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What Can We Expect From Our Elected Officials?

Yes, the election is over. Yes, President Obama won a second term. And the face of Congress remains pretty much the same. So what will change? What can change or is possible? What can we expect in the next seven weeks during the lame-duck Congress, in the

Save Your Energy

Buildings with integrated and automated building control systems do use less energy. With a commissioning protocol, you can save even more. You can cut energy use further, while using less labor.

A Must See

Take Your Seats

Tucked into an 18th century paper mill on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, AIM Academy is a learning environment that stimulates creativity and guides signature strengths among its students, all of whom have learning differences. In desi

Design on a Dime

Notorious for their shoestring budgets, public schools have learned how to make every element of their space function in more ways than one. Here are 10 tips for making your design budget stretch twice as far.

Support Your Support Services!

During difficult budget times, it is easy to make your first reductions to support services. Not only is that the wrong approach, it can be devastating in the long run. While we have not been able to invest much in major maintenance over the last few year

Trends in School Restrooms

Going green is not the first thought that generally comes to mind in thinking about trends in school restroom fixtures and design. However, it turns out that ecological and budgetary concerns are now being mutually explored. Better sanitation, increased e

The Envelope, Please

The envelope, through the skillful design and construction of walls, windows, clerestories, skylights, ceilings and other components, can contribute heat, coolness, natural light, acoustical performance and aesthetics to the learning environment. What con

At the Brink of a Budgetary and Economic Crisis: Will the Lame Duck Congress Address It or Pass the Buck?

The 112th Congress faces several very critical issues when it returns for the lame duck session. From the perspective of most people, it must address several of these issues. Of the utmost importance is addressing sequestration and the pending fiscal clif

In Compliance?

Before installing access control hardware, ensure that your proposed products are acceptable for the applicable use group and that all code requirements are met. Doors with access control must not obstruct egress routes or negatively impact fire barriers.

Unlock Learning

ROI for Public Colleges and Universities: Graduates

States need more college graduates for in-state employers, and public colleges and universities need more public funding. Evaluating these two problems side by side has led governors and state education officials to implement a 30-year-old idea called per

Enter the Competitive Bid Contract

he times they are a-changin'– six words from a Bob Dylan song seem to wrap up the past decade of procurement. In the beginning, an IFB (invitation for bid) or RFP (request for proposal) was created for everything that our schools needed. We toiled o

A New Era for Green Procurement

Sustainable procurement work has never been more exciting. New data, science, and processes are coming together with years of on-the-ground experience to create a new paradigm. A higher education pilot project is laying the groundwork for a sustainable pr

New Schools Improve Student Performance

School districts can improve student performance by reducing overcrowding, building new facilities and bringing in higher qualified teachers. Any one of the three techniques will work. Used together, the results can be spectacular in elementary schools an

Select Print

Purchasing printers and copiers can be a really daunting task. Buyers can find the entire process in obtaining the peripherals to be a challenge. Plus, how does a university, which is already working with limited funds, acquire the print technology it nee

Flexibility in Learning Spaces

PBK recently completed the new classroom building and conference center at Collin College's Preston Ridge Campus. "If I could use one word to describe the Preston Ridge project, it's 'flexibility,'" says Whittingstall.

Setting the Course for a Leading School of Education: Meeting the Challenge of Training Teachers

It is easy for college faculty to glide into a comfort level posture where "change" becomes a bad word. Therefore, it becomes incumbent upon the dean to continuously challenge faculty to become actively involved in reviewing and revising existin

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