Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 July 2021
205. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the Departmental advice to schools with respect to CO2 monitoring; the basis for 1400 to 1500 ppm being considered poor ventilation given that other Government bodies including the HSE put the figure closer to 800 ppm; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38416/21]
View answerThe Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools.
This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.
A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/
The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use (e.g. during break-times or lunch-times and also at the end of each school day) and partially open when classrooms are in use.
The guidance outlines the role that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.
In the context of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, CO2 measurements are not a reliable proxy of risk to airborne exposure to the virus but can assist in identifying poor ventilation.
Both the Air infiltration and Ventilation Centre and Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers advise that CO2 concentrations above 1400 – 1500 ppm are likely to be indicative of poor ventilation.
A consistent CO2 value < 800ppm (absolute value) is likely to indicate that a space is well ventilated but does not mean that an environment is risk free of COVID-19 risks whereas sustained high CO2 values (>1500ppm) are likely to indicate poor ventilation and mitigating actions are likely to be required.
