As thousands of school districts across North America prepare for students to return, Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), a global provider of sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain technology, announced it is providing solutions and services to a plethora of schools, to help support building and occupant health, cognitive performance and energy efficiency objectives.
The company reports that, in the first half of 2021, school districts across North America have purchased Carrier Healthy Buildings solutions, including more than 18,000 Carrier OptiClean Dual-Mode Air Scrubber & Negative Air Machines. As noted by the company, this figure is part of Carrier's more than $500 million active pipeline in its Healthy Buildings Program.
The company said it discerns "a multibillion-dollar opportunity" in the K-12 segment over the next few years.
Carrier's solutions for K-12 schools include ventilation and filtration technologies, controls, services and touchless products. The manufacturer notes that, in addition to supporting mitigation against disease transmission, improved indoor environments can also improve thinking.
High CO2 levels, which can occur in crowded classrooms with poor ventilation, have been proven to impact brain-based skills. According to the COGfx study as cited by Carrier, people perform twice as well when indoor environments are optimized through high ventilation, low CO2 and low volatile organic compounds. Test scores on cognitive function were highest in the areas of information usage, strategy and crisis response; as noted by Carrier -- in some cases, nearly 300% higher.
"Carrier understands the specific needs of the K-12 segment and is committed to helping create healthier, safer and more productive environments for students and staff," said Ajay Agrawal, Senior Vice President, Global Services & Healthy Buildings, Carrier. "The momentum we're seeing is strong, and we believe it's attributable to a greater understanding of the long-term benefits of healthy buildings. With the right strategies in place, better thinking and better health can be achieved inside healthier schools."
Deployment notes
In Arizona, Carrier reports it will be providing more than 800 HVAC units to multiple buildings in a district that serves more than 35,000 students. The products, which are a variety of packaged HVAC systems, will help to improve indoor air quality and comfort in classrooms throughout the district.
In California, students will be more comfortable through the installation of more than 100 Carrier WeatherMaster packaged rooftop units (RTUs), which are more efficient than prior units. Funding for both projects was partially provided by the American Rescue Plan's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund), which provides funding dedicated to K-12 schools, including improvements to HVAC systems and ventilation.
In the Richmond Public Schools district in Virginia, more than 25,000 students can breathe easier this fall with the installation of more than 1,500 Carrier OptiClean Dual-Mode Air Scrubber & Negative Air Machines to help purify the air in classrooms across the district.
And in Texas, administrators in the Texas City Independent School District are investing in the health of their students and faculty with a multimillion-dollar order for chillers, air handling units, and controls for La Marque Middle School, which is currently under construction. The order will create a state-of-the-art HVAC system that will help promote proper ventilation and air quality in the school.
"We are confident in Carrier's Healthy Building solutions to help support ideal indoor air quality inside the new La Marque Middle School," commented Don Pursley, Director of Facilities and Maintenance, Texas City Independent School District. "This investment makes sense to provide high-quality indoor air for our students and faculty and the equipment is energy-efficient to keep our recurring costs low. It's a win-win for all of us."
To assist school administrators in selecting the right upgrades and technologies for their facilities, Carrier notes its BluEdge K-12 program "provides an outcome-based approach to help schools easily select the best indoor air quality kits for their needs, with attractive pricing and easy implementation."
The BluEdge K-12 program includes a proprietary assessment of current indoor air quality at a school to inform improvement recommendations designed to meet specific desired outcomes. To learn more, visit corporate.carrier.com/healthybuildings.
