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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental footprint of a university of applied sciences in 2019 and 2020, including the effects of the lockdown periods. The study identified the main sources of emissions and assessed the pandemic-related effects. Design/methodology/approach: Using the life cycle assessment methodology, this study analysed the university's direct and indirect emissions during a regular year of operation (2019) and compared them with those generated during the lockdown periods in 2020. For the activity areas mobility, energy, waste, IT and paper, gastronomy and water, specific, primary bottom-up inventory data were gathered before and during the pandemic. The data were assessed with 15 environmental impact assessment methods of the environmental footprint framework. Findings: The results of a regular year of operation (2019) depicted that student and employee commuting and business travel contributed with 86% largely to the total global warming potential of 2,572 t CO[subscript 2]-eq. The pandemic-induced changes in commuting and business travel resulted in a 60% reduction, leading to a drop to 1,075 t CO[subscript 2]-eq (2020). In contrast, the environmental footprint due to energy consumption remained almost on the same level, irrespective of the absences on-site in 2020. Originality/value This study has the potential to shape post-pandemic environmental efforts and policies in higher education institutions and contribute to a much-needed baseline against which mitigation efforts can be compared with. Unlike other studies, this study goes beyond the carbon footprint, expanding the discussion to additional environmental and human health impact categories by applying the environmental footprint framework.

Purpose: Some universities have a commitment to both academic education and sustainable development, and the sustainable development goals can support several sustainable actions that universities may take as principles and attitudes. From this perspective, the purpose of this study is to present environmentally sustainable practices at a federal university in Brazil and to analyze and discuss the potential environmental impacts associated with an environmentally sustainable practice implemented using life cycle assessment (LCA) and its benefits for the university's decision-makers. Design/methodology/approach: To accomplish that, the study combines a description of environmentally sustainable practices at the 13 campuses of the Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) in terms of education, water and electricity consumption, waste management and emissions. As a result of this analysis, one campus identified that a high volume of disposable plastic cups were being disposed of, for which the use of reusable plastic cups was introduced. In addition, an LCA study (ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006) quantified the benefits of the introduction of said reusable plastic cups. Findings: The results show that the university is working on environmentally sustainable initiatives and policies to become greener. At the same time, using a systematic LCA made it possible to measure that replacing disposable plastic cups for reusable ones reduced waste generation but increased water consumption on the campus. Faced with this, a sensitization was carried out to reduce water consumption. Finally, the current study provides lessons on the environmental performance to universities interested in sustainable practices, fostering perspectives for a better world. The findings of this study encourage organizations to accomplish environmental actions toward greener universities. The study shows that institutions need to be reflective and analytical about how even "greening" measures have impacts, which can be mitigated if necessary. Practical implications: The sustainable practical implications were reported, and an LCA was conducted to assess potential environmental impacts of reusable plastic cups. It was identified that raw material production is the phase that generates most environmental impacts during the life cycle of the product, along with the consumer use phase, due to the quantity of water used to wash the reusable cups. In addition, the practical contributions of this study are to provide insights to institutions that aim to use environmental actions, i.e. suggestions of sustainable paths toward a greener university. Originality/value: This is one of the first studies to investigate and discuss sustainable practices at UTFPR/Brazil. The study assessed one of the practices using a scientific technique (LCA) to assess the impacts of reusable plastic cups distributed to the students of one of the 13 campuses. Although there are other studies on LCA in the literature, the value of this study lies in expanding what has already been experienced/found on the use of LCA to assess environmental practices in university campuses.

Challenges that face the academic research enterprise are numerous. These concerns include, but are not limited to: declines in extramural funding for investigatorinitiated research, an aging faculty workforce (the average age of securing a faculty's first R01 is over 42), insufficient funds to support faculty laboratories, and limited access to cuttingedge, next generation infrastructure and methods to support research. This manuscript describes an institutional approach to providing leading-edge core facilities and enhancing the effectiveness of their operations by implementing process improvements, managing the lifecycle of core facilities, and monitoring key core facilities' metrics. This approach has created a number of standardized, transparent processes to effectively manage central infrastructure that enables enterprise-wide research, including a process for capital equipment planning, a procedure to evaluate new cores, a method for reviewing and managing the lifecycle of existing cores (invest, maintain, or sun-down), an investment in the administration and operational efficiencies of the cores, and support for the development and implementation of new methodologies for our investigators. The execution of these processes has provided faculty with forward-looking technologies to facilitate innovative research and provide a competitive edge for extramural support.

