This paper outlines housing modification issues for both the housing consumer with visual impairments and the builder/remodeler, with emphasis on single-family housing. Suggested modifications are listed for the exterior, entrance, elevator, doors, floors, lighting and the electrical system, windows, room layout and shape, kitchen, and stairs and…

Six articles discuss and illustrate new library facilities and furnishings. The winning libraries in the Library Buildings Awards Program, sponsored by American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Library Association (ALA), are shown; two case studies of library renovation and design are presented; and the design for a new medical library…

Relating college architecture to campus evolution requires saving the best old buildings through renovation and adaptive use, having noticeably modern buildings relate to older buildings, and respecting the historic composition of buildings and land. Princeton University, the Morristown (New Jersey) Free Public Library, and Lawrenceville School…

An elementary school in a densely populated district with a heavy concentration of poor, minority, and immigrant students was scheduled for demolition because of highway construction. Kenneth L. Moffett, superintendent, took on a bureaucratic Goliath and secured a new school underground that is secure and beautiful. The school board named the…

The school business official will be involved in many referenda over the course of a career. School budgets, capital projects, equipment acquisitions, school bus purchases, and emergency construction projects are among the most common situations requiring a referendum. A time frame is needed, and most states have guidelines spelling out procedures…

Offers some key business principles with the hope of helping educational facilities managers improve their operations. Looks at customer service, disparate databases, technological concerns, the mission of facility management, how to improve the bottom line, staffing ideas, future planning, and management suggestions. Lists seven habits of…

Discusses the challenges inherent with ensuring that exit devices comply with guidelines specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Focuses on compliance problems with grasping the pull side trim on an exit device, the difficulties with surface vertical rods and latches in compliance with barrier-free guidelines, and other concerns. (RJM)

Presents information about the average age of school buildings, date of last major building renovation, and the relationship of building condition to Internet access. (Author/SLD)

Discusses how schools are meeting the athletic and recreational needs of students with multipurpose field houses. Discusses the importance of properly communicating the building's function to the architect, clarifies the difference between multipurpose and multi-use facilities and its effect on facility design, and explores how facility operations…

The effects of four different components (parental aspirations for children's education, parent/child communication about school, home structure, and parental participation) in school-related activities were assessed. Results suggest that educational aspiration of parents have a powerful influence on 8th-grade student's achievement. Parent…

This supplement offers a practical guide for wiring school classrooms for local area networks (James P. Tenbusch and Harry Vaughan); shows how a California school district built a network infrastructure from scratch (James Klein); and describes how a Utah district negotiated cheap, fast Internet access over plain old telephone wires (Mary…

Examines how modular educational facilities can provide a viable alternative in building construction when speed and safety are key construction issues. Explains the durability of modular structures, their adherence to building codes, and the flexibility that they provide in design and appearance. The advantages to permanent modular construction…

Explores the use of a commissioning agent (CA) during school construction projects to ensure that all building systems work together and to specifications. The types of work done by a CA, the cost involved, and the overall benefits derived are outlined. (GR)

DePaul University's downtown Chicago campus is geared toward professional students. A search for space led to the acquisition of a city-owned landmark 1912 department store. By purchasing from the city, DePaul gained financial advantages. The city benefitted since it was able to make money from a building it was about to demolish. An essentially…

The creation of usable space for gatherings and socializing is an important consideration in any campus planning program. The University of California-San Diego has a large outdoor assembly area. An addition at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo encompasses an existing pedestrian path. A new building at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, is designed as a…