| Summary: | The COVID pandemic has strongly affected daily life both in Spanish schools and worldwide. Providing
the best environmental conditions for children allowing face-to-face learning with healthy and safe
indoor spaces is a challenge. In the present study, empirical research about how these environmental
conditions change with COVID is presented comparing the situation from March 2020 to January 2021.
The methodology combines surveys conducted in nine schools with a case study in a selected school
where a detailed monitoring of the building was developed during both heating seasons. This data ana-
lyzes the impact of the new COVID prevention protocols on indoor environmental conditions (especially
those related to natural ventilation). Results show a mean CO2 reduction of 1,400 ppm, having in the sec-
ond term values around 1,000 ppm, although temperatures diminished nearly 2 °C to mean values of
18 °C. Evolution of temperature and CO2 concentration throughout the day was also analyzed, being these
indoor conditions especially important for the children with poorer health. Mechanical ventilation with
heating recovery should complement natural ventilation, at least during the coldest months or hours of
the day, although systems have to be carefully designed and installed to work effectively.
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