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…

Asserts that a well-conceived master plan is an essential tool for shaping a school's physical evolution and advancement in concert with its strategic aspirations, focusing on the master plan for the Spence School, an independent K-12 girls' school in New York City, and noting that the Spence School's master plan is applicable to other schools,…

Explains how strategic planning and a careful balance of integration and implementation of security programs can create a safe school environment. Examines the use of police personnel in schools. (GR)

Explains how schools can prepare, through the gathering of information, training, and the adoption of technology, to meet and profit from the deregulation of the electric-utility industry. Tips for fully understanding a school's energy position are examined, including advice on leveraging a school's position in a competitive power market.(GR)

Examines the use of school relocatables to address the demands of increasing student enrollment and space utilization. Considerations involving location selection and building continuity are discussed as are preparatory planning for power hook-ups and inspections. Reasons for using relocatables are highlighted. (GR)

Discusses the need to determine which construction approach best fits a school's unique needs before deciding how to design and build their facilities. The design-bid-build, construction management, and design-build approaches are examined; and tips for selecting a delivery method are listed. (GR)

Discusses how the emergence of technology is allowing educational consortiums to pool resources and successfully attain facilities and programs once considered unattainable. How consortiums can work to keep facilities current and competitive are examined. (GR)

Using the example of Clark County school district in Las Vegas, discusses the challenges faced by administrators of rapidly growing areas. Districts confronting rapid growth must find enough money to build needed facilities, secure appropriate sites for new schools, juggle multiple construction projects, and not let the focus on new facilities…

Discusses how the college campus of the future will be redefined. Explained are the new levels of design sophistication colleges and universities must have to meet the learning and multi-use requirements to be successful. (GR)

Discusses the use of school facility design as an aid to efficiently repairing and maintaining facility systems. Also presents details on facility design's influence in properly maintaining mechanical and electrical systems. (GR)

Colleges and universities face a wide range of environmental risk. In spite of this, with proper planning, they can avoid emergencies or surprises. Advanced planning, coupled with strategic, technical environmental and legal advice, enable higher-education institutions to keep their environmental budgets under control and predictable. This article…

Discusses why schools and universities must be diligent as they build new facilities to make sure construction sites are not contaminated with toxic chemicals and other hazardous materials. Addresses why schools often inadvertently choose these sites, the drive for national regulation, lessons from a situation in Los Angeles, tips for acquiring…

Offers examples of universities (Wayne State, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Virginia) that have designed their research facilities to grow and change to meet both short- and long-term needs. (EV)

Explains how important it is for educational facilities planners to refer to the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines when designing science classrooms, so every student can have the opportunity to experiment with science firsthand. Addresses how to work with the guidelines, and specific areas of concern. (GR)