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Heat alarm in Vienna: Schools suffer from unbearable temperatures!
Alarming temperatures were measured in classrooms in Ottakring. Environmental experts are calling for measures to ensure heat-resistant schools.
Heat alarm in Vienna: Schools suffer from unbearable temperatures!
It's getting hot in the classrooms in Vienna! The GRG 16 Maroltingergasse in Ottakring, together with Greenpeace and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), carried out alarming temperature measurements. Since May 27th, the measuring devices have reported temperatures above 27 degrees Celsius on a total of 25 days, and on up to 16 days the thermometer even climbed above the 30 degree mark during lessons. The extreme value was particularly noticeable on June 13th, when classes started at 28 degrees Celsius and the temperature rose to over 32 degrees over the course of the day, even though the outside temperature was below that at the time. According to the heat dashboard, the highest temperature recorded in the building was around 38 degrees Celsius.
Director Elisabeth Gutenberg makes no secret of her concerns: “The high temperatures make teaching significantly more difficult and also lead to circulatory problems among the students.” She is therefore urgently calling for support from the federal government in order to adapt the school building to the changed climatic conditions. Herbert Formayer, professor at the BOKU Institute, also emphasizes the precarious situation in classrooms that offer no protection against overheating. “Keeping windows closed during the day is not an option,” he warns, “as CO₂ levels rise quickly without ventilation.” This problem not only affects Vienna, but also other federal states, with the organization “Teachers for Future” reporting similar difficulties, especially during the Matura.
The search for solutions
The situation in classrooms is worrying. According to experts, the ideal temperature in learning rooms is between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius. However, current measurements show that 38.8% of the values are above 30 degrees Celsius and only 11.8% are in the desired ideal range. High temperatures can not only affect well-being, but can also lead to irritability and a significant drop in the ability to concentrate. “Scientific studies show that performance decreases at temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius,” is highlighted in a study from Denmark, for example.
But what can you do about it? Experts recommend, among other things, regular ventilation intervals and passive cooling solutions. The use of fan-assisted and external air conditioning units is also seen as promising. The industry already offers solutions for individual room cooling in educational institutions, but there is often a lack of financial support to implement these measures across the board.
Demands for climate-friendly schools
Greenpeace and “Teachers for Future” are pushing for urgently needed adjustments to provide educational institutions with heat-friendly conditions. The need for an emergency government program to redesign and renovate school buildings is also a central point in the demands. “Heat protection in schools is viewed as a necessary measure for educational equity,” the organizations say.
As climate change progresses, schools in Vienna and elsewhere must take measures to not only ensure student well-being, but also create an effective learning environment. The federal government is called upon to finally create the necessary financial and structural framework conditions. The time to act is now!