Many school and college campuses are like small cities--they offer a little bit of everything. Although academic buildings and residence halls account for a sizable percentage of the facilities on a campus, the academic community on a school campus can include other buildings with specialized design and performance needs: laboratories,…

As a technologist, the author is interested in how the digital world is changing the educational landscape. As he began to research effective learning spaces, he discovered that the architecture, design, and school facilities communities are making a great deal of progress in creating better classrooms and school buildings. Unfortunately, many in…

Every building, from the smallest school to the tallest skyscraper, uses energy. This energy is most often generated by burning fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change. Existing commercial buildings offer a significant opportunity for low-cost, immediate emissions and energy cost…

Doors serve a variety of needs and purposes in schools: (1) Exterior doors provide building security and protection from the elements; and (2) Interior doors control the movement of people among school spaces, help control noise and air flow, and act as flame and smoke barriers during a fire. In a lockdown, they serve as safety barriers. From a…

Early childhood centers have become a common and necessary part of millions of Americans' lives. More women in the workforce, longer workweeks, and educational research supporting the importance of early education have all contributed to the rise of early childhood centers throughout the United States. Today, more than 30 percent of children under…

Public education is one of the central tasks of a democratic society, and the buildings that house this important task not only shape the way one teaches, but provide icons and symbols for the values people hold common as a society. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this context has placed school buildings squarely in a position of debate and innovation…

Using current archeological jargon, contemporary school facilities are criticized. (LN)

A report based on the program participants of the Building Research Institute Conference in the fall of 1962 on school building research whose aim it is to make contributions to building science. Major topics discussed are--(1) definition of school building needs, (2) developing the stragegy for meeting future school building needs, (3)…

The manual is intended to help school districts comply with federal mandates for physical accessibility and least restrictive settings for handicapped elementary school children. A general introduction to the accessibility concept in chapter 1 considers the historical background, the role of the physical environment, and existing federal…

Uses the past to prove that it makes long-range economic sense to demand quality of design and construction on any building project. (Editor)

Innovative teaching methods and organisational change make new demands on our future learning environments. The Brink and the Laak Clusters are two related examples of a new type of building for a community in the Netherlands. The Firebird School ("Vuurvogel"), a primary school for students from ages 4 to 12, is currently housed in the…

The specifications outlined in this document provide a basis for addressing facilities needs at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg, Vermont. An introduction describes the school's current facilities and need for improvement and discusses the educational program to be housed, the school's philosophy/mission, goals for the educational…

At the request of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) has conducted "a literature search and review to identify best practices in [school] building design for accommodating the evacuation and sheltering needs of individuals with special needs or…

Discusses the need for school buildings that are flexible and adaptable to any educational situation, rather than rigidly "self-contained" or rigidly "open." Such buildings are not tied to any educational fad that may become unfashionable, and they can accommodate many educational approaches, as well as noneducational uses. (JG)

BUILDING DESIGNS WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIVISIBLE AUDITORIUM AND THEATER AND THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITY WERE REVIEWED. WHILE NOT A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF DIVISIBLE FACILITIES, THE INSTALLATIONS REPORTED ON ARE THOSE THAT APPEAR TO BE LANDMARKS IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE MULTI-USE…