Product of the Month Archives - School Construction News

Study: LED Bulbs Pose Health Hazard

IRVINE, Calif. — A recent study published by University of California researchers found that LED light bulbs considered environmentally preferable to traditional light bulbs contain lead, arsenic and a dozen other potentially hazardous substances, according to newly published research.

“LEDs are touted as the next generation of lighting. But as we try to find better products that do not deplete energy resources or contribute to global warming, we have to be vigilant about the toxicity hazards of those marketed as replacements,” said Oladele Ogunseitan, chair of UC Irvine’s Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, who led the study.

By crunching, leaching and measuring the tiny multicolored lightbulbs sold on Christmas strands, traffic lights, and car headlights and break lights, Ogunseitan and fellow scientists from UCI and UC Davis found that low-intensity red lights contained up to eight times the amount of lead allowed under California law. In general, high-intensity, brighter bulbs had more contaminants than lower ones — white bulbs contained the least lead, but had high levels of nickel, the university released in a statement.

“We find the low-intensity red LEDs exhibit significant cancer and noncancer potentials due to the high content of arsenic and lead,” the team reported in the January 2011 issue of Environmental Science & Technology in regard to the holiday lights.

A study of larger LED systems such as household overhead room lighting or bedside lamps is currently undergoing peer-review and will be published later, but Ogunseitan said the patterns are more of the same.

The university states that lead, arsenic and many additional metals discovered in the bulbs or their related parts have been linked in hundreds of studies to different cancers, neurological damage, kidney disease, hypertension, skin rashes and other illnesses. The copper used in some LEDs also poses an ecological threat to fish, rivers and lakes.

While breaking a single light and breathing fumes would not automatically cause cancer, Ogunseitan said it could be a tipping point on top of chronic exposure to another carcinogen.

The study found that risks are present in all parts of the lights and at every stage during production, use and disposal, according to the statement.

For the past ten years, Ogunseitan and his team have been researching ways to make electronic products less damaging on the environment and to human health during their use and disposal, funded in large part by the National Science Foundation.

About three years ago, the team broadened their scope of research to include alternative assessments for high volume products as part of a new Research and Education in Green Materials program.

“As the technology for electronics evolved from cathode ray tubes which had high amounts of lead to flat panel displays, we thought that we should anticipate the solid waste stream by researching the components of newer technologies,” Ogunseitan said. “Light-Emitting Diodes seemed to be the newest and latest components of such products.”

The research was also motivated by the fact that LEDs are used in many household appliances and consumer products, including products aimed at children like LED pacifiers and rubber ducks, he said.

Ogunseitan said there had been no previous studies on whether LEDs should be categorized as hazardous waste either at the federal or state levels.

Ogunseitan cautioned consumers, manufacturers and first responders to accident scenes to take care when handling the light bulbs.

When bulbs break at home, residents should sweep them up with a special broom while wearing gloves and a mask, and crews dispatched to clean up car crashes or broken traffic fixtures should don protective gear and handle the material as hazardous waste, he advised.

LEDs are not currently classified as toxic and are disposed of in regular landfills. Ogunseitan has forwarded the study results to California and federal health regulators, the university reports.

Ogunseitan cites LEDs as an example of the need to mandate product replacement testing. Although diodes are widely hailed as safer than compact fluorescent bulbs, which contain dangerous mercury, they weren’t properly tested for potential environmental health impacts before being marketed as the preferred alternative to inefficient incandescent bulbs, now being phased out under California law, he said.

California Assembly Bill 1879, which would have required advance testing of replacement products, was originally scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1 but was opposed by industry groups, according to the university.

A less stringent version was substituted, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger placed the law on hold days before he left office, according to the statement.

“I’m frustrated, but the work continues,” said Ogunseitan, a member of the state Department of Toxic Substances Control’s Green Ribbon Science Panel.

He added that makers of LEDs and other items could easily reduce chemical concentrations or redesign them with truly safer materials.

“Every day we don’t have a law that says you cannot replace an unsafe product with another unsafe product, we’re putting people’s lives at risk,” he said. “And it’s a preventable risk.”

“I am very passionate about energy efficiency, and I think LEDs are a step in the right direction, but we should be very careful not to add to the toxicity risks that are already almost overwhelming for people and the environment from consumer products disposal,” he said. “I hope that we still have time before the lighting bulb regulation takes effect, to encourage manufacturers of LEDs to use materials that will not put the burden on consumers to avoid toxic exposures or to figure out how to dispose of hazardous waste generated by LEDs.”

Ogunseitan said any potential replacement testing bills and regulations also have to recognize that public participation is essential, and that it is important to have national, uniform standards for energy savings, as well as in reducing toxic exposures to people and the environment.

The researcher said LEDs deserve particular attention because they are used in a wide variety of products not necessarily related to energy efficiency. These “novelty items” are more likely to have shorter life spans than household lighting fixtures and are more likely to be disposed of inappropriately, he said.

“This study brings unfortunate news to those of us working in the design industry who are caught between the competing demands of making environments as healthy and energy efficient as possible,” said Mark Donahue, vice president and design director of HKS Architects, a global architectural design firm that aims to make buildings as carbon-light as possible. “LED lighting has held out great promise as a low energy alternative to high-intensity discharge and fluorescent lighting, and the fact that they generate very little heat is an added benefit.”

Donahue said that while sustainable design has become more recognized, both the economic and environmental full life-cycle costs have come to assume a more important role in the discussion.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to examine the UC Irvine study first hand, but green practitioners are always concerned when the byproducts of manufacture and disposal of building materials produces toxics,” he said.

He added that one of the major advantages of LEDs, even with potentially harmful substances, is that because of their long-lasting life spans, the volume of material that ends up being disposed of is reduced.

“My sincere hope is that manufacturers of LED bulbs can find a way to reduce or remove the toxic substances from their products, because there really isn’t anything on the horizon that offers the same kind of energy and operational benefits,” Donahue said.

