Development of a tool to predict the socio-economic consequences of better air quality and temperature control in classrooms

A simplified modelling framework for the prediction of the indoor environment, energy use and socioeconomic consequences of improving air quality and temperature in school buildings is suggested. The framework combines established models for infiltration and different modes of ventilation to estimate yearly distributions of the classroom temperature and CO2 concentration. These distributions are used as input to a prediction of pupil performance of schoolwork, their attendance at school, and teacher absence before and after refurbishment of their school building. Eventually, the framework estimates the socio-economic consequences of an improved classroom environment for a school and may be used to evaluate the feasibility of a range of different refurbishment scenarios and support decisions on building upgrades. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.