Indoor air quality has emerged as one of the most critical, and yet historically overlooked factors which has shaped educational outcomes in the United States. Right from K-12 schools to large university campuses, institutions are increasingly recognising that the air students breathe indoors directly affects their health, cognitive performance, and overall well-being.
As a matter of fact, in July 2024, congressmen Paul D. Tonko and Brian Fitzpatrick introduced the Indoor Air Quality and Healthy Schools Act, a bipartisan legislation aimed to protect students along with the general populace from poor indoor air quality (IAQ) with congressman Fitzpatrick saying at the time “Ensuring that the air the children in our community and nationwide are breathing at school is clean and safe is a fundamental priority”. The Bill asserts that while the Clean Air Act has significantly reduced outdoor emissions, the absence of a similar law for indoor contaminations has led to underappreciated and underfunded indoor air quality monitoring efforts. The Bill further promulgates a regularly updated national assessment of IAQ in schools and childcare facilities, and supports development of technical assistance, guidelines, and best practices to improve the IAQ conditions of these facilities.
With the rise of smart technologies and data-driven decision-making, indoor air quality monitoring is transitioning from a reactive maintenance task to a proactive, real-time management system. This blog examines the growing importance of indoor air quality monitoring in US educational institutions, highlighting persistent challenges, emerging IoT-driven solutions, and real-world deployments improving health, safety, and learning environments. Indoor air quality monitoring forms part of the broader building automation ecosystem. We have recently published a report, Building Automation: 3.1 billion connected devices by 2035, focused on enabling sustainable living, which examines this topic in greater detail.
The urgency of indoor air quality monitoring becomes clear when considering how much time Americans spend indoors. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor levels of some pollutants may be two to five times and occasionally more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. It further adds that such levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors.
Furthermore, nearly 56 million individuals (representing about 20% of the US population) spend a significant portion of their day in elementary and secondary school buildings. Despite this exposure, longstanding concerns persist. A 1999 survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that approximately 25% of public schools reported unsatisfactory ventilation, while 20% identified indoor air quality as unsatisfactory, highlighting systemic challenges in maintaining healthy indoor environments in educational institutions.
In 2014, it was reported that nearly one-fourth of the nation’s schools have one or more buildings in need of extensive repair or replacement and nearly half have been reported to have problems related to IAQ. Similar data can be found in 2015 as well, when it was reported that 27% of US schools, with almost twelve million attending students, reported having unsatisfactory or very unsatisfactory ventilation and 19% of US schools, with more than eight million attending students, reported having unsatisfactory or very unsatisfactory indoor air quality. Recently, in 2024, the EPA estimated that up to half of all schools (50%) have problems linked to indoor air quality. This suggests that the problem has persisted almost unchanged for around 25 years (1999 to 2024), which is exactly why real-time monitoring and data-driven IAQ management are now gaining urgency.
These issues are not merely technical; they translate into tangible health risks, including respiratory illnesses, headaches, fatigue, and exacerbated asthma conditions. Notably, asthma affects roughly 1 in 13 school-age children in the US and remains a leading cause of absenteeism. Universities face similar challenges, often compounded by older infrastructure, dense occupancy, and mixed-use buildings including variously laboratories, dormitories, and lecture halls.
Historically, schools addressed air quality issues only after complaints, when students reported headaches or teachers noticed musty odours. Today, that paradigm is shifting toward continuous monitoring. In the wake of disruptive digital technologies (including the Internet of Things), modern IAQ monitoring systems use networks of sensors to track key environmental parameters in real time.
Indoor air quality monitoring is increasingly tied to the broader evolution of smart buildings and IoT ecosystems. Sensors are becoming more affordable, interconnected, and intelligent. In some cases, AI-driven models are being used to correlate air quality data with occupancy patterns and environmental conditions, enabling predictive interventions rather than reactive fixes. For universities, this aligns with the concept of “smart campuses”, where environmental monitoring is integrated into digital infrastructure to enhance sustainability, efficiency, and the overall student experience.
Yes, a growing number of schools and universities across the United States have begun deploying IAQ monitoring systems to create healthier learning environments. While adoption is not yet universal, several institutions have implemented sensor-based solutions that provide real-time insights into air quality conditions. Some notable examples of such initiatives are outlined below:
In January 2022, Boston Public Schools launched a comprehensive IAQ monitoring initiative to help enhance air conditions across its schools. The program deployed a network of approximately 4,400 indoor sensors and 118 rooftop units to capture real-time data on key air quality indicators. Serving nearly 49,000 students across 119 schools, it represents one of the most extensive IAQ monitoring systems in US K–12 education. The district uses this data to optimise classroom temperature and ventilation in real time and to identify and address mechanical issues such as malfunctioning air handlers, blocked vents, and closed dampers.
Boston University is playing a critical supporting role for Boston Public Schools; although, not as a deployer, but as a data and analytics engine. Its School of Public Health has analysed large-scale classroom IAQ datasets (which includes CO and CO2 levels, and temperature, relative humidity, and the presence of airborne particulate matter) from Boston Public Schools and based on the data, developed visualisation tools for decision-making. This is an interesting example of how one university, at least, is driving the intelligence layer behind monitoring systems.
Milwaukee Public Schools (which manages 160 school buildings and has more than 95,000 students and staff) has also adopted IAQ monitoring tools, including continuous indoor air quality sensors used in classrooms. For this, it uses commercial IAQ monitoring devices (like TSI AirAssure Indoor Air Quality Monitors) and focusses on continuous CO₂ and pollutant tracking.
Following a catastrophic fire involving 600 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at a nearby fertilizer plant, Wake Forest University designated both outdoor and indoor air quality management as a priority, enabling early identification of events that could affect the campus Air Quality Index (AQI). To address indoor air pollution, the university installed six TSI AirAssure continuous indoor air quality monitors. These devices provide real-time data and issue alerts when CO₂ or other pollutant levels approach undesirable thresholds, allowing maintenance teams to take immediate action (such as increasing ventilation) to maintain safe conditions for both the students as well as the faculty members and other staff.
In October 2021, Facility Solutions Group completed an IAQ improvement project at Harford Community College, integrating real-time monitoring across campus facilities. The project deployed LoRaWAN-enabled ion sensors to continuously track indoor air conditions in multiple buildings. Sensor data is transmitted across a campus-wide network and displayed on centralised dashboards accessible using either mobile or desktop devices. This system enables facility managers to monitor air quality in real time, respond to issues quickly, and assess the effectiveness of IAQ improvements, ensuring consistent and improved environmental conditions across campus.
Indoor air quality monitoring in American schools and universities is becoming mainstream and a foundational element: it is becoming a foundational element of modern educational infrastructure. As awareness grows and technology advances, the focus is shifting toward integrated, scalable, and accurate solutions. Ultimately, the goal is simple but profound: to create learning environments where the air itself supports, rather than hinders, human potential.
The US does not yet have uniform adoption of indoor air quality monitoring in education, but it does have a rapidly expanding ecosystem, led by standout districts like Boston and supported by research-driven universities and quietly scaling school systems nationwide. In a world increasingly driven by data, the invisible factor of air quality is finally becoming visible and actionable.
