School Facilities Design, Maintenance & Management

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Kaddatz) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:03:00 +0000

First LEED Certified Gold School of Architecture New
By: Jackie Schultz - Monday, July 27, 2009
Source: SchoolFacilities.com

As the first school of architecture in the United States to be certified LEED Gold and the first Pennsylvania State University LEED building, the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) is a $20 million project completed in 2005 by Overland Partners architects from San Antonio, Texas, WTW Architects and LaQuatra Bonci landscape architects both of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The engineering was performed by Arup, H. F Lenz and Whitney Bailey Cox Magnani. With the purpose of unifying two educational departments at Penn State’s University Park campus, SALA is conceived to embody sustainable design and the collaborative spirit needed for successful professional practice in the future. This 110,000- square foot building houses undergraduate and graduate design studios, faculty offices and research areas, administrative offices , classrooms, library, model shop, design computing labs, model building shop, the Center for Community Design , the Center for Watershed Stewardship , public presentation and gallery space.

The design accommodates the school’s functional requirements in a building that is sculptural, efficient and sustainable. The landscape design uses native planting that requires no landscape watering and integrated storm water management that filters storm water. The building itself addresses its site with two distinct personalities. The northeast façade is contextual, echoing the traditional red brick of surrounding campus structures. The southwest wall consists of flat-seamed, recycled copper. The form and natural patina of this side of the building responds to the organic nature of the adjacent Hort Woods. Exterior sun shading is contoured to each wall orientation to provide glare free day lighting and views that connect occupants to the surrounding landscape. A weather station on the roof monitors wind speed, humidity, temperature and precipitation to signal motorized windows that open automatically for fresh air, reducing the need for air-conditioning. Energy and daylight modeling was used extensively to optimize building envelope design, day lighting, lighting controls and HVAC systems to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. Occupancy, daylight and CO2 sensors automatically adjust HVAC systems and lighting to occupant load and available daylight.

The interior spaces are inspiring and collaborative, yet highly functional, durable and practical. The building’s structural steel frame, concrete floors and acoustical metal deck are exposed to eliminate applied finishes and minimize resource use. Natural maple hard wood, Pennsylvania bluestone flooring, brick interior walls and painted drywall accent walls humanize the industrial aesthetic. The building adapts to seasonal variations, provides flexibility in space configurations and accommodates changes in technology through the extensive use of an exposed concrete raised floor panel system with under floor distribution of HVAC, power and data. Interior functions are designed to spill outside in good weather on to terraced class discussion areas, a wooded reading area, a presentation terrace and a construction work yard. The use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials, as well as ventilated spray-booths for using toxic modeling materials ensures indoor air quality. Certified wood, as well as regionally manufactured, recycled and rapidly renewable materials are extensively used.

SALA has been honored with the following awards: AIA Awards of Excellence and Green Building Award Copper in Architecture Award, Brick in Architecture Award, Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award and PA Landscape Architects President’s Award.

Greater Gentilly High School: A "Quick Start" for a Strong Future

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Kaddatz) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Sustainable and Secure, New High School Helps Rebuild Hope

Following the destruction of one of the nation’s most devastating storms, New Orleans Public Schools is looking to the completion of the new Greater Gentilly High School as a proud symbol of the community’s tenacity, resilience, and vision for future generations. The new 173,000-square-foot building, which will accommodate up to 800 students, was designed on a demanding fast-track basis and will open in early 2010.

VergesRome Architects and Fanning Howey teamed up to design the new building, which will serve as a magnet school with an academic focus on commercial arts, computer science, entertainment production, and education. A flexible floor plan with retractable walls and highly functional classrooms and laboratories will easily accommodate changes in the curriculum and instructional approaches. A state-of-the-art technology program, supported by Apple Computer and following the model of the Napa, California-based New-Tech Foundation, will support the school’s innovative programs. Every student desk will be equipped with a computer.

Constant Communications

Employing a streamlined “Quick Start” approach, through which the decision-making, procurement, and review processes were thoroughly expedited, the building will be designed and built in less than two years. The Quick Start initiative was introduced by the state-sponsored Louisiana Recovery School District to help jump-start school construction in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and in advance of the release of the city’s School Facilities Master Plan.

A three-day charrette involving several community groups helped launch the design effort for the new high school. The project then moved rapidly from schematics to construction documents. The fast-paced process has required a commitment to careful communications between the project team, New Orleans Public Schools, and the Recovery School District, which also provided oversight and support. In addition to the speedy production of design deliverables, the effort has yielded a comprehensive set of standards that will help guide the future construction of district schools.

A Challenging Site

A difficult site also posed challenges to the design team. The 4.1-acre property had once housed a middle school structure that had been immersed in more than ten feet of water following Hurricane Katrina. The building was razed in order to accommodate the new high school, but several restrictions impeded use of the entire site, including the need to preserve several majestic live oaks on the property. The protection of these botanically and culturally significant specimens, along with the need to meet setback requirements, led the design team to devise a creative strategy for a disaster-resistant, multi-level structure on only 2.5 acres of property.

Protecting the Future

The three-level brick building features a wind- and water-resistant design and reflects meticulous mitigation analysis and planning to prepare for future storms and other potential disaster events. Most of the academic spaces and resources are housed on the two upper levels, with the ground level partially reserved for parking. The building has moisture-resistant finishes, wind-resistant galvanized steel roofing, and hurricane impact-resistant window systems. The high school is designed to LEED®-Silver certification standards, with a goal of reducing energy consumption by at least 30 percent. Two former outdoor swimming pools serve as rainwater cisterns, providing water for site irrigation and to supply the wet cooling tower.

The design team also employed a number of successful strategies to control costs. The building is set to be completed at approximately $5 million under budget.

Texas School District Invests $1.3 Million in High Efficiency Air Conditioning

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 06:43:00 +0000

TAC Installs New Mechanical Systems, Building Controls

dallas – November 13, 2008 – The Jacksonville Independent School District (JISD) in Jacksonville, Texas, has implemented $1.3 million in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort and efficiency at Jacksonville Middle School. The Energy Solutions division of TAC, a world leader in energy services, building automation and security, completed the work as a performance contract with the district. Because the project enables the district to reduce its energy consumption, the JISD will receive a $30,000 rebate from the local electric utility.

JISD officials recognized that the 124,000 square-foot Jacksonville Middle School, which serves 672 students in this east Texas community, needed a major renovation. Problems included a failing roof, old mechanical equipment and poor duct work, all of which led to comfort complaints. District officials also desired to maximize energy efficiency within the building since utility costs only seem to be increasing. They selected new air-conditioning units with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) and that offered the best indoor air quality (IAQ) by constantly managing CO₂ and humidity levels.

