Colleges and universities now have a new way to help mitigate the amount of methane gas entering the atmosphere and earn carbon offset credits that can be sold on the carbon market, generating revenue. The Climate Action Reserve recently released the Orga
The largest hurdle for colleges is to get the student population to provide their cell phone numbers in order to receive first-hand alerts. Without access, security officials must rely on individuals to forward messages or multiple systems that come at a
From the point of view of sustainable practice, a campus is a group of buildings and a landscape that operate together. When we connect sustainability to the idea of campus planning, it is essential that we look at the broader picture; not only at the imp
Although LED (light-emitting diode) lighting technology has advanced rapidly through the past decade, it has not become a practical alternative for general ambient lighting until this year. Universities are now using LED overhead lighting virtually anywhe
Administrators at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), a private university with 11,396 full-time students, are committed to campus sustainability. At the same time, they struggle with an issue that plagues many administrators across the country: a
As your school year ends it would be a good time to look at your fire losses, and look at not only what types of training need to take place to reduce the risk of these fires happening again, but to also look at what went right as far as training and buil
Universities and medical institutions can either be enhanced or compromised by their surroundings. A successful larger community provides the institution with a healthy, safe, and attractive context, helping to improve the campus's own environment, securi
Administrators and facility managers recognize the impact substandard conditions can have on student, faculty, and staff health and performance. Dozens of studies have found links between student performance and such indoor environmental factors as temper
In newspapers this past week were a number of interesting (and troubling) articles on the growth or demise of higher education as we know it. One of the articles that caught my attention was asking the question, "Is higher education
Interactive whiteboards are a pretty impressive piece of technology. More than just a dry-erase surface, the board works like a computer screen that runs all the latest software while allowing Internet access. Teachers write on the screen via a virtual ke
Technology has changed the way students expect to receive and share information. Just as it has revolutionized social communication, technology is flooding the world of education. While instructors may misjudge students' digital competency in the cla
While campus mail services are designed to process incoming and outgoing mail, there are many ways in which this is accomplished. Since no single system is the best, the question then becomes: What makes for a department that successfully serves students,
Apps are perhaps best known from smartphones such as the iPhone, but they now exist on nearly every active digital device we use, from wristwatches to cars. Clearly, application software has been around a long time. But the new generation of apps is funda
Recognizing a paradigm shift, colleges and universities across the continent are undergoing revitalization to achieve an "interprofessional education," or IPE, learning model and are creating the new physical space to accommodate it. In the IPE
The most visually arresting, modern, and up-to-date design won't succeed if occupants can't hear over all of the bells and whistles. How can schools create cafeterias and other social spaces to shout about, not over?
With multiple projects on tight, firm deadlines, it was essential for the designers, construction managers, sub-contractors, and engineers to function as a seamless team working from the same playbook. The only way to achieve this cohesion for Lewis Unive
There are often occasions where one discipline can learn valuable concepts from another discipline. For example, campus leaders can learn a great deal about decision making under pressure from public safety and emergency professionals. Law enforcement off
Introduced into the House on April 22, HR 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, is an attempt to concentrate federal resources to establish revise, and extend specified STEM programs and engineering, research, and training programs according
In reviewing this year's Living on Campus survey, I was quite frankly surprised at the number of comments we received on student behavior -- ranging from alcohol use to lack of personal responsibility. This topic has come up before, but this year it seeme
Maintaining and upgrading your fire alarm systems can become a frustrating battle, especially if you have fire alarm systems equipment from different manufacturers installed in various buildings on your campus. You can implement a strategic plan to mainta
An innovative re-use of material destined for the landfill wooden bleachers is just one aspect of sustainable initiatives underway at Vermont's Johnson State College.
The LEED-Gold certified renovation of Oregon State University's (OSU) Kearney Hall demonstrates how to successfully balance history and sustainability within a modern learning environment designed so that the building itself becomes a teaching tool.
As part of its campus-wide sustainability initiatives, Luther College brings vermicomposting to residence halls.
Green cleaning for hard surfaces has progressed on a continuum from reducing toxic chemistries to eliminating them wherever possible. Now technology and cleaning science have helped us to return to the most essential of cleaners and solvents water
From energy economics and sustainable building designs to water conservation and biofuels made from algae, sharply higher numbers of UC San Diego undergraduates are opting for majors and minors, classes, internships, and research projects that emphasize e
In the wake of the tragic event at Virginia Tech, there have been significant changes at the University, as well as other institutions of higher learning, and also within the architecture profession. Among the lessons of the Virginia Tech tragedy, archite
Mercy College recently announced a notable expansion in enrollment for the 2009-2010 academic year, as its total number of quality students approaches 10,000. Deirdre Whitman, vice president of enrollment management, cited a number of reasons for this gro
Numerous studies have indeed shown that, under some circumstances, a building's air conditioning-related energy consumption can be reduced through the use of reflective roofing. These studies, along with some overly enthusiastic marketing efforts, ha
The pursuit of energy efficiency and sustainability is a major focus in the U.S. today, influencing our choice of everything from automobiles to windows to the foods we eat. The higher education community is immersed in this drive toward environmental res
Through the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) network, more than 675 institutions have come together to provide leadership-by-example for other sectors by pledging to take immediate actions, create longer-term
Aware students are secure students. Is your campus doing enough to encourage and empower student safety groups? And can there be too much of a good thing?
Fire safety programs have seen dramatic changes during the last year because of budgets. Fewer people, the same amount of work, and in most cases, more work, were comments heard from attendees from all geographic regions. All were optimistic that they wou
There's a quiet revolution occurring within information technology departments on some college campuses. They are taking notice of the energy used to power desktops and data centers and they are starting to make adjustments to shift the burden.
Stetson University has developed a new learning and teaching environment in the form of an organic garden that has taken root on the grounds of the University's Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Environmental Learning Center (RELC), located adjacent to th
For those of you who are doubters green is here to stay! Not only is the movement gaining steam on campuses across the country, it's also gaining steam in American homes as well.
As interest in green building grows, hardwoods have also become desirable for their ability to contribute to sustainable design. Wood products are a natural and renewable material that can store more atmospheric carbon throughout their useful lives than i
As with safety efforts in many other settings, higher-education safety officials must compete with the busy schedules of students and staff in order to find time to provide training, practice, and to disseminate information. Few higher-education organizat
Generally, the choice to "reuse" will include the decision to renovate a significant portion of the existing facility to accommodate the new program. When evaluating "reuse" versus "build new," it is important to consider the
The design of residence halls has changed significantly through the years, and perhaps no element has undergone a more involved evolution than its furniture. Pieces found in residence halls today are more home-like than what was used years ago. Requiremen
In July of last year, while we were in the grips of the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, President Obama announced plans for the American Graduation Initiative (AGI). This landmark proposal promises to provide unprecedented federa