| Americans have long cherished the belief that a well-educated citizenry is necessary to the national well-being. School buildings are the places where children come together to learn basic civics as well as the skills they need to become productive members of society: Schools are the locus of education. Local schools have been the center of efforts to provide equal educational opportunities to all segments of the population. School buildings also host other activities, including adult education classes, voting, and community events. In some cases, a school may symbolize the community itself and may have intrinsic value for social coherence.The concept that the design of school buildings may affect students' health and teachers' health and development is not new. A report on the State of Maine's Schools in 1886 linked moisture, lighting, and ventilation of school buildings to health and learning:Nearly one sixth of the population of our State spends about six hours daily during a large part of the year in our school rooms. This necessary confinement within the school room walls, coming as it does during the growing period of the body, and while it is most susceptible to harmful influences, entails certain evils which have been too generally regarded as necessary accompaniments of school life. It is generally well known, however. that most of the diseases incident to school life are in quite a high degree preventable. One of the first and most important requirements in guarding against these diseases is to have the building of school-houses conform to a few rules.School-houses should be built on dry ground; if not dry, the lots must be deeply drained. The reason for this rule is the well-known fact that dampness of soil contributes much to make a school-house unhealthy.The light which comes from considerably above the level of the desks and books lights them much better than the more horizontal rays. High windows also light the ceiling, whence the light is reflected downward upon the desks.Never think that a school-room is completed until there is some way of getting fresh, warmed air into it and the foul, breathed air out. Ventilation costs something in fuel, but it is a penny-wise and pound-foolish policy which omits it.More than a hundred years later, scientific research has demonstrated that building design, materials, systems, operation, maintenance, and cleaning practices can affect occupants' health and development.Buildings also affect the natural environment, in the resources used and the pollutants emitted. As shown in Table 1.1, buildings account for more than 40 percent of U.S. energy use as well as a significant amount of raw materials, water, and land. Buildings also produce 40 percent of atmospheric emissions, including greenhouse gases, and significant amounts of solid waste and wastewater.paper writing service |
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