Following this month's release of College Planning & Management's 2009 Annual College Construction Report, we talked with Avi Lothan, FAIA, principal at DeStefano Partners, a Chicago-based architecture and design firm, about current and futu
Signed by President Obama Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is intended to help with economic recovery. While we continue to receive updates on the ARRA in the form of press releases and through the news abo
In an effort to continue certain traditions, I present the "things I've learned 2008" column. For me, 2008 was quite a robust year in terms of expanding my horizons.
The case for LEED certification is a compelling one. It provides third-party verification that your project has met the requirements of an established green building rating system. This is valuable for many reasons but, certification costs money. For coll
Even districts located in heavy snow zones can be surprised by a sudden snowstorm. The surprise can cause even more of a shock to those located in areas where it doesn't snow much or often. Preparation can keep the confusion and damage to the academi
People often ask "What if?" in training sessions and preparedness planning meetings at colleges, technical colleges, and universities across our great land. If you have experienced this in meetings and safety training sessions on your campus, yo
2008 was quite a roller coaster. From an historic election to a worldwide financial crisis to yet even more technological advances, everyone, including today's students and their parents, has been on a wild ride. How can colleges and universities cop
The definition of transportation demand management (TDM) is rather vanilla: in a nutshell, it's a series or group of techniques intended to decrease parking demand. What about that prompted experts at the Center for Transportation Research at the Uni
Reasons for choosing homeschooling vary, but the main reasons cited in the brief were: the child has a physical or mental health problem; the child has special needs; parent's belief in a non-traditional approach to education; dissatisfaction with ac
This month we talked to Norma G. Kent, vice president for Communications at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Kent discussed the correlation between the recession and community college enrollment and how community colleges can be a pa
2009 heralds the implementation of the much-anticipated evolution of the United States Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system. This overhaul incorporates eight years of user feedback
By the time this issue is in your hand, the nation will have inaugurated its 44th President, Barack Obama. Prior to being sworn into office, he announced that he would implement an economic stimulus package that, among a number of other things, would incl
A school can easily seem like a prison to students, staff, and parents. Improper design, hallway color schemes, poorly designed or implemented access control systems, and even impolite staff can create this resemblance. At the same time, careful planning
While most campus crimes take the form of forcible sex offenses, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts, access control can make a campus safer day-to-day, while helping to protect students, faculty, and staff from tragedy.
Moving toward universal design hasn't been without its challenges, but Pennsylvania's Edinboro University is a leader. Here's a look at the school's history and success in creating space that everyone can use.
A lack of software interoperability can make deploying new technology in a school a challenging task. The School Interoperability Framework Association (SIF Association) addresses the problems of software interoperability through their creation of a stand
All components that make up a school from interior classrooms and hallways to exterior playgrounds and entrances are now built with universal access as a fundamental component of the overall design process, making it easier for all children
For many years, planetariums used the concepts intrinsic in 3D visualization and immersive technology to transport participants throughout our solar system. Today, the latest generation of these captivating systems is being used to a greater degree in col
IP-based access control is fast becoming the technology of choice for schools by enabling their access control system to reside on the existing network.
An eight-year, $260M expansion project that began in 2004 at the San Ramon Valley Unified School District involves renovating many of its 29 existing campuses and building eight new campuses. Besides a major investment in bricks and mortar, the district i
When it comes to restrooms and locker rooms, how you divide people makes a big impact on multiple levels. The maintenance crew's efficiency hangs on how you position the partitions between stalls. And users' comfort hinges on everything from the