The Kresge Foundation is one of the few national foundations that give money only for construction and renovation at nonprofit organizations, a boon for colleges and universities with severe deferred maintenance problems. Recently, the foundation added a program to upgrade science equipment. Participating colleges must also raise funds. (MSE)

Three-fourths of American schools are in substandard condition. Health effects associated with indoor air/environmental quality are a major concern. Sick building syndrome, which causes illness in occupants, generally results from particulates, volatile organic compounds, biologicals, or radio-nucleotides. The article recommends how to deal with…

Describes how learning environments can be more educationally and optimally useful if the architecture of the built, natural, and cultural environments are used as teaching tools. Discusses how structures and the surrounding landscape can be used to teach physics, geometry, and other disciplines, enabling students to learn how to evaluate the…

Describes how to select the right computerized maintenance-management system for school buildings through careful analysis of building needs and budgetary constraints. Discusses deciding on the use of implementation services following a maintenance system evaluation and selection process. Lists various companies involved in maintenance, energy,…

Presents data from the American School & University's annual Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Cost Study for the 1997-98 school year. Data include trends in building-operations-staff salaries and M&O costs expressed in dollars per student and per square foot. Results indicate an underfunding of M&O that may not provide students…

Explains the importance of using geothermal systems to reduce energy costs and improve heating and cooling in multipurpose schools. What geothermal systems are and their benefits in simplifying the school infrastructure and streamlining operating costs are highlighted. (GR)

In Wise County, Virginia, the If I Had a Hammer Housing Construction and Rehabilitation Program teaches the construction trades to local men and women receiving county housing assistance, while rehabilitating local housing. Trainees work for minimum wage, attend classes eight hours per week without pay, and receive support services and high school…

Questions some fundamental assumptions of historical methods of space guidelines in college facility planning, and offers an alternative approach to space projections based on a new benchmarking method. The method, currently in use at several institutions, uses space per faculty member as the basis for prediction of need and space allocation. (MSE)

Presents an art lesson for eighth-grade students in which they created their own architectural structures. Stresses a strong discipline-based introduction using slide shows of famous buildings, large metropolitan cities, and 35,00 years of homes. Reports the lesson spanned two weeks. Includes a diagram, directions, and specifies materials. (CMK)

Pay-as-you-go funding (via local option sales taxes or earmarked property taxes) is superior to floating expensive bond issues to resolve school construction crises. Districts can plan projects more thoughtfully, focus on project priorities, avoid arbitrage problems and high insurance costs, and address socioeconomic considerations more equitably.…

Describes how school boards and administrators can use a facility-planning symposium, which brings together educators, students, parents, business leaders, and others, to establish an educational program and to design a template representative of the community. Examines ways to construct a shared vision and looks at design issues. (RJM)

Explores the use of performance contracting as a means to fund building improvements and equipment upgrades. Information is provided on contractor selection, paying for capital improvements, and researching performance contracting before using it. Ten tips for efficient building operation are highlighted. (GR)

Asserts that campus space needs could be remedied by moving centrally located service delivery organizations, such as fleet vehicle maintenance facilities. Describes the process of operational and space needs assessment; this process provides information that enables architects to plan for appropriate adjacencies, correct space allocation, and…

Provides a discussion on entrance designs to interest students in the history of architecture. Focuses on reasons why studying entrances is important. Includes pictures of four different entrances to show students the diversity of entrances and offer examples to give student ideas for their work. (CMK)

Reports on the redesign of Pima Community College's (PCC) West Campus library/student center. States that the college made the redesign a participatory process, developing a master plan through a series of intensive multiple-day workshops that included faculty members, staff, students, and community members. Concludes that consistent participation…