Many school districts and education institutions are making green facilities a greater priority. Green buildings, also called sustainable or high-performance buildings, can provide many advantages for schools and the people who use them. They cost less to operate, last longer and provide a better learning environment. Constructing sustainable…

Education is undergoing a transformation across the country as it responds to new understandings of the mechanisms for learning. These changes are affecting the physical environments where learning occurs, from individual rooms to entire building complexes. The impact of these trends on facilities is dramatic. Old classroom models will not support…

In recent years, the large comprehensive high school has been a subject of growing critique by researchers and reformers. "Factory model" schools have been criticized for their impersonal structures, fragmented curricula, segregated and unequal program options, and inability to respond effectively to student needs. Some studies have found that,…

Student computer laboratories are provided by most teaching institutions around the world; however, what is the most effective layout for such facilities? The log-in data files from computer laboratories at a regional university in Australia were analysed to determine whether there was a pattern in student seating. In particular, it was…

With classroom Internet access nearly universal in public schools and computers ubiquitous on every school and university campus, classroom furnishings have evolved to accommodate the machines so students can take full advantage of the technology. The desks, tables and other furniture that a school chooses for its computers will depend on the…

Since building designers play a key role in the school construction process, it is important they be selected based on qualifications, level of service, and ability to work with education professionals. This report provides guidance to boards of education, superintendents, and other school administrators in this selection process. A methodology is…

Indoor air quality is a major concern for educators involved in the development of new school facilities, or the remodeling and maintenance of existing ones. This guide addresses the issue of air quality, the health concerns involved, and procedures for minimizing the impact of pollutants in the school environment. It defines common indoor air…

Many instructional activities are common to a wide variety of occupations and are easily accessible to all students at the Minuteman Regional Vocational-Technical High School. (Author/MLF)

Recommends criteria for accessible buildings, lists action taken by some colleges, and summarizes types and costs of automatic doors. (MLF)

A building plan based on six side-by-side hexagonal modules gives flexibility and a distinctive appearance to Pittsburgh's new Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. (Author)

The Salanter-Akiba-Riverdale Academy in New York City uses vertical open space achieved by "stair-stepping" down the natural contour of a sloping site. (Author/MLF)

Author chartered recent trends in school design and discussed expanding definitions of "school," such as community-shared facilities and the use of nontraditional spaces for education. (Editor/RK)

Author noted that the environments of many large-scale organizations ignore the individual. He discussed a number of dimensions of the individual's environmental experience, such as whether one is permitted to "possess" one's work space or adjust it to fit his needs. (Editor/RK)

In the architecture and arrangement of the physical plant, in the organization of its programs, and in the activities of its faculty and staff Moraine Valley Community College embodies a distinctive philosophy of education. (Author/RK)