“We developed a capital improvement project to address the problems at our middle school and to significantly improve learning conditions,” said Troy Parker, director of purchasing for JISD. “To minimize disruption, we had the roof replaced at the same time that the new rooftop air-conditioning units were installed. The entire project was completed over the summer to avoid disrupting our classes this fall.”

Performance contracting offers many long-term benefits for school districts, such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings, which help defray the costs of the facility improvements.

The work had to be done concurrently in order to be completed while the building was unoccupied. This required TAC and the roofing contractor to coordinate closely with each other as they replaced the air-conditioning equipment and installed the new roof respectively.

“These improvements have enhanced the Jacksonville Middle School, and students and staff now enjoy a better learning and working environment,” said Shon Anderson, vice president of TAC Energy Solutions Sales. “The energy savings the district is enjoying will help defray some of the costs of the project, as will the utility rebate. This way, the community gets a better school building but the taxpayers aren’t faced with as large of a construction bill.”

About TAC

TAC is a leading provider of building automation solutions based on Open Integrated Systems for Building IT. TAC's mission is to provide added value through building environment services for indoor climate, security and use of energy, delivered with advanced technology to end users and property owners throughout the world. With over 80 years of experience in the HVAC, building automation and security arenas, TAC employs more than 8,000 people worldwide, with partners and branches in 80 countries. TAC's parent company, Schneider Electric, is the global specialist in energy management with 120,000 employees worldwide and operations in 102 countries.

Construction Complete on Single Building Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:29:00 +0000

Del Sur Elementary's Single Building Design Has Small Footprint, Powerful Punch

(San Diego, CA) September 23, 2008 – NTD Architecture is pleased to announce that construction is complete on Del Sur Elementary School of the Poway Unified School District. Designed as a single building campus, Del Sur achieves an energy efficiency of 40.7% better than California's 2005 Title 24 energy code requirements and has exceeded the requisites to become a Collaborative for High Performance School (CHPS) by 44 points (pending final certification).

Located within Del Sur’s 1,800 acres, Del Sur Elementary School’s sustainable features are in alignment with the concept of the overall community, which boasts the Ranch House as San Diego’s first LEED Platinum building. The 85,259 SF single building school sits on a 10-acre site and cost $29.5 M to construct. It houses 34 teaching stations and is designed to accommodate a student body of 850. Construction began in April of 2007 and will be completed in August of 2008. Del Sur Elementary School was the recipient of a Coalition for Adequate School Housing Award for Design Excellence in 2006.

"We're extremely proud of this design, not only for its substantial energy savings, but also because the campus concept will encourage social interaction among students and teachers," says Richard Nowicki, AIA, Partner of NTD Architecture. “As high performance design becomes requisite in public works, the typology represented by Del Sur is likely to become more common.”

The single building typology also adds to the project’s energy efficiency. Reduced exterior wall and roof areas decrease the amount of heating and cooling needed by the school, resulting in lowered energy costs for the District and an improved physical environment for the building's occupants. A 10,000 SF photovoltaic array installed through SDG&E's Sustainable Communities Program will provide approximately 9.4% of the school's energy and an Energy Management System will monitor the use of lighting, equipment, and HVAC systems. Other sustainable features contributing to the school's CHPS designation include a high-efficiency irrigation system with a satellite controller, shared-use of the multipurpose room and athletic field, and a substantially reduced footprint resulting in a higher pervious site area, enhanced classroom acoustics, and high indoor air quality.

Del Sur Elementary School leans on the forefront of innovative design and technology. Classrooms are equipped with Audio/Visual systems, including a centralized A/V switching system with stereo amplification, LCD projector, electronic marker board, DVD/VCR, docucams, and Audio Reinforcement Input, ensuring that students will have the tools necessary to prepare them for a future in the 21^st Century.

A weeklong collaborative planning process initiated in the early stages of the design process determined that stakeholders and community members alike envisioned a school that focused on the community, learning, and energy efficiency. Including district facility members, teachers, faculty, parents, and students in the planning process ensured that goals from across the spectrum were established and realized.

The team assigned to Del Sur Elementary includes NTD Architecture for Architecture, MEP Engineering, and Interior Design, Edge Development as the General Contractor, Masson & Associates for Civil Engineering, Johnson Consulting Engineers for Low Voltage/Technology, KNA Consulting Engineers for Structural Engineering, and Nowell & Associates for Landscape Architecture. NTD's Education Funding Services Division assisted the District with obtaining funding for Del Sur from the State of California in the amount of $13,054,447.00.

NTD Architecture is dedicated to client satisfaction through process improvement. The award-winning design firm specializes in architecture for healthcare and education facilities and provides integrated services of architecture, engineering, and interior design. NTD office locations include San Diego, Los Angeles, Visalia, Salinas, and Auburn, California, and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Please visit ntd.com to learn more about NTD’s projects and delsurliving.com for the community of Del Sur.

Los Angeles Southwest College Gets 'Extreme Makeover'

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:58:00 +0000

More than $200 Million in Bond Construction Projects Gives
Los Angeles Southwest College 'Extreme Makeover'

Dramatic transformation provides College with more than 300,000 square feet in new and renovated facilities; adding more resources for skills-based careers and education for students in South Los Angeles

September 17, 2008 (LOS ANGELES) - Dr. Jack E. Daniels III, president of Los Angeles Southwest College (LASC), announced yesterday at a media and community breakfast held at the College that the campus has been dramatically transformed by the Los Angeles Community College District's (LACCD) Bond Construction Program. Today, the campus is celebrating a virtual makeover with new ultra-modern facilities - like "smart" classrooms and solar powered buildings – that are serving more than 7,500 students. The new state-of-the-art buildings offer more services to help students transition into four-year institutions or skills-based careers. Additionally, the 64-acre campus now boasts approximately 370,029 square feet of new and renovated structures.

Los Angeles Southwest College began its $204 million construction efforts in 2002. Projects included replacing temporary structures, upgrading several facilities, and building nine major educational and support structures. Campus enhancements also include major landscape and open space improvements to support student interaction for an increased sense of community.

The College's 41 projects, funded through Propositions A and AA, were approved by L.A. voters in 2001 and 2003 as part of the LACCD’s mission to renovate and modernize its nine campuses across L.A. County. Six major projects are currently underway at Southwest College, including a new Student Services Activity Center and an Athletic Stadium and Field House, which will help boost student access to education throughout the region. The campus opened its doors in 1967 with 600 students thanks to a handful of community activists seeking better educational opportunities for their children. More than four decades later, it continues to serve as a beacon of hope for the community.

"Southwest College exemplifies our commitment to building stronger educational facilities through the Bond Program and it has produced spectacular results as a pilot campus for our Design-Build efforts," said Larry H. Eisenberg, executive director, Facilities Planning and Development for LACCD. "We recognize the progress Southwest College has made through the bond program and we celebrate its many achievements with rebuilding the campus."

