While colleges and universities implement improved building design concepts, top-flight security camera systems, and truly amazing access control technologies, it is equally important to improve the awareness of students as a means to create the human sup
Despite numerous federal, state, and local codes requiring routine testing and documentation NFPA 101, International Fire Code, and International Building Code to name a few mandated testing of emergency lighting units remains a "hit or
To reduce cyber bullying, multiple strategies must be employed. The collective efforts of staff, students, and parents are needed to protect all children. In addition, educators and parents need to teach students the pro-social behaviors they will need th
- By Michael Dreiblatt
- 05/01/09
As Web 2.0 tools grow in popularity among school-age children, the inevitable step for schools is to incorporate the collaborative technology into the learning environment. A study conducted by the Consortium for School School Networking (CoSN), released
- By Christine Beitenhaus
- 05/01/09
For a wide portion of the country, hail presents an additional weather challenge, one that can be extremely costly. Hail damage to roof assemblies within the United States and worldwide results in millions of dollars of economic loss each year.
- By Tom Hutchinson, Jim D. Koontz
- 05/01/09
In today's market, the cost of adding a sloped metal roof system over an existing roof is, in most cases, less than the cost of removing a flat roof, placing the removed materials in a landfill, and replacing it with a built-up roofing (BUR) or modif
Tests show how certain roofs hold up to hail storms.
- By Tom Hutchinson, Jim D. Koontz
- 05/01/09
Some say that interactive Websites aimed at the college crowd have crossed a line but just who isn't lying awake at night fretting this may startle you.
- By Julie Sturgeon
- 05/01/09
Many of our schools were better prepared for this possible pandemic, their emergency plans having been dusted off after the threat of the avian (bird) flu and SARS a few years back. . Given the human tendency to look on the bright side, my guess is that m
The Pell Grant program, originated in 1965, is seeing some changes lately. It received a boost in funding from the ARRA, and could see more changes with the proposed 2010 budget. Increasing the maximum grant awarded will help open up access to post-second
- By Christine Beitenhaus
- 05/01/09
School facilities managers and maintenance staff have the difficult task of balancing the relationship of use, maintenance, quality, and budget. Safety concerns, vandalism, age of the development, user complaints, poor visual appearance, and lack of maint
Despite numerous federal, state, and local codes requiring routine testing and documentation NFPA 101, International Fire Code, and International Building Code to name a few mandated testing of emergency lighting units remains a "hit or
Since children spend most of their time in schools, daycare facilities, or at home, it is important to reduce their exposure to environmental pollutants as much as possible. Statistics show children receive the majority of their chemical exposure indoors
- By Henning Bloech
- 05/01/09
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in St. Peter, MN. In an integrated and conscious effort to promote sustainable efforts, choices such as reusable to-go containers, high-efficiency wa
- By Tom Lany, Charles Owens
- 04/01/09
With the green movement gaining momentum, it is still a surprise to some at just how few districts have stepped up and committed to green resolutions for their schools. In Orange County (CA), slices of green can be found within several districts. At Brea
Building Green and educational environments for special-needs students.
- By Cathy Purple Cherry
- 04/01/09
A survey published in a recent issue of USA Today asked average Americans how likely they were to shop for environmentally responsible products during the economic downturn. The answer surprised me. Thirty-four percent were more likely to, and only eight
The National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) recently released Learning Teams: Creating What's Next, a report detailing an impending wave of teacher retirements and new solutions to address the supply of teachers in our natio
- By Christine Beitenhaus
- 04/01/09
Administrators committed to ensuring their campuses and surrounding communities are safe are also looking to align with contract security partners who want to provide security solutions with sustainability in mind. I lead the Higher Education division of
- By Glenn Rosenberg
- 04/01/09
Why should school districts worry about today's down economy? After all, the vast majority of their income comes from state legislatures and local property taxes, with some additional funding from the federal government.
School business officials sh
- By Jeffrey Horner
- 04/01/09
Youngstown State University (YSU), located in northeastern Ohio, encompasses approximately 4M sq. ft. Approximately 2M sq. ft. of the gross square footage is occupied as usable space. In 2006, YSU entered into a Performance Contract (PC) with a building e