School districts need adequate financial resources to purchase hardware and software, wire their buildings to network computers and other information and communication devices, and connect to the Internet to provide students, teachers, and other school personnel with adequate access to technology. Computers and other peripherals, particularly, require large expenditures every three to five years, a requirement not usually considered in education planning and budgeting. School leaders should be able to estimate the total cost of purchasing and maintaining an adequate technology network in classrooms and throughout the district, including costs related to support, professional development, hardware, software, replacement, connectivity, and retrofitting. Calculating and assessing this total cost of ownership (TCO) help organizations make intelligent purchasing decisions that factor in expenses required beyond the cost of the hardware. This article discusses some essential considerations in budgeting and funding school technology.

In APPA's recently published book, "Strategic Capital Development: The New Model for Campus Investment," the authors make a case for substantial change in capital planning for higher education institutions. The new model posed is intended to urge institutions and systems to (1) identify more systematically all capital needs of all types; (2) integrate quantitative space needs with qualitative facility assessment to define whole-building solutions; (3) prioritize projects, based on planning principles, while minimizing the influence of politics; (4) associate the needs/projects with financing sources in a comprehensive long-range capital investment plan; and (5) ensure that perpetually scarce capital resources are applied as productively as possible. This article, drawn from the book, focuses on one very important element of capital needs assessment and planning--comprehensive qualitative assessment of existing facilities--as part of the still more comprehensive four-part needs assessment model that includes: (1) space capacity; (2) facilities quality; (3) special facilities; and (4) infrastructure, campus environment, and sustainability. (Contains 3 figures.)

Purpose: Sustainability within tertiary curriculum is hard to measure and often perceived to be illusive in nature. Existing higher education sustainability assessment tools rarely focus on the curriculum. This paper aims to establish and implement a tool that can measure sustainability integration within curriculum. The Faculty of Engineering and IT (FEIT) at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is used as a case study. Design/methodology/approach: A set of seven sustainability competencies are identified by means of a systematic literature review as the current knowledge of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competencies. ESD competency integration into the curriculum is assessed by implementing a two-tier scanning mechanism. In the first step, subject outlines (SOs) are used to identify sustainable subject learning outcomes (SLOs) and assessment learning outcomes (ALOs). Step 2 involves analysing ALOs and SLOs for constructive alignment with student experience. SPSS, a statistical software, is then used to statistically reflect the results. Findings: An initial scan of SOs found that stated ESD outcomes made up 22.4 per cent of FEIT undergraduate courses. A more detailed investigation which involved assessing subject material and student experience for the seven ESD outcomes resulted in a 7.7 per cent sustainability integration into the FEIT undergraduate courses. SPSS produced tables showing individual competency distribution over course candidature year. Lifecycle assessment was invisible from the curriculum. Research limitations/implications Case study outcomes are limited to UTS, and therefore, specific-study outcomes cannot be generalised. This study attempted to trace sustainability learning outcomes through the curriculum. However, a more detailed study should also assess subject pedagogy and artefacts as these may enable or inhibit sustainability competency. Originality/value: Study developed several methods to establish and evaluate subject level ESD claims. Academic staff and management are able to replicate methods of this study to map ESD within their courses, schools and/or faculties triggering conversation around ESD's actual integration within curriculum. Based on ESD distribution, specific intervention recommendations are proposed.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method of assessing the environmental impacts of the manufacture and use of a product or provision of a service such as waste management. LCAs are based on quantitative science, but softer skills are also required in interpreting the results. Therefore, LCA provides an ideal opportunity for students to develop and apply both quantitative and qualitative skills in order to address complex real-world problems. In this research a simplified spreadsheet LCA tool was produced for students to assess the environmental impacts of a waste management system. Detailed feedback from face to face and distance-learning students were positive about the tool, with students welcoming the detail provided in the results and the use of a practical example to help their learning. In conclusion, LCA is an effective way of encouraging environmental and engineering students to develop and apply a wide range of transferable skills.

