Components and Materials


Sound Design

Sound Design

The Berklee College of Music's 160 Massachusetts Avenue recording education complex is designed for next-generation music pedagogy.

Lighting

The Lighting Master Plan

Lighting and controls technology change fast. Does that mean your school must constantly update its lighting master plans? Two experts discuss the options.

Noise Control

Controlling Noise and Increasing the Voice

The materials used for walls, ceilings and even furnishings have a considerable impact on classroom acoustics. Here’s what the experts say about it.

Walls and Ceilings

Walls and Ceilings: What's Beneath the Surface?

More than just pretty faces, walls and ceilings must be carefully designed in order to create functional, safe and efficient interiors.

visual communication

Seeing is Communicating

Leveraging visual communications to inform, protect and collaborate across the campus.

Intelligent Buildings: At What Cost?

Intelligent buildings are the future but they don’t come cheap. Life-cycle costing can help justify the expense, so why aren't more schools doing it?

Do Buildings Matter?

EKU has seen enrollment growth since opening their New Science Building.

School Building Costs

How to Cut the Cost of Your New School Building

It's anti-intuitive, but raising the initial cost of a new school or other capital purchase can reduce total cost of ownership.

The Perfect Floor

Selecting and installing the ideal flooring for any given campus environment involves the consideration of a host of options, from cost to color, materials and maintenance, and more.

School Flooring

So Many Factors, So Many Options

A few things to consider when selecting new flooring.

School Art Murals Signage

Building Art

Using signage and graphics to unify the look and identity of an institution and its campus.

Thinking Outside the Box

What if we could design and build lower-maintenance facilities?

Sustainable Concrete

Solid and Sustainable

Concrete can be a key element in a strong, sustainable and attractive building envelope.

Campus signage

Reading the Signs

Campus signage offers branding and wayfinding potential. Your signage program, however, must keep in step with the times to be effective for all users.

Energy & HVAC

Too Hot, Too Cold, Too Expensive: Energy & HVAC

Designing a new K-4 school that is comfortable for young occupants and easy to operate and maintain.

California Building Codes

California Coding

A slew of new California building codes came on line this summer. What does this mean for the Golden State and the rest of the country?

Building Envelope

The Building Envelope: A Guide To Determining Problems

When you know what's wrong with a building envelope, you can make repairs and once again have a facility that is watertight, safe and energy efficient.

Communication Tools

Communication Tools: Meeting Expectations

With effective and timely communication vital to all campus constituents, the right tools must be planned, in place and operating smoothly.

Unintended Consequences

The design and up-fit of educational facilities should be the result of a whole systems approach and not one of designing and installing isolated pieces and parts.

Healthy Carpet Care

Keys to Healthy Carpet Care

Methods to make sure your school's carpeted areas are clean and safe.

Refinishing Floors

Refinishing Floors

The difference between a good floor refinishing job and a bad one.

Ceiling, Walls and Floors Maintenance

On the Surface

Ceilings, walls and floors present challenges that can be met with planning and maintenance and without breaking the budget.

Digital Edition