Does warm, friendly and exciting interior design make pre-K through 12 schools more effective learning and teaching spaces? We asked this question of design professionals at three architectural firms that specialize in pre-K through 12 schools. Following
- By Michael Fickes
- 05/01/12
- By Michael Fickes
- 05/01/12
Understanding the sources of indoor environmental contaminants and controlling them during construction through thoughtful IEQ details prevents or resolves building-related symptoms and health conditions. Translation: It results in better attendance, prod
Granting and instilling permission to live for staff faced with an immediate life-or-death crisis situation is relatively easy compared with many things that schools currently do to prepare for crisis situations. It also happens to be a life-or-death matt
School crises can happen to any school at any given time. In fact, minor crises do occur frequently in most schools. It is impossible to describe every possible crisis that could occur and to prescribe a specific plan to deal with it. aving well-thought-o
Today, it seems, many people, especially my favorite targets, congressmen, governors and politicians of all stripes who insist they know how to make education better, have made teachers the target of their attack. Some may truly believe that poor teachers
The trend that students are attending college later in life while having families and working full-time influences pedagogy, curriculum, and building design. To attract new students and keep up with competition, higher education institutions will need to
Much of the stigma associated with alternative education can be traced back to the quality of the educational facilities. Often, these programs are housed within traditional middle school or high school campuses. The tenant-like nature of this relationshi
- By Nathanial Jones, William Payne
- 05/01/12
The interior environment of a residence hall influences everything from sleep and wellness to social connections and whether students build community. When your reality surrounding residential life is, "What can we afford?" consider these four i
- By Treanor Architects
- 05/01/12
Distance learning allows students to take classes online from instructors employed by their university either as tenured faculty or adjunct professors. The instructors set the curriculum and assign readings and assignments. Then they, or their TAs, grade
Step inside a K-12 classroom in many school districts in the U.S. today and the differences are truly jaw dropping. Some might even feel as if, like Alice, they have fallen down the proverbial rabbit hole into another world. Today's teachers are now
With the LEED for Schools program clarifying requirements, school districts are successfully climbing the certification ladder. For many, incorporating innovative design features, such as Turntable Divisible Auditoriums (TDAs) are just the ticket. By util
When California State University, Fullerton flipped the switch early this year on its latest solar installation, a crowd of industry and utility representatives joined University officials on a rooftop, alongside massive solar panels and electric vehicle
If the higher education sustainability movement were a song, it would sound something like Tina Turner's rendition of the John Fogerty classic, "Proud Mary." In past years, the movement has been defined by successes on single campuses, much like
With building owners seeking to reduce energy use in every square inch of a facility, commissioning is more important than ever. Commissioning can improve a building's operations and is a requirement in the LEED Green Building certification process.
- By Scott Weaver, Richard Miller
- 04/01/12
Something is growing on the campus of Messiah College in Grantham, PA. They can stand more than eight feet tall, will triple in number this year, and are poised to have a huge impact on campus. What are they? Sunflowers.
Arizona State University's GK-12 Sustainability Science for Sustainable Schools program, a project funded by the National Science Foundation, furthers sustainability across high schools in the Phoenix metro area by engaging high school students in ST
- By Sarat Pratapchandran
- 04/01/12
Judging building performance requires evaluation of the impact the building has upon people, our planet, and profit for the owner. These three factors constitute the triple bottom line and define the metrics by which building performance can be measured a
Five new state-funded facilities including a green construction and 
transportation academy and a Hollywood-class arts and design academy 
are transforming South Tahoe High School into a career tech haven.
- By James Kisel, Richard Miller
- 04/01/12
When the Boerne ISD (Texas) School Board hired the design team of OCO Architects and Pfluger Associates to design new schools and renovate existing schools for a $99-million bond issue in 2004, it came with the charge to do whatever could be done to const
Global Village was designed to ease cramped space on the growing campus while keeping higher standards for sustainability in mind. The Village consists of multiple buildings surrounding a central, protected courtyard, which serves as a social hub and prom