Poor indoor air quality has been shown to negatively impact cognitive function, student performance, attendance, and overall health. Many schools across the country are unintentionally compromising indoor air quality due to outdated procurement policies that prioritize the cheapest filters instead of long-term performance and sustainability.
Despite the efforts of administrators to safeguard student and staff well-being, many schools continue to struggle with this issue. Camfil, a global leader in clean air solutions, provides insight into one of the major factors impacting air quality, student health, and operational efficiency in schools in a recently released YouTube video.
“Schools often buy the cheapest filters that meet the minimum MERV requirement," explains Mark Davidson, Camfil's Manager of Marketing and Technical Materials, “While that appears to save money upfront, it can backfire, reducing ventilation, raising energy costs, and sometimes collapsing, allowing dirty air to bypass entirely. This forces districts to replace filters more frequently, driving up operational costs and straining maintenance department budgets.”
Camfil advocates for a performance-based approach to air filter procurement, emphasizing the benefits of investing in high-performance, long-lasting air filters. These premium filters, though initially more expensive, outperform economy-grade filters and last twice, three times, or four times as long. The results of upgrading air filters for school districts include:
Lower Operational Costs: Fewer replacements mean lower maintenance expenses and reduced reliance on outside vendors.
Sustainability: Long-lasting filters reduce landfill waste and lessen the environmental footprint of school systems.
HVAC System Longevity: Better filters maintain proper airflow, reducing wear and tear on HVAC system fans and ductwork.
Healthier Learning Environments: Cleaner air is linked to increased productivity and better health outcomes for both students and staff.
Camfil is calling for schools to rethink their air filter procurement strategies, emphasizing that better filters are not just about financial savings but about safeguarding the health and future of students, staff, and the planet. "Switching to superior air filters isn’t just a financial investment; it’s an investment in the well-being and potential of the next generation," says Davidson, “When schools prioritize long-term performance and lower operating costs over short-term savings, everyone wins.”
To learn more about the role of filter procurement in student wellbeing, watch the full video here.
About Camfil
The Camfil Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and has 29 manufacturing sites, six R&D centers, local sales offices in 35+ countries, and 5,700 employees and growing. We proudly serve and support customers in a wide variety of industries and communities across the world. To discover how Camfil USA can help you to protect people, processes, and the environment, visit us at www.camfil.us.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Lynne Laake
Camfil USA Air Filters
Phone: 888-599-6620
Email: [email protected]
