This year’s Clean Air Day falls on Friday the 19th June. In its eighth year, Clean Air Day has become the UK’s largest campaign dedicated to raising awareness of air pollution and its impacts on health and the environment. It also encourages individuals and organizations to take practical steps to reduce pollution and protect public health, both inside and outside buildings.
Air quality should be a concern for everyone, but certain sections of society are disproportionally impacted than others, children in particular, which is why this year on Clean Air Day we are urging policymakers, educators, and building professionals to prioritize clean air in and around our schools and homes.
Children Face a Greater Risk
Children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution
Children are particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution.
Unlike adults, their lungs and immune systems are still developing, and their smaller body size means they breathe in more air relative to their body weight.
This increased inhalation rate, coupled with greater time spent outdoors—especially during commutes to and from school—results in elevated exposure to pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM).
Serious health consequences for children
15,000 children under the age of five were admitted to London hospitals with breathing difficulties in 2023
The effects of breathing in polluted air can have serious consequences for children.
Clean air campaign group Mums for Lungs revealed that 15,000 children under the age of five were admitted to London hospitals with breathing difficulties in 2023.
Although it’s not possible to determine how many of the admissions are directly linked to air pollution, a study by the University of Dundee found that children are significantly more likely than adults to be hospitalized due to respiratory issues caused by air pollution.
Mental effects of air pollution
Air pollution is not only linked to physical ailments such as asthma and bronchitis but also to decreased attentiveness and slower cognitive response times in classrooms. What's also very concerning is that the damage to children’s lungs is often irreversible.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has called for "bold but necessary policies" to protect young people and improve air quality, particularly around schools and hospitals.
Unfortunately, many new schools are being built in areas that exceed World Health Organization air pollution limits. Between 2017 and 2025, 147 new schools in England—86% of all planned or constructed—will be in such zones. Surprisingly, there is no legal obligation to consider air quality in school planning, despite children spending up to 35 hours a week in these environments.
Identifying the Invisible Threat Indoors
However, indoor air pollution is an equally serious, yet often overlooked, issue
When we talk about air pollution, the conversation often focuses on outdoor sources like vehicle emissions. However, indoor air pollution is an equally serious, yet often overlooked, issue—especially in schools and homes.
Recent research from Birmingham University at a Cardiff high school found that particulate matter concentrations inside classrooms were influenced not just by outdoor pollution, but also by indoor activities, classroom location, and even flooring materials.
In homes, sources of indoor pollution include cleaning chemicals, cooking emissions, and even everyday items like candles or air fresheners that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Without adequate ventilation, these pollutants accumulate, leading to poor indoor air quality (IAQ) that can affect children's health and ability to learn or sleep well.
Schools, which typically include a variety of spaces such as classrooms, kitchens, sports halls, and even swimming pools, present their own set of ventilation challenges. Each of these environments requires specific ventilation solutions to ensure a safe and healthy atmosphere.
The Role of Ventilation in Healthier Environments
Effective ventilation is one of the most important tools we have in the fight against indoor air pollution. Properly specified and maintained ventilation systems can significantly improve IAQ by removing pollutants and regulating CO₂ levels.
In classrooms, balanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery—such as the Nuaire XBOXER XBC range—is ideal. These systems are capable of ventilating multiple rooms and come equipped with filters to remove incoming pollutants, offering both health and energy efficiency benefits.
School ventilation challenges challenges
Sports halls present different challenges, particularly with high CO₂ levels and odours
Sports halls present different challenges, particularly with high CO₂ levels and odours. Packaged Air Handling Units are well-suited to these environments, offering high-volume air movement and the option of occupancy or CO₂ sensors to control the system efficiently based on use.
For indoor swimming pools, where humidity and chlorine levels are high, Air Handling Units are also ideal, although will need to be corrosion-resistant. Meanwhile, in school toilets—frequent sources of unpleasant odours and bacteria—twin fan technology ensures continuous extraction, even if one fan fails.
Kitchens benefit from bifurcated fans, which position the motor outside the airstream to prevent grease build-up and reduce maintenance needs. These tailored solutions demonstrate how smart ventilation can enhance IAQ across varied school settings.
A Call to Action This Clean Air Day
Clean Air Day is more than a date on the calendar—it’s a call to action. Road transport is a key contributor to NO₂ emissions, and efforts to promote walking, cycling, and public transport are important. However, tackling indoor air pollution is equally critical.
We must recognize that protecting children from air pollution is not optional; it is a moral and public health imperative. No child should have to breathe polluted air simply to learn, play, or sleep.
By investing in targeted ventilation strategies and supporting evidence-based policy, we can give every child the clean air they deserve—and build a healthier future for all.
