Expanding the application of the TAIL rating scheme to schools: schoolTAIL

Schools have no universally adopted scheme for rating indoor environmental quality (IEQ). In this work, we adapted the TAIL rating scheme that was developed for assessing IEQ in offices and hotels so that it can be used in schools. The original TAIL scheme assesses thermal, acoustic, and luminous conditions, along with indoor air quality, using ten measured parameters and one evaluated through observation and one through simulation. We supplemented it with two other parameters, reverberation time and the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, to adequately characterize a classroom’s IEQ. We have also updated the ranges for PM2.5 in accordance with the latest updates to the WHO air quality guidelines. Otherwise, we kept the principles used to develop the original TAIL rating scheme unchanged. We used measurements from schools reported in the published literature to identify the relevant parameters. We refer to the newly developed scheme as TAIL for schools, in short, schoolTAIL. We examined its feasibility using an existing database, with measurements made in 308 randomly selected schools as part of a nationwide survey in France. The new scheme turned out to be a valuable tool for identifying potential problems and prioritizing IEQ remediations, providing a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand overview of the current situation in school buildings.