Addresses how a school district can use temporary classroom space to meet increasing student enrollment while additional space is being built. Provides examples of using portable facilities to supplement educational sites, including how to protect students who are in portable classrooms when tornadoes appear. (GR)

Explains why converting to geothermal heating and cooling is a good option when constructing or retrofitting schools. Reasons discussed include competitive installation costs, lower operating and maintenance costs, greater building-design flexibility, and greater user satisfaction. (GR)

As serving as its own contractor, a small district in western Montana saved money, had better control over the project, and inspired public confidence. Major advantages were cost savings, controlling the pace of construction, and the ability to cope with change orders. (MLF)

Why does it cost so much? is a question often asked about university construction. On college and university campuses, the cost of new construction and renovation will appear high relative to other construction efforts in our communities. Part of the explanation of the high construction cost lies in the complexity of what we build, the codes…

Change orders. The words can turn the stomachs of administrators. Horror stories about change orders create fear and distrust among school officials, designers and builders. Can change orders be avoided? If car manufacturers can produce millions of intricately designed vehicles, why can't the same quality control be achieved on a construction…

With more than 5,000 colleges, universities, and independent school campuses in the United States, ranging in size from two or three buildings to hundreds of facilities, it is no surprise that financial administrators and facilities departments have a difficult job keeping track of their campuses' physical needs. Managing, tracking, and planning…

Higher-education institutions are facing financial crises in their capital programs. Constant increases in the cost of oil, combined with material shortages in copper, steel and gypsum products, have contributed to an inexorable rise in the cost of construction. At the same time, capital budgets are decreasing. The result is that the education…

In 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka," the South Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago's southwest side was home primarily to Polish and Czech immigrants. In the decades since, South Lawndale has undergone dramatic change. Eastern Europeans moved out, and people of Mexican…

The New York Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) has created a new 3-page blank form to be completed for all school district capital projects involving the construction of new special education space. The new form requires the signatures of the Superintendent of Schools, the District…

The Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system has created a procedure for guiding the architectural design and construction of elementary school buildings that document staff representatives can use when reviewing drawings and specifications for the facility. The document is divided into three sections: the first lists the type of spaces and…

Among recent creative financing arrangements for public sector construction in Florida are the Duval County Central Administration Building, constructed with a lease purchase arrangement, and state legislation that provides for the leasing or sale of air space by local school boards or boards of regents. (MLF)

Nair discusses the "Learning Street," a now-frequent concept of modern school planning and design in terms of the multiple modalities of learning that today's schools must nurture. The author lists 18, including: (1) Independent study; (2) Peer tutoring; (3) Team collaborative work in small and mid-sized groups; (4) One-on-one learning with the…

This paper addresses the growing population trends in California; the need to counteract the current model of community sprawl by designing smarter schools and community growth strategies; and the changes in planning, policies, and practices needed to achieve these goals. Recommended strategies described support the following actions: more…

This booklet provides a general overview of classroom acoustic problems and their solutions for both new school construction and renovation. Practical explanations and examples are discussed on topics including reverberation, useful and undesirable reflections, mechanical equipment noise, interior noise sources, and sound reinforcement. Examples…

This paper describes some of the author's experiences in financing and building a new $4 million Catholic elementary school facility and activities center in rural North Platte (Nebraska). Important points that lead to successful school building projects are highlighted and include establishing good relationships with all the stakeholders…