefore, suggests that installing air conditioning in primary schools in the warm humid environment in Nigeria may not be necessary as it could lead to unnecessary energy consumption and carbon emission. Practical application: This work is part of the main research work that pioneers research on thermal comfort in public primary school classrooms in Nigeria. The findings from this study on the acceptable indoor temperatures in naturally ventilated classrooms in the warm and humid climate in Nigeria are important information for building services engineers and architects. The young children in these classrooms can accept high indoor temperatures. The intention of this information is to discourage high energy usage in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system in primary school buildings in the study area, while maintaining the acceptable thermal comfort levels.

What do the school directors want to change in their school buildings? An Evaluation of Physical Competences of Primary, Secondary and High School Buildings

In the study, a mixed research method was used combining quantitative and qualitative data. The study group consisted of 302 school directors and deputy directors working in different schools within Hatay Province of Turkey. A data collection tool, developed according to the official standards of state schools, was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data together. In the quantitative dimention, we concluded that school administrators think that the music and fine arts classrooms, worship sections, sport fields, science laboratories, computer and technology laboratories were highly insufficient. The qualitative results also supported these findings. The participants stated that they wanted to expand the sport areas by adding indoor sports hall, football, basketball, volleyball and swimming pools. The participants also expressed that the physical deficiencies hinder the lessons being efficient, especially the lack of school gym, workshop and laboratory; moreover they stated that this situation turns the courses into more theoretical base than the practice, which are delimited between four walls of the classrooms. However, we have also observed some inconsistent findings between quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the study, as the results related to classrooms, heating and insulation were observed to be inconsistent when the qualitative and quantitative dimensions were compared.