AJ Rounds, founder of a LED light bulb manufacturing franchise, said that while he was aware of the tremendous amount of mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs, hearing about the hazardous substances in LEDs was new information.

Rounds recently liquidated the company, citing the industry’s volatility and high expenses, among others.

“(LEDs are) not ready for release, that’s still another year or two out,” he said. “There are some applications where it’s really good, but others where it’s just not there yet.”

His company sold a variety of LED lights, from indoor appliances to outdoor uses.

“I think LED is the future of light, it’s only be a matter of time before LED is in everything,” he said. “But the economy we’re in and the state of nation really thwarts progress because the public is focusing on other issues. Not going green, but trying to make it day to day.”

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Central Force: Educational Facilities and Mixed-Use Developments

The campus for Eden Autism Services in Princeton, N.J., is a close-knit community with a special needs school, an early intervention center and group homes. Just beyond the buildings, however, the safe atmosphere abruptly ends and is replaced by roaring traffic on U.S. Route 1, one of the busiest highways in central New Jersey.

Beyond their small campus, students have little opportunity for interactions, says Thomas McCool, president and CEO of Eden.

“There’s so much traffic, It puts restrictions on having the students outside, taking walks and going places,” McCool says.

That will change in 2011 when Eden moves to a new site in Princeton Forrestal Village, a growing mixed-use development with shops, restaurants, offices and housing. The school will remain within commuting distance for students, families and teachers, but more importantly: “Students can become fully integrated in a city-like setting with streets they can walk on and interact with others,” McCool says.

Changing Demographics

Just as classroom design has evolved from the one-room schoolhouse, the location of our schools is changing as we understand more about the learning and teaching process. In “Educating by Design,” authors Charles Strange and James Banning write that a good design fosters a sense of security and belonging, encourages student involvement and strengthens the community. When students feel safe and secure, it is easier for them to learn and think.

As recent as 2003, nearly 99 percent of students attended public school. Public schools are generally located in residential neighborhoods or city outskirts because they are built on public property. In some communities, the relative isolation has its advantages. Parents can park along residential streets to drop off or pick up their children and students can walk home in low-traffic areas.

But, family structures have changed. In 1970, 38 percent of children had working mothers and 12 percent lived in single-parent homes. In 2008, 71 percent of mothers worked, 26 percent of children lived in single-parent homes and 62 percent of married-parent families with children had two working parents.

The type of schools students attend is also changing. Almost 1.2 million students (2.3 percent) attended charter schools in the 2006-07 school year. Charter schools can flex their muscles on land and real estate acquisition because they are privately owned and developed. Consequently, school officials, architects, planners and developers are looking at ways to integrate schools in communities.

Until recently, education was not an immediate consideration for inclusion in mixed-use developments, says Ron Beit, president of RBH Group.

“Traditionally, education was an afterthought, something that was dealt with once populations were in place,” Beit says. “Today, it is at the forefront of almost every political discussion as communities are in dire need of new facilities.”

In a world where everyone is connected, the addition of schools to community and urban centers can be a win-win situation for all parties. Students benefit from new relationships formed with community neighbors — the shop owner who opens at dawn or the bank security guard next door. Routines and familiarity breed a safe learning environment for students, who also gain invaluable life experience through daily interactions with the community.

Ample opportunities exist for students to share resources with residents. Gymnasiums can host school or city sports leagues, classrooms can be used for adult education and school corridors are perfect for early-morning walkers.

Families also benefit. Parents who work nearby in office, commercial or retail spaces have immediate access to their children. Students take comfort in knowing their parents are nearby, and for working families, urban centers often have mass transit — generally a safe and reliable way for students to get to and from school.

Faculty Benefits

The role of good teachers in student success cannot be underestimated. Education in mixed-use environments can reduce teacher attrition, which is often overlooked in school planning. The annual cost of replacing teachers who leave the profession or transfer to another school is in the billions of dollars.

Research has shown comprehensive induction — which provides teachers mentoring, professional development and regular interaction with members of the education community — to be very effective in supporting those who dedicate their days cheering on others but receive little encouragement themselves.

Mixed-use developments embed schools in environments conducive to comprehensive induction. When Eden relocates to Princeton Forrestal Village, teachers will have the company of the Harmony School as well as access to restaurants, fitness centers and retail shops.

The RBH Group is currently developing the concept of teacher communities, which will group several charter schools and residential spaces targeted to teachers with retail, restaurant and entertainment offerings. The opportunities for after-school relationships, collaborations and the exchange of ideas among teachers from various school typologies will be immense and invaluable, particularly for newer teachers who often begin their careers in urban areas.

Municipal Benefits

Cities also benefit when schools move into neighborhoods. The daily traffic of students, parents, teachers and staff becomes an integral component of the urban fabric and helps the city reach critical mass. The influx of pedestrians brings new investment and businesses to the area, which further generates pedestrian activity.

Urban centers provide students access to a wealth of cultural resources, performance spaces, community centers and parks. Learning literally goes beyond classroom walls.

When TEAM Charter Schools opened a new high school last August in downtown Newark, N.J., students found themselves directly across the street from City Hall and near several city parks, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Rutgers University’s Newark campus.

Grouping educational institutions together provides opportunities for sharing cultural, athletic and performance resources. New Jersey City University in Jersey City, N.J., benefits from its proximity to University Academy Charter High School, which provides classrooms with ample space at night for its nontraditional students.

In turn, the high school uses the university’s laboratory classrooms — spaces that can be cost prohibitive for secondary schools. Both institutions share performance space with community groups in the adjacent West Side Theatre.

By having a constant and positive influence in the area, higher education institutions can also expand their catch area for future students. With its proximity to the charter high school, NJCU has enviable opportunities to recruit academically motivated students.

Finally, education in mixed-use developments makes sense to developers, who are imperative to bringing these schools to fruition. In high-density areas with multi-story buildings, many retailers will only consider street-level space and only a limited amount of office space makes sense. Developers need building users who will also be reliable tenants. Educators and students fit the bill perfectly.

