The economic news for many public school districts has not been good lately; fewer dollars must be spread further across districts. Increasingly, support for public schools comes from outside, nonprofit education assistance organizations who provide a num
The current spate of school closures raises a number of issues, most of which reflect uncertainties that complicate the task of district leadership who must decide if shuttering facilities is the right way to address a hopefully temporary budget challenge
In tough economic times, colleges and universities are finding creative revenue solutions. Colorado State University recently signed two corporate partnerships that go beyond traditional corporate sponsorships normally inked with universities (think spons
Fritz Edelstein compiles education news of note from the Department of Education, the Hill, and other sources.
The energy cost savings and performance contracting achieved by the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences allowed the University of Rhode Island to direct funds that would be spent normally on energy bills and maintenance costs into investments withi
Fritz Edelstein compiles education news of note from the Department of Education, the Hill and other sources.
People take little things for granted; a light will turn on when you hit the switch, a sink will drain after you pull the plug, and fields will be groomed and ready for action. Of course it takes a team of technicians to keep your campus up and running. T
Because they rely so much on technology, all college and university facilities directors, fire and life-safety managers, and police and security officers have the same nightmare: something bad happens and the technology fails to perform, allowing disaster
With its many attributes, including sustainability, long-term cost savings, durability, aesthetics, design flexibility, price, and more, metal makes an obvious option for higher education new construction or retrofit projects.
While a new facility may be the most large-scale way to bring a school completely up to date, many districts simply do not have the budget. Renovations may seem overwhelming at first, but by focusing on the building envelope, districts can make simple, st
With the influx of federal monies from the Recovery Act coming to an end, state budgets providing limited support to schools and districts still being strapped for cash, a number of new ideas to reduce costs are being considered some new, some old,
What are the trends for 2011 in regard to digital signage, and how is this technology used for emergencies, wayfinding, entertainment, and more? This article will answer those questions and provide some insight into what may be coming in the next few year
Traditionally associated with healthcare architecture, evidence-based design (EBD) is making inroads into being part of the process for designing schools, office spaces, hotels, restaurants, museums, prisons, and even residences. In short, EBD is when dec
There is no question that having a good education has a profound and positive impact on the individual student, the community, the labor market, the economy, and the country. Not having an adequate education increases unemployment rates and decreases earn
According to the Higher Education Employment Report for the first quarter of 2011 from HigherEdJobs, "The number of jobs in higher education grew 3.3 percent during the first quarter of 2011." This is the fastest growth in higher-ed jobs since 2
When concrete is used as the primary building material for a school, the traditional method has been concrete masonry blocks of concrete stacked together with mortar, sometimes reinforced and grouted for added strength. But there are also a number
Over the past decade we have learned a great deal from the relatively small number of campus employees who properly detect our presence while conducting these types of assessments. Consistently, we find that the people who report us to security and police
Replacing unsustainable energy sources with clean wind collection will reduce UNT's carbon emissions, as well as energy costs. Ultimately, the turbines will help UNT meet its goal of becoming a carbon-neutral institution by producing clean, renewable elec
In general, schools need to have at least three kinds of spaces classrooms, group collaboration spaces and commons spaces. The key to furnishing these spaces is to determine the instructional activity first, and then design the room layout and furn
Now is a great time to perform a facilities checkup. This is not so much a full facility audit per se, but more of a systems or functions check. The intended outcome here is exactly the same as when a person goes to the doctor for a physical to make sure
Mass notification for parents has become an absolute necessity in K-12 schools. When a serious emergency strikes, reports quickly appear on television and the Internet based on the best available information. If you have paid attention to media reporting