When we think about what helps students learn, we tend to look at curriculum, teaching quality and technology. 

But there’s another factor, quietly shaping every lesson, every test and every group activity: the air in the room.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has moved from a “nice to have” to a core health, safety and learning issue for schools. At All Saints’ College in Perth, Facility Manager Philip Gale sees it as a fundamental part of the school’s duty of care.

“Indoor air quality is important as a part of our duty of care in providing appropriate safe spaces for our students and staff.”

From his perspective, looking after IAQ is not only about comfort – it’s about cognitive performance, attendance, and the long-term wellbeing of students and staff.

Why fresh air matters for learning

Classrooms typically hold 20–30 students and at least one teacher, all breathing out carbon dioxide (CO₂) and potentially adding to indoor pollutants. When ventilation is poor and CO₂ levels climb, people don’t just feel a bit “stuffy” – their ability to think clearly can actually drop.

As Philip puts it:

“There is a body of evidence that shows that cognitive performanceis impaired by heightened levels of CO₂ in rooms. Improving fresh air flows will greatly reduce this effect.”

That’s why he sees fresh air as the first and most important lever to pull in any IAQ strategy. Other pollutants matter too – from volatile chemicals released by cleaning products or furnishings, to fine particles from outdoor air – but if the basics of ventilation are wrong, everything else becomes harder.

“There are other pollutants such as inorganic compounds that should also be considered in a total air quality management process but the fresh air component is probably the most important issue to address in the first instance.”

In a school environment, that focus on fresh air translates directly to learning outcomes. Better IAQ can mean fewer headaches, less fatigue, and improved ability to concentrate – all of which support what happens at the front of the classroom. 

Recent research led by the ARC Training Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection Transmission (THRIVE) has highlighted just how common inadequate ventilation and elevated CO₂ levels are in Australian classrooms, and the impact this can have on both health and cognition. See here for article reference.

Designing fresher classrooms, one upgrade at a time

All Saints’ isn’t rebuilding the campus from scratch. Instead, Philip and his team are integrating IAQ improvements into the school’s ongoing capital works program.

“Yes we are making changes as we upgrade facilities. For instance our latest teaching facility upgrade, new science classrooms, have all been fitted with outside air fans to bring in fresh air and CO₂ monitors to help manage fresh air in the spaces.”

It’s a pragmatic, staged approach that many schools can relate to:

• When a building is refurbished, fresh air provision is reviewed.
• New learning spaces are designed with dedicated outside air fans.
• CO₂ monitors are installed so that staff can see when ventilation needs to be increased.

Rather than relying on assumptions (“the aircon is on, so it must be fine”), All Saints’ is starting to use data to inform how spaces are run.

The real-world juggling act: comfort, noise and cost

Of course, improving IAQ isn’t as simple as turning on more fans and walking away. Philip is frank about the balancing act involved in a live school environment.

“Yes all three are a challenge. Temperature control is always an issue as heating and cooling requirements for individuals varies greatly. Trying to get a balance that is satisfactory for all is a challenge.”

Cranking up outdoor air often makes it harder to maintain a consistent temperature, especially in Perth’s climate. Different students and staff will feel “too hot” or “too cold” at different points, and facilities teams are expected to keep everyone happy.

Noise is another factor:

“Noise can be a factor with the fresh air fans but this depends greatly upon the nature of the building. Retrofitting these units can be a challenge as working with old buildings does not present the same opportunities as greenfields projects.”

Older buildings might not have been designed with space for ductwork, plant rooms or acoustic treatments. That means retrofit solutions can be more constrained – fans may need to be smaller or located in less-than-ideal positions, or new louvres cut into walls and windows.

Then there’s cost. Moving from simple split-system air conditioners to fully ducted, mechanically ventilated systems represents a significant step up in complexity and investment.

“Providing increased levels of service, with the attendant increase in cost, such as expanding the replacement of a wall split with a fully vented and controlled system is obviously vastly different in scope.”

For facility managers, the challenge is to build a long-term roadmap: identifying which buildings should be upgraded first, where the biggest gains in IAQ will come from, and how to align those works with available budgets and capital plans.

From “set and forget” to active monitoring

One of the key shifts at All Saints’ has been moving away from treating air-conditioning as a background service and towards actively monitoring what’s happening in teaching spaces.

“We currently are using CO₂ monitors as a gauge of fresh air within the rooms and we have an extensive Building Management System to aid our control of air conditioning.”

