An existing facility that is being upgraded or retrofitted today typically is 30 to 45 years old, often with limited natural light, antiquated mechanical systems and retrofitted technology. All too often at the outset of a project, the broader project goals--and even those narrower in scope--seem daunting or altogether impossible when staring at a…

Most educational institutions have faced the decision whether to demolish, abandon or sell a facility. This article discusses how institutions can decide whether to renovate or build new. The author suggests to develop a campus- or districtwide master plan. A long-range master plan includes assessments of deferred maintenance, educational…

Master planning identifies long-term ways to improve and expand a campus. The end product typically is a beautifully rendered campus site plan showing enhancements to green spaces, improvements to vehicular and pedestrian circulation paths and parking, additions to existing buildings, and new buildings. These plans imagine what a campus could…

The decision to develop a transportation master plan for a school or university is often is a gradual process determined by changes that might have seemed insignificant in the beginning, but have combined to create problems that no longer can be ignored. Many circumstances can bring to light the need for a transportation master plan. In some…

Discusses how a well-designed transportation master plan can make a campus easier to navigate and more agreeable for area residents. (EV)

Discusses the influence of technology and changing student populations in driving colleges to upgrade their facilities in order to survive. Provides an example of one college's transition from a commuter school to one containing residence halls. (GR)

Why do construction projects fail? Ineffective communication and collaboration, and poor pre-planning processes are among the reasons given by building owners in a recent survey. To avoid those pitfalls, colleges and universities need to take a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to preplanning, financing and carrying out their master plans…

Discusses how to develop confident budgets for school facilities construction at the master planning stage with limited information. (EV)

Discusses the development of lighting master plans, which allow education institutions to provide adequate illumination and enhance campus beauty. (EV)

Describes how developing a master plan can help school districts anticipate their facility needs and the problems that may arise, and help school administrators articulate their expectations to educational planners and architects. (EV)

Describes how a master infrastructure plan for electrical and mechanical systems can help determine annual maintenance budgets, form annual capital-improvement budgets, take a snapshot of existing conditions, and lead to better energy management. Discusses important elements in such plans. (EV)

Examines how master planning and participatory process combines to successfully integrate technology into a school's educational system. Discussions on budget setting and environmental design are included. (GR)

Discusses creating a comprehensive and flexible master plan for designing a forward-looking telecommunications infrastructure on campus. Areas where a campus can take creative advantage of new technology are highlighted. (GR)

Explores adaptive reuse as part of a college facility-evaluation plan for re-inventing the campus and better serving the changing needs of students. Describes the elements of a reuse project and one urban college's use of this type of planning (GR)

Asserts that a well-conceived master plan is an essential tool for shaping a school's physical evolution and advancement in concert with its strategic aspirations, focusing on the master plan for the Spence School, an independent K-12 girls' school in New York City, and noting that the Spence School's master plan is applicable to other schools,…