Value Engineering (VE) is a cost-optimizing technique used to analyze design quality and cost-effectiveness. The application of VE procedures to the design and construction of school facilities has been adopted by the state of Washington. This technical manual provides guidance in developing the scope and applicability of VE to school projects; in…

The study investigates in particular whether the multiple use of one building plan was economical, whether limitations were thereby imposed on the school program, and what inadequacies were discovered in the school building constructed. Conclusions, recommendations, and a bibliography are included. (FPO)

This speech compares the air conditioning requirements of high-rise office buildings with those of large centralized school complexes. A description of one particular air conditioning system provides information about the system's arrangement, functions, performance efficiency, and cost effectiveness. (MLF)

This publication summarizes research on the educational and social benefits of small schools and the negative effects of large schools on students, teachers, and members of the community, as well as the "diseconomies of scale" inherent in large schools. It asserts that research shows that measuring the cost of education by graduates rather than by…

Continuous overlapping of design, bid, and construction activities, as well as changing the construction sequence of an inner city Baltimore (Maryland) school resulted in financial savings. (Author/MLF)

Unlike the general contractor approach, the construction management firm acts on behalf of the school district in school construction. Examines the development and nature of construction management, and cites its advantages and disadvantages. (MLF)

Owners of public building projects are increasingly turning to Interdisciplinary Coordination and Constructibility Reviews prior to going out to bid. The ICCR is a methodical quality-assurance process designed to make building projects more cost effective, constructible, and of better quality. This article describes the Preconstruction ICCR…

Procedural and technical guidelines are offered for cost-effective planning and construction of new public school physical plant facilities for the state of Washington. The manual provides a chronological guide of the many phases of planning, financing, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating school plant facilities. In addition, the…

Construction management accelerates school construction, increases quality and labor productivity, lowers costs, and offers developing nations an opportunity to improve their own management capabilities. (MLF)

West Hartford, Connecticut, found ways to renovate old buildings to meet today's educational demands, yet chopped about $10 million off the original estimate. (Author)

Based on a report to the President's Commission on School Finance, a 14-page compilation of methods school districts can use to trim budgets without sacrificing quality. (Author)

An Oklahoma school system gives construction-trades students on-the-job training in building school facilities. The district has saved in construction costs; many students have gone on to employment in the field; and local contractors are supportive of the program. (MLF)

This book discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the two most common construction planning methods utilized for educational facilities: general contracting and construction management. Diagrams are provided that illustrate the chain of command and communication within each approach, and highlight considerations that every school district…

School boards and other educational governing bodies will be better served if they: (1) appoint their architects based on recommendations of a qualified review panel, and via a process that is specific, open, and accountable; and (2) employ, for special consultative assignments, architects and engineers who are totally independent. (Author/MLF)

The California legislature's Joint Legislative Audit Committee has issued a report on the design-build versus the design-bid-build process and offers a hybrid approach combining the two systems as a way of achieving the greatest cost efficiency at the least risk on public agencies. The cost benefits of faster delivery of the design-build method…