Mold in Modulars...
"For a number of reasons, some types of temporary buildings, including portable classrooms seem to have had a higher experience of mold growth."
"Classrooms should be provided with ventilation to meet current ASHRAE requirements. Although proper ventilation of a classroom will not necessarily prevent mold growth, it should reduce the frequency of general air quality complaints that are often taken as signs of mold exposure."
MESSAGE ON MODULARS...
Health in Modulars...
"Portables generated more complaints from teachers and were 10 times more likely to exceed health guidelines on exposure to formaldehyde -- a suspected cancer-causing chemical used frequently in prefabricated modulars."
Aside from prisons...
Schools are the most densely populated institutions in the United States. Most schools have quadruple the number of people per square foot as most offices, the NEA reports.
Quality education in Fairfax County: community-centered schools shouldn't 'portable'...
"Modular classroom units are often built from hazardous materials and have poor ventilation, asserts a study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit environmental research organization based in Washington, DC.
The study calculated that long-term exposure to formaldehyde, benzene, and other chemicals emitted by such portables could increase a child's lifetime risk of developing cancer by a factor of two."
Research has also shown that there is a significant effect of poor lighting on children's ability to learn. Sunlight is important for human health. Children who spend large amounts of time in artificial lighting may be missing out on some of sunlight's benefits.
Students in full-spectrum light were healthier overall and attended school 3.2 to 3.8 days more per year. They also exhibited more positive moods. A study of students in Capistrano School District in Orange County, California showed that students in classrooms with the most natural light progressed 20% faster on math tests and 26% faster on reading tests in one year than those with the least amount of daylight.
Another benefit of daylighting is increased energy efficiency of schools and thus, significant cost savings--that can be used for other school needs--and reduced environmental impact."
713 and counting...
FCPS has 713 modulars or trailers, about 80% of which are in use as instructional space. Those not providing classroom space are utilized for administrative space, child care, storage and construction at schools.
Some of the oldest modulars are in use in Herndon and many area schools now have modulars into the double digits.
Modulars present issues with ambient noise, classroom efficiency, pest control, weather, health and other impacts in our community schools.
HOW TO if we have to...
Friends of Community Schools advocates for an effective capital improvement plan to benefit the infrastructure, educational and fiscal requirements of Fairfax County Public Schools to maintain schools as strong anchors in our communities.
Collaborative for High Peformance Schools (CHPS) advises school designers and builders on how to adjust their high-performance strategies to account for the differences found in a typical relocatable classroom.
The CHPS Best Practices Manual details high-performance characteristics for relocatable classrooms, including:
- enhanced daylighting;
- energy-efficient lighting;
- energy-efficient;
- low- noise HVAC systems;
- an efficient building envelope; and
- interior material with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC).
MODULARS...
Are the most costly answer for taxpayers in solving capital improvement needs and the aggregate impact to education is incalculable:
- Only have about half the life of a permanent building
- Cost approximately $50,000 every time they are moved
- Have no running water or restrooms, causing disruptions for teachers and students
- Perpetuate the cycle to solve long term problems with short term solutions
Did You Know?
Property values for homeowners can swing 18% - 25% based upon the school boundaries of their home?
