The ailing economy has spared few schools and universities. Faced with funding cutbacks, most education administrators have had to make difficult choices about where to allocate dwindling resources. Even in the best of financial times, educating students is the first priority. When money is tight, school maintenance and operations (M&O)…

The promise of sustainably designed school facilities is that they will operate more efficiently and last longer than buildings constructed in more traditional ways. But that promise comes with a big if. The payoff is delivered only if the facility managers operate and maintain the buildings in ways that adhere to sustainable strategies called for…

The attention being given to the problem of childhood obesity has placed greater emphasis on students' eating more healthful diets and getting more exercise. "Children need 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day to grow up to a healthy weight," says the federal government's "Let's Move" initiative to encourage students to…

The restroom, and what goes on in there, are subjects that cause many people discomfort or embarrassment. However, washrooms do not always receive the attention they require. Their design may be an afterthought. Cleaning and maintenance schedules may not be sufficient to get rid of grime and unpleasant odors. In schools, where hundreds of students…

When schools and universities look at saving energy in their facilities, they are likely to review the efficiency of their heating and cooling systems, or the quality of their building envelopes. When facility managers focus attention on school bathrooms, they are more likely to consider issues such as cleanliness and safety as more critical than…

Schools and universities have to confront countless problems that threaten to divert them from their primary function: educating children. Insufficient funding, subpar facilities, lack of community support, dissatisfied employees and dysfunctional board members are just some of the obstacles that can prevent an education institution from achieving…

Educators know how hard it can be for students to perform well in school when they come from impoverished and dysfunctional environments. Still, most schools have embraced the philosophy that every student can learn, and they work to enable students to overcome the obstacles in their lives and strive for success. In the same way, schools and…

The pervasive financial difficulties that have besieged thousands of schools and universities for several budget cycles have forced administrators to look deeper and harder for places where they can find savings and minimize the damage done to educational quality. Many of the steps schools and universities have taken in the past to trim expenses…

It might be tempting for education administrators, saddled with an accumulation of budget cuts and dwindling resources, to keep their heads down and concern themselves with only the immediate future as they try to overcome a host of obstacles and provide a high-quality education to students. But schools and universities have to pay attention not…

Some institutions may feel comfortable with a few baby steps into the green world, while others may be ready to commit totally to environmental consciousness. Here, the author discusses 10 areas in which educators and administrators can beef up their green portfolio. These areas are in: alternative fuel, bikes/walking, water, education tools,…

Tax bases eroding. Jobs disappearing. Endowments shrinking. Aid evaporating. That's been the story in 2009 for many schools and universities across the nation. Education institutions have had to cope with the worst economic conditions in generations. Yet the product they provide has never been more critical to a society looking to rebound from…

This article presents 10 areas that education administrators can target as they work to create and maintain facilities that offer a high-quality learning climate. These areas are: budget, forward-thinking, community, health and safety, security, environmental stewardship, maintenance, learning climate, appealing and technology.

Discusses the factors that educational facilities managers must consider when selecting doors and windows for their buildings. These include finding a balance in terms of security, energy efficiency, accessibility, aesthetics, and durability; cleaning and maintenance; and noise issues. (EV)

Discusses the importance of knowing the type of climate a school is likely to endure as a decision element for selecting a school roofing system. The influence of extreme temperature shifts, wind, and excessive heat in the decision making process are discussed as are ways of improving maintenance and monitoring practices. (GR)