Temporary Classrooms Are Bad For the Environment, and Worse For Kids 187
tcd004 (134130) writes "You've always suspected those trailer-type portable classrooms are no good, right? It turns out you're right. Analysis of prefabricated classrooms in Washington shows the structures often don't allow for proper ventilation, leading to terrible air quality for kids. Students in temporary classrooms have higher rates of absenteeism than those in standard classrooms. And the energy-inefficient structures often become permanent, sucking on school energy bills for decades, and requiring more upkeep than permanent classrooms. What's needed are new designs for healthy, sustainable temporary classrooms."
Terrible ventilation v. heat exhaustion (Score:4, Interesting)
When I was in high school and they were adding on and renovating, everybody wanted as many classes in the portables as possible because they had air conditioning and our 50 year old school building didn't.
I'm sure more was learned in them than could have been learned in a 90 degree classroom.
Re:Flawed? (Score:4, Interesting)
One of the problems with additions is similar to these trailers.
As demographics shift, you might need more room for 3-5 years then it could be too much space then need it again a decaid later. What ends up happening is that maintinence costs stay the same but the money comming in changes with the number of students and more gets allocated to yhe infrastructure instead of teaching.
Of course this could be aleviated if infrastucture costs came from a separate funding source or they could lease out the unused portions.