Next week, New York City public schools open their doors for the 2016-2017 school year. The New York City Department of Education is the largest school district in the country, serving approximately 1.1 million students in over 1,800 schools. Similar situations are occurring in school districts across the state of New York and the tri-state area as classes begin to fill with students and teachers.

A number of school districts in the region face challenges when it comes to providing a healthy learning environment for their students. In many circumstances, this is due to the fact the districts have had their maintenance and operating budgets reduced in recent years. When this occurs, indoor air quality problems often arise. 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.”

Identifying IAQ issues in charter and private schools across New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey are the building science experts from VOETS, LLC. “Healthy indoor air quality is as important as qualified teachers, books, and computers for creating an environment that is conducive for learning and excelling,” said Michael Berrevoets, President, VOETS, LLC. “IAQ is more than just a comfort issue. When students and faculty are exposed to elevated levels of biological contaminants, chemicals, or particulates, there are consequences that impact students’ ability to learn.”

To identify, address, and find solutions to remedy existing problems while preventing future IAQ issues, the professionals at VOETS put their extensive experience to work for school districts. Their experts have access to the latest real-time monitoring equipment and advanced testing methodologies. This allows them to diagnose issues, develop solutions, and monitor the success of remedial actions if they are necessary. The end result is a healthy learning environment that allows students to reach their full potential.