The influence of indoor air quality in classrooms on the short-term academic performance of students in higher education; a field study during a regular academic course

The indoor air quality (IAQ) in classrooms in higher education can influence in-class activities positively. In this context, the actual IAQ and students’ perceived IAQ (PIAQ), perceived cognitive performance (PCP), and short-term academic performance (SAP) were examined in two identical classrooms during regular academic courses. During the lecture, key performance indicators (KPI) for the IAQ, i.e. carbon dioxide concentration, particulate matter 2.5, and total volatile organic compounds, were measured. After the lecture, responses of 163 students were collected with a validated self-composed questionnaire and a cognitive test, which covered topics discussed during the lecture. A significant association between the IAQ KPI and the PIAQ was found (p < .000). The PIAQ significantly predicted the PCP (p < .05) and the PCP significantly predicted the SAP score (p < .01). These results indicate that the IAQ in classrooms is associated with the PIAQ and PCP, and therefore is associated with students’ SAP.