There are some words in the building industry that seem to be clear and understandable to say, yet they need some help in understanding the depth of the meaning. When the term maintenance is talked about there seems to be some agreement that it does not mean building a new building. Maintenance as a term covers many areas and if not clarified could be interpreted to mean a lot of things. Entering into the maintenance vocabulary are some new words. One of the words that seems simple to talk about yet is hard to find a common definition for is the term "Sustainability." Another new word is "interoperability," which is sometimes referred as a technology term. Sustainability and interoperability are terms and definitions that help describe two additional terms that are impacting the profession: BIM-"Building Information Modeling" and TCO-"Total Cost of Ownership." The only way these two terms are made feasible is if the practice of sustainability and interoperability is not just a planted idea in the minds of an organization, but that steps are being taken to incorporate the terms into the core way in which management sees its role and vision as facilities managers. These terms, if taken on by any organization, must be understood as a "paradigm shift" and that everything that is currently being done needs to be seen through this new vision.

The ASTM E1557/UNIFORMAT II standard is a three-level, function-oriented classification which links the schematic phase Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), based on Construction Standard Institute (CSI) Practice FF/180, to elemental cost estimates based on R.S. Means Cost Data. With the UNIFORMAT II Standard Classification for Building Elements and Related Site work, stakeholders (owners, operators, design professionals, contractors) can effectively start adding value engineering to the process earlier, at the schematic design phase of a project--before irreversible decisions are taken and numerous cost-saving opportunities lost. The new and enhanced four level version of UNIFORMAT II was released in 1993 by American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM). In essence it was refined around a "holistic" life-cycle approach or cradle-to-grave concept. This article presents one such approach for both Higher Education and one of the most progressive asset management governmental agencies, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS). Since higher education is not a single agency and a bit like herding cats, this article makes a compelling argument to adopt this integrated approach from planning through to construction, operations and demolition. UNIFORMAT II currently integrates and overlays all five phases of the Building Life Cycle: (1) planning; (2) programming; (3) design; (4) construction; and (5) operations. With ASTM and CSI supporting the use of UNIFORMAT in North America, it is anticipated that the classification will gain widespread acceptance and save the construction industry significant sums of money resulting from the use as the industry gold standard. (Contains 8 figures.)

Purpose: We describe the natural auditory environment of people with cochlear implants (CIs), how it changes across the life span, and how it varies between individuals. Method: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of Cochlear Nucleus 6 CI sound-processor data logs. The logs were obtained from 1,501 people with CIs (ages 0-96 years). They covered over 2.4 million hr of implant use and indicated how much time the CI users had spent in various acoustical environments. We investigated exposure to spoken language, noise, music, and quiet, and analyzed variation between age groups, users, and countries. Results: CI users spent a substantial part of their daily life in noisy environments. As a consequence, most speech was presented in background noise. We found significant differences between age groups for all auditory scenes. Yet even within the same age group and country, variability between individuals was substantial. Conclusions: Regardless of their age, people with CIs face challenging acoustical environments in their daily life. Our results underline the importance of supporting them with assistive listening technology. Moreover, we found large differences between individuals' auditory diets that might contribute to differences in rehabilitation outcomes. Their causes and effects should be investigated further. From learning language in a noisy nursery to tea time at the retirement home, different stages of life are characterized by different environments. Each of these comes with particular learning tasks and social interactions. For 360 million people with hearing loss (World Health Organization, 2015), the environment also provides acoustical challenges that can jeopardize learning and social participation. This holds true for those who perceive sounds through a cochlear implant (CI).

This essay proposes that librarians practice ethical consumption when purchasing electronic devices. Though librarians have long been engaged with environmentalism and social justice, few have suggested that such issues as e-waste and sweatshop labor should impact our decisions to acquire e-readers, tablets, and other electronics. This article presents a philosophical framework for evaluating the ethics of these acquisitions, as well as guidelines for librarians considering specific purchases. Ultimately, the article argues that librarians should consider curtailing the purchase of new electronics on the basis of the environmental and social justice impact of the manufacture and disposal of such devices. Contains notes.

This article presents a classroom exercise, centered on a simulation that has been used for 4 years in an MBA program to help students develop an understanding of the trade-offs involved in managing capital assets in the public sector. Though often ignored in business schools, "mission" is a key criterion that must be considered when managing such assets, and acts as a surrogate for profit. The case presents a rich environment in which the impact of cost reductions (or additional investments) on mission can be quantified, and trade-offs can be assessed and discussed. It gives students a chance to develop creative ideas for process improvement, and provides sufficient data for them to analyze the impact of their suggestions in a rigorous way.

