A more recent hot topic in the campus security is "integration." Integration seeks to bridge the gap between fire safety and security. Integration attempts to address years of the disconnected accumulation of products. Integration also holds the
Gone are the days when merely specifying insulating glass was enough to satisfy a demand for energy-efficient windows and glass-paneled doors. Now, with green building and LEED leading the way, knowledge of glazing, coatings, and framing options is essent
Escalating energy bills are a major factor contributing to the shrinking amount of money available to be put toward the education system. Boilers consume large amounts of fuel for indoor climate control and domestic hot water. With one-third of a college&
Floor covering in schools continues to generate discussion as to what may be best suited for students susceptible to respiratory challenges. Recognizing the trend toward dwindling budgets being allocated to school maintenance and operations, floor coverin
If you spend a few minutes observing the advertisements in any of today's media forums, you'll surely witness the touting of a product being new and better. But is new always better? When it comes to aging windows, new replacements don't al
Planning, designing, and constructing a new school are formidable tasks. Garnering the necessary support to fund these projects may be an even bigger task. What can districts do to improve their chances of success? Make sure that ALL stakeholders are invo
Students regularly come to school on Mondays following a weekend, or Tuesdays after a national holiday, or any day of the week when a winter, spring, or summer vacation ends. We concentrate on the first day of school with fervor, programs, and excitement.
It's a dilemma many campuses struggle with: exactly what do you do with the old furniture? Institutions like Georgetown University, the University of San Diego, the University of California system, and Stanford University, to name a few, have turned
College administrators are putting an increased emphasis on improving their ability to communicate with students, staff, and visitors quickly and effectively. It's no wonder academic institutions across the country large and small are o
The idea of using natural landscaping has been evolving in the corporate and even college campus development industries for the last five to 10 years as companies and institutions have discovered that a native landscape can be attractive while also reinfo
As technology becomes more important in K-12 education, you're not only planning for the needs of today, but also trying to predict the needs of tomorrow. The days are long gone when "technology in the schools" meant a few computers in the
About 30 years ago a new lighting technology became available without much fanfare, but it only gained popularity after being reintroduced in the 1990s. With induction lighting's obvious benefits of a long lifespan and little-to-no maintenance, are c
Next time you look around your campus kitchens, take a special glance at your appliances. Your foodservice appliances are big-ticket items. These expensive implements make your staff's lives easier and your foodservices run smoothly. What does it tak
When David Warren moved to Delaware, OH, to start his tenure as president of Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) in the 1980s, he had a slight problem: The president's house would not be ready for occupancy for several months. But instead of moving into a
Read any admissions' brochure or attend an event at a college or university, and you'll likely learn about its link to the community. Many campus grounds are easily accessed; fences are low or nonexistent, there are few security checkpoints, and
Periodic incidents remind us how important school access control is. Are your schools ready for a visit by an individual who intends harm? Meaningful access control is within reach for any K-12 school, though it is more difficult for some schools than fo
Lighting renovations are usually part of an overhaul of a school district's overall energy profile. While the savings available from lighting retrofits is generally small, the payback is fast, usually six to 10 years. By comparison, new energy-effici
True or false? To be officially certified, an arboretum must include a minimum of 250 different species of trees on a minimum of 50 acres. False. The truth of the matter is that there is no official arboretum-certifying body any outdoor space can b
There is no question that the current gas crisis of 2008 will also have an effect on the economy, school budgets, operations, and design. If I had one wish, it would be that we learned from our past. Hopefully, this time we will do more than come up with
The perils and pitfalls of the search process could consume an entire volume, but based upon our experience as both candidates and search consultants, there are three common junctures at which the process often becomes derailed.
Election season is in full swing, with party conventions around the corner and nightly news analysis of the candidates' talking points. While being an informed voter is easier than before with instant access to information through the Internet, often