Illumination in school facilities is more than just a standard, commonplace practice. Auditorium lighting at the new Walter Johnson High School of Bethesda, Maryland, and new lighting in the gymnasium at the Valley View Elementary School in Wadsworth, Ohio, have resulted in energy savings. (Author/MLF)

As campuses react to budget cuts and increasing programmatic demands, the competition for resources among constituencies is increasingly intense. In this environment, reinvesting in campus facilities becomes challenging because, quite simply, the financial commitment can be immense. Unfortunately, many campus constituencies fail to understand the…

This document describes the steps taken by the San Diego City Schools to determine existing and future needs, to establish guidelines and standards for the future, and to develop an implementation plan to provide the district's students with the best facilities possible in order to optimize the learning environment. The plan reports that…

This study involved an in-depth floor space analysis of Cardozo Senior High School, and a review of design plans for a modernized McKinley Tech High School (both in Washington, DC), in order to prompt District of Columbia public schools to develop accurate measurements of useable (i.e., net) floor space, thereby allowing design standards flexible…

Weighing the pros and cons of renovating a historic neighborhood school or building a new one takes preservation "know-how," experience, and creativity. The potential for renovation is routinely dismissed without full consideration of the facts and long-term implications. Central to this decision-making process is the feasibility study,…

This booklet visually depicts the current condition of public high schools attended by various members of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees, including photos, statistics, and facts about each school and other public education facilities in each member's respective state. Additionally provided are state statistics that list the…

This manual provides a detailed simulation analysis of a variety of energy conservation measures (ECMs) with the intent of giving educational facility design teams in Florida a basis for decision making. The manual's three sections cover energy efficiency design considerations that appear throughout the following design processes: schematic…

This booklet provides best practice recommendations for building functional and frugal schools in Florida. Seventeen best practice construction recommendations are addressed, including recommendations for sitework, concrete, masonry, metals, wood and plastics, thermal and moisture protection, doors and windows, finishes, equipment, furnishings,…

This publication highlights some of the benefits of proper daylighting design in educational facilities, discusses energy efficient electric lighting choices schools can make that are long lasting and require little maintenance, and offers six steps for designing lighting systems that use half the energy of earlier conventional designs. Several…

This guide provides information on how to create schools that provide better learning environments for students and teachers, cost less to operate, and help protect the environment. The guide is organized into three core sections. The first provides an overview and two interrelated discussions on what is a high performance school building and why…

This report examines public policy effects on historic neighborhood school expansion, renovation, and replacement needs. It addresses four basic questions: (1) Are public policies inadvertently sabotaging the very type of community-centered school that many parents and educators are calling for today? (2) Do some policies and practices promote…

The Department for Education and Employment has produced this updated bulletin on school grounds development, highlighting the potential of these grounds as a valuable resource that can support and enrich the whole curriculum and the education of all pupils. The educational use of school grounds has positive affects on student attitudes towards…

Educational facilities in the Caribbean often serve roles as shelters during natural hazards, but they often sustain as much damage as other buildings. This study investigated the physical vulnerability of schools located on St. Kitts and Nevis to wind forces, torrential rain, and seismic forces in order to provide relevant local agencies with…

This paper describes an approach to urban renewal, called the Multi-Function Polis (MFP), which emphasizes education as a key factor in a renewal process that includes development of 21st century industries such as information technology, telecommunications, and environmental management. Focusing on Adelaide, Australia, as an example, the paper…

This paper describes general educational facility improvement planing principles and how factors peculiar to Massachusetts affect the planning process, including a description of the roles of the owner, architect, and other building professionals. Chapters examine the first steps in school planning, the role of the architect in preliminary…