Linking evaluation methods to the several phases of a program's life cycle can provide evaluation planners and funders with guidance about what types of evaluation are most appropriate over the trajectory of social and educational programs and other interventions. If methods are matched to the needs of program phases, evaluation can and should generate a continuously evolving body of evidence that is useful to program managers and administrators as they develop, improve, deliver, and spread more effective programs. This paper discusses a framework for evaluation planning that outlines the uses of evaluation methods during an extended period of program development, testing, delivery, and dissemination. It contains an initial article which provides an introductory overview of the framework and five commentaries. These commentaries provide examples of the application of the framework, and, in some instances, point out limitations in this approach to evaluation. (Contains 2 figures, 2 tables, and 2 notes.)

By now the slogan of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that "the greenest building is the one already built" is widely known. In an era of increased environmental awareness and rising fuel prices, however, the question is how can historic building stock be made more energy efficient in a manner respectful of its historic integrity and character. The other challenge is to find those improvements that, in the quest to save energy (and, by extension, money), do not in the long run cost more than they save. As illustrated in the case study presented in this article, it is entirely possible to meet the goals of improved energy efficiency in a manner that is both cost-effective and sensitive to the historic character of the building. By using energy modeling, it is possible to better understand the inherent properties of a particular historic resource that cause it to perform differently from new construction and thereby to design improvements that use those features to their best advantage. It also allows the designer to use life-cycle costing to better understand the cost implications of a particular intervention over the long term, which will help in decision making if the loss of historic material or character cannot be justified by improvements in energy performance. Combined with other considerations, such as the aesthetic, historical, environmental, and functional impacts of any chosen course of action, these tools can help the conscientious building owner, architect, engineer, or preservationist make the argument that sometimes using the newest materials or technology is not the most appropriate course of action in a rehabilitation project and that maintaining and restoring historic buildings is often the most sustainable step to take. (Contains 6 figures and 11 notes.)

The Internet is creating exciting opportunities for universities and their stakeholders. Universities are experimenting with different modes of education. E-learning is one such mode, where students can learn from any place at any time, as long as they have an Internet connection. A course management system (CMS) facilitates e-learning, making it critical to select a system that can meet the needs of all its stakeholders. This paper addresses a hybrid approach used to select a course management system for a mid-Atlantic university. The resulting product is the outcome of faculty input, inputs from the program manager of e-Learning, students, and other stakeholders. The authors have experienced four different CMSs over twelve years of teaching online. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, universities planning to venture into e-learning or trying to revamp their current CMS can learn from our experiences. The case study could assist current and future Web course faculty in selecting a CMS to suit their teaching needs. In addition, by increasing their awareness of various capabilities that might be present in their current CMS, the discussion in the paper could also encourage the faculty to revamp their courses. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)

In 2007 the Portuguese government launched a major school modernisation programme, and has taken steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of facilities. A specially created state-owned company, Parque Escolar (PE) has already completed 104 schools; 70 are work-in-progress and an additional 39 are under design or tender. Parque Escolar is feeding lessons learned over the past few years into its reference material and practises so as to continually improve its projects and contribute to the overall development of Portuguese construction techniques. It is now focusing on how best to manage the life cycle of the 104 completed schools in order to achieve high performance levels. This paper sets out some of the practises which are being implemented to this end. (Contains 9 footnotes.)

Inspired by a white paper produced by the Delta Project on Postsecondary Education Costs, Productivity, and Accountability, this study uses different measures of calculating the cost of a college degree at an upstate community college in New York. Departmental cost per credit hour, direct instructional costs, and full costs are all explained. A transcript analysis of the 2008-2009 graduates highlights excess credit hours taken and cross-subsidies necessary within degree programs to produce these graduates. (Contains 1 note and 7 tables.)

