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Yes, but that doesn't mean air conditioning is a necessity. Shoot, what about people who live in places like the Philippines (very hot and humid all year) without air conditioning? Again, really nice? Sure. Necessary? No.
Quote:
Originally Posted by psr13
Need and really like are two different things, though. My mom lives where it's usually over 105 in the summer, and they don't have air conditioning in their house. Sure, it would be really nice to have, but it isn't a necessity. (Schools in that area do have it, though.)
Well, heck. When you get right down to it, you probably don't need heat that often either. I mean, kids could keep their coats and boots on all day in school, at least until it gets down to say, 40 degrees or so in the room. Then let it warm up to 50 or so, and start all over again. Would save a bundle on utilities.
Sarcasm aside, I do not see the virulent opposition to air conditioning.
Today school children are having a hard time getting enough education to prepare them for life. If the temperature reaches over a certain point, combined with what humidity does to change the feels like temperature, they cannot study and learn at a normal rate.
If we want to educate them, we have to make the environment one they can learn in. Hot stuffy rooms, put them to sleep, not in a learning atmosphere.
Same reason that businesses all air condition today. If a store gets extra warm as an example, sales decline rapidly. Air conditioning is a cheap way to increase sales on hot days.
That ^^ really doesn't make sense. Air conditioning used to be only for the fairly well off people so it was the norm not to have it. People also didn't complain because they didn't have a microwave/dvd/Roku, etc. I remember many nights as a kid having a hard time sleeping because I was hot and the box fan wasn't cutting it.
My point was that people don't criticize any other entity for having A/C.
In addition, schools today are larger, and hold many more students. They are airtight, and most don't have windows that can be opened. Even on days when the outside temp is pleasant, the inside temp can rise, and it gets very stuffy quickly.
In our district, all A/C is controlled by a central office. Admin needs to put in a request to run the air for after hours events. The air/heat comes on about 30 min before school begins, and shuts off about 45 minutes after dismissal. It stays on later in the office area, and cafeteria where the after school program is. It is off in the summer months, even though our custodians are very hard at work cleaning and repairing the building and furnishings.
As a teacher, I find it difficult to stay after the AC has been turned off for more than an hour. Prior to the start of school, I wait until the AC is turned on in the classroom area to set up my room. A few years back, I went in at 8am (air had been off for 9 weeks at this point). We had to leave after an hour. I cannot imagine how the custodians do their heavy work in that environment.
My point was that people don't criticize any other entity for having A/C.
In addition, schools today are larger, and hold many more students. They are airtight, and most don't have windows that can be opened. Even on days when the outside temp is pleasant, the inside temp can rise, and it gets very stuffy quickly.
In our district, all A/C is controlled by a central office. Admin needs to put in a request to run the air for after hours events. The air/heat comes on about 30 min before school begins, and shuts off about 45 minutes after dismissal. It stays on later in the office area, and cafeteria where the after school program is. It is off in the summer months, even though our custodians are very hard at work cleaning and repairing the building and furnishings.
As a teacher, I find it difficult to stay after the AC has been turned off for more than an hour. Prior to the start of school, I wait until the AC is turned on in the classroom area to set up my room. A few years back, I went in at 8am (air had been off for 9 weeks at this point). We had to leave after an hour. I cannot imagine how the custodians do their heavy work in that environment.
Though that will save electricity, it is wrong to completely turn off the HVAC system entirely. Though it will use more energy to remain on, having the system change settings after class schedule and after school is over is better for the building and HVAC system. It'll run at a reduced capacity, keep humidity levels low, keep air filtered, and make for a great time to do maintenance/repair work on the HVAC system. For summer they can set it to maintain 78 degrees in the day and 80 at night.for after school ends for the day, it should change the setting to cool if it gets to 78 and heat if it gets to 68 and then default back to class day settings one hour before class begins.
I heard that school was cancelled because the A/C was on the fritz. Huh?
When did A/C start in schools? Shux, I went to a high falutin' Catholic high school whose tuition my parents couldn't afford -- but they sacrificed and managed somehow -- and it didn't have A/C. Same with my college even in summer session.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that my edification began in 1949 (kindergarten) to June 1966 ) college graduation) when even most middle class residences didn't have A/C.
Guess I'm behind the times.
When they started using penitentiary design in school facility planning.
Yes at home, but in 1965 -- still living with moms and pops -- my parents had only a window unit in the "club basement" where we spent 95% of waking hours. Bedtime relied on a Hunter window fan which did a good job, even in humid Baltimore.
At the career workplace, central A/C all 30 years. At the large retail food store where I worked part-time during college years, no A/C.
No A/C in army barracks. I guess now you're gonna tell me that the army barracks today there's A/C, even during basic training.
When I was in Air Force basic in the early 70s, the new "Thousand man dorms" had A/C. That's because they were built like prisons to house a maximum of persons in a minimum of space without sufficient natural air circulation.
Yes, but that doesn't mean air conditioning is a necessity. Shoot, what about people who live in places like the Philippines (very hot and humid all year) without air conditioning? Again, really nice? Sure. Necessary? No.
Our house in the Philippines was designed for natural air movement. For instance, the walls didn't even reach up to the ceilings, and the house had a raised "clerestory" roof designed to draw hot air up and out of the living spaces. The eaves of the house extended far outward to provide maximum shading to the walls and windows.
I heard that school was cancelled because the A/C was on the fritz. Huh?
When did A/C start in schools? Shux, I went to a high falutin' Catholic high school whose tuition my parents couldn't afford -- but they sacrificed and managed somehow -- and it didn't have A/C. Same with my college even in summer session.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that my edification began in 1949 (kindergarten) to June 1966 ) college graduation) when even most middle class residences didn't have A/C.
Guess I'm behind the times.
I'd think that Calvert Hall would have had air conditioning even way back in 1962.
I'm from the NY suburbs. My family - brothers and sisters - have attended public, prep, boarding and day schools. East Woods. The Greenvale School, Oyster Bay High School, Locust Valley HS and Friends Academy in Brookville.
In the north east, it seems that the 80s were the time when A/C became the norm.
Well, heck. When you get right down to it, you probably don't need heat that often either. I mean, kids could keep their coats and boots on all day in school, at least until it gets down to say, 40 degrees or so in the room. Then let it warm up to 50 or so, and start all over again. Would save a bundle on utilities.
Well that situation is more extreme than an indoor temperature of around 80°F. And no heat would result in colder than 40°F indoor for most of the winter, at least in northern climates. The pipes would freeze. When does A/C become necessary instead of just nice to have? I find air conditioning unnecessary where I live in the summer, others claim it is necessary. I can understand someone wanting A/C here, but calling it necessary seems
I'm from the NY suburbs. My family - brothers and sisters - have attended public, prep, boarding and day schools. East Woods. The Greenvale School, Oyster Bay High School, Locust Valley HS and Friends Academy in Brookville.
And the schools had A/C? I don't think I remember any school on Long Island having A/C.
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