Describes the design of the Fisher Science And Academic Center at Simon's Rock College (Massachusetts), that allows the buildings to seamlessly blend in with their rustic surroundings. Photos and diagrams detailing design features are provided. (GR)

Introduces a place of mathematics using a town called Amiens and its Cathedral whose overall floor plan was based on the Greek cross using proportions matching that of the ideal human body, the figures in the shape of an octagram or star octagon, and the symbols in the design. (ASK)

Discusses the trend in using intelligent-building technologies to achieve operating efficiencies and cost savings. Explains what an intelligent building is, defines some of the terms, and discusses how the user-friendly aspects of these systems are helping schools convert to them. (GR)

Presents the teamwork approach used by Philadelphia's Drexel University to restore an unused historic bank building located on its campus and convert it into a home to be used for alumni relations. Photos are included. (GR)

Five weeks after Katrina landed in Louisiana, Bonnabel and 78 other Jefferson Parish schools were welcoming students back--and far sooner than many had expected. The worst damage in Louisiana from Hurricane Katrina did not come to Jefferson Parish. That distinction was reserved for portions of New Orleans, as well as St. Bernard Parish, where…

A project was designed to introduce students to fungi in which students surveyed their school buildings for different types of mold. The students were able to make connections between structure and function of the fungal components and learn how these different components enhance survival in the environment.

One state's efforts to assess school readiness to implement a comprehensive mental health innovation are described. To determine the likelihood of achieving success with positive behavioral supports (PBS), a process to identify school buildings ready for planned organizational change was designed and implemented within a large-scale system of care…

The new National Maritime College of Ireland is regarded as the country's most exciting and innovative development in maritime training and education and is the first tertiary institution to be built and operated under the government's Public Private Partnership (PPP) model of procurement. The project is the outcome of a partnership between Cork…

In 1995, PEB published a case study on the United Kingdom's Leith Academy. The following article examines the Academy's original design, how the facilities have served over the 13 years since their construction and their influence on subsequent designs.

In New York they say that the architecture of the new "Lycee francais" (serving French students from kindergarten through upper secondary education) was inspired by the rationalism of Descartes. What is beyond doubt, however, is that the design and materials chosen by the American firm of architects, "Polshek Partnership…

Does Geneva's Montbrillant lower secondary school, which has now been in use for one year, meet the objectives targeted when it was designed? Does the new school respond to the needs and expectations of staff and students? Questions such as these serve to evaluate the quality of a school building once in use and tie in with work supported by PEB…

Many facilities are considering no-water urinals because they are regarded as an effective way to conserve water. Water must be pumped by electricity, some estimate that as much as $300 per year per urinal can be saved in utility costs. The installation of no-water urinals can help buildings achieve credits toward Leadership in Energy and…

Residence hall construction continues to be a priority for colleges and universities. With enrollments on the upswing, higher-education institutions are spending more and building larger facilities to entice students to live on campus. This article presents the findings of "American School & University's" 17th annual Residence Hall Construction…

The purpose of this study is to find out how teachers, principals, vice principals and students perceive school safety and how that differs related to school size. 194 educators and 1420 students' views were elicited by two self-deviced school safety inventories conducted in 10 state high schools in Istanbul in 2008. Cronbach alpha value for…

Often superintendents and boards of education employ an expert-based, school-centered, "decide and defend" decision making approach when dealing with critical school district issues. In the case presented here, involving what to do with an historic school building, it is an approach that did not yield the result the superintendent or board of…