Indoor Air For Kids Project Overview

The Indoor Air for Kids Project is a strategic collaboration between New Song Academy middle schoolers and Concairge, a RESET-certified leader in healthy, smart, high-performance indoor environments. Together, we aim to tackle environmental justice through data-driven solutions that improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms—particularly in historically under-resourced neighborhoods like Sandtown-Winchester.

Students spend over 1,000 hours annually inside school buildings. Poor indoor air quality—caused by pollutants, poor ventilation, and outdated HVAC systems—can impair learning, increase absenteeism, and heighten health disparities. Our project empowers students and educators to change that reality through continuous air monitoring and real-time insights.

Student Engagement & STEAM Learning: Middle school students participate in real-world science by monitoring air quality in their own homes and classrooms. Using QR codes and dashboards, they analyze data, observe patterns, and learn how air affects focus, productivity, and wellness.

• Real-Time Indoor Air Quality Monitoring: Concairge’s systems provide instant feedback to staff, students, and families. Alerts and historical data reports enable quick action to resolve IAQ issues, ensuring a safer learning environment at home and school.

• Community Transparency: Families can access public dashboards to understand what their children are breathing and gain peace of mind.

• Building Infrastructure Knowledge: School leaders and facilities teams receive actionable insight reports to optimize HVAC systems and prioritize maintenance based on actual air data, not guesswork.

• Reduce respiratory health complaints and sick days among students and staff.

• Enhance academic performance through improved classroom focus and cognitive functioning.

• Promote environmental literacy and STEM career pathways for Black youth.

• Model a scalable solution for other Baltimore schools and beyond.