NYTs: “Why opening windows is key to reopening schools”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think air purifiers must work too. Dentists are using them in office bldgs whose windows don’t open

They are doing whatever they can do to make patients feels comfortable. I think it’s all theater.

Unless it’s a commercial grade system installed like HVAC, they will have a marginal impact. Open windows with fresh air are MUCH more efficient.

Any future building projects will have windows that open. NYC tenement buildings are designed the way they are after the Spanish flu pandemic reinforced the need for windows in every apartment to circulate fresh air.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a brand new school building 5 years ago and none of the windows open. D’oh!

That’s utterly ridiculous. Why have windows that don’t open?

This is how non-residential buildings have been built since A/C. Looks dumb now but it was the standard for decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My classroom windows open two inches, and I’m in a a better position than a lot of other teachers. This isn’t the simple solution people think it is.

I haven't run across a single report that discussed how far a window should open, and aside from that, we have portable filtration technology. This is just teachers imagining impossibility.

Common sense and the laws of physics would dictate that airflow from a fully open window would provide a better exchange of air than a window open just a crack. Not much imagination required.
Teachers are “imaging impossibility”. That’s a new one. We must all be imagining these run down buildings we’ve been working in all these years!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a brand new school building 5 years ago and none of the windows open. D’oh!

That’s utterly ridiculous. Why have windows that don’t open?

This is how non-residential buildings have been built since A/C. Looks dumb now but it was the standard for decades.

Not one of the windows opens in my leed certified building.

[Anonymous]

Portable HEPA air filters are endorsed by the CDC for COVID. Christ, have you people ever tried to Google things before you make definitive statements about them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My classroom windows open two inches, and I’m in a a better position than a lot of other teachers. This isn’t the simple solution people think it is.

I haven't run across a single report that discussed how far a window should open, and aside from that, we have portable filtration technology. This is just teachers imagining impossibility.

Common sense and the laws of physics would dictate that airflow from a fully open window would provide a better exchange of air than a window open just a crack. Not much imagination required.
Teachers are “imaging impossibility”. That’s a new one. We must all be imagining these run down buildings we’ve been working in all these years!

A crack is different than a couple of inches. And, there's a whole science about air flow in rooms. Try reading a little about it before you make uninformed statements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We got a brand new school building 5 years ago and none of the windows open. D’oh!

That’s utterly ridiculous. Why have windows that don’t open?

This is how non-residential buildings have been built since A/C. Looks dumb now but it was the standard for decades.

Not one of the windows opens in my leed certified building.

Energy-efficiency is a big reason.

Other reasons:

Cost-cutting (operable windows have more moving parts and are more expensive to install)

Security, including concerns about school shootings -- often require windows on first floor to be locked.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

did you know that technology has improved since 1860

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

did you know that technology has improved since 1860

Sure, but aerosols haven't changed. Portable air filtration and other HVAC upgrades may do the same work as open windows, but the fact remains that ventilation is key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

did you know that technology has improved since 1860

Sure, but aerosols haven't changed. Portable air filtration and other HVAC upgrades may do the same work as open windows, but the fact remains that ventilation is key.

Apologies. I thought you were arguing on the side of "we need WINDOWS and not technology that is actually better at filtering air!" But I see that I am mistaken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My classroom windows open two inches, and I’m in a a better position than a lot of other teachers. This isn’t the simple solution people think it is.

I haven't run across a single report that discussed how far a window should open, and aside from that, we have portable filtration technology. This is just teachers imagining impossibility.

Common sense and the laws of physics would dictate that airflow from a fully open window would provide a better exchange of air than a window open just a crack. Not much imagination required.
Teachers are “imaging impossibility”. That’s a new one. We must all be imagining these run down buildings we’ve been working in all these years!

A crack is different than a couple of inches. And, there's a whole science about air flow in rooms. Try reading a little about it before you make uninformed statements.

Yes there is. And you haven’t provided us with a formula for calculating air exchange rates, so I don’t see any evidence that your response is informed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My classroom windows open two inches, and I’m in a a better position than a lot of other teachers. This isn’t the simple solution people think it is.

I haven't run across a single report that discussed how far a window should open, and aside from that, we have portable filtration technology. This is just teachers imagining impossibility.

Common sense and the laws of physics would dictate that airflow from a fully open window would provide a better exchange of air than a window open just a crack. Not much imagination required.
Teachers are “imaging impossibility”. That’s a new one. We must all be imagining these run down buildings we’ve been working in all these years!

A crack is different than a couple of inches. And, there's a whole science about air flow in rooms. Try reading a little about it before you make uninformed statements.

Yes there is. And you haven’t provided us with a formula for calculating air exchange rates, so I don’t see any evidence that your response is informed.

Fortunately we have experts who have already done the work for us, and we have amazing futuristic technology known as "fans."
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating engineering analysis. It also show why 6 feet of distance is important - more kids would get infected in a given space & concentrations of the virus would be higher.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/26/science/reopen-schools-safety-ventilation.html

Notice how, when the fan is blowing into the room, the infected student and the teacher are breathing highly contaminated air, but the rest of the students are fine? Teachers are so screwed!

If only they had been prioritized for vaccination

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fascinating engineering analysis. It also show why 6 feet of distance is important - more kids would get infected in a given space & concentrations of the virus would be higher.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/26/science/reopen-schools-safety-ventilation.html

Notice how, when the fan is blowing into the room, the infected student and the teacher are breathing highly contaminated air, but the rest of the students are fine? Teachers are so screwed!

If only they had been prioritized for vaccination

Unlike almost every single other in person worker. Teachers need to learn something about sensible risk assessment.