COVID-19 has improved awareness of the importance of appropriate indoor air quality (IAQ) in indoor spaces, particularly in classrooms where children are expected to learn. Research has shown that poor IAQ and temperature levels affect the cognitive performance of children. In this paper, we critically compare IAQ standards for New Zealand’s Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS Document) against international benchmarks from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, including ASHRAE 62.1, CIBSE TM57, EN-15251, WHO AQGs, and Building Bulletins 99 and 101. The aim was to ascertain the robustness of New Zealand’s DQLS document, identify areas of superiority, and recommend the required improvement for appropriate IAQ and thermal comfort in classrooms. This comparison review focuses on IAQ parameters: CO₂ levels, temperature, ventilation rates, room size, occupant density, and occupancy rates. The findings illuminate a slight lag in New Zealand’s DQLS standards compared to her international counterparts. For instance, while New Zealand’s standards align closely with WHO standards for IAQ concerning temperature and ventilation rates, the recommended CO₂ range appears slightly inadequate (800 to 2000 ppm) along with occupancy and classroom size for effectively controlling classroom pollutant growth. This paper emphasises the need to align New Zealand’s IAQ and thermal comfort standards with optimal OECD benchmarks. The identified disparities present opportunities for improving learning spaces in terms of CO₂ concentration, size of classroom, and occupant density in schools in New Zealand to meet globally recognised standards, ultimately creating a healthier and more conducive learning environment.

Indoor environmental quality profoundly impacts student learning outcomes and teacher effectiveness, particularly in primary education, where children spend most of their developmental years. The study compares the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS) version 2.0 for primary school classrooms with international standards set by OECD countries to develop IAQ and thermal comfort best practices in New Zealand across six climate zones. The research evaluates indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort factors affecting students’ and teachers’ health and performance. Using Ladybug and Honeybee plugin tools in Grasshopper with Energy Plus, integrated into Rhino 7 software, the study employed advanced building optimisation methods, using multi-criteria optimisation and parametric modelling. This approach enabled a comprehensive analysis of building envelope parameters for historical classroom designs, the Avalon block (constructed between 1955 and 2000). Optimise window-to-wall ratios, ceiling heights, window placement, insulation values (R-values), clothing insulation (Clo), and window opening schedules. Our findings demonstrate that strategic modifications to the building envelope can significantly improve occupant comfort and energy performance. Specifically, increasing ceiling height by 0.8 m, raising windows by 0.3 m vertically, and reducing the window-to-wall ratio to 25% created optimal conditions across multiple performance criteria. These targeted adjustments improved adaptive thermal comfort, ventilation, carbon dioxide, and energy efficiency while maintaining local and international standards. The implications of the findings extend beyond the studied classrooms, offering evidence-based strategies for overall design and building performance guidelines in educational facilities. This research demonstrates the efficacy of applying computational design optimisation during early design phases, providing policymakers and architects with practical solutions that could inform future revisions of New Zealand’s school design standards and align them more closely with international best practices for educational environments.