Other construction projects include new and enhanced "green" certified facilities for academic, athletic and student support service. These new developments will accommodate the current population of 7,500 students as well as the 12,000 students projected for future enrollment.

Beyond the addition of new buildings and top-tier technology, however, the transformation of Los Angeles Southwest College is also a platform to provide underserved communities with higher education in skilled occupations that will directly impact the area. The new facilities offer more quality resources, like a Child Development Center and Education Complex that offers teacher-training programs and safe care for the children of student-parents. In addition, students learning through Southwest's “smart" classrooms gain valuable skills in the latest technology to become more employable in today’s modern marketplace.

Dr. Daniels stated, "Thanks to the Bond Program, we now have an environment for learning and providing the community with a college they can be proud of. "Our students will be better served through the education and training they receive here at Southwest, thereby improving their potential future and helping make the campus a model college for years to come."

By using an innovative construction delivery method termed Design-Build, eight of Southwest College’s major projects have made unprecedented progress. Unlike the traditional method, whereby owners contract with separate companies to handle each aspect of design and construction, Design-Build entails contracting with only one team for the entire building process for a fixed price. The practice is designed as a best-value method.

"In order to maximize taxpayer dollars for construction, we utilized the Design-Build approach to bundle projects and build them almost concurrently," said LASC's construction management team, Director Ed Bilezikjian and Assistant Director George Snead of Construction Controls Group. "With our goal to reduce costs and expedite projects, the Design-Build approach offered advantages that led to the College's building success."

The Los Angeles Community College District, one of the largest community college districts in the country, is in the midst of a $2.2 billion construction and modernization program at its nine colleges. LACCD has contracted 72 percent of professional services and the construction program's work to date ($693 million as of July 2008 of bond funds) to local, small, emerging and disabled-veteran enterprise businesses. Companies interested in participating in this $2.2 billion renovation and modernization program are encouraged to visit www.LACCDBuildsGreen.org and click on “Contracting & Bidding Site.”

Honeywell Helps California Schools Soak up the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:28:00 +0000

HONEYWELL HELPS CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
SOAK UP THE SUN, CUT UTILITY BILLS

Solar Power Agreements Allow Dixon, Riverdale and Other Districts
to Reduce Carbon Emissions While Saving Millions

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 2, 2008 – The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the nation’s schools spend an average of $175 per student on energy costs — a figure that continues to rise every year. Overall, utility bills are the second largest expense behind personnel costs.

At the same time, there is a growing awareness across the country about environmental impact and the effects of global warming. And many schools are looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions and serve as models of energy conservation.

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) is helping school districts in California address both concerns through an innovative solar program. The company today announced that Dixon Unified School District and Riverdale Joint Unified School District in central California have awarded Honeywell solar projects expected to drive more than $1 million in energy savings for each district over the next 20 years. Under the agreements, Honeywell will install solar panels at several facilities and sell the electricity the panels produce to the districts. The projects require no upfront investment from the districts, which are able to buy renewable energy at a price below their current utility rates.

In Dixon, Honeywell will install a SunSeeker^™ ground-mounted photovoltaic solar array from Thompson Technology Industries at the district’s new high school. The array will use single-axis tracking technology to automatically orient the panels to the sun’s position in the sky, improving the electrical output of the system. The system is expected to generate more than 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually — enough energy to power 120 homes per year and supply more than 80 percent of the electricity for the school.

“The combination of financial and environmental benefits made the solar project with Honeywell a sound decision,” said Dixon Unified School District superintendent Roger Halberg. “The new high school will serve the district for a long time. And the solar installation will help ensure it is as carbon neutral as possible.”

Honeywell will install similar technology at Riverdale High School and Fipps Primary School in Riverdale. These arrays are expected to generate nearly 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which will cover more than 60 percent of the district’s total electricity load.

“The fact that going green also provided a financial advantage was very attractive to us,” said Elaine Cash, superintendent of Riverdale Joint Unified School District. “This solar project with Honeywell will maximize our budget resources while maintaining clean, sustainable schools.”

Honeywell also has implemented solar projects for Pleasanton Unified School District in the San Francisco Bay Area and Poway Unified School District in San Diego. It estimates that if only 20 percent of California districts installed similar solar technology, the state could reduce conventional electricity consumption in schools by 6 to 9 percent.

Collectively, the company’s solar work for schools in California is expected to cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4.3 million pounds and nitrous oxide emissions by nearly 4,000 pounds. According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this is equivalent to removing more than 460 cars from the road or planting 575 acres of trees.

In addition to reducing costs and emissions, the solar arrays at all four districts are expected to serve as an educational tool that faculty can use to teach students about energy conservation and alternative energy sources. Through Web-based portals, teachers and students will be able to see the real-time electrical output from the solar technology and learn how the systems operate.

“Honeywell is helping these school districts identify the most appropriate renewable energy technology to meet their unique requirements, and doing it in a way that is line with their budgets,” said Kent Anson, vice president of global energy for Honeywell Building Solutions. “In addition to helping the schools with rising energy costs, the solar arrays also will provide students a solid educational tool for years to come.”

Honeywell will work with SPG Solar, Inc. to install the panels, and expects to begin providing electricity to the Dixon and Riverdale districts by year’s end. The work will partially be funded by solar rebates offered through the California Solar Initiative, a program aimed at moving the state toward a cleaner energy future through implementation of solar systems.

Honeywell International is a $38 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For additional information, please visit www.honeywell.com. Honeywell Building Solutions is part of the Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions business group, a global leader in providing product and service solutions that improve efficiency and profitability, support regulatory compliance, and maintain safe, comfortable environments in homes, buildings and industry. For more information about Building Solutions, access www.honeywell.com/buildingsolutions.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Santa Ana Unified School District to Install Rapid Responder Crisis Management System

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:00:00 +0000

Santa Ana Unified School District to Install Rapid Responder

Crisis Management System to Protect Students and Staff

Award-winning emergency preparedness solution will provide school security and first responders
with instant access to critical campus information during emergencies

SANTA ANA, CA –August 26, 2008 – The Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) will announce at its August 26, 2008, Board of Education meeting the installation of the state-of-the-art Rapid Responder® crisis management system to protect its students and staff during emergencies. Police, fire and other first responders will be able to use the online solution to instantly access critical facility information such as floor plans, 360 degree imagery, hazardous materials quantities and locations and evacuation routes for all of the district's 78 elementary, middle, high school and administrative buildings. The Board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at 1601 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana, Ca., 92701.

The system and installation are being funded by a $709,810 Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Grant SAUSD received from the U.S. Department of Education in 2007. SAUSD is the largest district in Southern California to install the Rapid Responder crisis management system. Eleven school districts in Northern and Southern California are currently using Rapid Responder to protect their campuses.

