37 million for fresh air in schools

Munich/Stephanskirchen – The Otfried Preußler Elementary School in Stephanskirchen (Rosenheim district) is leading the way: This week, Petra and Wolfgang Schabus, managing directors of an electrical engineering company in the community, presented a carbon dioxide traffic light they developed themselves in the schoolyard. It turns yellow at a concentration of more than 1000 ppm (parts per million) and red at 2000 ppm – at which point the room must be ventilated until the light turns green again. "It's a visual reminder," says Petra Schabus. The company has been selling the traffic light since 2009, primarily to businesses. Now it appears to have a new market: schools. The local elementary school has already taken action, ordering 30 devices (price per unit: €345).

Municipalities can now submit applications to the district governments for reimbursement of costs for investments in "infection-protection-compliant ventilation"—the guidelines were sent out yesterday and have also been made available to the "Münchner Merkur." According to the guidelines, the purchase of a CO2 traffic light will be subsidized with €7.27 per student. Air purification devices will also be subsidized—up to a maximum of €3,500 per room.

Neubiberg invests 100,000 euros

The need is likely to be high. Such devices have already been discussed in several municipalities. Neubiberg, for example, plans to spend €100,000 on air purifiers in its two elementary schools. Christian Kähler from the Bundeswehr University presented his research on indoor air filtration to the municipal council and recommended the purchase of such devices. In Otterfing (Miesbach district), six carbon dioxide measuring devices are to be purchased. The district is planning further purchases, but before placing a larger order for the significantly more expensive air purifiers, which would then have to be put out to tender, the district office wants to review the funding guidelines.

However, very strict conditions have been defined for financial support for air purifiers: The guideline states that air purifiers are "primarily" considered for classrooms and staff rooms that "cannot be adequately ventilated by deliberately opening windows in accordance with the general hygiene plan for schools." However, rooms without (or with only very small) windows are rare in schools. A school expert told the "Münchner Merkur": For fire safety reasons alone—to rescue children in an emergency—most classrooms have windows. The guideline is narrow-minded.