With its comprehensive range of services, NatéoSanté supports NatéoSanté in implementing solutions that not only help you comply with regulations regarding indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring in public buildings but also effectively combat the spread of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Ensure clean air and continuous protection for your students, teachers, and staff.
Once again this year, the start of the school year will take place under unusual circumstances, as the virus continues to spread rapidly across the country despite the increase in vaccination rates.
The current health crisis has highlighted the importance of indoor air quality ( IAQ), a critical health issue, particularly for the most vulnerable groups, such as children and young people.
The start of the school year will take place under special circumstances given the current health situation
As an IAQ specialist since 2009, NatéoSanté here why indoor air quality is so important in elementary and secondary schools, providing answers and practical solutions on how to improve it.
What are the objectives?
- Prevent the spread of the pandemic and comply with the regulations in place
- Effectively protect elementary, middle, and high school students, teachers, and non-teaching staff
- Reassure parents
What are the indoor air quality regulations in schools?
In 2010, the government passed a law setting France on the path toward more precise control of indoor air quality in public-access facilities (ERP). Effective January 1, 2018 (Decree No. 2011-1728), regular monitoring of indoor air quality in preschools, elementary schools, and daycare centers.
Since January 1, 2020, middle schools and high schools have also been subject to QAI inspections.
It is based on two key considerations:
- Mandatory inspection of ventilation systems,
- Monitoring indoor air quality, including the implementation of an action plan based on self-assessment followed by the adoption of simple measures and guidelines, or a campaign to measure three pollutants: formaldehyde, benzene, and CO2.
Indoor air quality monitoring has been mandatory in public buildings since January 1, 2018
NatéoSanté you in monitoring and measuring the levels of these pollutants by offering indoor air quality testing kits. The Grenelle II Testing Kit allows you to easily measure the concentration of formaldehyde and benzene.
These are emitted in particular by furniture, adhesives, household products, and other harmful compounds found in classrooms and cafeterias. They directly affect the health of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff.
To take it a step further and directly address the removal of these Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), we recommend equipping your facilities with a professional air purifier such as EOLIS Air Manager.
Designed and manufactured in France by NatéoSanté, the air purifier is highly effective against microorganisms (bacteria, viruses), volatile organic compounds (solvents, hydrocarbons, paints, adhesives), and even particles (PM10 to PM2.5). It thus eliminates 99.97% of indoor air pollution sources .
It has also been tested by an independent laboratory to demonstrate its effectiveness against benzene and formaldehyde, which are targeted by the decree on indoor air quality monitoring in public buildings.
The key findings are as follows:
- Benzene concentration reduced by a factor of 7
- Formaldehyde levels reduced by a factor of five.
What are the consequences of high carbon dioxide levels, and how can they be monitored?
According to various studies, it has been established that the virus responsible for COVID-19 is also transmitted through the air via aerosols, and has even become the primary source of transmission in enclosed indoor spaces.
In fact, “when we speak and breathe, we emit large droplets and small particles, […] the lightest of which float in the air. […] These particles can carry SARS-CoV-2 and linger for a long time in an enclosed space, even if the person is not coughing, ” states an article in Le Monde from April 23.
If the CO2 concentration in the air of a room (classroom, cafeteria, dining hall, etc.) is high, this means that airborne particles remain suspended in the air: they are likely to be inhaled by the people in the room.
This is precisely the value of CO2 monitors, which serve as reliable indicators of indoor air quality. The health protocol and operational guidelines for the 2021–2022 school year, established by the Department of Education for the start of the school year, recommended that schools—including elementary, middle, and high schools—equip themselves with these devices: “Measuring CO2 concentration using sensors makes it easy to assess the level of air exchange. It is recommended that schools and educational institutions be equipped with mobile sensors to determine the necessary ventilation frequency for each room or to monitor the proper functioning of mechanical ventilation in buildings where opening windows is discouraged or even impossible.”
In fact, air circulation is the first pillar of the three-part process of air circulation, ventilation, and purification.
These three steps are sure to improve indoor air quality in your spaces.