Rapid Responder from Prepared Response Inc. will provide school security and first responders with campus information allowing them to respond faster, in a more coordinated manner with other agencies, and with enhanced situational awareness to better protect both students and staff during emergencies. Rapid Responder has been used during a campus shooting, bomb threats, lockdowns and other emergency situations on school campuses throughout the country.

"Deployment of the Rapid Responder emergency management system is a step forward in ensuring that our schools and staff members are becoming better equipped to protect our students in the event of an emergency," said Superintendent Jane Russo. "The fact that we are partnering with the police and fire agencies is another positive in reaching a common goal," Russo said. "We thank all our supporters, especially our elected officials who rallied behind us in seeking the School Readiness Grant that makes this all possible."

"Prepared Response is pleased to work with the Santa Ana Unified School District and local first responders to further improve the district's response to emergencies." said Jim Finnell, president and CEO of Prepared Response Inc. "Rapid Responder was used during a school shooting in Washington state to help first responders contain a gunman in 12 minutes and evacuate 2,000 students in 20 minutes. Rapid Responder is a tool that can be used to help protect students during any emergency that may occur on campus. "

Rapid Responder is certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's SAFETY Act as a "Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology." Rapid Responder is being used in 12 states with over 5,000 end users including more than 500 public safety agencies and 275 school districts. This system, endorsed by the National Sheriffs' Association, was recognized in the Harvard/Noblis Innovations Award in Homeland Security that was presented to the State of Washington in September 2007 and was selected for the 2006 National Homeland Defense Foundation's Innovations in Homeland Security award.

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About Santa Ana Unified School District

Santa Ana Unified serves approximately 54,000 diverse students in grades K-12 and employs over 6,000 educators and staff members representing 63 dynamic school sites throughout the eclectic and vibrant Santa Ana community. Contact us at 714-558-5555, or pioinfo@sausd.us. For more information about our schools, visit www.sausd.us.

About Prepared Response, Inc.

Prepared Response Inc. develops crisis management planning and response systems that enable police, fire, and other emergency responders to save lives and mitigate property damage. The company's flagship product, Rapid Responder, runs on laptop computers and allows first responders to instantly access more than 300 site-specific data points, including tactical plans, site and floor plans, aerial and geospatial imagery, interior and exterior photos, staging areas, hazardous materials locations, utility shut-offs, and evacuation routes for virtually any facility. Rapid Responder has received Certification status by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under The SAFETY Act. The Rapid Responder system protects more than 12,000 facilities and is currently deployed in educational facilities, public buildings, critical infrastructure, and private facilities across the U.S.

The privately held company, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, was formed in September 2000. Additional information can be found at www.preparedresponse.com or by calling 1-800-705-1856.

FW: 21 New Seminole County Classrooms Installed

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:44:00 +0000

NEWS -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   Aug. 13, 2008

CONTACTS:    Royal Concrete Concepts
John Albert, Vice President                          Wendy Elwell, Director of Marketing
561-689-5395 x 3007, 561-719-6628           941-544-4940

21 New Classrooms Installed at Seminole Schools Over Summer Break

LAKE MARY, Fla. - An innovation in concrete construction methods is creating greener schools with more hurricane protection and they go up so fast that entire schools can be built during a summer break.

Royal Concrete Concepts (RCC), a manufacturer of patented pre-fabricated concrete buildings, worked for Seminole Schools to remove 11 portables and then build 21 brand new state-of-the-art classrooms for five elementary schools. Bentley, Hamilton, Spring Lake and Keeth elementary schools each received an additional four classrooms while Partin Elementary received five all between June 16 and Aug. 11.

"We offer a need not currently met in the marketplace for sustainable, economical buildings designed and built in one-third the time," said John Albert, Vice President of RCC. He explained, "These buildings last twice as long at an overall lower cost."

The classrooms were made at RCC's assembly line in Okeechobee and then trucked 95% complete, including electrical wiring, plumbing and interior finishes such as white boards, tile floors and cabinets, to the schools. The RCC process is an inherently more sustainable approach to making buildings because the process is more precise and less wasteful than traditional brick-and-mortar construction. The buildings withstand Category 5 hurricane winds. The buildings save school districts 20 percent to 30 percent in initial costs, and have minimal maintenance bills and lower energy usage. They are all extremely quiet; mold, mildew and termite resistant; and fire resistant.

"The number of green buildings is expected to increase rapidly in the coming decades," according to Paul Nutcher, an expert in the LEED green rating systems. "As green buildings become the minimum standard in local building codes, companies such as RCC already using this approach are ahead of the game."

Wally Sanger, President and owner of Royal Concrete Concepts said, "With today's limited budgets and environment focus, school boards must be prudent with their constituents' money and good stewards of the earth. We believe applying the Henry Ford principles to building schools helps school districts achieve these goals."

For photos of classroom construction, contact thomas@greenappleconsult.com

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New Child Development Center For L.A. Valley College

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:13:00 +0000

New $11.2 Million Child Development Center at L.A. Valley College Will Provide Modern Learning Facilities for 'Little Ones'

June 27, 2008 (LOS ANGELES) - The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees (BOT) recently awarded a $11.2 million construction contract to authorize building efforts for Los Angeles Valley College's new Child Development Center (CDC). The College's CDC represents the District's sixth center across LACCD in the development, planning or building phase. There are currently three projects under construction at Los Angeles Trade Technical, Los Angeles City and Los Angeles Mission colleges, with two additional contracts in place for both Los Angeles Harbor and Pierce College. The CDC at Los Angeles Southwest College was completed in 2007. The District's child development centers are devoted to early childcare facilities for children and serve as a teacher-training model for students in the Child Development department.

"Our child development centers impact our overall objective to assist students by providing affordable childcare, while serving as a teacher-training facility," said Nancy Pearlman, LACCD BOT. "As a result, our students get an early childhood education for their children and the chance to focus on securing their own educational goals for brighter career options."

PW Construction will provide general construction services for the project at a cost of $11,164,500. The scope of work will consist of the demolition of the current center and new construction activity for a 25,900 sq. ft., one-story facility. The center will be a licensed childcare facility, and will provide developmentally appropriate programs for the kindergarten to grade-school children of Valley College students, staff, faculty and the community.

The contract is the result of a formal competitive bidding process, and the District estimates that the contract will generate approximately 111 local construction jobs.

The Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college districts in the country, is in the midst of a $2.2 billion construction and modernization program at its nine colleges. LACCD has contracted 77 percent of professional services and the construction program's work to date ($579,472,835 as of September 2007) to local, small, emerging and disabled-veteran enterprise businesses. Companies interested in participating in this $2.2 billion renovation and modernization program are encouraged to visit www.LACCDBuildsGreen.org and click on “Contracting & Bidding Site.”

