While the title has changed from fire drill to emergency evacuation drill, the goal of the drill has not. Drills are held to practice evacuating a building when there is no real threat to life safety so that when there is a threat, building occupants will
The average cost of electricity rose more than 40 percent over the last 10 years, presenting a rising cost for today's schools. As a result, many school districts are exploring ways to improve financial performance by investing in energy-efficient bu
The $787 billion Stimulus Act includes $115 billion for education. As much as $80 billion of that money could pay for technology in K-12 schools. Scheduled for disbursement during this year and next, the ARRA K-12 technology money represents a once-in-a-l
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has stormed into the nation's design and construction world. The Government Services Administration (GSA) requires BIM for government buildings. The Army Corps of Engineers requires BIM for its projects. In July, W
With the increasing disconnection between natural and built environments, students in high performance schools experience how healthy, green building can create a more symbiotic relationship between the natural world and constructed spaces.
Floor care is one of the most expensive tasks a school facility may have. Reducing the frequency of these tasks, while keeping the location healthy, can help lower cleaning costs and stretch budgets significantly. Here are some recommendations from severa
The economy may be causing schools to tighten their belts, but many companies are stepping up to the plate and helping to fill the gap. Over the past few weeks, I've been hearing about a number of exciting projects that have gotten underway, all gear
Your bid/proposal preparation must be made with a view to purchasing the best service for the lowest expenditure of resources. Cheap is not the same as cost effective.
Have you noticed that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), aka the Stimulus Bill, contains no direct grant funding for school construction? While there is substantial construction funding in the form of bond and other programs in the Stimulu
A significant obstacle along the way has been the perceived economic challenges associated with building green. The vast majority of these challenges have been debunked or resolved, but understandably much of the dialogue around the topic of green schools
Next to salaries, energy is often the next-highest expense for educational facilities. To effectively manage this precious resource, it is necessary to understand how and when it is being used throughout the facility. The majority of K-12 schools have onl
Whether through the adoption of better visitor management procedures, such as the credential exchange, or the purchasing of a visitor management software system, effectively protecting students, staff and visitors in our schools depends greatly on improvi
Creating community schools involves more than letting adults use the gym at night. It involves starting the planning of new or remodeled buildings with the question, "what is this school's place in this community?" What are the services the
Recently, growth has slowed and enrollment is declining. With easing pressure to house students, it is time to think long term. It is time to create a vision of what the built educational environment or healthy schools will look like in 20, 40 or 60 years
In the perpetual desire to get more money in the classroom, school officers around the country have looked to contracting out support services to private companies. The idea, taken right out of business books, is that districts need to focus on their core
Evaluating school safety and crisis plans almost every week, one cannot help but note certain patterns. One concern I have found in hundreds of these plans over the years is the use of language that could be interpreted as a promise to provide a level of
I have been fortunate enough to sit on a number of architectural juries in the past few years. I have always enjoyed reviewing the projects and seeing what was new, but it wasn't until the last year or so that I really began to see schools where the
Starting in October, K-12 schools will play a major role in immunizing Americans against swine flu, also known as the H1N1 virus, which will make a return visit to the northern hemisphere this winter. We explore how to prepare staff, facilities and commun
Using key elements in the design of music therapy rooms will create bright, lively and inviting spaces for our children to continue on a positive path of growth and development. It is well known that music therapy rooms affect and change the lives of indi
Enhanced amplification is be a learning boon to all students, whether they have special needs or not. As companies have created new offerings over the years, the improved technology has also often resulted in greater ease of use and lower cost. It has als