In recent years, more education administrators and designers have embraced the potential benefits of daylighting. They have been persuaded that using natural light to illuminate facilities enables schools and universities to conserve energy and provide a learning environment in which students perform better. For daylighting advocates, the…

Educators are accustomed to giving out grades, good and bad. However, when it comes to sustainable design and construction, it is the educators and administrators whose work is being graded. Just like the students they serve, education officials have different levels of commitment as they pursue environmentally friendly strategies in building…

Backed with political and financial capital, advocates of change push to improve America's education system. For most people, the purpose of education is self-improvement--becoming better informed, more knowledgeable, better equipped to solve problems, more able to earn a living and prosper. The more effectively an education system delivers on…

Discusses the benefits of high-performance schools, which enhance the learning environment for students while saving energy, resources, and money. Describes initiatives of the Collaborative for High Performance Schools and the high-performance design of Carleton College in Minnesota. (EV)

Discusses ways colleges and universities are making their residence halls more homelike and less institutional through careful selection of furniture and furnishings. Balancing cost with comfort and adequately addressing student needs for computer space are addressed. (GR)

For some administrators and planners, designing and building education facilities may sometimes seem like a circus act--trying to project a persona of competence and confidence while juggling dozens of issues. Meanwhile, the audience--students, staff members and taxpayers--watch and wait with anticipation in hopes of getting what they paid for and…

Education administrators have many tools available to them as they strive to establish a safe climate for learning, but no one strategy or piece of equipment is a magic solution that keeps potential trouble beyond the campus boundaries. Creating and maintaining a safe and secure school environment requires a balance of many strategies: (1)…

As energy costs rise and resources dwindle, schools and universities can benefit greatly by taking an environmentally sensitive approach to construction, renovation and maintenance of facilities. Administrators free up needed budget resources by operating facilities more efficiently. Using sustainable-design strategies can set a good example for…

Discusses how lockers can have a significant impact on the school environment and ways of making the impact a positive one. An example of a lockerless school is highlighted. (GR)

Reviews ways that schools can provide effective indoor learning environments by paying attention to the following areas: daylighting, acoustics, space allocation, technology implementation, ergonomics, maintenance, indoor air quality, safety, restrooms, and roofing. (GR)

Presents a detailed case for smaller schools in providing a better learning environment; explains what a small school is and discusses the extent to which some districts are embracing small-school programs. (GR)

School administrators have always labored to find ways to squeeze more value out of their limited budgets. However, in recent years, more educators and administrators have been looking at their spending decisions from a long-term perspective. Planning education facilities for the long term has led many schools and universities to adopt different…

Describes how, as is the case with the desks they purchase, schools should choose other furnishings such as computer workstations by balancing aesthetics, architects' recommendations, staff preferences, durability, flexibility, and cost. (EV)

Discusses how schools are using non-traditional settings to solve their combined problems of finding space for an increasing student population while creating environments that encourage and inspire students to learn. (GR)

Across the U.S., thousands of schools and universities are in the midst of construction projects that can stall because of unanticipated obstacles. The resulting delays can cause budget contingencies to evaporate and force students and staff in desperate need of more space to bide their time in cramped and inadequate facilities. Problems are bound…