Despite the benefits of locating educational facilities in mixed-use developments, there are sometimes concerns over foot and automobile traffic. The development must be a good fit for the school, but the school must also be a good fit for the development.

“In the urban cores where we invest, the activities at the schools blend right into the normal hustle and bustle we are accustomed to in our daily city lives,” Beit says. “New facilities and educational choices are generally welcome.”

Hannah Richman, director of Friends of TEAM Charter Schools, says the new location in downtown Newark has generated positive reviews from students and their parents.

“They’re very excited and enthusiastic to be in a new, nice space that has a great dynamic,” Richman says.

Good planners and developers are strategic and sensitive in choosing sites. They may review hundreds of sites before finding a few that meet their criteria. The site must accommodate the specific physical requirements of a school, including classroom space, special program elements, daylighting, column spacing, floor-to-floor height and accessibility. Ample space must also be available for buses, student drop off, food-service deliveries and teacher parking.

Other considerations include environmental conditions, real estate costs and timing, each of which requires in-depth analyses. But, at the end of the day planning for educational facilities in mixed-use developments can be a successful and sustainable model.

Success comes in many forms. Almost immediately after NJCU University Academy Charter High School welcomed its first students, new life flowed into the West Side neighborhoods of Jersey City. Small shops and restaurants opened on adjacent streets, drawing daily traffic from residents and students who are now worry less about their safety and more about their studies.

By thoughtfully and strategically integrating education in mixed-use developments and urban centers, planners and developers give students enriching learning environments in which they can thrive inside and outside the classroom. Students, teachers and communities flourish when worlds separated in the past come together.

Merilee Meacock, AIA, LEED-AP, is a principal who specializes in pre-K-12 design and planning at KSS Architects, located in Princeton, N.J., and Philadelphia. Contact her at (609) 921-1131.

KSS Architects

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CEFPI, AIA Chapter Recognize Oregon Projects

The Rosa Parks school in Portland, Ore., and two schools in Springfield recently received awards.

WASHINGTON — A campus designed to improve a low-income area in Portland, Ore., was the recipient of one of the top honors awarded by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International.

The 2009 James D. MacConnell Award was presented to the Rosa ParksSchool and the Community Campus at New Columbia during the CEFPI World Conference and Expo.

The award is presented each year to a project that demonstrates a comprehensive planning process, development of a wide range of educational specifications and a design that meets the requirements of the educational program, according to the CEFPI.

The Rosa Parks School and the Community Campus of New Columbia was created after officials decided to rebuild the dilapidated Columbia Villa housing project as a mixed-use, mixed income neighborhood.

The resulting community, now called New Columbia, is anchored by the Community Campus — the site of the K-6th grade Rosa Parks school — and a Boys & Girls Club and a community center.

The LEED-Gold certified campus is one of only two new schools built by the Portland Public school system in 30 years, according to reports. The school was built on 1.8 acres and about 90 percent of students walk or bike to school. Photovoltaic electrical panels, displacement ventilation, storm-water management and natural light were applied to achieve LEED Gold certification. “Rosa Parks School and Community Campus is to be congratulated for its intensive collaboration and community planning that resulted in an exemplary model for building future community partnerships, outstanding learning environments and strong neighborhoods in Portland Public School district,” says Judy Hoskens, CEFPI president. “It truly is a sustainable learning laboratory, including photovoltaics, 100 percent storm-water retention and a community garden.”

In other news, two Springfield, Ore., schools designed by Northwest-based architectural firmMahlum, in association with Robertson Sherwood Architects of Eugene, Ore., were honored by the Southwestern and Southern Oregon chapters of the American Institute of Architects.

The AIA chapter recognized the design of Thurston Elementary and Maple Elementary schools with the 2009 AIA Certificate of Honor award for elegant refined wood detailing in public spaces and large-scale exposed tilt-up concrete panels in classroom wings.

The campuses also integrate sustainable design features, including wood-framed glass walls that allow for daylight and views of nature. Both schools were designed to meet the equivalent of LEED Silver certification with passive solar heat, displacement ventilation, bioswales and landscaping

to control storm water runoff.

The schools were built for Springfield Public Schools and were funded by a November 2006 bond measure.

Construction of both projects started in May 2008 and was completed in September 2009.

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Q&A: Erin Rae Hoffer, Autodesk Manager

Building information modeling, a technology that allows architects, engineers and contractors to create integrated, three-dimensional digital design documents, is at once a catalyst for tremendous change within the design/construction community and a source of confusion among design professionals and project owners.

Design firms willing to embrace the technology have the potential to create 3-D models of a project, complete with graphical or non-graphical representations of architectural and structural information — down to the weight of the last support beam and the type of bolt used to secure it — and electrical and mechanical systems, including the make and model of individual HVAC units. Owners have the opportunity to see how their projects will look early in the design phase, while contractors may experience fewer construction clashes in the field.

However, as awareness of the technology grows and its capabilities evolve, the definition of BIM becomes more nebulous and far-reaching, and questions begin to arise about potential drawbacks and issues of responsibility. Erin Rae Hoffer, an architect and industry programs manager with Autodesk Inc., a San Rafael, Calif.-based company that specializes in BIM technology, discussed the topic with School Construction News.

Q: There are many definitions of BIM. Some say it’s a process and others say it’s a tool. How would you define it?

A: Autodesk definitely defines it as a process. Initially, it was attached to certain products from certain vendors, but, over time, the industry evolved in its use of building information modeling.

Q: What are some common misconceptions about BIM?

A: The most common misconception is that it’s just another CAD program. It’s a bigger change than that. People also think that it’s just one product that comes in a single software package.

We try to correct that because I think BIM has more opportunity than that. There are several products, from the twinkle-in-the-eye stage to concept and design to planning, analysis and simulation. All of these lead ultimately to construction, then management, then ownership.

Q: How has the need for new skills impacted the rate at which architectural firms adopt BIM?