SchenkelShultz Architecture designs Duval County Public Schools' new $73.5 million, 263,937-square-foot High School "AAA" in Jacksonville, FL

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:14:00 +0000

JACKSONVILLE, FL – SchenkelShultz Architecture, located in World Golf Village and one of Florida’s leading green designers, designed Duval County Public Schools’ new $73.5 million, 263,937-square-foot High School “AAA” in Jacksonville, FL. The 2,117-student facility is the first new high school in Duval County in 20 years. Designed in a “low country” architectural style to blend with the surrounding North Florida communities, the school includes 12 “small scale learning communities” and incorporates high performance design elements such as clerestory lighting and automatic light-level sensitive classroom lamp controls. Other design elements include a secured central courtyard that can be used for outdoor dining, a decentralized media center and administration, high-tech academies with college-level science labs and secure after-hours public access to the auditorium and gymnasium. W.G. Mills, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, serves as the Design/Build lead for the school which is slated for occupancy in August 2010. The Northeast Florida office of SchenkelShultz is located at 101 E. Town Place, Suite 800, St. Augustine, FL, phone 904-940-7272.

SchenkelShultz has designed more than 28 million-square-feet of K-12 and higher education projects in 28 Florida school districts including the award-winning six-story Stetson University Lynn Business Center, the first LEED®-certified building in the state of Florida, and the LEED®-Gold certified Christine E. Lynn college of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University.

Celebrating 50 years of design excellence and consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top design firms, SchenkelShultz is a full-service architectural firm specializing in education, justice, aviation and commercial facilities design. With nine offices nationally (six in Florida) and over 50 LEED® Accredited Professionals, SchenkelShultz is a recognized leader in green design which has long been committed to designing sustainable concepts into every project. Further evidencing its leadership, the firm designs all K-12 schools in accordance with green design principles at no additional cost to school boards. As a result, schools designed by SchenkelShultz are achieving the benefits of sustainable design including reduced operating costs and improved environmental quality.

Also commemorating 25 years in Florida under the leadership of J. Thomas Chandler, AIA, President and COO, the firm established its Orlando office in 1983 and subsequently expanded with five additional offices in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Naples, Tampa and West Palm Beach. “At SchenkelShultz,” said Chandler, “our focus is on architecture but our passion transcends excellent design. Our firm,” he added, “is continuously evolving to anticipate and adapt to ever-changing market trends, and is dedicated to building positive, successful relationships with our valued clients, employees and communities.”

For more information, visit www.schenkelshultz.com.

RELIANT STADIUM ACHIEVES CODE COMPLIANCE WITH RETRACTABLE ROOF DESIGN

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:52:00 +0000

RJA HELPS STADIUM ACHIEVE CODE COMPLIANCE FOR RETRACTABLE ROOF DESIGN

CHICAGO, IL - With the ever-increasing pace of higher education
construction, adding a new athletic stadium enhances the campus community
by providing countless opportunities to students and to the community
by hosting special events, intramural and high school sports, and
various recreational activities. Facing fire and building code challenges
that simply didn't exist a few years ago with large, open-air assembly
facilities, Rolf Jensen & Associates (RJA) delivered innovative solutions
to achieving code compliance in emergency situations for Reliant Stadium,
home to the Houston Texans.

"Achieving complete and total code compliance is difficult in these types
of facilities," explained Michael Crowley, RJA project manager. "We worked
with the City of Houston to gain acceptance for alternative methods of
compliance for the smoke control system, exiting and other features unique
to the facility."

RJA considered using the retractable roof as a means to allow smoke to
escape in the event of a fire. The roof, which is constructed of steel with
a fabric covering, completely opens in about 10 minutes. The roof cannot
be opened when wind speeds exceed 35 mph. Because wind speeds are typically
in the high teens at the roof's peak, the city required RJA to approach
the stadium as a smoke-protected assembly with the assumption that the
roof would not be open.

This kind of innovative solution requires pre-planning – a key ingredient
in the RJA success formula. RJA evaluated models, which determined how much
smoke would be generated in a fire and the most favorable ways to control
it for the design of the smoke control system. Even more important was
conducting exit calculations and timed egress for occupant evacuation.

RJA also negotiated a code variance with the City of Houston to allow 3,000
additional standing room-only occupants to be added to the existing
configuration on the main concourse, as well as providing for special fire
department access to hoses at alternative standpipe locations. The first
stadium to have a retractable roof in the National Football League,
Reliant Stadium, now is the centerpiece of the Reliant Park complex with
venues for sports, entertainment, conventions and other functions.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Rolf Jensen & Associates provides a
comprehensive range of engineering and consulting services for clients
on projects around the world. Through its 30 offices, the company is the
leading consulting engineering firm for fire and life safety issues, from
designing a fire alarm system for a high-rise building or conducting a
fire model for smoke control in a new convention center to providing
on-site management of the life safety construction process or conducting a
custom training seminar on performance-based design.

For a complete list of services, contact Rolf Jensen & Associates at
600 West Fulton Street, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60661.
Telephone 312-879-7220 or visit www.rjagroup.com.

Property Managers Prepare for a Pandemic Outbreak

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:56:00 +0000

87% OF US EMPLOYERS NOT PREPARED FOR A PANDEMIC OUTBREAK THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CLAIMS IS “SERIOUS”

Annapolis, MD-Facility professionals and real property managers, mark your calendars for Tuesday, July 15, 1:30-3 p.m. EST. This is the date and time that you will learn how to protect your organization, employees, business partners and customers from experiencing an epidemic outbreak.

According to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions/ERISA Industry Council survey taken in November 2005, only 7 out of 50 American businesses claim to have adequately planned for a possible pandemic that the World Health Organization (WHO) says is “serious.” What is especially disturbing is that the WHO goes on to say that the world is now closer to another pandemic than at any time since the Hong Kong flu of 1968 hit.

BOMI International, the leader in facilities and property education for over 35 years, is holding a webcast this July to prepare professionals for the ominous threat of an epidemic. Enrolled professionals will learn how to create, manage and execute a successful pandemic response plan from Sam Smith, the former Director of Disaster Recovery and Physical Security for a major telecommunications data center.

Students will learn the key components of a response plan including- how to mitigate the impact of an outbreak, essential communication strategies, and how to minimize liability and the financial impact related to a pandemic. The seminar even comes with pandemic response checklists that can be used as is, or modified to fit a specific organization’s needs.

During the sizzling summer months when the chances of an epidemic are high, BOMI International prepares facility professionals and real property managers to handle any emergency situation with order and ease while competitors scramble to react. Don’t waste another fall trying to catch up! BOMI International classes are great for the traveling professional, all you need is a telephone and a computer.

