Bringing indoor air quality into the classroom: EDIAQI pilot activity in Seville, Spain

Primary school pupils seated at desks colouring EDIAQI worksheets: one page shows “Fuentes externas” with a landscape of pollution sources, while another displays “Concentración de CO₂” with illustrated indoor settings and ppm levels.

As part of the Seville campaign developed under WP6 of the EDIAQI project, a series of educational pilot activities on indoor air quality (IAQ) have been carried out in primary schools across the province of Seville.

WP6 focuses on awareness-raising, training and the development of educational materials tailored to different target groups. Within this framework, EDIAQI has produced a comprehensive set of resources designed to make IAQ concepts more accessible and engaging. These include pupil workbooks, teachers’ guides, awareness videos, diplomas and complementary learning materials.

The pilot sessions brought together primary school pupils from different age groups, with the aim of introducing key IAQ concepts through accessible language, visual tools and hands-on activities adapted to their level of understanding.

Overhead view of classroom desks with EDIAQI IAQ worksheets titled “Fuentes de CO₂”, alongside pencil cases, rulers, erasers and notebooks arranged around pupils’ workspaces.

Each session, lasting approximately one hour, was structured as an interactive IAQ awareness workshop. It began with a short introduction to indoor air quality and common indoor pollutants, followed by dedicated activities linked to each pollutant type. The response from pupils was highly positive: children actively participated, asked insightful questions and demonstrated a clear grasp of the topics discussed. Teachers also emphasised the importance of introducing IAQ awareness at an early age and praised the materials for being well adapted to the pupils’ needs and comprehension levels.

A practical demonstration formed a central part of the sessions. Using a portable monitoring device, the team showed how CO₂ concentrations can be measured in a classroom setting, illustrating the relationship between occupancy, ventilation and air quality. This was complemented by a visual and interactive demonstration, helping to make otherwise invisible aspects of indoor air more tangible and understandable for young learners.

Overall, the pilot provided valuable feedback on the educational materials developed within WP6 and demonstrated the strong potential of embedding IAQ awareness within early education.

Primary school pupils working in groups at desks with EDIAQI worksheets and activity materials, while others sit facing a screen displaying indoor air quality content during a classroom session.

Looking ahead, this activity offers a solid foundation for scaling and replicating similar initiatives across other EDIAQI pilot sites and cities, as well as beyond the consortium. As EDIAQI materials are open and freely available in the ten languages of the consortium, they can be readily adapted for use in diverse educational contexts, supporting IAQ awareness from an early age: https://ediaqi.eu/resources/training-materials

Through initiatives such as this, EDIAQI continues to promote evidence-based knowledge on indoor air quality, making scientific concepts accessible to society and encouraging healthier indoor environments for future generations.