A: When you’re talking about a move to BIM, it’s not just upgrading your CAD package. In order to leverage it and get the benefit, you have to rethink your whole approach to a project and your whole business model.

There are many practices that have a lot of people who are ready to learn something new. Some firms are bringing in younger people who have been exposed to the latest technology in school programs. Each firm has a different way of refreshing the skill base. There is a lot of access out there to training; It’s more a matter of finding the time.

Q: What role are clients playing in the adoption of BIM?

A: Clients are probably the No. 1 driver of change. A few years ago, I was at an academic institution and the president of the institution came to me and said he had heard a lot of people talking about BIM and wanted to know why. So, I went to survey my colleagues’ market interest, called a bunch of people and asked what was going on with their practices and whether they were looking at BIM. Many of them said, “Well, we have heard that the U.S. General Services Administration is going to require projects to be done using BIM, so we’re going to do it.”

The GSA is the biggest owner in this country. So, the owner’s voice has been heard very clearly and strongly.

Q: What are some other hot topics surrounding BIM right now?

A: One of the hot topics is interoperability. People always ask about that. If you look at BIM as being a multiple-vendor universe of options, how do you navigate it? Just within the Autodesk products, people want to know how to get from authoring their model to doing sustainable analysis to making a movie to show a client.

There is one format, gbXML, which is for green building. It was invented by Autodesk, but now it is managed by a consortium. Autodesk is a participant, but doesn’t control it. We want it to be open as a standard. Our products will write a gbXML file that can then be read by other programs for sustainability analysis. That is something people want to be able to understand how to do.

Q: As an open, continuously updated database, who is ultimately responsible?

A: The American Institute of Architects and the Associated General Contractors of America, which is connected to ConsensusDOCS, have helped out with this question by developing a set of documents that cover integrated projects.

One answer is to look at those groups, because they have BIM documents that lay out a project in detail: If you want to work jointly, here is the way someone should manage the process. However, that’s not the way you have to do it, so other companies have created their own approach.

Some firms are really open. I think it’s something that has to be negotiated on the project, but it can go many different ways.

Q: On the owner’s side, is there an increased risk of unrealistic expectations?

A: I think owners are expecting more because of growing awareness. At a conference I attended this month for commercial developers, several people came up to me and asked about BIM and were wondering if it would be appropriate for different kinds of projects.

People know enough about it now to know that it’s valuable. They aren’t at the point yet where they’re specifying it. I think owner demand will increase, but I don’t know that expectations will ever spiral out of control.

Erin Rae Hoffer is an architect and industry programs manager with Autodesk Inc. She is a LEED-accredited professional with more than 25 years of experience in computer-aided design.

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Protect Your Investment

DeJong

Conditions in world financial markets have improved and activity in the U.S. housing sector has increased, but the economy is still not good for school districts. Many are making substantial budget cuts, often including maintenance and operations.

It’s pretty obvious that school districts must maintain their facilities to protect the investments they’ve already made in new construction and major renovations. However, it’s often not easy to convince the people who hold the purse strings. That’s why it’s time to look to the past for lessons learned.

The current situation is reminiscent of the early 1980s. During that economic turndown of double-digit inflation, school districts experienced many of the same circumstances: money was short, enrollment was declining and maintenance and operations budgets had to compete with other operating costs, such as rising utility bills and teachers’ salaries. This resulted in fewer custodians and maintenance staff, as well as materials and supplies. It also gave new meaning to the term “deferred maintenance.”

Unfortunately, the deferred maintenance of the 1980s is a major reason so many buildings were replaced or renovated during the past decade.

One of the more dramatic examples of this situation was a large middle school in an urban district of the Midwest. I visited the school in the early 1990s and witnessed what happens when the maintenance and operations budget is cut.

The school had an indoor pool, but the filtration system had failed. No funds had been set aside to fix the filtration system, so the pool closed. Within several months the pool was drained and the building’s heating system was turned off. After going through a winter without heat, the roof failed. Not only did this ruin the ceiling, but it also caused rapid decay within the interior. The district had two choices: undergo a major renovation or replace the pool. This is a perfect example of short-term savings having a long-term cost effect.

Recently the Council of Educational Facility Planners International bestowed an award on an urban school for undergoing a comprehensive facility planning process resulting in educational facilities that serve the needs of students, staff and the community. Indeed, it was a great project.

Ironically, I visited the school several months prior to the award and was surprised to find five-foot weeds surrounding the building, as well as other evidence that the building, even though brand new, was not being properly maintained. Unfortunately, there is often a mentality that a new school doesn’t need ongoing maintenance. But like a new car, it will eventually fall apart if it doesn’t undergo proper maintenance.

Several states have attempted to protect school facility investments by requiring local districts to implement maintenance plans that establish sinking funds and/or earmark tax revenues for maintenance and operations. Unfortunately, not enough states have mandated these requirements, which mean insufficient funds are allocated for maintenance and operations.

Budgets are tight and school districts are caught between a rock and a hard place. There is no cookie-cutter answer to this problem, yet the overall premise is clear: further maintenance and operations budget cuts will have negative long-term consequences.

This is certainly not the time to cut the maintenance and operations budget because short-term savings have a long-term effect. It’s imperative that we learn from our past to protect our facility investments now.

William S. DeJong, Ph.D., REFP, is CEO of DeJONG, an educational facility-planning firm based in Dublin, Ohio.

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Get The Picture

BIM Modeling Enables Facility Owners to Evaluate Costs Alongside the Construction Team

Like virtually any construction project, student housing requires close and effective collaboration between the owner’s team and the design team at all of the key stages: design, estimating, value engineering, construction, commissioning, maintenance and facility management.

Projects can go awry and cause costs to rise when a team member falls out of the loop and fails to understand the specifications and the budget requirements of the next step.

Educational facility owners often feel out of their depth when they can’t make heads or tails of two-dimensional drawings and rough renderings that are submitted for approval by the project team.

