Discusses the latest in school restroom and locker room design, such as wash facilities in outside corridors, infrared water control, repositioned mirrors, plastic lockers and benches, and multiple-head showers. These innovations are designed to address cost, maintenance, and security concerns. (EV)

Discusses five areas of custodial maintenance caretaking in which facility managers need continual education: first aid and safety, hazardous materials, products and supplies, chemicals and their intended use, and cleaning procedures. Includes an annotated list of resources related to these areas. (EV)

A computer-assisted design (CAD) software program is used in a Connecticut school district to graphically provide information on maintenance projects by school and category of project over time. CAD supplies a computerized building plan, a "foot-print," used as a recordkeeping system for maintenance projects. (MLF)

Explains how a team cleaning approach can be cost-effective and efficient means of school maintenance. Assigning staffing responsibilities and work schedules are addressed and the advantages of using a team system are explained. (GR)

Discusses the basics of roof design, maintenance, and purchasing to help facility managers resolve their roofing concerns and save money. Examines the development of a long-range, five-year roofing maintenance, repair, and replacement plan to manage roof systems with long life cycles. Also highlights areas to consider if a replacement roof is…

Provides low-cost tips for keeping gymnasiums aesthetically pleasing as well as revenue supporting for their multi-team functions. Use of banners, logos for chairs and end-wall padding, scorer tables with illuminated front panels for advertisements, and logo and advertising space built into speakers are discussed as are bleacher maintenance and…

Explores the key stages required to develop a successful roofing system for educational facilities. Advice provided includes selecting consultants and contractors, bid evaluation, points to cover with contractors, and monitoring installation and documentation. Guidelines are offered to assure that the roof will provide the promised protection. (GR)

Reports on the experience of the University of Pennsylvania in outsourcing the operation and maintenance of its campus buildings. Finds differing opinions on why the contract with Trammell Crow Company has not been successful, such as the extreme state of disrepair of many of the buildings. Also notes the experiences of institutions in this…

Discusses the idea of team cleaning educational facilities as a new concept in maintaining floors and carpets, as well as maintaining the entire building. This team effort can streamline and improve custodial operations. Each worker becomes a specialist with two or three functions instead of multiple cleaning tasks. (RE)

Discusses the magnitude of the problem of deferred maintenance on today's university campuses and the solving this problem using performance-based energy efficiency retrofit as implemented by energy service companies (ESCO). Several case studies of ESCO designed retrofits are examined. (GR)

Presents cleaning profiles for educational facilities that help clarify and quantify the cleaning process, thus aiding labor allocation and addressing contract specifications as well as verifying standards through quality assurance. Strategies cover various cleaning levels from overall spotlessness to constantly utilized areas only affording…

Discusses how proper maintenance can help schools eliminate sources contributing to poor air quality. Maintaining heating and air conditioning units, investigating bacterial breeding grounds, fixing leaking boilers, and adhering to ventilation codes and standards are discussed. (GR)

Explains how establishing a cleaning and maintenance program for floors and carpets makes schools safer and more attractive, including recommendations for cleaning that help maintain good air quality. The problems of shorter summer opportunities for cleaning are highlighted. (GR)

For the current study, institutions evaluated education and general (E&G) buildings on their campuses using an assessment format established in the original deferred maintenance study conducted in 1994. The joint study, "Deferred Maintenance, An Analysis of South Carolina's Facilities Portfolio," conducted by the Commission on Higher…

Analysis provided by John Gardner, Director of Buildings and Grounds for Columbia University. (MLF)