Healthy Indoor Air Quality a Key Ingredient for Returning Students and Teachers in Puerto Rico

Students and teachers across Puerto Rico begin returning to classrooms this month for the start of the new school year. As the school year begins, having a healthy indoor environment is crucial for students to be able to effectively learn and for their well-being.
 
Unfortunately, many school districts across Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean face a myriad of challenges when it comes to providing a healthy learning environment.  Most schools have tight maintenance and operating budgets which all too often results in a lack of preventive building maintenance and delayed repairs that can lead to indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. For example, inadequate ventilation and temperature fluctuations can negatively impact a student’s ability to learn, but poor IAQ is not just a comfort issue. Exposure to elevated levels of particulates, chemicals or biological contaminants can lead to health concerns. 
 
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Evidence from schools and office building studies demonstrate that various environmental conditions are closely associated with the incidence of measurable adverse health effects, and that indoor air quality problems can result in increased absences because of respiratory infections, allergic diseases from biological contaminants, or adverse reactions to chemicals used in the building.”
 
“Students deserve a quality indoor environment that is free of elevated concentrations of allergens, irritants and other respiratory concerns,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “At Zimmetry, our building science and IAQ professionals are dedicated to identifying and resolving indoor environmental issues in schools and other buildings across Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean. Healthy indoor environments create quality learning opportunities that promote long-term success for both students and teachers.”  
 
Zimmetry has sponsored an educational video about IAQ issues in schools that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/8ktQGXR5xPA
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and their indoor air quality, environmental, and compliance testing and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

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Paul Cochrane

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Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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