Overview
Oakland Unified School District has installed small wall-mounted sensors in classrooms to measure temperature and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). These sensors help the district understand classroom comfort and air circulation across schools. They are part of the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency (CalSHAPE) Program.
Important Note: These sensors do not detect smoke, gas leaks, or carbon monoxide. They only measure temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels.
Monitoring CO2 helps the district:
Understand classroom conditions across schools and see patterns
Identify rooms that may need improved ventilation
Support future planning and facility improvements in ventilation, cooling, and comfort
Inform bond investments and future grant opportunities
Current Progress
Sensors have been installed districtwide at 83 schools, and are currently tracking data every 15 minutes! The District is also developing a public-facing dashboard to track, analyze, and display collected data, helping identify areas of greatest need and guide future strategies.
Partners: Syserco, CA Energy Commission: CalSHAPE Program
