b'What to Consider When You Are Planning for Renewal and Rebirth on Your CampusThe Importance of Containment During Construction ProjectsBy Susan Dempsey, First Onsite Property RestorationS chool facility renovation projects are essential to maintaining safe and modern learning environments. However, construction projects in active school buildings come with unique challenges with regard to added maintenance, occupant safety and even air quality. Containment measures play a critical role in mitigating these added costs and risks, ensuring that your facility remains as clean as possible and your students, staff and visitors remain protected from airborne contaminants, dust, and debris.During renovations or re-roofing projects, school facilities managers need to consider how construction impacts indoor air quality. Dust and other airborne particles generated during demolition or material handling can circulate through hallways, open areas and HVAC systems, potentially causing respiratory issues or exacerbating allergies and asthma in building occupants as well as creating hassles for onsite cleaning staff. Proper containment strategies help to maintain a cleaner facility, to reduce contaminants exposure and to keep a healthier indoor environment.Containment measures may also help facilities managers to follow any regulatory guidelines, such as those set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationHEPA filters help control the airflow,Ongoing Monitoring: You may (OSHA). These regulations emphasizepreventing contaminated air frombe required on some projects to the importance of dust control,escaping into occupied spaces. also provide regular air quality air monitoring, and worker safetyHVAC Protection: Vent covers,testing to ensure that containment in occupied buildings undergoingaffected air handler shutdownsremains effective throughout construction. or portable filtration units allthe project. (Refer to guidelines Effective containment strategieshelp prevent dust and debris fromprovided by the EPA or OSHA for involve several key components: circulating through HVAC systems,further information on possible Physical Barriers: Temporary walls,lowering costs of cleaning therequirements.)plastic sheeting, and zip walls createsystems later. Re-roofing projects particularly pose a sealed environment to isolate theEntry/Exit Protocols: Designatedunique challenges for school facilities. work area. pathways and entry pointsThe removal of old roofing materials and Negative Air Pressure Systems:for workers help minimizeinstallation of new ones can generate Air filtration devices equipped withcontamination in common areas. falling debris into occupied spaces, as 10|SCHOOL PLANT MANAGER MAGAZINE|SPRING 2025'