When school populations grow to the point where districts must consider new construction, many district administrators face a fork in the road: renovate or opt for new construction? The importance of this decision should not be taken lightly; it can have serious ramifications for years to come. Each situation is unique. Just as no two students are…

School districts across North America are facing a crushing dilemma: invest millions of dollars to maintain outdated, educationally ineffective buildings or seek funding for expensive renovations, additions, and new construction to meet the evolving needs of today's learners. Compounding the issue is deferred facility maintenance. Educational…

Reducing school district energy expenditures has become a universal goal. However, school board members, superintendents, and directors of buildings and grounds are often unaware of the many options available to conserve energy. School energy conservation used to be relatively simple: turn off the lights and turn down the heat in the winter and…

People often use the term "green energy" to refer to alternative energy technologies. But green energy doesn't guarantee maximum energy savings at a minimum cost--a common misconception. For school business officials, green energy means getting the lowest energy bills for the lowest construction cost, which translates into maximizing green energy…

The benefits of sustainability go way beyond improving the environment. School districts that choose to build facilities using sustainable principles reap the benefits of environmentally friendly, healthy establishments; attractive work spaces (which improve recruiting and retention); and significant operational cost savings. Districts realize…

For 20 years, the author has promoted constructing today's schools with the future in mind, yet as many school districts begin planning for the year 2050, he is starting to think this foresight/forethought might actually be a distracting course of action. Some districts may try to plan so far into the future that they neglect the present. But,…

When trying to reach their sustainability goals, schools and school districts often run into obstacles, including financing, training, and implementation tools. Last fall, the U.S. Green Building Council-Georgia (USGBC-Georgia) launched its High Performance, Healthy Schools (HPHS) Program to help Georgia schools overcome those obstacles. By…

School districts' ongoing efforts to promote sustainability in America's education facilities are helping raise awareness of social responsibility and promoting the positive effects that greening their learning environments has on the general health and productivity of students. One institution that's taking the lead in this movement is Chandler…

At the original Hubble Middle School, neither the views (a congested Roosevelt Road and glimpses of downtown Wheaton) nor the century-old facility that offered them was very inspiring. Built at the start of the 20th century, the 250,000-square-foot building was converted from Wheaton Central High School to Hubble Middle School in the early 1980s.…

The preschool facility is a critical element of an effective preschool program. The recent economic downturn in the United States makes it difficult for states and individual school districts to consider developing new preschool programs or enhancing current programs or facilities. Yet many Americans still agree that public investment in preschool…

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…

Describes demographic trends, rationale, and challenges related to the planning and design of schools and facilities that accommodate the needs of older adults. Includes descriptions of several schools and school-related facilities built with older adults in mind such as the Fairhill Center, an intergenerational school in Cleveland, Ohio. (PKP)

After briefly describing the educational advantages of wireless networks using mobile computers, discusses the technical, operational, financial aspects of wireless local area networks (WLAN). Provides examples of school facilities designed for the use of WLAN. Includes a glossary of WLAN-related terms. (Contains 12 references.)

The "1994 Directory of Architectural Firms in Schoolhouse Design" lists more than 50 architectural firms, many of which have dozens of completed school buildings to their credit. The general listing contains information about the firm, its design philosophy, the areas the firm serves, its services, and how much of its work is with schools. (Author)

Advocates the use of an Interdisciplinary Plan Review (IPR)--construction plan scrutiny by an independent agency--to contain district school construction costs. (PKP)