There is no doubt that in order to address the serious challenges arising from anthropogenic--or human-produced--climate change, Britain, along with the rest of the world, needs to adopt policies and develop skills that will create a low-carbon economy with a highly effective use of renewable and natural resources. People need to create the…

Building a new green campus and adopting a philosophy of sustainability is exciting, but if not done properly, it is not always the wisest decision. As one considers the education, health, and safety of a campus community, along with its business objectives, one may discover that there are numerous ways to make the campus more sustainable without…

When Arthur Stellar came to Massachusetts' Taunton Public Schools in 2005, he knew that part of his job as superintendent would be cost cutting. That's no easy task without sacrificing the quality of education the district provided. How to decrease what you spend without eliminating vital resources? One way, Stellar says, is to assess what you're…

In February 2007, an international panel of 1,000 scientists concluded unequivocally that humans are responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the earth's climate and could eventually trigger catastrophic global weather changes. Since the problem is global, environmentalists say finding a solution must also be a worldwide…

Ground-coupled heating-cooling systems (GCHCSs) exchange heat between the built environment and the subsurface using pipework buried in trenches or boreholes. If heat pumps in GCHCSs are powered by "green electricity," they offer genuine carbon-free heating-cooling; for this reason, there has been a surge in the technology in recent…

This article discusses why building commissioning for education institutions is needed. School facilities owners and operators should confirm whether their building systems are performing as expected. The more comprehensive the confirmation process, the greater opportunity there is for reducing operations and maintenance costs, and improving…

Employees in technical firms, like garages, need more and more formations. Due to the very fast innovation in technology, lifelong learning is a real need for these labour forces. On the other hand, there are the needed formations very specialized and expensive. Another problem employers faced in these economical sectors in Western Europe is the…

Discusses how to control an indoor pool environment by understanding the mechanics of water evaporation, condensation, and migration. Stresses the need for a properly designed, installed, operated, and maintained mechanical system. (GR)

Educators and administrators are looking for new ways to boost student performance and eliminate barriers to learning. When working to improve the classroom environment, facility managers typically target the physical structure, temperature controls, humidity levels and ventilation. Many heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) consultants…

Examines the positive and negative attributes of fabric structures in providing affordable shelter for a variety of multipurpose applications, including temporary or seasonal use. Describes the three basic types of fabric structures: air-supported, frame-supported, and mast-supported. This article focuses on smaller structures of the air- and…

Describes how the LaPorte Independent School District in Texas turned to ultraviolent light devices installed within the HVAC system to combat mold and fungus after conventional approaches failed. Describes the additional benefits of energy savings from the system. (EV)

Discusses ways to cut rising energy costs within university laboratories by using heat recovery systems and variable volume exhaust hood systems. Explores the implementation of broad-based, sustainable laboratory classroom design concepts. (GR)

Presents the fourth article in a series on the Longview Community College (Kansas City, Missouri) Liberal Arts building project. How architects are revising floor plans, evaluating building systems, deciding on furniture, and dealing with building codes are discussed. (GR)

Describes installation of a hybrid chilled water/ice thermal storage plant for the Lucile Erwin Middle School in Loveland, Colorado, which has saved more than $18,000 in energy costs annually. (EV)

Describes how the Brevard County School District in Florida teamed with companies EPRI and Florida Power and Light to implement a dual-path, low temperature air-distribution system used in conjunction with thermal energy storage. (EV)