The United States is full of schools built in the 1950s and 60s that supported the boomer school-age enrollment increase. These schools, once beacons of the neighborhood, are 50 to 60 years old and susceptible to becoming the community "eyesore." Budgeting for maintenance was fairly systematic for school districts for the first 10 to 20 years after opening those buildings. The schools were relatively low-maintenance, and the annual operations and repair budgets kept ahead of maintenance requirements. The first round of systems and products replacement for those schools was in the mid-80s, and it now is time for a second or third round of upgrades for those buildings. Many districts added new schools in the late 80s and early 90s because of another round of enrollment growth; these schools are due for major upgrades. Today, with budget cuts and funding restrictions, school district budgets cannot cover compounded major maintenance work required to extend the useful life of the 1950s/60s schools, let alone the schools built in the 1980s and 90s. Is it time to ask the community for money to re-invest in schools, or to replace the existing school? Many times, reinvestment goes toward upgrades behind walls, above ceilings, and under floors--for improvements the community won't see after the work is completed.

A life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool used by engineers to make measurements of net energy, greenhouse gas production, water consumption, and other items of concern. This article describes an activity designed to walk students through the qualitative part of an LCA. It asks them to consider the life-cycle costs of ethanol production, in terms of both energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. In the process, they trace matter and energy through a complex fuel-production system. (Contains 5 figures and 2 online resources.)

In the last several years, the growing demand that education institutions incorporate sustainable design and construction concepts in school facility plans has created a greater emphasis on using life-cycle costing. The use of long-lasting materials and equipment enables schools and universities to avoid the unnecessary consumption of energy and resources to replace those items. To keep up with a growing suburban community east of Indianapolis, Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Indiana, is in the midst of a $44 million overhaul.To meet the school's energy needs well into the future, workers have drilled several hundred holes 200 to 300 feet into the ground to install a geothermal heat-pump system. If administrators in the Mt. Vernon district were concerned only with the costs of installing a system to heat and cool the campus, it is unlikely that they would have chosen a geothermal system. But by looking beyond initial construction and analyzing how much the school district would have to pay to operate and maintain the system in the years ahead--and how much the system would reduce the facility's carbon footprint--Mt. Vernon leaders concluded that a geothermal system was the most cost-effective. Mt. Vernon is one of many school districts and higher-education institutions that have embraced life-cycle costing strategies as they make their facility plans. This article discusses how incorporating life-cycle costing into facility decisions enables schools and universities to have buildings that operate efficiently for the long term.

Product life cycle (PLC) stages and diagrams are briefly and dispassionately covered in the standard marketing textbook format with little attention to the social-psychological experiences of those actually participating. This qualitative study used process drama as a teaching tool and a research instrument to probe the PLC phenomenon in a different way. A useable sample of 27 students used the educational drama convention called Space Mission to Mars, a form of process drama, to bring first-hand contact with, and relevance to, this marketing concept and practice. Student journals were analysed through content analysis, and this was combined with lecturer observations and some semistructured probe interviewing. The study found that students clearly expressed a new, more involved, and more insightful appreciation of the actual conceptual marketing processes and emotional experiences that marketers have when directly involved in PLC activities.

Maintaining secure, convenient administration of the PC system environment can be a significant drain on resources. Deskside visits can greatly increase the cost of supporting a large number of computers. Even simple tasks, such as tracking inventory or updating software, quickly become expensive when they require physically visiting every computer. But it's not only a financial issue. Needlessly complex systems management can increase the risk of downtime; long notification times can delay the response to dangerous threats. Plus, when hardware information is stored in too many locations, it can restrict access to the critical data needed to make important decisions. One of the objectives for any IT environment is to minimize the total cost of ownership of technology investment--not just in dollars, but in terms of the strain on resources. This article describes how Dell Systems Management solutions can give one a complete control over IT infrastructure, allowing for limited deskside visits and other tedious tasks while centralizing the critical hardware information to which one needs simple access.

Lifecycle assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool in teaching green engineering and has been used to assess biofuels, including ethanol. An undergraduate engineering course at Duke University has integrated LCA with other interactive teaching techniques to enhance awareness and to inform engineering decision making related to societal issues, such as energy sources and environmental quality. The course also includes a three-part studio beginning with application of thermodynamics, moving to team projects, and ending with a "green" innovation proposal by each student. Students who participated in this interactive series were able to apply LCA to venues beyond biofuels (e.g., computing and brick making). They were also able to consider societal and geopolitical aspects of complex issues, such as comparing benefits to costs and risks associated with increased production of ethanol on decreased food production and environmental impacts. (Contains 2 figures.)

