The COVID-19 legacy : Indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy use in English classrooms

Hussain, Iman and Friday, Adrian and Booker, Douglas (2026) The COVID-19 legacy : Indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy use in English classrooms. Energy Research and Social Science, 138: 104787. ISSN 2214-6296

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Abstract

Good air quality is essential for public health. This study of English school classrooms investigates the interplay between indoor air quality (IAQ), energy-related constraints, and stakeholder practices. Using a mixed-methods approach, we combined semi-structured interviews with teachers and senior leadership teams and an IAQ measurement campaign (CO2, PM2.5, temperature, and relative humidity) across twelve classrooms to explore how the post-pandemic context shifted stakeholder priorities. We analyse the tensions between providing healthy indoor environments and maintaining thermal comfort against a backdrop of rising energy costs, constrained school budgets, and Net Zero targets. Our findings suggest how these pressures result in reactive compromises that often prioritise thermal comfort and cost over consistent ventilation and air quality.