You may not know it, but comfort is key for learning.
Every student who swelters through Brisbane’s hot weather won’t be able to give their all, and they may find it difficult to concentrate.
Just put yourself in their shoes: instead of listening to their teachers and paying attention to what’s being discussed, most students will be uncomfortable, sluggish, and tired as they’re impacted by heat.
Needless to say, none of this is very conductive towards improving classroom outcomes!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Cooler Schools program was started!
The Cooler Schools program
The vast majority of homes in Brisbane have air conditioning – you’d assume that our schools would be the same.
Unfortunately, that isn’t the case!
There are hundreds of school buildings in Queensland that lack air conditioning systems.
According to some, we’re still 10 years away from having all schools in Queensland enjoy the benefits of air-conditioned classrooms.
And that simply won’t do.
In response to this, the Queensland Government launched the Cooler Cleaner Schools Program (CCSP) in February 2020, setting aside money for all Queensland state school buildings (including libraries and staff rooms) for air conditioning installation, upgrades and replacement before the end of June 2022.
Through the CCSP initiative, state schools in Queensland will have a total funding package of $477 million for the next four years – enough to provide air conditioning installation for over 650 schools and 10,000 classrooms!
The importance of air conditioning in Brisbane schools
There are a number of reasons why air conditioning (and comfort in general) is critical to a student’s learning. Here are some of the most significant…
Encourages concentration
How are you supposed to learn if you can’t concentrate?
Students who are uncomfortable with their learning environment will most likely find it hard to focus. And that means they will retain less information in the classroom.
And what about teachers? Controlling 20+ students is hard enough already – add the sweltering heat to the equation, and it becomes VERY hard to teach.
The success of any school activity and lesson depends on the ability of both the student and teacher to concentrate and direct all their energy and ideas towards learning.
And that means no distractions like heat!
Prioritise good health
Schools don’t just have a responsibility to teach – they also need to promote good health among students.
Not only is it part of their duty of care, but health issues lead to absenteeism and take away valuable class time.
A classroom that’s too humid and hot may cause respiratory illnesses, especially in children.
Food air quality and ventilation in classrooms reduces students’ risk of:
- Allergic reactions
- Rhinitis
- Throat irritation
- Infectious respiratory illnesses
In addition to comfort, air conditioning in Brisbane schools also circulates and filters indoor air, cleaning it of allergens and bacteria and removing humidity.
Not only that, but it also helps maintain the right room temperature, protecting students and teachers alike from heatstroke (or worse).
Improve air quality
Did you know that 2.7 million Australians live with asthma?
That translates to roughly 11% of the population – and that can include your students.
Impure air can be dangerous to these students. Dust, debris and pollen can all trigger asthma attacks in the classroom.
As we mentioned above however, air conditioning systems also come with in-built filters to keep airborne allergens out of your classroom, protecting asthmatic students.
What to look for in air conditioning in Brisbane?
Not all air conditioning units are the same.
So your school has received its grant money from the state government. However, before you can cool your school, you need to choose the right system.
When you start to look for air conditioning Brisbane, you might get overwhelmed with so many brands to choose from. Which one’s the right choice for your school?
Luckily for you, we’ve put together this handy guide!
Energy-efficiency
Schools need to pay bills too!
When looking for an air conditioner, you need to buy one that is energy efficient, allowing you to consume less electricity, especially during Brisbane’s hot summers.
Reverse cycle technology
Today’s air conditioning systems don’t just cool – they can also heat, too!
While Brisbane’s winters aren’t quite as harsh as its summers, they still need to be accounted for in the classroom. The cold can be just as distracting, and has an even bigger impact on student health.
Reverse cycle technology means that your air conditioning system doubles as a heater to deliver year-round comfort for students and teachers.
Type of air conditioning system
Obviously, this will depend on what types of school buildings you need cooled!
For a large connected building with multiple classrooms, ducted air conditioning installation is a suitable solution.
But what about portables, or detached classrooms? What if your specialise in after-school tutoring, and only use a small building?
In these cases a split or multi-split system might be more appropriate – it all depends.
Our in-depth system design process ensures that you receive a system that perfectly fits your needs.
Air quality
When choosing an air conditioner, make sure that you choose one that has a good quality air filter and can double as a dehumidifier for your room.
Not sure what all the numbers mean? We’re here to assist! Our mobile tech team is more than willing to help you understand each system’s filtering capabilities.
Zoning
In many cases, schools will have many different classrooms in a single, interconnected building. Making things even more complicated is the fact that in many cases, each of these rooms will have different cooling requirements.
For example: IT rooms full of computers will generate more heat. And this isn’t even accounting for individual preference, either.
If you’re going with a ducted system, be sure to choose a system that has capacity to support the number of zones your school needs.
Need air conditioning installation in Brisbane? Call Tri-tech today!
Schools should be comfortable – after all, students are going to be spending much of their day there.
One way of serving the best education to students is with air conditioning in Brisbane.
Whether your school is still deciding what type of air conditioning system to use their grant for, or is looking for a team to carry out air conditioning installation in Brisbane, Tri-Tech is ready to help.
Unlike other air conditioning installers, the team at Tri-tech is composed of qualified, licensed and fully equipped tradesmen who have experience providing installation, repairs and air conditioning maintenance for schools all over south-east Queensland.
No job is too small or big for the Tri-Tech team!
Contact our friendly team on (07) 3394 0222 or complete the contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
