Describes Clark County, Nevada's use of prototype school designs to respond to its rapidly growing school population. The purpose of the prototypes is to simplify designs so that schools can be built quickly and minimize the time and expense that comes with variations. (EV)

Discusses how a collaborative partnership between facility designers and contractors can help solve school construction problems given the growing design complexities now being demanded. Various problematic design innovations are addressed, including the use of pods, quads, and community centers; and how these designs create opportunities for…

Discusses why the construction movement towards energy efficient and ecologically friendly educational facilities in higher education is stalling and how education can turn things around. Evergreen State College's (Washington) commitment to environmental advocacy through the design of its Seminar II building is highlighted. (GR)

Describes characteristics, responsibilities, and at-risk functions of professional school-construction managers. Describes Arizona's use of school-construction managers. (PKP)

Discusses the solutions that administrators at Longview Community College in Kansas City, Missouri, used to deal with the classroom disruptions and groundwater collection caused during facility construction. (GR)

Discusses what job order contracting (JOC) for facilities managers is and its advantages and disadvantages. Also discusses the Center for Job Order Contracting Excellence, the impact of the "low-bid" award process, the benefits of JOC's use of multiple on-site contractors, and utilization of performance-based procurement and performance…

Discusses the process of "commissioning" for effectively maintaining and verifying new construction needs for campus facilities on a continuous improvement basis. The Emory University facility management program illustrates how to develop and manage a building commissioning process. (GR)

Each month, "American School & University" provides a mix of thought-provoking features, how-to-articles, industry reports, exclusive surveys, new sections, insightful columns, new product introductions and case histories to assist education officials in better performing their jobs. This May 2005 issue includes the following:…

Each month "American School & University" provides a mix of thought-provoking features, how-to-articles, industry reports, exclusive surveys, new sections, insightful columns, new product introductions and case histories to assist education officials in better performing their jobs. This February 2004 issue includes the following: "The Color of…

This paper, Part 3 of a three-part series examining the boom in the construction and renovation of K-12 schools and the continuing challenges that communities face in getting the facilities their students and educators need, describes the demanding career aspects of school administrators who oversee construction projects. Building schools requires…

Educators are accustomed to giving out grades, good and bad. However, when it comes to sustainable design and construction, it is the educators and administrators whose work is being graded. Just like the students they serve, education officials have different levels of commitment as they pursue environmentally friendly strategies in building…

Education administrators face the dual dilemma of crowded, aging facilities and tightening capital budgets. The challenge is to build the necessary classroom, laboratory and activity space while minimizing the length and expense of the construction process. One solution that offers an affordable alternative is modular construction, a method that…

The Alpha point of the authors' life as a Montessori educator began in 1959, when he was a graduate student studying philosophy at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. While studying the works of the great American philosopher William James, the author came across the writings of Maria Montessori and immediately became captivated by her…

Educational facilities became important public and specialised buildings since governments began to face the right of populations to education. Policies to provide educational buildings that respect modern notions of comfort and hygiene led architects to develop architectural concepts that corresponded to new demands on education. The need to…

In December 2005, the United Kingdom launched a process for evaluating the design quality of primary and secondary school buildings. The Design Quality Indicator (DQI) for Schools is a tool that can assist stakeholders--teachers, parents, school governors, students, community members, local authority clients and building professionals--to achieve…