The lifecycle concept is a "cradle to grave" approach to thinking about products, processes, and services, recognizing that all stages have environmental and economic impacts. Any rigorous and meaningful comparison of energy supply options must be done using a lifecycle analysis approach. It has been applied to an increasing number of conventional and renewable energy generation systems and in an increasing range of countries. There is now a good amount of research reporting the lifecycle environmental and economic aspects of power generation systems. This article reviews the existing lifecycle analyses of renewable energy systems to determine the current understanding of their full lifecycle impacts. These are then compared with each other and those of conventional power generation systems. The renewable energy systems reviewed include wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal (for electricity), hydroelectric, solid biomass, wave, geothermal, biogas, and tidal. The article also highlights the areas where more lifecycle analysis is needed. (Contains 2 tables.)

In this article, the authors present the framework of a model that integrates strategic product development decisions with the product's impact on future conditions of resources and the environment. The impact of a product on stocks of nonrenewable sources and sinks is linked in a feedback loop to the cost of manufacturing and using the product and to the end-users' preference for a sustainable product. Two product development scenarios are analyzed to illustrate the model's capabilities. These cases represent widely different market conditions and strategies in product development vis-a-vis sustainable product design and manufacturing. Future work must focus on application of the present framework to cases of realistic products and markets to further develop the model as a useful decision-making tool. The model might also serve as a means of analyzing normative resource-cost scenarios in regulatory policy mechanisms for sustainability. (Contains 3 figures.)

In many communities, schools are among the largest facilities and house the highest concentrations of daytime population. They create a huge demand for water. Even in regions with abundant water supplies, an increase in demand stresses local capacity, and water becomes more expensive. However, with the help of innovative products that reduce water consumption, schools can have less impact on local environments. In this article, the author discusses maximization of water efficiency and hygiene in school design. He suggests that to truly appreciate the impact of water efficiency, schools and universities must consider their unique requirements and their massive water draw. Down the line, that water becomes sewage and then returns to municipal water treatment plants to make the circuit again. By incorporating fixtures that promote sustainability and improve hygiene, schools and universities can help ease the environmental burden by dramatically reducing water consumption--and ultimately operating costs. (Contains 1 chart.)

E-learning systems are used by many universities for both blended learning and distance education. In both cases the success of courses depends, among many other factors, on e-learning applications that work reliably. For e-assessments the expected level of reliability and dependability is even higher. By clearly analyzing technical and nontechnical aspects the authors show how a simple concept--the use of paper trails--can be applied to improve dependability. (Contains 2 figures.)

The commoditization of low-cost hardware has enabled even modest-sized laboratories and research projects to own their own "supercomputers." The authors argue that this local solution undermines rather than amplifies the research potential of scholars. CIOs, provosts, and research technologists should consider carefully an overall strategy to provision sustainable cyberinfrastructure in support of research activities and not reach for false economies from the commoditization of advanced computing hardware. This article examines the forces behind the proliferation of supercomputing clusters and storage systems, highlights the relationship between visible and hidden costs, and explores tradeoffs between decentralized and centralized approaches for providing information technology infrastructure and support for the research enterprise. The authors present a strategy based on a campus cyberinfrastructure that strikes a suitable balance between efficiencies of scale and local customization. Cyberinfrastructure combines computing systems, data storage, visualization systems, advanced instrumentation, and research communities, all linked by a high-speed network across campus and to the outside world. Careful coordination among these building blocks is essential to enhance institutional research competitiveness and to maximize return on information technology investments. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure and 22 endnotes.)

Purpose: There is debate about the relative merits and costs of private versus shared bedrooms in nursing homes, particularly in light of the current efforts at creating both cost-efficient and person-centered care facilities. The purpose of this project was to explore the extent to which there is evidence-based information that supports the merits of three different bedroom configurations: traditional shared, enhanced shared, and private. Design and Methods: We developed a framework of four broad domains that were related to the different bedroom configurations: psychosocial, clinical, operational, and construction or building factors. Within each dimension, we identified individual factors through the literature, interviews, and focus groups, with the goal of determining the breadth, depth, and quality of evidence supporting the benefits of one configuration over another. Results: The vast majority of factors identified in this study, regardless of whether there was solid empirical data, information from the focus groups, or other anecdotal evidence, indicated better outcomes associated with private rooms over shared rooms in nursing homes. Cost estimates suggest that construction cost (plus debt service) differences range from roughly $20,506 per bed for a traditional shared room to $36,515 for a private one, and that such differences are recouped in less than 2 years if beds are occupied, and in less than 3 months if a shared bed remains unoccupied at average private-pay room costs. Implications: Despite limited empirical evidence in some areas, this project provides the foundation for an evidence-based life-cycle costing perspective regarding the relative merits of different bedroom configurations.

Maintenance and operations (M&O) requirements dominate the life-cycle cost of a school facility. Historically, facility managers have struggled to secure funding to meet these requirements. Many deferred-maintenance issues result directly from M&O underfunding. However, new approaches and technologies now enable facility managers to use cost-effective and repeatable models to project accurate and defensible M&O requirements. When a facilities manager can articulate needs clearly and can describe the financial impact of preventive-maintenance tasks that were not accomplished, the result can be a favorable response to budget requests. This article discusses steps in developing an M&O model. (Contains 2 tables.)

Just when campus technologists think they've got a handle on daily campus IT needs, demands to develop smart classrooms come along and spoil everything. Between admissions officers demanding smart classrooms in order to prove to prospective families that the institution is up to speed, and professors asking for smart classrooms so that they can teach like their colleagues at higher tech institutions, many CIOs are now under pressure to add all sorts of media equipment to classrooms and lecture halls as soon as possible. But often, these directives come without checks attached, or without any clear understanding of the best way to go about spending that money when it does materialize. Pondering some issues up front may make all the difference. This article presents some suggestions from CIOs and other experts who have been through smart classroom campaigns.

Many schools and universities thought they were getting a good deal when they were building education facilities in the 1950s and 1960s. However, the K-12 and higher-education spaces constructed to accommodate the millions of baby-boomer students no longer look like the quick-fix bargain they did years ago. Low-quality materials and construction, inefficient energy systems and uninspiring designs have left many schools and universities with facilities that are deteriorating and saddled with high maintenance and repair costs. Today's architects and administrators have tried to learn from the errors of their predecessors and are striving to be smarter about how they plan and build education facilities. Rather than focus only on the initial construction cost of a project, designers and educators are placing greater emphasis on how much a facility will cost over its entire life. By using life-cycle costing, education institutions can have solid data to show that in some cases, spending a little more at an early stage can lead to savings over the life of a building. The basic premise of life-cycle costing is that the costs associated with a building do not end when the construction is complete. To accurately evaluate the entire cost of a facility, one must look at what it costs to build, operate, maintain, and dispose of a facility over its lifespan.

Manufacturing plants have a clear life cycle: they are born small, grow substantially with age, and eventually die. Economists have long thought that this life cycle is driven by organization capital, the accumulation of plant-specific knowledge. The location of plants in the life cycle determines the size of the payments, or organization rents, plant owners receive from organization capital. These payments are compensation for the interest cost to plant owners of waiting for their plants to grow. We use a quantitative growth model of the life cycle of plants, along with U.S. data, to infer the overall size of these payments.

How much does a school cost? It's a straightforward question, but the answer for many education administrators is a frustrating, "It depends." The cost of a school facility surely includes what an education institution pays for the building site, design plans, construction materials, workers who assemble the building, and furniture and equipment that fill the classrooms and other spaces. This article discusses why schools and universities that weigh the life-cycle costs of a building and its components are likely to come to different conclusions about how a project budget is allocated and which materials are used. This article talks about the importance of taking the time to incorporate sustainable strategies early in the planning process and making clear the long term benefits to the school in order to pursue a successful sustainable-design project.

The past four years have seen a precipitous decline in funding for school technology programs. According to Quality Education Data, spending on instructional technology peaked at $8.36 billion in the 1998-99 school year, falling by more than half a billion dollars each year for the next four years to $5.74 billion. This represents a spending decline of more than 32 percent. The good news is there are signs that the trend in decreased spending on instructional technology is beginning to subside. Nevertheless, it is clear that districts will not soon be returning to their bountiful days of the late nineties. This article discusses the Total Cost for Ownership (TCO) Model. The TCO for technology is the life cycle of costs for technology, including both direct and indirect expenses. They include costs around capital (hardware, software, and facilities), administration and operation (planning, upgrade, replacement, and technical support), and end user operation (staff development and user downtime).