Building Information Modeling solves this problem by creating three-dimensional exterior and interior images that leave little or nothing to the imagination. The software tool even has virtual cameras that enable users to fly through an interior, move from to room and peek in closets and corners. With a three-dimensional BIM design, what you see and what you approve is what you’ll get.

A BIM design contains more details than a two-dimensional CAD design, enabling the architect, construction manager and owner to better manage costs during design. With CAD drawings, an estimator goes over a set of plans after they are finished and often discovers that the project has gone over budget.

BIM enables everyone — owners, architects and contractors — to understand and participate in budget management decisions from the beginning of the project.

Consider this project. About two years ago, the University of Dallas allocated approximately $15 million to develop, design and construct a residence hall. The concept called for a four-story, 128,000-square-foot building with 298 beds in three-person suites, two-person rooms, single rooms and resident assistant rooms. Common areas for studying, relaxing and entertainment were also part of the design.

To meet the budget, the architect and contractor used BIM to size the rooms. Instead of schematics, BIM rendered full color three-dimensional images that university officials could evaluate and tweak.

Once a BIM model was established, changes were relatively easy. If the design team decided to enlarge the bathroom in the suite, when the bathroom’s dimensions were altered, BIM would automatically update the dimensions of the rest of the suite and highlight potential conflicts that the architect would need to work out.

Costs were low enough to allow for some extras: detailing in the rooms, suites and common areas gave the hall a more residential, less institutional look and feel. In addition, it was possible to adjust the sizes of the bedrooms and suites to accommodate two additional multi-purpose common area rooms.

Nothing Is Easy

While the interior design fell easily into place, the architect and construction manager opined that the costs for the rooms endangered a four-pipe HVAC system requested by the university that was more expensive than common two-pipe systems.

University officials insisted that something would have to value engineered to pay for the system.

Meanwhile, the design team continued to look at how the building fit into the existing terrain of the site and how the soil conditions impacted the proposed structural systems. The geological survey indicated that the site rested on unusually active clay soil. The seasonal movement might be as much as 11 inches, which dictated an expensive pier and beam foundation anchored securely to the bedrock.

However, the soil problem became an opportunity. The architect and construction manager accomplished semi-underground parking for 65 cars by raising the first floor elevation by 1 foot and excavating the designed crawl space an additional 2 feet, thus creating a semi-underground parking area, at little added cost but great benefit to the project.

But, designers were still challenged to find a solution for the HVAC system. In a general meeting about the problem, the university’s facility manager asked if it would help to reduce the brickwork on the façade while still preserving the overall aesthetics of the building.

Two hours later, the architect had several new BIM treatments for the façade. Each reduced the brickwork without compromising the look of the building and saved about $200,000, enough to fund the four-pipe air conditioning system.

Today, the project is moving toward completion and the collaboration among the owner, architect and construction manager remains intact. The project is still on budget and even slightly ahead of schedule.

But that’s just the beginning of the BIM story. In coming years, as the entire project team grows more comfortable with BIM, as-built BIM models will become available to help facility managers maintain buildings. The system can be set up to flag day-to-day maintenance requirements, providing complete information about brands, specifications and warranties.

In a larger sense, if the roof needs to be replaced in 20 years, an architect can use the BIM model to fit the new roof to the existing structure in a fraction of the time it would take to update CAD drawings. If more efficient lighting systems come to market, BIM can quickly locate the fixtures appropriate for an upgrade, refine components and create a cost estimate.

BIM can bring all parties, including the owner, into a collaborative building process. It can speed design, estimating and construction work, while reducing costs related to conflicts and change orders and allowing for swift changes to solve problems that arise along the way.

David Demarest is principal of Architecture Demarest, based in Dallas, and Warren Andres, LEED AP, is senior vice president of Andres Construction, which has offices in Dallas and Austin.

Architecture Demarest

Andres Construction

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Trendspotting July/August 2009 – A Team Effort

Traditionally, athletic facilities are the responsibility of the school district, while recreational facilities are the responsibility of the municipality. The spaces — gyms, pools and fitness areas — are similar; however, most of the time, districts and municipalities build them separately.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Collaboration is a definite possibility. Maybe it’s time for community schools to make a comeback.

The community school movement began in the 1930s when Charles Stewart Mott, who served on the General Motors board of directors for 60 years, became concerned about the lack of after-school and summer programs for children in Flint, Mich. After school days ended and during summer vacation, school buildings were locked and school sites were fenced off, leaving kids to play on the streets.

DeJong

Mott approached both the school board and the city about this dilemma, and the community school movement was born. He later formed a foundation in his name that continues to support community schools.

In the early 1980s, I had the good fortune of heading a project funded by the Mott Foundation. The National Center for Community Schools Facility Planning was coordinated by the Council of Educational Facility Planners, International and focused on increasing community involvement in education as well as interagency collaboration. Through this experience, I learned firsthand about the opportunities and challenges of developing joint city/school facilities.

While a number of community schools have been built in North America, the community school movement hasn’t completely taken off. One reason is that the public and private sectors are separate entities. Even though schools and cities serve the same constituencies, they have their own governing structures, tax revenues and bureaucracies. They also don’t have a good history of sharing and collaborating.

There is no reason for the two entities to not collaborate. After all, communities and school districts have common goals: create more livable communities, address youth issues such as health and obesity, manage aging populations, maximize facilities and nurture community pride.

Want to see more photos? View the digital edition.

A community school comeback will require an attitude change among policymakers. It will also require certain laws and systems to allow for co-mingling of resources as well as new interagency bureaucratic structures. It won’t be easy, and there will be obstacles to overcome. But when it’s done successfully, everyone benefits.

An excellent example of a modern-day community school is Mason High School in Mason, Ohio. Located roughly 25 miles north of Cincinnati, it is one of the highest-performing schools in Ohio: 97 percent of students graduate and 80 percent attend four-year colleges or universities.

This school was constructed through a school-city partnership. During the 1990s, the city considered building a community center, and the school district considered building a new high school that would include a state-of-the-art fitness/training center. They joined forces to build a new community center adjacent to the new high school.

Since the high school and community center are connected, students are able to access the lap pool, leisure pool, weight room and indoor track, as can members of the community. In addition to recreational activities, the community center also offers a child-care program and senior center. This cradle-to-grave initiative covers every generation, thus enhancing a true sense of community.

The high school and community center are part of a complex that also includes municipal offices, a public library and extensive playing fields — all located on 200 acres of city-owned land. Most of the construction of the complex was financed through school bonds. However, part of the complex is operated by the city, part is operated by the school, and some parts are operated jointly.

Private companies are also located at the complex. For example, a bank on school property provides convenient access to teachers and students. It also provides internships to give high school students real-world experience.

The local hospital also partnered with the school district to provide a weight room, locker rooms, restrooms, a concession stand and a ticket window for the football stadium. The hospital has its own space as well. Not only is it used for medical rehabilitation, it also affords shadowing, mentoring and apprenticeship opportunities for students within the medical, therapy, nursing and sports medicine fields.

Kevin Bright, superintendent of the Mason City School District, has been an integral part of the ommunity school initiative and has witnessed both the highs and the lows.

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“These projects are not without their challenges, but the benefits far outweigh the effort involved,” Bright says. “It has defined the quality of life in our community.”

It is time for more cities and school districts to work together to develop joint athletic and recreational facilities. When districts and their communities collectively agree upon goals and decide how to reach them together, everyone benefits.

Schools benefit from increased community support and volunteerism, and the community benefits by partaking in social opportunities while saving tax money.

William S. DeJong, Ph.D., REFP, is CEO of DeJong, an educational facility planning firm based in Dublin, Ohio.

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Trendspotting: Declining Enrollment

Enrollment in most school districts across the country is declining. This change in enrollment, coupled with changes in program delivery, is causing district administrators to rethink, resize and retool their school facilities.

The enrollment decline is most acute in urban and rural districts, but it is also occurring in suburban districts. With the recent downturn of the housing market, rapidly growing suburbs are no longer experiencing the phenomenal growth of the past 15 years.

Declining enrollment is certainly not an anomaly. The first significant decline occurred during the late 1960s and ’70s, following the baby boom. This decline, along with economic conditions at the time, resulted in multiple school closures from 1975 through 1985.

When baby boomers began having children, the United States experienced an increase in enrollment. This increase, and an increasing number of immigrant children, boosted enrollment in the late ’80s. New elementary schools were built, followed by new secondary schools in the mid-’90s.

There is conflicting data about national enrollment figures. The National Center for Educational Statistics projects public elementary school enrollment will increase through 2017. The NCES also projects a 3 percent decline in public secondary school enrollment between 2006 and 2011 and then an increase through 2017. NCES expects enrollment in 2017 to be about 5 percent higher than in 2008.

However, a study conducted by the American Association of School Administrators shows a much different picture. A survey of 14,692 districts nationwide indicated that between 1999 and 2006, 3,780 districts experienced an enrollment increase, while 5,002 experienced a decrease.

Another factor that impacts enrollment at school districts is the increase of students attending charter schools. Charter schools play a very important role in the United States, but as more children attend them, enrollment in traditional public schools decreases.

School district demographic studies, recently completed by my firm reveal that the number of districts that will experience declining enrollment in the next few years will increase substantially.

The current enrollment bubble is at the high school level and declining enrollment is already affecting the elementary level. This trend is occurring in most urban districts around the county, including Baltimore, Cleveland, Houston, and Washington.

Many districts are finding that declining enrollment is paired with an increase in the number of students who have special needs, economic disadvantages or language barriers. It is not uncommon for 30 or more languages to be spoken in these districts.

These factors are causing school districts to rethink their educational programs and their school facilities, especially those that are aging.

Simultaneously, districts are reviewing their educational strategies in response to No Child Left Behind, adequate yearly progress and the push to increase graduation rates. This is all compounded by tight operating budgets.

The simple answer calls for fewer schools or for school buildings that have been “right sized” or resized. For example, in some cases it may be more cost effective to renovate an existing school to accommodate the population from two existing schools. Or, it may make more sense to combine a low- enrollment elementary school with a low-enrollment middle school to create a K-8 school that can still serve the neighborhood.

Many of the existing school buildings also need to be retooled. Most of them were built in a different era when we didn’t consider technology or energy conservation and had not yet heard of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most of these buildings consist of rows of classrooms and a gym and/or a cafeteria. They lack areas for individual and small group instruction and project-based learning.

There is a definite need to redefine facility adequacy. Even if a building is in satisfactory condition, it does not mean it can adequately deliver current and evolving educational programs.

The bottom line: There is a need to rethink, resize and retool school facilities, which means there is still a market for school construction. It’s just not the same market as the past 20 years.

This market will likely involve more renovation than new construction. The good news is that school districts experiencing declining enrollment have an opportunity to create facilities that provide environments conducive to effective teaching and learning, now and into the future.

William S. DeJong, Ph.D., REFP, is CEO of DeJong, an educational facility planning firm based in Dublin, Ohio.

Dejong

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2009 Modular Building Awards

Every year the Modular Building Institute sponsors an awards program that recognizes the best projects in commercial modular building design and construction.

The ceremony to present the awards was held earlier this year during MBI’s annual convention and tradeshow in Las Vegas. Each entry was reviewed by a panel of industry and non-industry construction and code experts, architects and engineers, and marketing professionals.

A full list of awards and case studies are available at: www.modular.org/awards

Permanent less than 5,000 square feet

First Place
Shoreline Elementary
Shoreline, Wash.
Size: 3,320 square feet
Company: Williams Scotsman
Affiliate: Whitley Manufacturing Co. Inc.

This modern modular design has a sleek exterior that combines a gable center section with tall single-slope roof sections on each side, pitching from the tall front side to the low side at the back. The unique site-finished front entry canopy is an extension of the factory roof but does not require site constructed footings for post supports. Structural bracing supports the angled back and attaches to the building, creating a very attractive entry. All eight sites utilize the same board and batten exterior with two paint schemes that allow the modular classrooms to blend in with the existing buildings.

