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Evidence In Action
London
As part of a wider programme to reduce emissions, encourage greener travel, and promote education on air pollution and sustainability, the Mayor introduces air filters and indoor air quality monitoring to 200 London schools.
Mass roll-out of air filters and monitors across London schools
PM2.5 up to 68% lower in classrooms with filters compared to classrooms without
Asthma-Friendly School Guides 2025
Schools and local authorities in London reference the London Asthma Friendly Schools Guide as a model of good practice, whilst the Asthma Friendly (Children & Young People) Schools Guidelines were created to support all Integrated Care Boards and local authorities across England, providing a clear framework that can be applied nationally to protect children with asthma.
Leading Asthma-Friendly School Guides support air filtration and ventilation to protect children with asthma
Professor Prashant Kumar
In research titled "Investigation of air pollution mitigation measures, ventilation and indoor air quality at three schools in London", Professor Kumar and his team demonstrated how simple measures could make a significant difference to tens of thousands of children in the UK. This research can be found in the Journal of Atmospheric Environment.
Air purifiers in classrooms cut PM by up to 57%
Green screens reduced playground PM by up to 44%
School streets reduced outdoor PM by up to 36%
Professor Kumar is Founding Director of The Global Centre for Clean Air Research located just down the road from us in Hampshire. Their work has consistently shown the clear advantages of air purifiers in classrooms throughout the height of the pandemic and onwards.
Professor Kumar is one of the most highly cited scientists in his field and is a leading researcher on the impact air pollution has on the health of children and young people. The California Air Resources Board has recognised Professor Kumar with the prestigious Haagan-Smit Clean Air Award, widely considered to be the "Nobel Prize" in air quality achievement.
The underpinning factors affecting the classroom air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation in 30 classrooms of primary schools in London.
Assessing the impact of air purifier and scheduled natural ventilation on pollution-ventilation nexus in a a near highway infant school
Micro-characteristics of a naturally ventilated classroom air quality under varying air purifier placements
The Lancet
A report by the The Lancet COVID-19 Commission Task Force on Safe Work, Safe School, and Safe Travel. The report evidences the benefits of improved air quality in schools, including:
Improved test scores; cognition; math, reading and science scores
Reduced asthma symptoms; respiratory symptoms; missed school days;
child absenteeism; illness absence
Report: Royal College of Physicians and
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
The inside story: Health effects of indoor air quality on children and young people. A report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Physicians
Recommendations for government and local authorities, with guidance for families
Professor Cath Noakes OBE
Professor Noakes discusses the impact of air quality and air cleaners on children’s education, including her research that shows air cleaners reduce absenteeism.
Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings at the University of Leeds, Professor Noakes leads research on ventilation and indoor air quality. She has worked on multiple national and international projects and served as an advisor to the UK government on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air purifiers in classrooms cut illness absence by over 20%
SAMHE Programme
The Schools Air Quality Monitoring For Health And Education Programme (SAMHE) was a collaboration between five UK universities (University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, University of York (through the Stockholm Environment Institute's York centre), University of Surrey, University of Leeds) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Funding for the SAMHE project was provided by the Department for Education and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
SAMHE produced an evidence synthesis of their work with recommendations for policy and practice, titled Improving Air Quality In Schools.
"School air quality guidance should be updated to focus on providing good ventilation and good air quality"
UKHSA & Eurovent Literature Review
This review is designed to guide policymakers, school administrators, health authorities, building engineers, and educators in creating environments that support optimal learning and development.
The literature review explores the far-reaching effects of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in schools, nurseries, and universities on occupant health, well-being, academic performance, and absenteeism.
Key recommendations include the use of air cleaners in naturally ventilated buildings
Day Care Centres
Research provides evidence to support the implementation of air cleaners in daycare centres as an effective and cost-effective strategy for mitigating the spread of respiratory infections among children.
Air purifier use reduces illness absence among children and staff by a third
Hospital Trust
Pioneering research by doctors and scientists from the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has shown that air filters reduce the risk of airborne infections, leading to the installation of air filters across the Trust to help protect patients and staff.
Air filters help reduce the risk of hospital infections
Distinguished Professor Jose-Luis Jimenez
Hosted by the US Environmental Protection Agency Indoor Environments Division, this webinar features presentations on the health benefits vs disbenefits from indoor air cleaners.
Professor Jimenez is Expert Advisor to Safe Air Schools UK. Further detail about his work can be found on our Expert Advisor page.
Evidence Playlist
Podcasts, webinars and interviews surrounding research on air quality and solutions for classrooms.
Literature Hub
Mechanism; Transmission; Diagnosis; Treatment; Prevention; Long Covid; Case Report; Forecasting
