The impact of mechanical ventilation systems on acoustic quality in school environments

Abstract

There is a growing scientific consensus that COVID-19 could be transmitted through the airborne route, putting ventilation at the heart of a mitigation strategy for buildings, including schools. The design of suitable systems requires to consider all aspects both for the control of air movement and the diffusion of bacterial loads, but also of other parameters of indoor air quality. This work examines the acoustic design of ventilation systems in schools and the effects that the systems have on the acoustic quality of the classrooms in compliance with the standard series UNI 11532. The standards provide a guideline on the design and the evaluation of the acoustic performances of schools, including attention for children with special educational needs. In particular, the case study refers to classrooms in the University Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona