Illinois ASBO UPDATE Fall 2013

FACILITIES ISSUE / FALL 2013

INDISPENSABLE TOOL for SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

INSIDE: Budget-Friendly Green Initiatives | 16 Emerging Internet Technologies | 20

WHAT ARE YOUR

OPTIONS? Analyzing Delivery Methods | 24 www.iasbo.org

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Career Enhancing Facilities Certifications. Newly Certified Trainers Within Illinois ASBO! Illinois ASBO would like to congratulate five members who have earned their Certified Plant Maintenance Manager (CPMM) certification and received elite training to help others do the same!

John Fuhrer Scott Mackall Ron Kay Kevin Weisenberger Ken Roiland FACILITIES CERTIFICATION COHORTS FORMING SOON! Build on your skills and demonstrate the value and expertise you bring to the district.

To communicate your interest and be among the first to know when a cohort is forming, contact Erin Wickens at ewickens@iasbo.org or visit our Web site at: www.iasbo.org/fct Learn more about this new initiative in the article on pg. 18 2 | Update Magazine / Fall 2013 2 | Update Magazine / Fall 2013

INSIDE

Illinois Association of School Business Officials Update Magazine / Fall 2013 / v.21 / i.01

FACILITIES ISSUE

ACCOUNTING ISSUE / WINTER 2013 FACILITIES ISSUE / WINTER 2012

INDISPENSABLE TOOL for SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

What Are Your

OPTIONS?

24

What Are Your Options?

Accountable Accounting THE NEXT ISSUE: ACCOUNTING Leading edge practices for today's real world.

Learn from the perspective of three experts – an architect, a construction manager and a performance contractor – as you analyze which facilities delivery method is best suited for your next big project.

Cover Story by John R. McNutt, Andrew Hays Pigozzi and John R. Robinson III

The Next Generation As more and more curriculum is being delivered through technology, explore emerging solutions and what they mean for your district.

By Matthew Dusterhoft

20

www.iasbo.org

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PERSPECTIVE

ARTICLES

FROM-THE-PODIUM Retro-Commissioning: A process of assessing energy efficiency. 07

FROM-THE-OFFICE Three Ways Illinois ASBO Promotes Facilities Best Practice. 09

FROM-THE-FIELD An Ongoing Process: Evaluating the cost benefit of preventative maintenance. 11

CASE STUDY Growing and Staying Green: Obtaining LEED-EB was only the start of Stevenson HSD 125’s journey. 14

FROM-THE-TABLE Top 10 Green Initiatives You Can Do For Under $100. 16

PATH-TO-SUCCESS From the Boiler Room to the Board Room: Facilities certification comes to Illinois ASBO. 18

SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 Sustainable Practices Districts Have Adopted: Lighting, HVAC and more. 19

Environmentally Sound vs. Financially Sound With a good decision-making process, districts will find that initial cost of implementing sustainable projects should be considered an investment rather than an expense.

By Dennis E. Bane

30

Beyond Buildings:

Creating a Culture of Stewardship Today’s green school is ultimately created by its community and occupants and defined by culture and practices. Building this culture is an investment in our students’ future.

By Stuart A. Brodsky, AIA, LEED AP

34

Energy Credits:

What Are They and How Can They Truly Benefit Your District?

Get credit for the ways you generate and save power within the district.

Energy credits represent a new revenue stream for schools when utilized to their fullest potential!

By Terry F. Stoklosa

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Update Magazine / Fall 2013

38

RESOURCES

ON MY LIST

Damage Control The true cost of neglecting your buildings and some thoughtful decisions now that will save your district in the long run.

By Raymond L. Costa Jr. and Kerry Leonard

40

Organizational health forms the context for everything. The process of getting there is “simple” yet humbling.

43

THE FINAL WORD Great Ideas from Great Illinois ASBO Members Keith D. McLean Dir./Buildings & Grounds Rich Twp. HSD 227 Having worked in maintenance and operations for Illinois schools since 1990, Keith believes that although the role of the facilities director has changed significantly, the ultimate goal is the same – the education of children in a safe and healthy environment.

Explore Your Options: Construction delivery, maintenance and going green.

44

46 www.iasbo.org

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“I always envision this conference as a Superintendent and Tech Director’s chance to talk, reflect and plan ahead.”

-TechCon Attendee

Build Your “Dream Team” for Digital Transformation This year’s keynote speaker Keith Krueger, CEO of the Consortium for School Networking, will address the new collaborative roles for chief technology officers, chief academic and financial officers, as well as the superintendent as a part of the school district technology team.

Come Together at TechCon – If you register three staff members from your district, the fourth can attend at half price!

October 18, 2013 Register your team today at: UpdateMagazine Magazine/ /Fall Fall2013 2013 66 | | Update www.illinoistechcon.com

IL CTO

PERSPECTIVE / Board President

FROM–THE–PODIUM Retro-Commissioning: A Process of Assessing Energy Efficiency Retro-commissioning (RCx) is the systematic discovery, documentation, review and improvement of energy operations through a process of identifying no-cost or low-cost savings opportunities that efficiently match building performance to functional requirements.1 Instead of focusing on capital improvements, the program offers assessment and guidance in identifying measures of improving the control, scheduling and operation of current building systems. The targeted goal is to significantly reduce energy consumption by diagnosing problems and implementing recommendations to tighten up existing system flaws.

Hillarie J. Siena The RCx program is fully funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic ASST. SUPT./BUSINESS AFFAIRS Opportunity (DCEO).2 The Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), an applied GLENBROOK HSD 225 research program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, manages the RCx program, with services performed directly by SEDAC staff or by pre-approved service providers.3 The RCx service providers conduct building assessments and recommend a range of measures having an estimated payback of 18 months or less. Once recommendations are received, the school district must implement at least $10,000 of agreed upon measures and participate in a post-implementation site visit. The $10,000 commitment may include costs of staff participation from the initial assessment process through the implementation and evaluation stage.

SIMPLY SAYING

The resulting recommendations project an average payback of less than six months, with a net annual cost savings of over $121,000.

Glenbrook HSD 225 participated in an RCx study at each of its two high schools. Each school was awarded a DCEO grant and each school worked with its own approved service provider. The program had an initial data collection phase of six months and an implementation and verification phase of 12 months. Each school committed to an investment of $10,000 in projects identified as having a payback of less than 18 months. Plant operations and maintenance staff assisted with on-site evaluations and service providers were given access to building automated systems, essential for accurate trending of data. Testing was conducted on systems such as boilers, dampers, humidity control systems, temperature set points and CO2 sensors with cost analyses performed on areas suitable for retro-fitting. The resulting recommendations project an average payback of less than six months, with a net annual cost savings of over $121,000.

In addition to cost savings resulting from systems efficiencies, a retro-commissioning study also serves as a healthy endeavor for internal and external communication.

An RCx study clearly presented as a positive exercise to evaluate system performance will garner internal support.

Communicating positive results both internally and externally will serve to strengthen community support with respect to long-term facility health and sustainability.

FOOTNOTES: 1. http://smartenergy.illinois.edu/retro-commissioning.html 2. http://www.ildceo.net/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling/Energy 3. http://smartenergy.illinois.edu/

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6th Annual

5, 2013 1 4 1 r e b m e v No rt & Kalahari Reso enter Conference C lls, WI e D in s n o c is W

Let’s Get Personal It’s All About You, Your Skills and Abilities

Register at ityMasters il c a F / m o .c WASBO Career Development and Educational Training for those responsible for Facilities, Operations, Safety, Risk Management and School Finance.

Register Today!

Early bird rates through October 23 Attendee $195 (after October 23 $215) Exhibitor $455 ( ft (a fter er Oct ctob ober ob er 23 $5 $ 05 05) 5)

Personal Accountability

Jim Bearden

Individual accountability, the alternaƟve to vicƟmhood, Now, more than ever, you are being is the rst requirement for individual and organizaƟonal called upon to be a leader in your school district. AƩend this conference to enhance success. Accountable people recognize the impact of your leadership skills with Knowledge & outside factors on them and their situaƟons. They also Networking. understand that the choices they make about those outside factors are oŌen more powerful and have more General Sessions impact on them than the factors themselves.

• Personal Accountability, Jim When it comes to leadership & personal accountability, Jim Bearden, CSP Bearden, CSP, speaks from experience. From College Class • Idea Exchange: Sharing Challenges President to Marine Officer to President of the Bearden Resource and SoluƟons Group, Jim has been leading people for over 40 years.

• Connect with vendors who specialize in flooring, management software, •

• •

grounds equipment, maintenance, cleaning, roofing, energy, security and more, all in one place.

Network with facilities, operations, safety, risk management and school finance professionals.

Credit offered for Wisconsin ASBO Facility Manager Core (Modules 4 & 5) and Continuing Education Certifications and Illinois ASBO Facility Manager Certification. Certification approval requested for CPMM & CPS. Earn graduate credit through Viterbo University.

Registration and Sponsorship Attendee and Exhibitor Registration Now Open at WASBO.com/FacilityMasters

Limited scholarships are available at WASBO.com/FacilityMasters

Hosted By

For information on registration or sponsorship opportunities call 608.249.8588.

8 |

Update Magazine / Fall 2013 WISCONSIN

Learn from Peers and Industry Experts about • Auxiliary Services • Best PracƟces in School FaciliƟes • Leadership • Learning Environment • OperaƟons • Safety, Security & Risk Management • SchoolDude User Training & Lab • Technology, Social Media & CommunicaƟon • Unfunded Mandates

In Participation With

PERSPECTIVE / Executive Director

FROM–THE–OFFICE Three Ways Illinois ASBO Promotes Facilities Best Practice This issue of UPDATE, with a focus on facilities and construction, is extremely timely as it relates to some of the key actions and goals that Illinois ASBO has embraced over the past few years. Here are three areas where we have made significant commitment and progress: Midwest Facility Masters Conference: This November we are proud to be a continuing partner in this collaborative effort with Wisconsin ASBO. Several other state affiliates are also Michael A. Jacoby EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR involved, but Illinois and Wisconsin are the two primary partners. This conference includes at ILLINOIS ASBO least 11 breakout sessions planned and delivered by Illinois ASBO, an exhibit hall that includes many Illinois ASBO Service Associate members and general session speakers chosen collaboratively to support facilities professionals. I would encourage all of our members to consider attending or sending a facilities professional to this conference. It will be held on Thursday, November 14 through Saturday, November 16 at the Kalahari Resort & Conference Center in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

SIMPLY SAYING

With billions of dollars of resources invested in Illinois school facilities, we must be sure to care for and develop them to their fullest potential.

Illinois ASBO Partnership with the Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE): In response to a growing need raised by some of our premier facilities professionals, Illinois ASBO has taken the first steps to offer both Certified Plant Supervisor (CPS) and Certified Maintenance Manager (CPMM) programs through AFE. Five Illinois ASBO members have been trained to deliver the preparation programs for Illinois school facilities professionals who desire to sit for these certification exams. This is an exciting new direction for the Association, and we are very proud of the hard work our new trainers have committed to this program. Information about future training sessions will be available on our Web site later this year.

Facilities Forum at the Illinois ASBO Annual Conference: This year we kicked off a concept that we call a “conference within a conference” for facilities professionals. Programming and breakout sessions were developed that specifically addressed facilities

issues. A special one-day Conference rate was available and it included access to the Exhibit Hall and after hours networking events. This was the beginning of an ongoing effort to make our Conference applicable to facility-focused members. In 2014 we will expand on this concept, so be sure to watch for Conference registration information around December 1.

These three initiatives, along with this issue of UPDATE and the initiation of two new facilities regional groups, demonstrate our commitment to raising the focus on facilities as a key variable in the K-12 educational arena.

With billions of dollars of resources invested in Illinois school facilities, we must be sure to care for and develop them to their fullest potential. This requires high quality facilities professionals and the dissemination of high quality knowledge and information about facilities to all Illinois ASBO members. We are committed to both!

www.iasbo.org

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THE

MAGA ZINE Illinois Association of School Business Officials

UPCOMING FALL

Northern Illinois University, IA-103 108 Carroll Avenue DeKalb, IL 60115-2829 P: 815.753.1276 / F: 815.516.0184 / www.iasbo.org

SEMINARS

Update Editorial Advisory Board

Check out www.iasbo.org/events or the latest Calendar of Events included in the UPDATE mailing for full seminar listings including location and PDC sponsorship and register for professional development today.

PDC COORDINATOR MEMBERS Richard A. Lesniak, Ancillary Services Kristopher P. Monn, Educational Enterprise Grant L. Sabo, Facility Management Cathy L. Johnson, Financial Resource Management Kevin Dale, Information Management Robert J. Ciserella, Information Management

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

S 29 6 13 20 27 3

S 27 3 10 17 24 1

Date

Time

M T W T F S 30 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9

M 28 4 11 18 25 2

T 29 5 12 19 26 3

Paul A. O'Malley, Sustainability

December 2013

W 30 6 13 20 27 4

T F S 31 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30 5 6 7

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Session

Location

09/10/13

8:00 AM Environmental and Life Safety Program

Naperville

09/13/13

8:30 AM Advanced Excel for the Business Office

Naperville

09/24/13

8:00 AM Joint Educational Support Professionals Conference

Springfield

09/25/13

8:30 AM Debt Issuance Fundamentals

Naperville

10/01/13

8:30 AM ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar: Preparing the Tax Levy

Naperville

10/02/13

8:30 AM ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar: Preparing the Tax Levy

East Peoria

10/02/13 10/03/13

Delegate Advisory Assembly Meeting 8:30 AM ISDLAF+ School Finance Seminar: Preparing the Tax Levy

10/04/13

PDC Meeting of the Whole

Naperville O'Fallon Lisle

10/08/13

8:00 AM Budget & Financial Projections

10/14/13

Learning to Lead by Applying the Five Levels of 8:30 AM Leadership – AAC #1360

Bourbonnais

10/16/13

8:00 AM Staffing Issues in Operations and Maintenance

Naperville

10/17/13

Learning to Lead by Applying the Five Levels of 8:30 AM Leadership – AAC #1360

Naperville

10/18/13

7:30 AM

10/24/13 10/25/13 11/05/13

Naperville

Naperville

Illinois ASBO's Pre-Conference Trip to Salem

Salem, MA

2013 ASBO International Annual Meeting & Expo

Boston, MA Naperville

6th Annual Midwest Facility Masters Conference

Baraboo, WI

11/22/13

IASB/IASA/IASBO 81st Joint Annual Conference

Chicago

11/22/13

7:00 AM

Legal Implications of the use of Technology in a School District – AAC #686

Chicago

11/22/13

7:00 AM

Learning from Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success – AAC #1098

Chicago

11/22/13

7:00 AM Seminar on School Finance – AAC #1062

12/06/13

7:30 AM Educational Professionals Support Conference

Update Magazine / Fall 2013

Kurt J. Hintz, SAAC Chair

AT-LARGE MEMBERS Sandra Kwasa, Illinois Association of School Boards Phyllis A. Hanna, Glen Ellyn SD 41 John A. Gibson, Homewood SD 153 Susan L. Harkin, Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300 Eric Miller, Skokie SD 69

STAFF MEMBERS Michael Jacoby, Executive Director

815.753.9366, mjacoby@iasbo.org Susan P. Bertrand, Assistant Executive Director 815.753.9368, sbertrand@iasbo.org Angie Byers, Communications Coordinator 815.753.9371, abyers@iasbo.org Rebekah L. Weidner, Staff Writer/Editor 815.753.9270, rweidner@iasbo.org Brett M. Olson, Designer 815.753.7654, bolson@iasbo.org Tammy A. Curry, Designer 815.753.9393, tcurry@iasbo.org

Illinois ASBO Board of Directors Hillarie J. Siena, President

Nelson W. Gray, President-Elect Susan L. Harkin, Treasurer 2011–14 Board of Directors

David Bein, Jennifer J. Hermes, Glayn C. Worrell 2012–15 Board of Directors

11/14/13

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BOARD & EXTERNAL RELATIONS MEMBERS Nelson Gray, President-Elect

Mark E. Staehlin, Immediate Past President

TechCon: Technology and Financial Issues for the 21st Century Conference

8:00 AM Educational Facility Design, Renovation & Construction

Amy McPartlin, Materials & Services Management

Chicago Naperville

David H. Hill, Luann T. Kolstad, Ann C. Williams 2013–16 Board of Directors

Dean L. Gerdes, Cathy L. Johnson, Lyndl A. Schuster

Illinois ASBO Board Liaisons Kurt Hintz, Service Associate

Advisory Committee Chair Michael A. McTaggart, Service Associate Advisory Committee Vice Chair Terrie S. Simmons, ASBO International Liaison Debby I. Vespa, ISBE Board Liaison Laurel DiPrima, IASB Board Liaison

Privacy Policy

All materials contained within this publication are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, displayed or published without the prior written permission of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.

You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.

References, authorship or information provided by parties other than that which is owned by the Illinois Association of School Business Officials are offered as a service to readers. The editorial staff of the Illinois Association of School Business Officials was not involved in their production and is not responsible for their content.

PERSPECTIVE / SAAC Chair

FROM–THE–FIELD Making a Proactive Plan of Attack Maintaining your facilities is an ongoing process. If you were to take a look at your annual budget, how much money are you forecasting to spend? Typically, in a unit district with roughly 10-15 buildings, the value of assets could be upwards of $500 million yet the operations and maintenance budget yearly is well less than 1%. Why is this? How can you make improvements?

Districts can help themselves by analyzing their facilities from a utility and maintenance standpoint. Looking at utility info allows the district to better understand their energy usage.

Kurt J. Hintz BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER High BTUs/sqft and high demand charges typically cost the district thousands of dollars PERFORMANCE SERVICES, INC. each year. Understanding when the buildings are using peak demand rates and changing schedules accordingly could result in a huge annual savings to the districts' utility spend.

Outdated, inefficient lighting and equipment can also be evaluated to determine if retrofitting now will save money later.

Information is the key. Being reactive to emergencies causes overspending, takes away from other important issues district personnel should be dealing with and potentially wrecks a budget. With accurate and complete analysis and information a district can be proactive and ultimately far more cost effective and efficient.

SIMPLY SAYING

Proactive maintenance puts the district in an offensive position and allows districts to prepare for future expenses...

Proactive maintenance is the approach that is most recommended by AIA’s, GC’s and ESCO’s. Proactive maintenance looks at the current systems, operating hours, life-cycle of the equipment and potential energy savings from more efficient equipment and focusses on a long range plan of attack. Understanding your building needs and game planning for the future 3, 5, 10 years will help eliminate paying premiums when equipment fails at the wrong time. Proactive maintenance puts the district in an offensive position and allows districts to prepare for future expenses versus the typical blindsided needs approach. Equipment never fails at an appropriate time; it is usually at the worst moment when the most student/staff/community will be affected.

When evaluating the cost benefit of preventative maintenance, it is important to fully recognize the cost of unplanned maintenance versus planned maintenance.

Planned maintenance allows the district to develop a budget, negotiate the pricing for material and labor and be more efficient by accomplishing multiple tasks at one time.

Unplanned maintenance and repairs typically results in paying a 20-30% premium on both the labor and material (due to the urgency), plus it is an inefficient use of districts' personnel time. It takes about as much time to discover, research, price, order and implement a single unplanned item as the same personnel would spend on an entire menu of planned maintenance tasks. The combination of premiums on labor and material and the inefficiency on the district’s personnel can make the same work cost 100-200% more.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Dennis E. Bane

Stuart Brodsky, AIA, LEED-AP

Raymond L. Costa Jr.

Principal DLR Group

Associate Principal Cannon Design

Retired Dir. /Business

Has over 20 years of working with school districts locally, regionally and nationally. Located in Chicago, he works for the world’s largest provider of K-12 professional planning, design and construction services.

An award-winning architect, Stu has dedicated over 25 years to designing and planning education facilities.

He serves on the Board of Directors and co-chairs the Green Schools Committee for the U.S. Green Building Council Illinois Chapter.

Holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology and an M.A. in Educational Leadership.

Spent 14 years working at Chicagoland universities before switching to elementary in 1994. He has served as facilities manager, business manager and superintendent.

dbane@dlrgroup.com

sbrodsky@cannondesign.com

dkotecki@energysystemsgroup.com

Matthew Dusterhoft

John Fuhrer

Marya Graff, LEED-AP, Assoc. AIA

Dir. /Technology Lockport Twp. HSD 205

Dir. /Operations & Facilities North Shore SD 112

Sustainability Consultant Cannon Design

Twice a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Elementary Education (’95) and MBA (’08), Matt has been in technology for 18 years and in educational technology for 12.

Serves leadership roles in the Illinois ASBO Lake County School Facility Managers Regional and Operations & Maintenance PDC. Has earned his Certified Plant Maintenance Manager (CPMM), MBA and is pursuing SBO Certification at NIU. jfuhrer@nssd112.org

Marya is a sustainability consultant at Cannon Design’s Chicago office.

Marya is currently guiding Stevenson High School through LEED-EBOM recertification.

mdusterhoft@lths.org 12 |

Update Magazine / Fall 2013 2013

mgraff@cannondesign.com

Scott R. Mackall

Doc Kotecki

Kerry Leonard

Account Executive Energy Systems Group (ESG)

Architect FGM Architects, Inc

With nearly 40 years in the building automation, temperature control, security and construction industry, Marion promotes facilities solutions for K-12, higher education and local governments. He shares his expertise on Illinois ASBO PDCs. dkotecki@energysystemsgroup.com

Believes we have the responsibility to make better learning environments through design. Kerry advocates for using a continual improvement strategy to adapt, change and evolve to maintain quality facilities aligned with changing pedagogy. kerryl@fgmarchitects.com

Co-Chair of the Lake County School Facility Managers Regional Group, Scott is CPMM certified and has presented both for Illinois ASBO and at the Wisconsin ASBO Midwest Facility Masters Conference.

Dir. /Facility Mgnt. and Transportation Park Ridge Niles CMCSD 64

smackall@d64.org

Mark S. Michelini

John R. McNutt

Andrew H. Pigozzi

Asst. Superintendent Adlai E. Stevenson HSD 125

Partner Shales McNutt Construction

Principal Studio-GC

Past Illinois ASBO Board member and presenter at multiple conferences, Mark has helped lead the way in sustainable practices at Stevenson.

COO for Shales McNutt and a third generation construction professional, John has been delivering projects for a decade and half. He has a passion for building projects through the collaboration of all team members.

mmichelini@d125.org

johnmcnutt@shalesmcnutt.com

Is a 20-year veteran architect leading the K-12 practice area and directing quality control on various municipal and government projects. John’s extensive background has honed his attention to detail and passion for quality control. a.pigozzi@studio-gc.com

Has worked in the education and energy sector his entire 26-year career. John holds his CSBO and is the former Director of Facilities at Geneva CUSD 304. He serves as chair of the Illinois ASBO Planning and Construction PDC. John R. Robinson, III General Manager Performance Services, Inc.

jrobinson@performanceservices.com

Is an Independent Energy Consultant with over 30 years of sales and consulting experience.

Terry’s primary focus has been dedicated to delivering a variety of energy related solutions to his clients that create value through efficiencies.

Terry F. Stoklosa President TFS Alliance Group

tstoklosa@TFSalliancegroup.com www.iasbo.org

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CASE STUDY / Life After LEED Certification

GROWING AND STAYING GREEN Two years after achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED®-EBOM) gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, Stevenson High School reflects whether it was worth it and how they are continuing on the path to sustainable practices.

GROWING GREEN: ACHIEVING LEED In June of 2011, Stevenson High School became the first high school in the country to receive LEED-EBOM Certification. This program is the national benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Gold certification is the second-highest level in the four-tiered LEED ratings system.

Stevenson received gold certification by earning enough points in the LEED rating system that measures several areas, including: • Water and energy use and conservation.

• Indoor air quality.

• Management of waste and recyclable materials.

• The use of environmentally preferred products and practices for cleaning and alterations.

• Sustainable purchasing policies.

To achieve this, Stevenson made a number of changes in its day-to-day operations – including cutting back on electricity and natural gas use during non-school hours, increasing recycling and using less paper – that saved the school an estimated $100,000 in energy and natural gas costs during the 22-month certification process.

Merv Roberts, a Stevenson Board of Education member, commented, “This is a remarkable accomplishment because we have a school with a footprint of nearly one million square feet and we have more than 4,500 people here on a daily basis… Earning LEED gold status is a validation of our ‘green initiative’ to reduce the school’s carbon footprint.”

STAYING GREEN: LIFE AFTER LEED But obtaining LEED-EBOM status is only the start of the journey. The true key to our success will be our ability to ingrain sustainable practices into the day-to-day life of our students as well as the buildings. To that end, the High School broke down the road to sustainability into two paths: student life and building operations.

The student life team took on several projects through the SAVE Club, the Green Team and the Math Division. The Green Team submitted a video to the “If I had a Trillion Dollars to Save the Planet” contest and won national recognition for their entry. The SAVE Club partnered with Solid Waste Agency of Lake County on the largest single day collection of electronics in Lake County history, as well as a shoe collection with the Vernon Township that brought

Refer to the article “Growing Green” in the Summer 2011 issue of UPDATE to learn more about Stevenson’s recycling initiative.

14 |

Update Magazine / Fall 2013

By Mark S. Michelini ASST. SUPERINTENDENT ADLAI E. STEVENSON HSD 125

Marya Graff, LEED-AP, Assoc. AIA SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT CANNON DESIGN

upgrades, from replacing variable frequency drives on a series of air handling units to dimming of hallway lighting.

Of special note is the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) at the University of Illinois. The SEDAC team performed a level II energy audit that was instrumental in our LEED-EBOM certification and followed that up with a retro-commissioning project that has set a path for school energy improvements.

Students conducting a water flow study - measuring how much water is used and how fast it goes down the drain.

in over 2,000 pairs of slightly used shoes. And finally, the Math Division is measuring the correlation between kilowatt burned and heating and cooling degrees to analyze the effect of the school’s green initiatives.

On the operational side, the school’s business partners have led the way in new and creative ways to save energy. The Sodexo Campus Services team annually participates in the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity energy efficient grant program.

Since the LEED-EBOM certification process, participating in DCEO grants has become normal operating procedure.

In addition, Sodexo was instrumental in creating opportunities where both paths cross – the implementation of a campus wide composting program is an excellent example. Through composting, the District hopes to divert 40 tons of garbage from the landfill.

THE PATH TO RECERTIFICATION The USGBC takes the concept of “journey to sustainability” to heart; Stevenson’s certification is good for five years. To recertify in 2016, the District must track, monitor and improve upon existing systems, policies and procedures in line with changing certification requirements. With the help of our LEED-AP professionals at Cannon Design, we have begun the process for recertification. Cannon Design meets semiannually with school operational personnel to prepare for recertification and ensure the team is on track. At this stage, we are confident that we will receive recertification once the process is complete.

Students planting green trays for one of many District green roofs.

The Siemens team has also made significant contributions to the school’s sustainable efforts. Of primary importance is the District’s energy star rating, which under Siemens’ leadership went from the 88th to 92nd percentile. In addition, Siemens was instrumental in several campus

www.iasbo.org

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FROM–THE–TABLE / Green Initiatives

Top 10 Green Initiatives YOU CAN DO FOR UNDER $100 School districts throughout Illinois are facing tremendous financial challenges due to reduced funding from Springfield, decreased revenue from diminishing EAV, and higher operating costs. There are, however, nocost and low-cost measures that can be implemented to reduce utility and operational costs and improve the educational environment for all students. Consider one or more of the following suggestions for your district as first step toward a district-wide plan

1. .

3.

16 || 16

SEDAC Energy Assessment School districts in the Ameren Illinois, ComEd, Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas utility service areas can get Energy Assessments provided at no cost through the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC). SEDAC’s services are funded through the Illinois Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS). The energy assessments are done for both existing buildings and new construction, and are customized to the building characteristics and energy use specific to that facility. To date, SEDAC has assessed over 1,200 facilities covering 111 million square feet. Call 1.800.214.7954 for more information and how to submit an application.

Log monthly utility expenses on a spreadsheet Just as it is imperative to pay your monthly natural gas, electric and water utility bills on a timely basis to avoid late fees, keeping track of all utilities for each facility (both usage and monthly expenses) will alert the administration of an abnormality and drive the implementation of corrective action. Utilize Energy Star Portfolio Manager to track and assess energy and water consumption for all district facilities.

US GBC Green Apple Day of Service Interested in having your school make a greater impact in the community? September 28, 2013 is the second annual Green Apple Day of Service; on this day K-12 students, teachers and administrators are encouraged to plan a school sustainability project and work with community volunteers to create a positive environment for change. Districts can develop a wide variety of projects, from planting school gardens, to collaborating on clean-ups, to hosting e-waste recycling drives, or they may customize a project to meet local goals. The project could be a successful single-day event or kickoff a year-long program. For more details, contact Cortney Adams, USGBC-Illinois Program Coordinator at cadams@usgbc-illinois.org or 312.245.8300 x202.

Update Magazine / Fall 2013 2013 Update Magazine / Fall 2013

By Doc Kotecki ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS GROUP (ESG)

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Timers and occupancy based sensors If an area is not being used by students or staff, install timers or occupancy-based sensors to shut off equipment that is not needed

Exit fixture replacement Exit signs are on 24 hours, 365 days per year. Replacing incandescent fixtures with LED reduces electricity use by 80%.

