Using CO₂ monitors and air cleaning units in education and care settings
How to use and maintain CO₂ monitors and air cleaning units to manage ventilation and improve air quality.
Applies to England
Keeping educational spaces well-ventilated can reduce disease transmission, improve pupils’ alertness and concentration and can help to improve indoor air quality.
Between 2021 to 2023 the Department for Education (DfE) provided all state-funded education and care settings with CO₂ monitors to help them monitor ventilation and some with air cleaning units (ACUs), to help improve air quality in poorly ventilated spaces.
These devices need to be used consistently to manage ventilation.
CO₂ monitors
CO₂ monitors provide a way of identifying the level of CO₂ in a space, which informs us how much of the air we are breathing in has been breathed out by others.
These monitors should be used regularly to help you identify when to take steps to improve ventilation and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working.
Knowing when ventilation measures should be increased or can be decreased can also help keep classrooms warm and conserve energy. For more information please see ‘How to’ Use CO₂ monitors in education and care settings.
Understanding what to do with your readings
You can download and display this next to your monitors to inform users of the action to take based on your CO₂ monitor readings.
Air cleaning units
ACUs can help you to reduce airborne contaminants in poorly ventilated spaces. ACUs do not reduce CO₂ levels or improve ventilation.
More information about getting the most out of your ACU is available at ‘How to’ use air cleaning units in education and care settings.
Maintaining your air cleaning unit
ACUs require regular maintenance, including regular cleaning and the need to purchase replacement filters. The frequency of maintenance and the cost of replacement filters will vary depending on level of use and the specification of the device. The unit will notify you when a filter change is required.
DfE-funded ACUs included:
- Dyson TP09
- Camfil City M
Please see the manufacturer’s guidance for the type of unit you received for details on maintenance requirements.
You can find replacement filters using DfE’s Find a Framework service.
DfE will not pay for replacement filters.
Buying new air cleaning units
You can buy new or replacement devices through DfE’s Find a Framework service.
The ACUs recommended by DfE are known as HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filtration units. its. Further details on the minimum recommended specification for ACUs in education and care settings is in this .
Further guidance on managing ventilation
Detailed advice on managing ventilation in your setting is available from:
- the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) guidance on how to improve ventilation in the workplace
- the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA’s) guidance on using ventilation to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19
- the Royal Academy of Engineering’s (RAE’s) infographic on why clean air is vital to health and how to manage ventilation
- the CoSchools information on how CO₂ monitors can help create healthier schools
For more information on what leaders must do in relation to health and safety risk assessments and managing risk, see DfE’s guidance on health and safety: responsibilities and duties for schools.
Further information and contact us
The supplier used by DfE for the ventilation programme is Rexel. For technical support or to request a call back, see Rexel’s technical information on CO₂ monitors and air cleaning units.
DfE will not replace faulty or damaged devices provided by the ventilation programme.
For any further questions, you can contact the Department for Education.