Iowa Department of Education

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critically important aspect of creating and maintaining school facilities. IAQ Design Tools for Schools provides both detailed guidance as well as links to other information resources to help design new schools as well as repair, renovate and maintain existing facilities. Though its primary focus is on indoor air quality, it is also intended to encourage school districts to embrace the concept of designing High Performance Schools, an integrated, "whole building" approach to addressing a myriad of important - and sometimes competing - priorities, such as energy efficiency, indoor air quality, day-lighting, materials efficiency, and safety, and doing so in the context of tight budgets and limited staff.  This web-based resource contains recommendations and tools to help communities and design professionals integrate good indoor air quality practices into the design, construction, renovation, and operation and maintenance of K-12 school facilities. Practical, cost-effective actions ranging from walk-off entry mats to advanced ventilation systems can reduce contaminants in schools and help protect the health of children and staff.

Contact:  Gary Schwartz 

Links

Links below provide information about asbestos, indoor air quality, radon, asthma, allergies, mold, sick building syndrome, children's health protection, protecting the environment through energy efficiencies, underground storage tanks, and waste management. 

Air Quality: Asbestos Information provided by the Air Quality Bureau of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.   American Indoor Air Quality Council The American Indoor Air Quality Council promotes awareness, education, and certification in the field of Indoor Air Quality through sharing, learning and networking.   Asbestos: Permits and Licenses Information provided by the Iowa Division of Labor.   Asthma and Allergies The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America provides information on asthma and allergies. Topics include indoor air quality, mold, sick building syndrome, and ADA.   Children's Health Protection The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides information on potential environmental hazards, health topics, and information on protecting children where they live, learn, and play.   Energy Star for K-12 Schools Energy Star is a government-backed program helping to protect the environment through energy efficiencies.  Environmental Health at the Center for Disease Control Environmental Health at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) strives to promote health and quality of life by preventing or controlling those diseases or deaths that result from interactions between people and their environments. Topics include air quality, bioterrorism, environmental hazard exposure, food safety, herbicides, pesticides, lead, natural disasters, water quality, and more.   Environmental Resource Center This resource list is made available by the Association of School Business Officials International.  EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools (TfS) Kit is available to help ensure good indoor air quality in your school.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources The Iowa DNR site contains information related to protecting health and the natural environment. Topics include air quality, asbestos, energy, drinking water, underground storage tanks, waste management, and more.  This site also includes Iowa DNR Kids' Pages.   U.S. Environmental Protection Agency The EPA site contains information related to protecting health and the natural environment. Topics include air quality, asbestos, hazardous waste, lead, mercury, mold, pesticides, radon, water, and more.