Over the past decades, universities have been at the forefront of establishing ambitious goals for decarbonizing campuses. While there are many variables in how to advance energy efficiency in the campus-built environment, some universities have taken the strategic approach of combining energy efforts with the heavy maintenance and upkeep needs of…

Far from the limelight of LEED, Energy Star or Green Globes certifications are the energy codes developed and updated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the International Code Council (ICC) through the support of the Department of Energy (DOE) as minimum guidelines for building envelope,…

Mike Potts was halfway through a five-year prison sentence outside Houston when he heard about a program that would help him start a business when even buddies with clean records were struggling to find work. The Prison Entrepreneurship Program, run by a nonprofit group of the same name, works with Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business…

Combining preventative operations and maintenance (O&M) with strategic retrofitting of building systems improves a school's energy performance. For schools with limited resources and experience, "quick wins" in O&M and retrofitting provide a valuable starting point to energy management. As a next step, strategically prioritizing long- and…

Accommodating change in existing buildings on a college campus or in a school district is challenging, but manageable. The key to successful adaptive reuse is thoughtful and thorough decision-making. Why consider recycling existing buildings? There are many reasons, including limited institutional resources, the increasing cost of new…

Construction work is about to begin on a new "intelligent" primary school for 300 students (later to be expanded for 600) in the Municipality of Solaro in the province of Milan. This is the first primary school building in Italy designed according to the principles of the "intelligent school" as defined by the Centre for…

Describes the design of the technology center at Laney College in Oakland, California, which was renovated from a welding shop. The building, which illustrates a "transparency" theme, houses the computer information systems department and serves as a multimedia teaching laboratory for the entire campus and local businesses. Includes…

Describes the design of Wildwood School, an urban prep school in Los Angeles that reclaimed a warehouse, including the educational context and design goals. Includes building plans and photographs. (EV)

Describes how school districts in Ohio have dealt with old, architecturally significant school buildings when state rules mandated that it would be cheaper to rebuild. Many districts found ways to renovate the buildings or convert them to other uses. (EV)

Describes adaptive reuse of college buildings, which involves reconfiguring existing buildings for entirely new functions, including its benefits. Examples include Bartlett Hall at the University of Chicago, Annenberg Hall and Locker Chambers at Harvard University, Goodrich Hall at Williams College, and Sarratt Student Center at Vanderbilt…

Describes the design of the DeKalb Alternative School in Atlanta, Georgia, located in a renovated shopping center. Purchasing commercial land and renovating the existing building saved the school system time and money. (EV)

This article explains how a project owner can be an active participant during the design and construction of his/her facility. The author discusses the two levels of participation the project owner needs to actively work with the design and construction team. And he further states that a project owner can enrich his/her personal experience and…

In response to anticipated problems of declining enrollment, a pilot project in the city of St. Albert, Alberta, was the design and construction of a new school that could be converted to a senior citizen housing facility. (MLF)

Describes how schools and universities are finding new uses for outmoded facilities, thereby saving on land and construction costs and in many cases preserving buildings that have achieved historical status in a community. Offers several examples. (EV)

Describes how Michigan's Ferris State University converted its old obsolescent Health, Physical Education, and Recreation building into a dedicated recreation center. Photos are provided. (GR)