In practice, that means:

• CO₂ sensors in classrooms act as a real-time indicator of how well-ventilated a room is.
• An extensive Building Management System (BMS) allows centralised control, scheduling and optimisation across multiple buildings.
• Data from both can be used to fine-tune how long systems run, how much outside air is brought in, and where potential issues might be emerging.

Instead of relying purely on complaints (“this room feels stuffy”), Philip’s team can see trends and respond proactively.

Supporting students with chronic health conditions

IAQ is particularly important for people with asthma, allergies, respiratory conditions or who are immunocompromised. But designing solely for these groups is difficult within a framework of standard building codes and budgets.

Philip is candid about the tension:

“This is a difficult question as our efforts in maintaining any facility must be focused on the average, for example temperatures and lighting. These are based on building codes or standards. Fresh air is mandated for classrooms, and these standards should be met with all new facilities. Of course many older facilities do not meet current standards and that is where the problems can arise.”

For new buildings, compliance with current codes provides a baseline of protection. The real risk lies in legacy stock – older facilities that were built to past standards or with little consideration for ventilation. That’s where targeted upgrades can have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable students and staff.

At All Saints’, the absence of complaints is a positive sign. But the goal is not simply to avoid negative feedback – it’s to ensure that classrooms are healthy, inclusive environments by design, especially as expectations around air quality continue to rise.

The policy and retrofit gap: thousands of square metres

From Philip’s point of view, the standards for new classrooms are not the main problem.

“The current standards do call for fresh air in classrooms for new facilities. However as detailed above it is the thousands of square metres of older facilities that are the issue.”

This echoes a broader challenge across Australia: while codes and guidelines may set minimum fresh air rates for new buildings, there is no simple, nationally consistent mechanism for lifting the performance of existing schools.

“There should certainly be much more focus on the issue when retrofitting AC units. A common approach to this would aid the industry by developing new designs and techniques for others to use.”

This is precisely the gap that organisations like THRIVE are working to address – combining research, forums and policy engagement to call out poor classroom ventilation as a systemic issue and to push for stronger IAQ requirements in schools and other public buildings. 

As a partner of THRIVE, QED is closely involved in translating this research into practical strategies for schools facing the realities Philip describes: tight budgets, ageing stock and rising expectations.

A clearer, common framework for IAQ in retrofits would not only help individual schools; it could also drive innovation across the HVAC and building services industry, making high-performing solutions more affordable and easier to implement at scale.

Advice to other school facility managers

So where should a school start if it wants to take IAQ more seriously?

Philip’s first piece of advice is to make IAQ a formal management issue, not an informal concern.

“At the outset it is important to get the issue of Environmental Air Quality accepted as a management responsibility. Prepare the groundwork by gathering facts for your facilities, referencing the latest information about air quality (currently a very major topic for building managers across the country) and present a proposal to management to address the issue.”

That might include:

• Reviewing existing HVAC and ventilation systems across campus
• Conducting basic IAQ or CO₂ monitoring in representative classrooms
• Identifying quick wins (e.g. better use of existing systems, simple control changes)
• Mapping out longer-term capital upgrades with IAQ as a key design criterion

Crucially, Philip suggests framing IAQ as a strategic opportunity, not just a cost.

“Be aware that this is a strategic issue for an organisation and could potentially be a point of difference for how people choose which offices or school premises they might work in or attend in the future.”

For schools competing to attract families and retain high-performing staff, being able to demonstrate healthy, well-ventilated learning spaces could become a meaningful differentiator.

Facility managers don’t have to do this alone: centres such as THRIVE IAQ are developing school-focused research, guidance and events that make it easier for education providers to understand the risks in their buildings and the practical steps they can take. 

QED’s partnership with THRIVE is one way those insights are being brought directly into Australian schools.

Clean air as the next frontier in school safety

For All Saints’ College, IAQ is now part of how it delivers on its duty of care – not a luxury. By integrating fresh air into new facilities, using CO₂ and BMS data to guide operations, and planning carefully for the retrofit challenge, the school is quietly reshaping the invisible environment in which learning happens.

The journey isn’t finished, and there are still constraints around budgets, older buildings and evolving standards. But the direction of travel is clear: cleaner, safer shared air is becoming the next frontier in school safety and performance.

And as Philip’s experience shows, schools don’t have to solve everything at once. They just need to start – with a conversation at management level, a commitment to treat IAQ as a safety and learning issue, and a plan to make each new project a little healthier than the last.