Accelerate the “Dust-Free Classroom” project to add good air and remove polluted air to protect children from PM2.5. Bangkok aims to improve 437 schools by 2025.
On January 11, 2025, Mr. Ekwaranyu Amrapal, spokesman for Bangkok, revealed the progress of the “Dust-Free Classroom” project in collaboration with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, and Temtem Social Enterprise Limited Partnership. The project aims to protect students from the problem of PM2.5 dust particles and raise awareness of health problems related to the dust crisis in the Bangkok area.
At present, there are 32 schools under the organization that have joined the project and the goal is to expand to 437 schools. The participating schools will receive air quality measurement devices to be installed in the classrooms, which have received support from the Temtem Enterprise for Society Limited Partnership, totaling 405 sets.
Out of the total target of 405 sets, 382 sets of quality measuring devices have been delivered to schools under the organization. In addition, a goal has been set to develop dust-free classrooms (Clean Air Shelter) for kindergarten children from a total of 429 schools, with a total of 1,996 classrooms. Classroom improvements will be carried out in 6 groups of districts (Central Bangkok, North Bangkok, South Bangkok, East Bangkok, North Thonburi, and South Thonburi).
Of the total of 1,996 rooms that need to be renovated, they will be divided into:
1. Original classrooms with air conditioning, 696 rooms
2. CSR rooms (rooms + air conditioning), 48 rooms
3. Rooms renovated by the district office, 227 rooms
4. Rooms renovated by the Office of Education, 995 rooms
The guidelines for each classroom to change from an open system to a closed system are 2 classroom sizes: a classroom with an area of less than 35 sq.m. and a classroom with an area of more than 35 sq.m. by installing hanging air conditioners, Inverter system with ventilation fans, running a Main Breaker system inside the room, installing a carbon dioxide meter.
Of course, the installation of more air conditioners and carbon dioxide meters will also require more electricity. The Bangkok spokesperson talked about the problem of increased electricity consumption, saying that solar panels will be installed in schools. Bangkok has collaborated with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority to jointly develop smart cities and develop renewable energy and energy conservation projects, while maintaining environmental balance to aim for a low-carbon society.
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