By Tony Abate听

Climate change is no longer just a lesson plan in schools. It is heating our classrooms and endangering the health and wellness of teachers, staff and students.听

For years, we’ve talked about preparing the next generation for a changing climate. But it鈥檚 time 鈥� now 鈥� to start thinking about how to make our school buildings more resilient to the threat. We have high-tech solutions. It鈥檚 time to implement them.听

School districts are facing a problem that can no longer be dismissed. Extreme heat, an increasing number of wildfires and aging school infrastructure are converging, and too many schools aren’t equipped for these challenges.听

The consequences are real and dangerous.听The that nearly one in five school districts canceled classes during the 2024鈥�25 school year because of facility problems. Among the problems: extreme classroom temperatures, with one school reportedly reaching 110 degrees.听

A classroom shouldn’t become an unbearable oven before we decide to invest in and install effective air conditioning (HVAC) technologies.听Yet that is essentially what we’re allowing to happen in too many places.听

When Outdoor Threats Become Indoor Problems听

Many school buildings were built decades ago, when extreme heat was less frequent and wildfire smoke was a rarity.听Some lack adequate cooling. Others have aging HVAC systems that struggle to maintain comfortable temperatures. And even buildings with air conditioning may not be prepared for increasingly poor outdoor air quality.听

This last point is especially important. The traditional advice to “open the windows and get some fresh air” suddenly becomes terrible advice when a community is threatened by wildfires. The air outside is filled with contaminants and dangerous to breathe.听

Schools need to know what is happening inside their buildings 鈥� and they need to know before conditions become dangerous and threatening听听

That means taking indoor air quality seriously, and not an afterthought. It means adding high-tech real-time air quality monitoring and ventilation technologies that deter airborne pollutants. It means making sure HVAC systems can handle the conditions they are increasingly being asked to handle. And it means having a plan for extreme heat and wildfire smoke before the emergency arrives. It’s about making school buildings more resilient and keeping those inside safer.听

Bridging the School Infrastructure Gap听

Equally as important, all school systems should appoint an indoor air quality (IAQ) manager who can use real time data and make necessary adjustments to building operations to optimize IAQ. This is a critical function, as oftentimes action taking may fall into gaps between different responsibilities.听听

Teachers can鈥檛 teach and students cannot learn effectively if they’re sitting in classrooms that are excessively hot. And school administrators shouldn’t have to scramble to decide whether to close a building when the temperature or air quality becomes unacceptable.听

Then there鈥檚 another reality: Not every school district has the same funding and resources to address these issues.听Some districts can afford modern HVAC systems, upgraded filtration and sophisticated monitoring. Others are dealing with buildings that desperately need basic repairs.听

We routinely debate whether schools have the latest technology for students. We should also be asking whether the buildings themselves have the basic infrastructure needed for students to safely learn.听

We don’t need to rebuild every school tomorrow. But we do need to stop treating climate-related disruptions as isolated emergencies.听

Planning Today for Tomorrow鈥檚 Climate Challenges听

School districts should be assessing their buildings now: Which schools lack adequate cooling? Which HVAC systems are outdated? Where are filtration and ventilation inadequate? What happens when wildfire smoke arrives? Do administrators have real-time information about conditions inside the building?听

Those questions should be part of school planning and capital budgets 鈥� not emergency meetings after temperatures hit 100 degrees.听

Climate change isn’t waiting for school districts and boards to catch up. Neither should we.听

Tony Abate is Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at AtmosAir Solutions and a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standards Committee that helped craft ASHRAE Standard 241, which sets requirements for the control of infectious aerosols in buildings.听

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By听Lindsey Coulter听

TAHOLAH, Wash. 鈥斕齌aholah School District marked a historic milestone on Nov.听14, when community members, families, students, and partners gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking for the district’s new听75,000-square-foot K-12 school, which upon completion will听serve 250 students.听听

The听event听began with an offering and blessing of the land, followed by honoring the contributions that made the听project possible. Traditional blankets and necklaces made by students were presented to key Quinault Indian Nation members as well as to the听legislators, organizers, planners,听architects听and听project听team members.听

鈥淭his project shows what鈥檚 possible when schools and communities work together,鈥� said Superintendent Dr. Herman J. Lartigue Jr.听in a statement at the groundbreaking ceremony.听鈥淭he Quinault Indian Nation has leased the land for this new school.听We鈥檙e听grateful for their partnership and for the state鈥檚 support. Our students will learn in a building that keeps them safe.鈥�听

The current school sits in the听community鈥檚听lower village, an area vulnerable to flooding,听earthquakes听and tsunamis.听The state听named听the replacement of the existing听Taholah School听as听a听top priority under the School Seismic Safety Grant Program, recognizing the urgent need to move students to higher ground.听The new facility will be located 150 feet above sea level as part of the new upper Taholah village听development.听The school鈥檚 relocation is part of the Tribe鈥檚 larger relocation, anticipating the impacts of听natural disasters, which have intensified in the area as a result of听climate change.听Along with the move to a听safer and more听stable site, the new school听facility听will provide modernized learning spaces.听

The Quinault Indian Nation donated the land,听and the project is the result of years of听collaboration between Taholah School District, the Quinault Business Council, state听legislators听and听local听families.听

Project partners include project architect Arcadis; structural engineer Degenkolb Engineers; civil engineer Akana; mechanical,听electrical听and plumbing engineer Tres West Engineers; landscape architect Osborn Consulting; acoustical engineer A3 Acoustics LLP; food service designer JLR DESIGN GROUP INC; and theater designer. PLA Designs, INC.听听

Additionally, cultural consultant Donaldson Consulting听facilitated听community听engagement and communications with the owner and the Quinault Tribe. This step will ensure听the community鈥檚 voices are heard throughout the project and that cultural elements are implemented appropriately from schematic design through construction, according to the firm.听听

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