North East Independent School District, San Antonio, TX

In 2006, the North East Independent School District (NEISD) recognized the link between IAQ management and asthma control, as a large number of students with asthma were visiting the school nurse regularly for reliever inhaler doses and missing school. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) “Asthma Friendly Schools Toolkit” as a model, NEISD educated teachers and other school building occupants about the importance of IAQ. Communicating and educating building occupants about asthma gave environmental management clear meaning and importance to everyone. Teachers understood the connection between their actions and student health and have become active stewards of their classroom environment.

“Teachers love their kids; they don’t want to do anything to hurt them. Many of our teachers simply didn’t know about asthma triggers. Armed with this education, they were more than willing to change their classrooms to eliminate asthma triggers.” Diane Rhodes, Director for Asthma Education

Results:

• Installed Web-based HVAC software, which cut energy costs by 9.4 percent in 2009, saving $1.3 million.
• Increased State of Texas Exemplary and Recognized rated campuses to 87 percent of all schools and received a Recognized rating for the district three years in a row.
• Converted to Green Cleaning custodial products, which resulted in a six-fold decrease in volatile organic compound (VOC) levels in classrooms and reduced costs by 30 percent.
• Adopted LEED and CHPS school design recommendations and purchased low VOC-emitting furnishings.
• Moved over 200 classrooms from temporary wood framed buildings to eight new two-story brick face permanent buildings.