Describes how one elementary school was designed to be a flexible, innovative campus that connects learning and the learning environment. The celebration of nature is carried out in many ways within the building. Students are exposed to great vistas from every interior location. Daylighting is infused throughout the school to reinforce the desire…

Describes the prototype design for four prekindergarten schools in Spring Branch Independent School District in Texas, including educational context and design goals. Includes photographs. (EV)

Discusses the appropriate role of the board of trustees in campus construction projects, including the need to be involved at the start and to understand hidden costs, and how to conserve trustee time. (EV)

Discusses planning for phased school construction projects, including effects on occupancy (for example, construction adjacent to occupied space, construction procedure safety zones near occupied areas, and code-complying means of egress), effects on building systems (such as heating and cooling equipment and power distribution), and contract…

A college president shares his advice on the critical elements of a capital campaign program for science facilities. (EV)

Discusses how administrators at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, worked to reconcile politics, economics, and today's consumer-oriented students as it renovated the student union, suggesting that a central issue for those responsible for determining services to be provided by student centers is what can best be outsourced and what can be kept…

Presents chapels/worship centers considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, focusing on concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm, client, total…

Describes the benefits of making school building more energy efficient. Provides examples of physical retrofits and behavioral changes to save energy costs. Describes four-step process to create an energy efficiency plan. Includes resources and information such as U.S. Department of Energy's Energy STAR program (www.energystar.gov). (PKP)

Emphasizes the importance of security and educational opportunity in the design of educational facilities. Offers checklists for intruder and environmental security, and discusses sustainability, design fads, and smart budgeting in achieving good design for educational opportunities. (EV)

Discusses green buildings, facilities designed, constructed, and operated in an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient way. Discusses reasons for campuses to "go green," the "shades of green" or variations in environmental-friendliness, certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, financial…

Describes how Oregon's Linn-Benton Community College, Lane Community College, Chemeketa Community College, and Portland Community College Cascade recently created areas specifically for their student activities programs. (EV)

Describes how George Mason University is using a high-tech building to lure professors into expanding their use of technology in teaching. (EV)

Describes the planning and design of Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California, particularly its emphasis on a humanistic, democratic approach to education in both facility design and organizational structure. (EV)

Describes several ways to design or renovate school building to save thousand of dollars of energy costs. Considers site design, energy-efficient building envelope, renewable energy systems, lighting and electrical systems, mechanical and ventilation systems, water conservation, and transportation. Describes how to obtain information about the…

Explores why and how integrating the activities of recreation centers and student centers into one common facility is emerging as a new development in college campus design. (EV)