How to Monitor CO in a Classroom Malaysia A Practical Guide for Schools
How to Monitor CO in a Classroom Malaysia A Practical Guide for Schools
Introduction
Carbon dioxide (CO) monitoring can help schools better understand ventilation conditions in occupied classrooms.
Classroom CO levels can change throughout the school day depending on the number of students, room size, lesson duration, fresh-air supply, air-conditioning operation, doors, windows and other building factors.
Instead of taking a single reading and immediately drawing conclusions, schools should use a structured monitoring approach that observes how CO changes during actual classroom occupancy.
This guide explains a practical way for schools in Malaysia to begin classroom CO monitoring.
Why Monitor CO in a Classroom?
People continuously produce carbon dioxide through breathing.
When students and teachers occupy a classroom, indoor CO conditions can change according to:
Number of students
Number of teachers
Classroom size
Lesson duration
Ventilation
Fresh-air supply
HVAC operation
Doors and windows
Monitoring CO provides measurable information about how the occupied room behaves over time.
What Equipment Do You Need?
For basic classroom CO monitoring, schools should consider an instrument that can measure:
CO
Temperature
Relative Humidity
For applications where haze or particulate pollution is also a concern, schools may additionally require:
PM2.5
PM10
AQI
The appropriate instrument therefore depends on the monitoring objective.
Step 1 Select Representative Classrooms
Schools do not necessarily need to begin by monitoring every classroom.
Start with representative locations such as:
High-occupancy classroom
Small classroom
Large classroom
Air-conditioned classroom
Naturally ventilated classroom
Classroom near a busy road
Classroom on a different floor
Comparing different room types can provide more useful information.
Step 2 Establish a Baseline
Take measurements before students enter the classroom.
Record:
CO
Temperature
Relative Humidity
Time
Classroom condition
This creates a baseline for comparison with occupied conditions.
Step 3 Monitor During Occupancy
Continue observing CO after students enter.
Useful monitoring points may include:
Beginning of lesson
1530 minutes after occupancy
Middle of lesson
End of lesson
The objective is to observe the trend rather than focus only on one number.
Step 4 Record Occupancy
CO readings are more meaningful when the number of occupants is also known.
For example:
Classroom A
30 students + 1 teacher
Classroom B
15 students + 1 teacher
Even if the rooms are similar, the environmental pattern may differ.
Occupancy information therefore provides important context.
Step 5 Observe What Happens Between Lessons
Continue monitoring after students leave.
Observe:
How quickly CO changes
Temperature changes
Humidity changes
Whether the next class begins before conditions return closer to baseline
This can provide additional information about how the room behaves under normal school operation.
Step 6 Compare Different Classrooms
One classroom alone does not necessarily represent the entire school.
Compare:
Different floors
Different building blocks
Different classroom sizes
Different occupancy levels
Different ventilation arrangements
This helps identify whether certain locations show consistently different patterns.
Step 7 Repeat the Monitoring
A single day provides limited information.
Schools can repeat measurements:
On different school days
During different lesson periods
At different occupancy levels
Before and after operational changes
During different weather conditions
Repeated monitoring provides a more useful environmental picture.
CO Monitoring During Haze
Haze creates an additional challenge because schools may also want to understand indoor particulate conditions.
CO does not measure haze.
During haze periods, schools may also need to monitor:
PM2.5
PM10
AQI
This distinction is important.
A CO monitor answers questions about occupied-space ventilation-related conditions.
A particulate monitor provides information about airborne particles.
For a broader haze assessment, both types of information may be useful.
Recommended Solution for CO-Focused Classroom Monitoring
Temtop C10 2nd
For schools primarily interested in:
CO
Temperature
Relative Humidity
the Temtop C10 2nd provides a focused monitoring solution.
It is suitable for:
Classrooms
Libraries
Staff rooms
Meeting rooms
Training rooms
Its connected monitoring capability can also support longer-term observation of environmental trends.
Recommended Solution for Classroom CO + Haze Monitoring
Temtop M100
If the school wants to monitor:
CO
PM2.5
PM10
AQI
the Temtop M100 may be more suitable.
This combination is particularly useful when classroom monitoring needs to continue during haze periods.
Recommended Solution for Smart Multi-Parameter Monitoring
Temtop M10
For users interested in:
CO
PM2.5
VOC
Temperature
Humidity
App-connected monitoring
the Temtop M10 provides a broader smart IAQ approach.
What About Professional IAQ Assessments?
Routine classroom CO monitoring should not automatically be treated as a complete professional Indoor Air Quality assessment.
A broader IAQ investigation may require additional parameters, equipment and methodology.
For multi-parameter environmental screening, the Temtop M2000 2nd may be considered where measurements such as:
CO
PM2.5
PM10
HCHO
Temperature
Humidity
are required.
Professional or regulatory assessments should follow the applicable Malaysian requirements and appropriate assessment methodology.
A Simple Classroom Monitoring Record
Schools can maintain a basic record such as:
TimeOccupantsCOTemperatureHumidityNotesBefore class0RecordRecordRecordBaselineStart of classRecordRecordRecordRecordLesson beginsMid-classRecordRecordRecordRecordNormal occupancyEnd of classRecordRecordRecordRecordBefore students leaveAfter class0RecordRecordRecordRecovery period
Using a consistent record makes comparisons easier.
Common Classroom CO Monitoring Mistakes
Taking Only One Reading
One measurement provides limited information.
Ignoring Occupancy
CO readings should be interpreted together with the number of people in the room.
Comparing Different Rooms Without Context
Room size, ventilation and occupancy may differ.
Treating CO as a Complete IAQ Measurement
CO is only one environmental parameter.
Assuming CO Measures Haze
It does not.
PM2.5 and PM10 require particulate monitoring.
From One Classroom to a School IAQ Programme
A school can gradually develop its monitoring programme:
Start with classroom CO
↓
Compare several classrooms
↓
Add PM2.5 / PM10 during haze
↓
Assess VOC / HCHO where necessary
↓
Conduct broader IAQ assessments
↓
Consider continuous monitoring for larger facilities
This allows schools to develop environmental monitoring according to actual requirements.
Which Temtop Monitor Should a School Choose?
RequirementSuggested Temtop ModelCO + Temperature + HumidityC10 2ndSmart App + CO + PM2.5 + VOCM10CO + PM2.5 + PM10 + AQIM100Professional Multi-Parameter IAQM2000 2ndTVOC + HCHO ScreeningLKC-1000S+ 2nd
There is no single best monitor for every classroom.
The correct choice depends on the environmental question the school wants to answer.
Why Choose MTM Precision?
MTM Precision Sdn. Bhd. supplies indoor air quality instruments and environmental monitoring solutions for schools and educational facilities throughout Malaysia.
We support applications involving:
Classroom CO monitoring
School ventilation monitoring
PM2.5 and PM10 monitoring
Haze monitoring
Smart IAQ monitoring
Post-renovation screening
Professional IAQ assessment
Continuous environmental monitoring requirements
Our team can help educational institutions select the appropriate monitoring solution according to the required parameters and monitoring objectives.
Contact MTM Precision
MTM Precision Sdn. Bhd.
Showroom & Service Centre
No. 29-1 & 29-2, Jalan Bandar 18,
Pusat Bandar Puchong,
47160 Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia
🌐 Website: www.mtmpre.com.my
📧 Email: mtmpre@yahoo.com
📱 WhatsApp: +6016-660 7346
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10 Aug 2026