CO2 monitors indicate the air quality in a room
NatéoSanté a range of two CO2 monitors. They clearly display carbon dioxide levels in real time to indicatethe air quality in the room where they are located.
Is a professional air purifier suitable for elementary, middle, and high schools?
EOLIS Air Manager, 99.6% effective against coronaviruses
In addition tofollowing preventive measures (wearing masks, frequent handwashing, social distancing), monitoring CO2 levels, and ensuring proper ventilation in classrooms and cafeterias, a professional air purifier equipped with a HEPA filter will help prevent the airborne spread of coronaviruses in schools.
Several studies, including one conducted in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AURA) region by the VirPath laboratory, have indeed demonstrated that air purifiers equipped with HEPA-type filtration are effective at capturing coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 included.
Learn more about this topic: What role does an air purifier play in combating coronaviruses, and how effective is it?
A professional air purifier like the EOLIS Air Manager protects and reassures students and staff
In October 2020, the AURA region allocated 10 million euros to install air purifiers in schools across its territory, resulting in more than 2,000 schools now being equipped with them. In turn, the Île-de-France region has launched a funding plan to install them in its schools.
NatéoSanté has been chosen by these two local authorities, as well as by Germany, among others, to equip facilities with EOLIS Air Manager professional air purifiers, which have been proven effective against coronaviruses by an independent French laboratory.
Today, it is doctors and teachers who, through an op-ed published in Le Monde on August 19 , are speaking out to call for stronger measures to protect the health of children and students. They are demanding “decisive action” to stop the spread of the virus, particularly the Delta variant, which is far more contagious among young people than its predecessors.
The signatories also emphasize the importance of ventilation and air purification : “Windows must be opened much more frequently, and the recommendation to equip schools with CO2 detectors is not enough: this must become the standard. […] This summer, Ireland and Quebec equipped all classrooms with CO2 detectors, while New York, Philadelphia, and Frankfurt installed air purifiers.”
EOLIS Air Manager is the professional air purifier that helps keep everyone healthy
In this context, the EOLIS Air Manager professional air purifier from NatéoSanté an essential tool for strengthening your overall health and safety measures. Eco-designed, 99.6% effective against coronaviruses, and proven to be safe, it provides the best possible protection for everyone’s health.
Why choose NatéoSanté
As a designer, manufacturer, and expert in indoor air quality since 2009, NatéoSanté tirelessly every day to develop the most effective solutions available toimprove the air quality that everyone breathes on a daily basis.
In line with our commitment to providing clean air without harming the environment—a value shared and championed by every member of our team—we have chosen to develop our products using aneco-design approach, with a focus on durability.
In addition, the performance of our air purifiers has been the subject of numerous testsconducted by French scientific laboratories. These various studies allow us to state, with complete transparency, that NatéoSanté air purifiers NatéoSanté truly effective against various indoor air pollutants.
In addition, we conduct a systematic quality check on each device to ensure that it operates optimally from the moment it is put into service at your facility.
Choosing NatéoSanté solutions means ensuring your peace of mind in any situation. Our teams of experts are here to support you, no matter what your needs may be. They will assist you with the installation, daily use, and any maintenance requirements for your air purifiers. This close relationship is a true testament to the commitment we make—and uphold—to those who place their trust in us.
Professional air purifiers and monitoring systems: How can we protect students and staff by leveraging real-time data across an entire school?
To monitor the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your various classrooms and equipped spaces via a network , NatéoSanté developed a exclusive, multi-site monitoring system. This allows you to view your entire fleet of EOLIS Air Manager units on a single screen to ensure good indoor air quality in every room (cafeteria, self-service area, classroom, library, game room, etc.) in real time.
Monitor the various areas equipped with air purifiers to ensure that the air is constantly purified
You will also receive immediate notification when filters or sensors need to be replaced, or when a device requires maintenance.
This instant notification regarding the need to replace filters ensures that your air purifiers operate at peak performance at all times, in accordance with INRS recommendations.
Last updated: August 25, 2020
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