Describes how team cleaning, which relies on specialists with specific responsibilities such as restrooms or vacuuming, has allowed administrators at the University of New Mexico to save on labor costs while improving cleanliness overall. (EV)

Each year, the world evolves, but for education institutions, the cyclical nature of the school calendar means administrators come up against the same issues and challenges again and again. In 2008, schools and universities must deal with most of the same facility issues that they have addressed in some fashion before--how to provide safe and…

A clean, healthy and safe school provides students, faculty and staff with an environment conducive to learning and working. However, budget and staff reductions can lead to substandard cleaning practices and unsanitary conditions. Some school facility managers have been making the switch to a day-schedule to reduce security and energy costs, and…

Schools and universities throughout the United States now appear to be embracing green roofs as one of many environmentally friendly initiatives. However, once a green roof is in place, school managers soon realize they are not the same as typical landscaping. Although they tend to be relatively low-maintenance, the location and highly specialized…

Describes the pros and cons of three broad categories of hard flooring: terrazzo, architectural finishes, and resilient flooring. Includes a sidebar on floor maintenance. (EV)

Describes the benefits Georgia Tech University has found from the use of a proprietary thermoplastic PVC single-ply system for reroofing, particularly ease of installation. (EV)

Discusses how cleaning managers at Colorado State University saved money, improved training, and reduced wasted labor by using requests for proposals (RFPs) when purchasing equipment and chemicals. RFP elements to consider are highlighted. (GR)

Discusses facade maintenance procedures that will help protect the facility and its structure, building systems, interior finishes, and occupants from inclement weather. Facade assessment methods and maintenance solutions are described. (GR)

Discusses the poor maintenance of school facilities from years of under-funding, the sheer volume of tasks, and the natural preference to fund growth and development rather than maintenance. Describes the importance of preventive maintenance and skilled staff. Includes a description of facility maintenance resources. (EV)

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which the introduction of school-based management (SBM) has affected schools' culture of consumption and the inequalities between schools with different socio-economic backgrounds. An analysis of financial reports from 31 SBM schools over four years reveals that schools have increased rather…

Provides guidelines for inspecting the roof of a facility. Suggests that periodic roof inspections should be performed on a quarterly or semi-annual basis and after severe storms. Proactively identifying potential problem areas is the best defense against roof leaks. (SLD)

Describes the seating chosen for residence halls at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of New England. The seating required depends on ergonomics, aesthetics, durability, cost, and code requirements. In addition, residence halls must have a range of seating types to accommodate various uses. (SLD)

Describes how the dirt and grime tracked onto school building floors can be minimized with a few simple steps, such as walkoff mats, and using vinyl composition tiling. (EV)

Describes maintenance tips to prolong the life of school building roofs. (PKP)

Discusses maintenance business plans, statements which provide accountability for facilities maintenance organizations' considerable budgets. Discusses the plan's components: statement of plan objectives, macro and detailed description of the facility assets, maintenance function descriptions, description of key performance indicators, milestone…