May 15, 2008
HEADLINE NEWS
Pre-K Construction On the Rise
Preschool construction and renovations are booming, thanks to state-funded mandates, reports the USA Today. Federal statistics show that more than 1 million children were enrolled in public programs in 2005, up 63 percent from 1995. That far outpaces public school enrollments, which is up 10 percent.
The newspaper report suggests several reasons behind the increase in preschools throughout the country. Among them:
- More working mothers have increased the need and interest in preschool programs.
- Recent research has shown that children are ready for school at an earlier age than previously thought.
- RAND Corp. research, released this month, that shows that funding pre-K pays off in the long run and saving money on social services in the future.
However the jury is still out on whether investments in pre-K schools will produce enough long-term benefits to cover the current costs to states. The National Institute for Early Education at Rutgers University estimates that number to be $3.7 billion, or $3,642 per child.
Reconstruction in the Works for Historic University
University officials in Texas look to rebuild after a historic Gothic-style building was damaged by fire earlier this month. Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio had received a bomb threat prior to the blaze, which is under arson investigation.
The Catholic university was originally a high school founded in 1895 by an order of nuns, according to a New York Times report. The university, which has a sizeable Hispanic population, has 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students.
The fire caused extensive damage to the university’s main building—parts of the roof and one of the two main spires collapsed in the fire. That building houses classrooms, dormitory rooms, a cafeteria, the university’s mainframe computer, and most of its servers. Students have not yet been able to return to the building to retrieve any necessities that were not damaged by the fire.
Post-secondary Sustainability Takes Hold
Green building practices at colleges and universities are on the rise, according to the College Sustainability Report Card 2008. More than one third of schools have full-time sustainability staff and more than two thirds have Web sites dedicated to campus sustainability.
The Report Card, published by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, reviews the nation’s 200 public and private universities that receive the largest annual endowments, ranging from $230 million to $35 billion.
The schools with the best reviews for 2008 are Harvard University, Dartmouth College, University of Washington, Middlebury College, Carleton College, and University of Washington. All of them received A- grades. The Juilliard School, Howard University, Regent University, and Samford University all received F grades, followed by 21 schools that received D- grades.
The Report Card judges schools in various areas related to sustainable practices, including green building standards in newly constructed buildings, use of hybrid/electrical vehicles in transportation efforts, use of solar and wind energy, recycling efforts, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
NYC Schools Face Severe Overpopulation
New York City's public schools are jammed and parents say the process for much-needed new school construction is flawed, according to The New York Times. But Education Department officials defend their $13.1 billion capital plan for new construction, saying it is based on new residential construction projects and other factors.
The Education Department plan promises to accommodate an additional 63,000 students in new school buildings, leased spaces, or additions by 2010. Lower Manhattan alone, which has experienced a post-Sept. 11 baby and building boom, is scheduled to open two new elementary schools in the next two years.
However, The New York Times cites various sources that say new construction by itself will not solve the school overcrowding problem. Rather, solutions such as district rezoning and transforming other public buildings into schools are also on the table.
FEATURE ARTICLES
Green Buildings Made Simple
Though a language of jargon has evolved that often makes sustainable design and construction appear complicated, the reality is that none of the many things architects and construction managers can do to create sustainable buildings is terribly difficult to accomplish, says one education facility design expert.
Plus, check out this concise round-up of LEED criteria for new as well as existing education facilities. Read more
Designing for the Tech Savvy
Among the greatest challenges that school administrators, post-secondary facility planners, and architects face today is how to design, build, and retrofit educational facilities to enhance learning for today's tech-savvy students. Here are some best practices.
Plus, check out this collection of online resources for enhancing the learning environment. Read more |