Honorable Mention
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish School Classroom
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Size: 1,792 square feet
Company: Sommer’s Mobile Leasing
Affiliate: Manufactured Structures Corp.

The customer wanted to replace a dated auxiliary classroom with a structure that blended with the parish architectural surroundings. A fast-track construction process was also a requirement. A modular building was supplied with a factory hip roof and the ability to accept brick facing. Also, windows and doors were matched to the parish’s present buildings. The building needed to have five classrooms, an office and copy room within a limited footprint. Two modules were designed to maximize the available allotted courtyard space. The speed of modular construction allowed the school to increase enrollment on very short notice.

Permanent more than 10,000 square feet

First Place
Millmont Elementary
Reading, Pa.
Size: 60,000 square feet
Company: NRB Inc.

This new 98,000-square-foot school combines elementary and magnet school programs and consists of 60,000 square feet of modular construction for classrooms, offices and media centers. It also has 38,000 square feet of site-built facilities housing the gym, cafeteria and mechanical spaces. The brick-and-concrete facade resembles a 1950s school and fits with surrounding architecture. Finishes include the original gargoyles salvaged from the old school.

Honorable Mention
Rio Salado College
Avondale, Ariz.
Size: 12,170 square feet
Company: Modular Technology Inc.

This design-build structure for an online college that offers classroom instruction, computer labs, a testing center and administrative support. The facility incorporates features of geography, landscape and surrounding architecture. Soaring front monoliths with dry-stacked stone accents frame the entry for architectural focus. Features include clerestory windows and carpeting, interior paint and fixtures that match the earth tones of the stacked stone.

Permanent 5,000 to 10,000 square feet

First Place
Woodland School
Location: Lacey, Wash.
Size: 9,520 square feet
Company: Blazer Industries Inc.
Affiliate: Williams Scotsman

This eight-classroom addition with an internal double-loaded corridor and central restrooms was built to provide additional classroom space for an existing school going through an extensive remodeling and expansion process. The modular addition is sited off the end of a main corridor in the existing school and is connected with a covered walkway to provide shelter for the students as they walk between buildings. All of the finishes, both interior and exterior, were selected to match the finishes used in the renovation of the existing school building to tie all of the improvements together with a common theme.

Honorable Mention
Kapuskasing School Addition
Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada
Size: 5,236 square feet
Company: Provincial Partitions Ltd.

This facility will house approximately 125 teachers and students. The unit is attached to the existing school, allowing for unobstructed recreational areas. The design provides better protection against inclement weather because students are not exposed to the outdoors when accessing the main building. The building includes spacious rooms and corridors to allow for easy traffic flow throughout the building.

Green Building
First Place
Charlottesville Waldorf School
Charlottesville, Va.
Size: 864 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Miller Building Systems, Inc.

This building is equipped with large operable windows on three sides to allow natural ventilation when weather permits. When climate control is required, a high-efficiency heat pump delivers heating or cooling quietly through low-volume ducts and diffusers. Controls include a humidistat, occupancy sensor, motorized damper and two-stage compressor. Comfortable temperature and humidity are maintained with extra insulation, a moisture barrier and reflective roofing membrane. Recycled materials, including exterior siding, flooring and acoustical ceiling materials were used during construction. The building features dual glazed, Low-E glass windows and daylight harvesting with sun tunnels. The facility was sited to create minimal impact on surface water movement.

Temporary less than 5,000 square feet

First Place
New Castle Classroom, Scott County School #2
Venna, Ind.
Size: 1,056 square feet
Company: Tyson Corp.
Affiliate: Manufactured Structures Corp.

This project consisted of one 24-foot x 44-foot modular elementary classroom building. The building was installed on concrete piers, with the threshold of the doors at 30 feet above grade. The design incorporates clean architectural lines. The beige siding, along with the brown shingles and trim on the 2:12-pitch roof, complement the tan brick elementary school building. The combination of a steel; commercial grade, 2-foot x 4-foot grid ceiling with lay-in acoustical tiles; and 26 ounce commercial-grade carpeting provides a good acoustic learning/teaching environment. Oak veneered plywood paneling creates additional aesthetic appeal.

Honorable Mention
Ehove Career Center
Milan, Ohio
Size: 1,904 square feet
Company: Innovative Modular Solutions Inc.
Affiliate: Whitley Manufacturing

This multi-county, vocational technical school was experiencing an increasing demand for its programs. The limited space resulted in a plan to install a modular building, utilizing the green space between the two permanent school buildings. This plan allowed all students to remain on campus and minimized their commute between buildings.

Temporary more than 10,000 square feet

First Place
Montgomery Public Schools
Montgomery County, Ala.
Size: 45,000 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Design Space Inc.

The Montgomery County School District was faced with several challenges. It had six schools in need of additional classroom and restroom space due to renovations and increased enrollment. Forty-four classroom buildings and three restroom buildings were manufactured and set up in 30 days to meet the immediate need of the school district. The units were designed to be portable to meet future space needs throughout the district. Type IIB clear-span construction was used for both building types.

Honorable Mention
Tarleton University Classrooms and Office
Killeen, Texas
Size: 13,320 square feet
Company: Nortex Modular Space
Affiliate: Amtex Corporation

This office and classroom building consists of 12 units that provide 13,320 square feet to serve 240 students and provide office space for 20 employees in private offices. The exterior finish is site-installed stucco with a mansard roof designed to match the adjacent existing school buildings. The ceiling height is 9 feet and all interior walls are insulated and installed full-height to the rafters to prevent sound transfer.

