The Center for Green Schools has developed a new School Health Research Library and an accompanying series of research highlights to support school staff in finding the latest research on the impact of school buildings on student and staff health and performance. Conducting research on the impact of school buildings on students and staff provides critical data for improving school building design, the effectiveness of new technologies and on-the-ground operations strategies.

One takeaway from a national convening of school district staff and IAQ researchers hosted in fall 2023 by the Center for Green Schools was the need to better disseminate existing research to school leaders, while also illuminating where research gaps may exist.

Translating research into action

To help school staff translate this research into action, we compiled the latest research on priority topics, currently including particulate matter, VOCs and PFAS, into straightforward summary documents that can be shared with school decision-makers, staff or community members. Each highlight, developed with respected members of the research community, includes key findings, important background information, sources in schools and actionable mitigation strategies.

Access the latest research on school buildings and health

The new School Health Research Library serves as a searchable database, including over 280 peer-reviewed studies from around the world, published since 2016. The research library specifically focuses on the impact of school buildings on student and staff health and performance, including a variety of indoor environmental health topics ranging from indoor air pollutants to lighting and acoustics.

This unique tool allows users to quickly find the studies most applicable to their needs through filters for measured exposures, student and staff outcomes, study location, and whether the research is free for public access.

Access the resources

New research library on school health released by the Center for Green Schools