About BOMI International
Founded in 1970 and located in Annapolis, Maryland, BOMI International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization. As the trusted educational resource of choice for today’s top corporations, government agencies, property management firms, unions, and trade associations, we work across industry sectors to improve the skills of professionals at many levels with property, facility, and systems responsibilities. BOMI is known for industry-standard designations – the Real Property Administrator (RPA^®), the Facilities Management Administrator (FMA^®), the Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA^®), and the Systems Maintenance Technician (SMT^®). More than 20,000 building professionals hold one or more BOMI designations, and nearly 10,000 students register for individual courses each year. For more information or to register with BOMI International visit; www.bomi.org

Oklahoma Schools Commence Energy Saving Project

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Performance Contract with TAC will Save District $20,482 Annually

DALLAS - June 2, 2008 - The Geary Public Schools (GPS) in Geary, Okla., are implementing $291,341 in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort and efficiency in eight district facilities. The Energy Solutions division of TAC, a world leader in energy services, building automation and security, will complete the work as a performance contract with the district. TAC guarantees that GPS will reduce its utility costs by $20,482 annually when the project is completed in the spring of 2008.

Located in central Oklahoma, thirty miles west of Oklahoma City, Geary has a population of 1,200 and an enrollment of approximately 450 students in the public schools. Rising energy costs were a growing concern for the district. Because there was no centralized building control for any of the campuses, mechanical equipment and lights at the facilities were running even when the schools were unoccupied. In addition, the buildings had outdated and inefficient light fixtures and the gym lighting was well under desirable levels, leading to complaints from fans of the district's sports teams.

"TAC offered our small district a solution that would resolve our building control and lighting issues and reduce our utility expenses," said Bill Caruthers, superintendent GPS. "By making these needed improvements as a performance contract, the district can use money we are already spending to pay for the changes. This helps us control costs, which always pleases the taxpayers in our community. Having worked with TAC before to complete a similar project for another school system, I know the performance contracting process does work, and I am confident our district can achieve the results we need."

Performance contracting is a turnkey solution designed to increase the energy and operational efficiencies of buildings. Improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection are among the long-term benefits of performance contracting. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings. TAC guarantees the amount of savings performance contracting projects will achieve and agrees to pay the difference if that amount is not realized.

TAC will install a variety of energy conservation measures (ECMs) in order to resolve the problems faced by GPS. A districtwide energy management system (EMS) will provide centralized control of lighting and mechanical systems, such as heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), at all district facilities. This will allow administrators to turn off lights and shut down systems when schools are unoccupied, eliminating unnecessary utility expenses. By replacing the existing T-12 fluorescent lights with new, more efficient T-8 lighting, GPS will save money and have improved illumination. Finally, to better light the gym, TAC will convert the current metal halide lights to high-bay fluorescents.

"Increased control, improved lighting and increased efficiency are the benefits we are guaranteeing for the Geary Public Schools with this project," said Wes McDaniel, vice president of TAC Energy Solutions. "Students and school staff at will all enjoy a better learning and working environment as a result of these facility updates. Improved efficiency will not only pay for these important changes, but continue to provide savings for years to come."

About TAC
TAC is a leading provider of building automation solutions based on Open Integrated Systems for Building IT. TAC's mission is to provide added value through building environment services for indoor climate, security and use of energy, delivered with advanced technology to end users and property owners throughout the world. With over 80 years of experience in the HVAC, building automation and security arenas, TAC employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, with partners and branches in 80 countries. TAC's parent company, Schneider Electric, is the global specialist in energy management with 120,000 employees worldwide and operations in 102 countries.

# # #

For more information, contact:
Jeannie H. Birdwell
Communications Manager
TAC
(972) 323-5518
(214) 725-6158 (mobile)
jeannie.birdwell@tac.com

Keith Hobbs

Michael Burns & Associates, Public Relations

3333 Lee Parkway, Suite 450

Dallas, TX 75219

214-521-8596 Phone

214-521-8599 Fax

Email: khobbs@mbapr.com

Web: www.mbapr.com

A Member of the Worldcom Public Relations Group

New Reasearch Shows Connection Between Learning and School Building Design

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:06:00 +0000

"The Future Is Here", published on SchoolFacilities.com by school facility expert Frank Locker, outlines in detail the successes of the Minnesota New Country School. This article is a must read for anyone responsible for planning, designing, building or developing curriculum for k-12 learning spaces.

Read "The Future Is Here" on SchoolFacilities.com and share your feedback with Frank on this blog entry.

New Edition of High-Performance Schools Book Goes Beyond Green

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:39:00 +0000

Washington, D.C. Schools that have superior acoustics and lighting, accessible classrooms, safe and secure campuses, and other "high-performance" features are among the subjects of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council's (SBIC) High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide. SBIC is proud to announce the publication and release of the third edition of this nationally acclaimed and easy-to-read book. The guidebook describes the characteristics and benefits of high-performance school buildings and details a process that ensures school planners get the best design possible within their budgets.

Written primarily for those who make decisions about the design and construction of K-12 schools, the 96-page Guide is useful for community leaders, parents, teachers, architects and engineers, and anyone else advocating for school buildings that are cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy and productive for students, teachers, and staff.

The book is organized into three core sections. Section 1 provides an overview and two interrelated discussions: What Is a High-Performance School Building? and Why Is a High-Performance School Building Valuable? Section 2 is the Process Guide, which provides issue-specific questions for decision makers to ask their architectural/engineering teams at each stage of the design process in order to drive projects toward the highest levels of performance. Section 3 describes 17 key "Building Blocks" that, when integrated, result in a high-performance building.

The newly issued third edition of the High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide goes Beyond Green^TM to address seven other key project objectives-cost effectiveness, accessibility, productivity and health, historic preservation, safety and security, functionality, and aesthetics. New in this edition is a foreword that introduces SBIC's concept of Beyond Green^TM, a special focus area on accessibility in K-12 schools, and a Beyond Green^TM case study of Radnor Middle School in Pennsylvania. The edition also contains new photographs, updated Web links, and extended resource sections for those looking for more detail on specific topics.

The book's principal author is Deane Evans, FAIA, Director of the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Center for Architecture and Building Science Research. Mr. Evans is an accomplished architect with over 25 years of experience in architectural design, construction technology, and building performance research. He has served as an instructor for SBIC's High-Performance School Buildings workshops and is currently serving as the Council's Vice Chair.

The Resource and Strategy Guide was originally published in 2000 as part of SBIC's High-Performance School Buildings Education Campaign, developed with support from SBIC member Southern California Edison, the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Education, and others. The third edition is underwritten in part the following SBIC members: BASF Corporation, the International Masonry Institute, and the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association.