Temporary 5,000 to 10,000 square feet

First Place
Full Service Schools of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Fla.
Size: 3,456 square feet
Company: M Space Holdings LLC
Affiliate: Southeast Modular

The Full Service Schools of Jacksonville is a United Way-led collaborative approach to serve the therapeutic, health and social service needs of at-risk students and families in Duval County. The schools are set up to support neighborhoods and schools providing family and substance abuse counseling. Eight 12-foot x 36-foot modules created a building for a high school campus. A 36-foot x 96-foot building consists of 13 offices, restrooms and a reception area. Carpet and vinyl flooring is installed throughout the building, along with energy-efficient florescent lighting and suspended acoustical ceilings.

Honorable Mention
Saint Stephen’s Academy
Beaverton, Ore.
Size: 5,964 square feet
Company: Modern Building Systems Inc.

This building at the private K-12 Christian school, which features seven modules containing the school’s multi-occupant restrooms, is installed perpendicular to the other sections. The school is expecting to relocate to another site that allows for expansion in a few years when it has outgrown this building. The school’s intent is to relocate the modular building and place additional structures at that time. Modular, relocatable space was the only cost-efficient solution for the school that would meet its current and future needs.

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The Modern Classroom: Enhancing Lives Inside the Classroom and Beyond

In today’s digital age, there is an increasing emphasis on modern educational facilities that offer students an interactive learning environment that are equipped to support technology-based curricula.

Students leaving high school, for whom social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace are a part of everyday life, are choosing colleges with facilities that offer advanced technology, as well as stimulating and sustainable design elements.

By investing in new technology and improved, more sustainable facilities, community colleges are providing the tools their students need to succeed in the classroom, prepare for future careers and become better stewards of our changing environment.

A recent report from the University of Houston Department of Health and Human Performance found that students in classes that incorporate instructional technology with in-class lectures scored a letter grade higher on average than their counterparts who took the same class in a more traditional format. Such findings are encouraging colleges — especially community colleges that focus on vocational trades — to upgrade their classrooms to ensure that they are well-equipped with advanced technologies.

A Learning-Centered Campus

Tidewater Community College, located in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia, is committed to evolving the traditional basic classroom of the past into the high-tech classroom of the future.

The college maintains campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. With more than 39,000 students per year, it is the largest provider of higher education and workforce development in Hampton Roads.

In 2007, the college commissioned Burt Hill to design a 70,000-square-foot LEED-certified science building on its Portsmouth campus. The new campus includes buildings and laboratories for physics, geophysics, astronomy and biology instruction.

All of the classrooms and labs are equipped with a full suite of audio/visual capabilities, and each subject has advanced technology to support the specific curriculum. For example, astronomy students utilize the campus planetarium and its laser projections to create software productions that are displayed on the dome for the entire class. There is also an on-site observatory that includes a retractable roof and electronic telescopes that interface with each student’s PC.

“It was important that we design the building infrastructure to support the technology that is currently incorporated into the curriculum, as well as make sure the building is equipped to handle future technological advances,” says John Knickmeyer, principal and project lead with Burt Hill.

As more community colleges participate in virtual classrooms, remote instruction is an important learning tool for schools to consider. Distance and remote instruction is a central theme at Tidewater, primarily because of the school’s multiple campuses. The campuses incorporate real-time remote interaction that includes PC instruction, exploration classes and video-conferencing interface capabilities. These systems allow students to participate in classes from home and with students and faculty from other locations.

Community Relationships

Another example of a community college responding to changing learning styles is the Delaware County Community College in Media, Pa.

Burt Hill designed a new science, technology, engineering and math complex on its main campus, which upon completion in December 2009 will consist of a 32,000-square-foot technology building and a 105,000-square-foot science, engineering and math building.

The technology building will house facilities for vocational trades, including carpentry, HVAC/plumbing, electronics, manufacturing and auto labs. The science facility will include chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, computer and CAD labs, as well as general classrooms and programmatic space.

The school’s unique relationship with neighboring businesses and industry leaders is integrated into the curriculum.

“Local companies realize the need for skilled talent and by partnering with us, they can really grow their own,” says Jerry S. Parker, DCCC president.

Companies work with faculty to develop curriculum and also provide necessary equipment to students. Aerospace company Boeing helps cultivate select curricula and teaching labs at the college and also provided nearly $250,000 in equipment and course needs to instruct students in composite fabrication, sheet metal assembly, non-destructive testing and skills for the manufacture of military helicopters. Other corporate sponsors affiliated with the college include Sunoco, Synthes, Exelon, Southco, Pennsylvania Machine Works and Pepperidge Farm.

Developing Smart Classrooms

Ensuring that classrooms are designed as efficiently as possible should be a top priority for colleges eager to appeal to high-tech students and faculty.

Tidewater and Delaware community colleges incorporate smart building technology into their design. The smart buildings and labs bring technology into the classroom that is easily accessible such as SMART boards, which will allow written material to be transferred onto student PCs, paper or spreadsheets.

Faculty will have plug-and-play capabilities at their teaching stations, providing easy access to the Internet, document scanning and projection materials.

The buildings also include interactive displays with touch-screen capabilities, in order to coincide with the school’s curriculum, which often relies on a team-based learning approach.

Additionally, Delaware County utilizes advanced simulation techniques in the classroom. These techniques play a prominent role in health sciences classrooms, and feature dummies that can simulate medical functions and diagnostics.

The anatomy labs have computer simulation that allows for three-dimensional images and analysis. The simulation techniques are employed by the local police academy for student training programs.

Community colleges are also beginning to realize the importance of incorporating advanced technology into public areas outside the classroom. Delaware County and Tidewater County place a strong emphasis on advanced technology in public spaces and have created fully wireless campuses. They also use technology to promote sustainability, and include interactive display screens in common areas that feature information on building energy consumption and the relative carbon footprint.

“Technology and the sustainable message should not just be limited to the classroom,” Knickmeyer says. “These are strategies that can be implemented throughout buildings in an ongoing effort to emphasize the significance of this kind of thought leadership.”

Anton Germishuizen, AIA, is a member of Burt Hill’s board of directors and the executive committee. He can be reached at Anton.Germishuizen@burthill.com.

Burt Hill

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