Picture
The base of the building.
The basement of the physics and chemistry class was thoroughly cleaned.

The renovation of the old school building in Vuoksenniska is complete

Release
12.10.2021 16:20
"The sealing repair is not always the solution to air quality problems, but in this case it worked."

The repairs related to the indoor air of the oldest part of the Vuoksenniska school center, i.e. the A-building, have now been completed.

Problems began to be revealed last year, when the staff highlighted indoor air problems in a few classrooms on the old side. More detailed investigations revealed that there were problems in a total of almost ten classes.

The reason was found to be air leaks in the joints of the outer walls. Through them, pollutants got into the interior.

The last sealing repairs were completed last summer.

Operating models have been developed quite a bit in four years, of course the materials have also developed. The whole project was documented very carefully. Check measurements were made at Vuoksenniska during the entire renovation. With these measurements, it was ensured that we could make the repairs right away, space and safety manager Sami Turunen says.

Participatory renovation

A significant change at Vuoksenniska was also the fact that the users were included in the renovation in a new way.

We kept users informed all the time. They have been able to see what is being fixed and how, the technical superintendent Jyri Honkasalo says.

Also the Head Principal Ville Laivamaa states that the personnel have felt that they have been heard.

─ At first, I was quite critical of the sealing repairs myself, but now I have to admit that in our case they seem to have been successful. We users were consulted and our experiences were reacted to. Repairs were monitored with advanced technology and by asking about experiences, Laivamaa thanks.

Two spaces are still being checked

The old building of the Vuoksenniska school center was already repaired before the sealing measurements in 2020 for the household class due to moisture damage on the outer wall with a major renovation.

Now the old property has been examined and repaired quite thoroughly.

We are still checking two items. We investigate tightness of the top floor of the previously renovated A-building. We want to make sure that everything is in order, because the documentation of the previous renovation is incomplete, says Honkasalo.

Correspondingly, we install negative pressure in the raised lower floor of the physics and chemistry class as a safety measure. The construction waste has now been cleaned out, Turunen says.

The number of indoor air problems in the city's properties has clearly decreased in a few years with the new school centers.

Three years ago, the agenda of the indoor air working group had at worst almost 20 items. At the moment, there is only one actual indoor air destination, the sports hall, says Turunen, who chairs the indoor air working group.

 

For more information:

space and safety manager, chairman of the indoor air working group Sami Turunen, phone 020 617 4450, sami.turunenatimatra.fi (sami[dot]turunen[at]imatra[dot]fi)

technical property manager Jyri Honkasalo /Mitra, tel. 05 2352857, jyri.honkasaloatmitra.fi (jyri[dot]honkasalo[at]mitra[dot]fi)

headmaster Ville Laivamaa phone 020 617 5809, ville. shipping countryatimatra.fi (ville[dot]laivamaa[at]imatra[dot]fi)