The High-Performance School Buildings Resource and Strategy Guide is available online at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001iAGmMTl_nrSAUJZIGsfb7-37szLaBf-LWnqukjyVYWznAbklgPLjtFqhwubw_UxSodab0NjXNKxkzqiFu2sgkpn3Tcv6VRyl7nLpodXCDOQ5d51V3wKIrQ==or by calling SBIC at 202-628-7400. SBIC members are entitled to a 15 percent discount. Special bulk pricing is also available for those who would like to distribute the book to their constituents. The Council offers a two-day workshop based on the Resource and Strategy Guide. Please contact Sophia Greenbaum for more information on how to bring a workshop to your area.

# # #

The Sustainable Building Industry Council (SBIC) is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to unite and inspire the buildings industry toward higher performance - through education, outreach, advocacy and the mutual exchange of ideas. Council membership is open to private and public organizations and individuals who share this mission. For more information about the Council's products, services, and members, visit www.sbicouncil.org or call 202-628-7400.

Video Insight Joins SchoolFacilities.com to Improve School Security

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 23 May 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Video Insight, a Houston based provider of school surveillance software, has joined SchoolFacilities.com as a marketing partner and advertiser. The Video Insight Digital Video Management system is the ideal safety and security solution for any size school district or university and a perfect match for the thousands of school administrators and facility managers who use SchoolFacilities.com to find security products.

"We are looking forward to marketing Video Insight's products and services as the demand for improved security systems on school campuses and the need for safer school facilities is at an all time high." stated Matt Banes, SchoolFacilities.com publisher. "

To learn more about Video Insight visit http://www.video-insight.com/.

Michaels Engineering Completes Comprehensive Ground-Source Heat Pump Study for State of Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:09:00 +0000

La Crosse, WI - May 9, 2008 - Michaels Engineering has recently completed a ground-source heat pump study for the state of Minnesota.

The study compares the performance of ground source heat pumps to conventional gas heating / electric cooling systems in school, office, and residential buildings. Results include annual electric and gas energy usage, annual energy costs, simple payback, life-cycle costs, and annual emissions levels. The study includes 120 building simulations of varying building types and sizes, age (new construction or retrofit), and climate zones. Results are presented in concise tables for ease of comparison. The study also includes the current status of the industry and market potential of ground-source heat pump systems for the state.

The study can be found at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website by clicking here.

High Performance Schools Criteria

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Notice of CHPS High Performance School Criteria 2009 Edition 45-Day Public Review

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) has provided school districts and their design teams with tools for building a new generation of high performance schools since 2000. At the heart of the CHPS program is the CHPS Criteria, Volume III of the CHPS Best Practices Manual, which provides a stringent and comprehensive standard for high performance schools. The Criteria is updated every three years, concurrent with the updates to California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24). The 2009 Edition of the Criteria will soon be out for public review and CHPS is seeking public comment on the updated Criteria. The drafts for public comment will be available at this address on the CHPS website in early June 2008: http://www.chps.net/review/2009edition. The comment period is forty-five days.

Some of the exciting developments for the 2009 Criteria include new credits for designing for deconstruction and adaptability; siting for school gardens; net-zero energy schools; providing safe routes to schools; innovative water management strategies; limits on mercury and other health hazards; and life-cycle assessment of building materials.

For more information on CHPS and the programs available to schools and design professionals, visit: www.chps.net.

CEFPI Wins USGBC Curriculum Recognition Award

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:50:00 +0000

Scottsdale, AZ -- CEFPI’s School Building Week School of the Future Student Design Competition curriculum addressing national middle school math standards has won the USGBC’s inaugural Excellence in Green Building Curriculum Recognition Award. CEFPI was one of just six organizations selected from over 200 entries that competed for these coveted nationally recognized awards.

“This is a great milestone for us to be involved with the USGBC and the exemplary work they do in improving the quality of our schools. Our shared goals will transform the way schools are built, operated and maintained for our children in coming years,” said Merle Kirkley, REFP, President, CEFPI.

Recognition awards honor existing green building education projects, activities or programs that advance green building ideals of transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated.

“This award is a testimony to our unparalleled efforts in advancing knowledge and awareness among children about the importance of healthy, high performance schools. We believe children need to be educated about advancing green building ideals so that we can ensure a better quality of life for future generations,” said John Ramsey, Executive Director/CEO of CEFPI.

The recognition awards were judged on demonstrated success, ability to be replicated, scope of influence, advancement of green principles within the educational community and the fostering of a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach. Grant proposals were evaluated on originality, collaborative or interdisciplinary approach, scope of influence, feasibility and the ability to be replicated.

According to a news release issued by USGBC, Peter Templeton, Senior Vice President, USGBC said: “USGBC launched this initiative to highlight the central role education plays in furthering the green building movement. The submissions we received showcase the range of institutions and organizations taking an active role in educating young people about green building and the Council is committed to fostering more growth in this arena.”

USGBC will establish a repository of the newly identified curricula and will develop a teaching resource database, which will serve to disseminate these programs nationally and facilitate contact among educators from a wide variety of disciplines. In addition, an Educator Summit during the USGBC’s Greenbuild Conference in Boston on November 21, 2008 will showcase the winning curriculum.

The award-winning curriculum is available at: http://sbw.cefpifoundation.org/competition.html

Education Agency Undergoes Energy Saving Renovation

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Intermediate Unit’s Facilities to Undergo $1.4 Million Energy Saving Renovation

TAC Performance Contract Will Generate $11,909 in Annual Energy Savings

dallas – April 30, 2008 –Midwestern Intermediate Unit (MIU) IV, the education service agency for schools in Butler, Lawrence and Mercer Counties in western Pennsylvania, is implementing $1,492,000 in facility enhancements designed to improve operations, comfort and efficiency at its facility in Grove City, PA. The Energy Solutions division of TAC, a world leader in energy services will complete the work as a performance contract with the organization. TAC guarantees that MIU IV will reduce its utility costs by $11,909 annually when the project is completed in August 2008.

MIU IV is one of 29 IUs serving schools in Pennsylvania and provides programs, services, and resources to 27 school districts, nonpublic schools, and three vocational schools. The organization’s facility, which was last updated in the 1980s, was in need of renovation. Rooftop air conditioning units, located on a roof beyond warranty, were at the end of their useful life; and inadequate temperature control and ineffective zoning throughout the building led to a variety of occupant comfort problems. Other areas for improvement included lighting and the building envelope.

“We wanted to renovate the building in a high quality manner that would meet long-term needs,” said Cecelia H. Yauger, executive director for MIU IV.

Added Robert Barber, director of Business Services, “The performance contracting process, with its savings guarantee, gives us confidence that we will achieve the desired results of improved comfort, greater efficiency and a healthy workspace.”

