Gone are the days of independent study with a stack of books and a librarian who glares if you sneeze and hushes if you read out loud to yourself. Those days have been replaced with both small- and large-group collaboration and research from both books an
Periodic incidents remind us how important school access control is. Are your schools ready for a visit by an individual who intends harm? Meaningful access control is within reach for any K-12 school, though it is more difficult for some schools than fo
Lighting renovations are usually part of an overhaul of a school district's overall energy profile. While the savings available from lighting retrofits is generally small, the payback is fast, usually six to 10 years. By comparison, new energy-effici
Students regularly come to school on Mondays following a weekend, or Tuesdays after a national holiday, or any day of the week when a winter, spring, or summer vacation ends. We concentrate on the first day of school with fervor, programs, and excitement.
The EPA's HealthySEAT software enables districts to track and manage information on environmental conditions in each school.
The lack of priority that many districts place on maintenance has far reaching effects. The obvious is the deterioration of our buildings and equipment, or the voiding of warranties. The less obvious is the negative effect of building conditions on studen
When reviewing your school district's emergency preparedness plans, how do you evaluate the component that ensures the survival of your information technology (IT) networks? What do you look for? What threats must you prepare today with? How do you s
When it comes to roofing purchases, school administrators typically have two things to protect: the building envelope and the taxpayer pocketbook. The good news is that, for schools throughout the country, new delivery options are streamlining the roof pr
Enrollment in Baldwin County Public Schools is increasing. Along with this growth is a demand to produce a more skilled workforce. While there was agreement about a commitment to student achievement and the need to more tightly integrate career technical
If there is always a better way to build the proverbial mousetrap, does this extend to something as complex as building a school facility? One man who responds to a positive yes to this question is Stephen Swisher, AlA. As opposed to the traditional metho
Precast has emerged as the effective and economical method to fulfilling the architectural needs and construction challenges of schools. From compressed construction schedules to reduced construction and operating costs to "green," healthy, and
A school built around a pod design does not force a teacher to change methodology, but should he or she or the next teacher want to, the pod provides options and opportunities that corridors do not. Double-loaded corridors duplicate the past. Pods with co
Anything green grabs the headlines today, so it's no surprise manufacturers lead off the benefits list with metal roofs' earth-saving traits. The actual steel or aluminum itself is typically made from 60 percent recycled materials, according to
With oil prices rising to over $130 dollars a barrel, fuel costs have become a significant concern for school districts' budgets.
Cleaning is the removal of unwanted matter, including macro soil we can see: dirt, debris, and spills; and micro soil: harmful bacteria, viruses, spores, dust particles, and chemical substances below the threshold of human perception. Micro soils, with th
What if there was a single tool to help your school district evaluate and manage all of its environmental, safety, and health issues, as opposed to having numerous files scattered across multiple offices and buildings? There is. It's a software progr
Will the new facilities that are being built now support (or at least get out of the way of) new and different ways of instruction?
Practical advice for selecting the correct construction team.
The question today is, have we made progress, or are we still a nation at risk?
System-wide capital improvement programs require careful planning and management.