Embracing the notion of going green, an affluent school district in Pennsylvania spent $83 million as part of the high school's renovation and expansion project. The three-level addition is now equipped with self-dimming lights, energy-efficient windows, a rooftop solar water heater, and a geothermal cooling and heating system. As a bonus for…

The tiny town of Niangua, Missouri, made national headlines in 2008 when a rare cluster of winter tornadoes tore across the state on an unseasonably warm January night. The twisters killed a Niangua woman in her trailer home and destroyed numerous other structures. News photos of the trailer debris were a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of…

Building energy-efficient school facilities is not just about being "green." It is about providing high-performance facilities that are safe, healthy, and conducive to learning. It is also about building facilities that are cost-effective from their inception and in the long term. Many school districts are working under ever-tightening…

Using local contractors for construction work benefits the community by keeping money in the area and reducing the cost of imported management and labor. To accomplish this, the construction management firm must have the commitment to working with the local contractors throughout the entire design, bidding, and construction period. (MLF)

Provides seven tips for selecting glass contractors for large-scale construction projects at educational institutions. (PKP)

As the leaders of the construction team, owners should (1) become knowledgeable about the construction industry, or hire someone who has that knowledge; (2) use familiar, tested, and fair contract forms; and (3) hire the most competent architects and engineers, and pay them fairly. (MLF)

Describes construction process principles and discusses problems school owners experience: (1) laws that require selection of the lowest bidder, (2) decisions that must be made by the duly elected governing body, and (3) school board members who often lack knowledge about the construction process. Includes a quiz for owners and attorneys. (MLF)