Performance contracting is a turnkey method whereby the design, construction, commissioning and performance measurement are incorporated into one guaranteed fixed price. Improved facility efficiency, comfort, financial management and environmental protection are among the long-term results TAC delivers as the single provider accountable for all aspects of the project.

TAC guarantees the amount of savings performance contracting projects will achieve and agrees to pay the difference if that amount is not realized. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems generate the utility savings, as well as maximize energy-efficiency and improve occupant comfort. Performance contracting projects are funded in a variety of ways, including general obligation bond funds, maintenance reserve funds, and financing secured against guaranteed energy savings.

TAC will complete a comprehensive facility renovation for MIU IV, including a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system featuring a variable refrigerant volume heat pump and an energy recovery ventilation system. Additionally, an energy management system (EMS) will allow the facility staff to monitor and control the HVAC from a single workstation as well as streamline operations and maintenance. TAC will also redesign the lighting, installing new, efficient fixtures and controls. A new drop ceiling will be added to accommodate the updated fixtures and replace ceiling tiles. Repairing the roof and adding air sealing and weather-stripping throughout will complete the project.

Benefits for MIU IV will include a fully renovated facility with a new HVAC system that will improve comfort, and bring the entire building up to code. The lighting redesign will offer better illumination and meet the new energy code, while the restored ceilings will create a more aesthetically attractive and consistent space.

“To meet the challenges of this project, TAC has designed a variable volume refrigerant heat pump HVAC system specifically for this building, and we have also devised a work schedule that allows most of the staff at MIU IV to continue working in the building during the project,” said Wes McDaniel, vice president of TAC Energy Solutions. “TAC delivers performance contracts that put the needs of customers first and offer accountability on all levels, while providing turnkey solutions to reduce the energy and operational inefficiencies of building systems. To provide enduring performance, TAC uncovers the causes of facility energy issues and focuses on diagnosis and education to ensure that each project minimizes the customer’s risk while delivering relevant business value,” he adds.

About TAC

TAC is a leading provider of building automation solutions based on Open Integrated Systems for Building IT. TAC's mission is to provide added value through building environment services for indoor climate, security and use of energy, delivered with advanced technology to end users and property owners throughout the world. With over 80 years of experience in the HVAC, building automation and security arenas, TAC employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, with partners and branches in 80 countries. TAC's parent company, Schneider Electric, is the global specialist in energy management, with 120,000 employees worldwide and operations in 102 countries.

Stop Falling Toilet Injuries

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:52:00 +0000

Toilet Jack is one of the newest, most innovative ideas we've seen here at SchoolFacilities.com for some time. Wall mounted toilets sometimes separate from a wall, especially if helped along by students standing on them for one reason or another. Once the toilet starts to separate from the wall it's only a matter of time before it actually falls. When this happens an injury can occur and at a minimum your school custodian has a mess to clean up.

Enter Toilet Jack. Just like the name implies a jack like stand is now available for schools, universities, hospitals and any other facility with wall mounted toilets and plenty of users. This device is cost effective, easy to install and durable. Give Toilet Jack a quick look on SchoolFacilities.com and tell us what you think. We like what we see!

Recycle School Bus Oil and Save Big

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:45:00 +0000

School districts should consider using used oil recycling furnaces within their transportation departments. We just published a case study titled Before and After – Comparing Energy Bills on our sister website iGreenBuild.com and the energy savings and eco friendly aspects of using these furnaces outlined in this study are impressive.

Read Before and After - Comparing Energy Bills

Bad Meat In NJ Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:56:00 +0000

Tainted meat purchased by 160 New Jersey public school districts has forced authorities to recall 143 million pounds of the product purchased from a California slaughterhouse.

Based on the video that I watched the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company should be permanently closed and its owners held personally responsible for any illnesses caused by the meat and for the inhumane treatment of the animals they slaughtered.

Read more about this story on www.SchoolFacilities.com.

School HVAC Statistics

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:49:00 +0000

In permanent school buildings, heating and air conditioning were the most frequently reported interferences, with less than half of schools reporting that air conditioning did not interfere at all with instruction. Air conditioning interfered to a moderate or major extent in permanent buildings in 16 percent of schools; heating interfered to a moderate or major extent in 13 percent of schools. Schools reported less severe interference from heating and air conditioning in portable buildings, with 11 percent of schools reporting moderate to major interference from air conditionting, and 9 percent reporting the same from heating.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). Public School Principals Report on Their School Facilities: Fall 2005 (NCES 2007-007).

School Violence Reduced With Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Bailiwick) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:15:00 +0000

Watch the new informational video on SchoolFacilities.com and learn how you can protect students from school violence, sexual abuse and abduction by using Raptor Technologies visitor registration and tracking technology V-Soft. This application makes registering a school campus visitor quick and easy and preventing a potential problem on campus even easier.

Link to the video page on SchoolFacilities.com here.

School Facilities Design, Maintenance & Management

Greater Gentilly High School: A "Quick Start" for a Strong Future

Texas School District Invests $1.3 Million in High Efficiency Air Conditioning

Construction Complete on Single Building Campus

Del Sur Elementary's Single Building Design Has Small Footprint, Powerful Punch

Los Angeles Southwest College Gets 'Extreme Makeover'

Honeywell Helps California Schools Soak up the Sun

HONEYWELL HELPS CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS SOAK UP THE SUN, CUT UTILITY BILLS

Solar Power Agreements Allow Dixon, Riverdale and Other Districts to Reduce Carbon Emissions While Saving Millions

Santa Ana Unified School District to Install Rapid Responder Crisis Management System

FW: 21 New Seminole County Classrooms Installed

New Child Development Center For L.A. Valley College

SchenkelShultz Architecture designs Duval County Public Schools' new $73.5 million, 263,937-square-foot High School "AAA" in Jacksonville, FL

RELIANT STADIUM ACHIEVES CODE COMPLIANCE WITH RETRACTABLE ROOF DESIGN

Property Managers Prepare for a Pandemic Outbreak

Oklahoma Schools Commence Energy Saving Project

New Reasearch Shows Connection Between Learning and School Building Design

New Edition of High-Performance Schools Book Goes Beyond Green

Video Insight Joins SchoolFacilities.com to Improve School Security

Michaels Engineering Completes Comprehensive Ground-Source Heat Pump Study for State of Minnesota

High Performance Schools Criteria

CEFPI Wins USGBC Curriculum Recognition Award

Education Agency Undergoes Energy Saving Renovation

Stop Falling Toilet Injuries

Recycle School Bus Oil and Save Big

Bad Meat In NJ Schools

School HVAC Statistics

School Violence Reduced With Technology

HONEYWELL HELPS CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS
SOAK UP THE SUN, CUT UTILITY BILLS

Solar Power Agreements Allow Dixon, Riverdale and Other Districts
to Reduce Carbon Emissions While Saving Millions