Preventive maintenance is an important subject in our business. With shrinking budgets we are often put in a position of deferring maintenance and pushing the cost down the road. This is not a preferred method, but it is often the option we choose due to
With academic funding cuts, and an emphasis on standardized testing crowding out creativity in the classroom, educators are finding an affordable, hands-on solution with solar-powered, robot-building kits, one example is the Mini Solar Kits, that encourag
Not long ago, the mantra was that the library should be at the center of the school. Not only should the library be at the center of the school, it should be large. The size and prominence of the library became the mark of the educational standing of the
Access control is no longer just about locking doors. Today, access control is about a total integration of equipment, technology and manpower. The buzzword these days is "convergence." Basically, this is the idea of tying electronic or physical
While technology evolves at light speed, buildings don't. Bringing school facilities in step with modern learning requires complex phased renovations, meticulously planned around academic calendars. Since educational continuity and safety are the chief co
Effective access control systems in K-12 schools include technology and people. Depending on its risk profile, a school might employ electronic access control, visitor management technology, intrusion alarms and video cameras. But, as Timm observes, the b
A recent survey, conducted online by School Planning & Management, of people involved in maintenance, the upkeep and care of buildings and grounds, and administrators, provided some expected and unexpected results.
If you haven't been in an office lately, you may not realize the important benefits that multifunction printers (MFPs) offer when it comes to improving the bottom line, increasing efficiency and helping to meet sustainability objectives. For school a
In the past, education has been a bipartisan issue and people found a way to come to agreement on legislation. It is not clear that this will be the case in the 112th Congress with the Democrats in the majority in the Senate, the Republicans holding the m
Because we are so accustomed to hearing people engage in the art of exaggeration, we often don't worry when someone relates a minor disappointment and refers to it as a "complete and total disaster." Where school disaster planning and prepa
In the next few years, the work of the governors, our K-12 school systems and our institutions of higher education will be a challenge. Funding may be limited, but not American ingenuity or our desire to once again be number one in education.
A maintenance checklist for K-12 areas.
Flooring maintenance programs are often pushed to the back burner when school budgets and manpower are stretched. However, that decision could stress tight budgets and janitorial schedules even more because of premature floor failure and the need for repl
Cleveland High School (CHS) in Rio Rancho, N.M., opened in the fall of 2009 accommodating 2,350 students in grades nine through 12, with 410,848 gross square feet, and at a construction cost of $120,073,346. Oh, it also includes 675 room signs, app
K-12 schools across the country can cut electricity bills dramatically by retrofitting with energy efficient fluorescent lamps, adding occupancy sensors and implementing daylighting strategies where possible. In some schools, emerging LED technology can c
The Lean process has typically been utilized in the private sector to improve the bottom line, but maintenance organizations can also benefit from using it as a mechanism for change. Last year, a project was undertaken in the Virginia Beach City Schools S
With the development of new, better and more holistic teaching methods, the design of the learning spaces has become increasingly more important. The need for specialty spaces has created the opportunity for some very creative and effective spaces in a nu
Hand-held activated water spray devices are becoming popular in schools because they offer chemical-free, water-based, renewable cleaning along with sanitizing properties, while greatly reducing harmful environmental impacts. The technology is receiving e
After experiencing 33 years of equipment and product evolution in the school industry, it is exciting to be in the front row of change in cleaning procedures. Smart cleaning, by its very nature, incorporates the new user-friendly equipment with environmen
You do not have to "put up with" ongoing pest problems. It's not rocket science. We've solved literally thousands of pest problems for good by using common sense to remove food, water and/or shelter, all three of which are required for