Do more and do it with less. Manage more data and do it efficiently. Reduce waste to be more environmentally friendly without sacrificing quality. These are only a few of the challenges facing college and university administrators and staff. Enter the mul
In the past, education has been a bipartisan issue and people found a way to come to agreement on legislation. It is not clear that this will be the case in the 112th Congress with the Democrats in the majority in the Senate, the Republicans holding the m
Because we are so accustomed to hearing people engage in the art of exaggeration, we often don't worry when someone relates a minor disappointment and refers to it as a "complete and total disaster." Where school disaster planning and prepa
In the next few years, the work of the governors, our K-12 school systems and our institutions of higher education will be a challenge. Funding may be limited, but not American ingenuity or our desire to once again be number one in education.
A maintenance checklist for K-12 areas.
Flooring maintenance programs are often pushed to the back burner when school budgets and manpower are stretched. However, that decision could stress tight budgets and janitorial schedules even more because of premature floor failure and the need for repl
Cleveland High School (CHS) in Rio Rancho, N.M., opened in the fall of 2009 accommodating 2,350 students in grades nine through 12, with 410,848 gross square feet, and at a construction cost of $120,073,346. Oh, it also includes 675 room signs, app
Whether your campus is small and intimate or large and sprawling, visitors require a signage system to find their way around. A campus wayfinding system must strike a precarious balance between being effective, accessible, correct, current, complementary,
An increasing number of our buildings and systems have reached or outlived their projected life expectancies. We have long been crying that we need more dollars to deal with the exponentially growing backlog of capital needs, whether upgrades or renewals.
K-12 schools across the country can cut electricity bills dramatically by retrofitting with energy efficient fluorescent lamps, adding occupancy sensors and implementing daylighting strategies where possible. In some schools, emerging LED technology can c
sing Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, our approach is to find out why the pest is present. All the pesticide in the world can't prevent pest problems pesticides just treat the symptoms. While IPM is not anti-pesticide effective pestic
The Lean process has typically been utilized in the private sector to improve the bottom line, but maintenance organizations can also benefit from using it as a mechanism for change. Last year, a project was undertaken in the Virginia Beach City Schools S
Colleges house EOCs in campus police or public safety buildings, a classroom or training facility, physical plant management building, or elsewhere. Campuses typically set criteria for activating EOCs, designate alternate sites, and coordinate response po
With the development of new, better and more holistic teaching methods, the design of the learning spaces has become increasingly more important. The need for specialty spaces has created the opportunity for some very creative and effective spaces in a nu
As part of College Planning & Management's recent maintenance survey we asked the question, "What is the one best piece of advice you would give to other maintenance professionals to assist them in doing their job?" After all, who knows
If your department has a plan, this is a reminder to dust it off and ask staff what they think their roles are. If they hesitate or simply don't know, take the time to start a review. Start off small; break the review process down into small monthly
Hand-held activated water spray devices are becoming popular in schools because they offer chemical-free, water-based, renewable cleaning along with sanitizing properties, while greatly reducing harmful environmental impacts. The technology is receiving e
After experiencing 33 years of equipment and product evolution in the school industry, it is exciting to be in the front row of change in cleaning procedures. Smart cleaning, by its very nature, incorporates the new user-friendly equipment with environmen
Limited state funds are available for education. The dropout/non-completion rate is soaring. The current workforce is retiring and by 2018 two-thirds of jobs will require a higher level of education. The American education system, once touted as producing
You do not have to "put up with" ongoing pest problems. It's not rocket science. We've solved literally thousands of pest problems for good by using common sense to remove food, water and/or shelter, all three of which are required for
Title I funds are supplemental funds designated to assist in educating disadvantaged and low-income students. A majority of the funds go to students in first through sixth grade, and they are supposed to be supplemental assistance, meaning the funds do no