DCEO provides a $25 rebate/incentive for every replaced exit fixture.

Green Nozzle Program The "Green Nozzle" is a high efficiency pre-rinse spray valve for use in cafeterias that will save 545 therms of natural gas annually due to a reduction in hot water usage.

The valve is designed to save $400 annually on natural gas bills. Green Nozzles are provided for free through a partnership between DCEO and the University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center (ERC). To request a free Green Nozzle, please contact the ERC at 312.996.2593.

VendingMiser® The typical vending machine consumes $150 in electricity annually. The materials to install a VendingMiser® typically cost $150, and the savings generated through reduced running time and reduced maintenance result in a quicker-than twelve month payback.

Retro-commissioning Retro-commissioning provides an expert analysis of your school to verify if all of its energy-using systems are performing optimally. The program identifies no-cost and low-cost energy saving improvements that can reduce your energy usage and operating costs. Contact Tom Coe at 217.785.2433 or tom.coe@illinois.gov for more details.

Weather stripping Having an entrance door with deteriorated weather stripping is the same as leaving a 1/8" gap around the entire door, or having a 6" diameter hole. Materials to install new weather stripping and door sweeps cost less than $50, but can save hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs.

Promote – promote – promote Just as the three most important rules of real estate are location, location, location, districts need to promote, promote, promote! Whatever you are doing to encourage utility savings and promote sustainability, use all available methods to communicate it to the community, board of education, school administration, teachers, and most importantly, the students. Board agendas should include discussions on utility expenses; school district websites should have a link highlighting latest efforts and corresponding results; and districts should incorporate sustainability in classroom instruction including math, writing, literature, speech and science. www.iasbo.org www.iasbo.org

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PATH–TO–SUCCESS / Facilities Certification

By John Fuhrer DIR./OPERATIONS & FACILITIES NORTH SHORE SD 112

Scott R. Mackall DIR./FACILITY MGMT. AND TRANSPORTATION PARK RIDGE NILES CMCSD 64

FROM THE BOILER ROOM TO THE BOARD ROOM FACILITIES CERTIFICATION COMES TO ILLINOIS ASBO In the Spring of 2010, an important question was brought up at the Illinois ASBO Regional Lake County School Facility Managers (LCSFM) meeting: “How do we as Facility Managers offer more value to the school districts in Illinois?”

The answer that emerged was a CERTIFIED FACILITY TRAINING PROGRAM. This led to more questions: Who? How? Which? And again, How?

To understand the benefit of this training you must first understand that maintaining your facility is not an expense; it is an INVESTMENT. From there, we continued this mission through monthly meetings focused on this goal. Several facility managers from two groups spent months reviewing options for the program and we invited multiple organizations in the facility field to find the right fit of certification/program and need.

After much discussion and review, the Association for Facilities Engineering (AFE) became the clear choice!

Two and a half years after the initial discussion, the AFE Certification Program has now taken the first steps by certifying the first five public school facility managers.

AN INVESTMENT IN THE DISTRICT’S MOST VALUABLE PHYSICAL ASSET The certification program is designed to teach facility professionals how to maintain, track, predict and extend the life of a district’s most valuable physical asset, the building(s). Someone once said they thought investing in the classroom was the most productive use of tax payers’ dollars and any money spent on facilities was a waste. Our response to that comment is, ”the facilities are the classrooms for generations.” To understand the benefit of this training, you must first understand that maintaining your facility is not an expense; it is an INVESTMENT.

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Illinois ASBO (in conjunction with AFE) will be offering two levels of certification: Certified Plant Supervisor (CPS) and Certified Plant Maintenance Manager (CPMM).

Topics covered in these courses include but are not limited to: 1. Creating a preventative maintenance program.

2. Utilizing your computer maintenance management system.

3. Work culture and the impact on your facility.

4. Predictive maintenance program.

5. Reliability centered maintenance program.

6. Indoor air quality.

7. Managing energy cost.

8. Conflict resolution.

9. Return on INVESTMENT. 10. Backlogging.

When looking at long range planning, one of the first and most beneficial items needed is to understand the condition and needs of a facility as they pertain to curriculum and enrollment. The lessons learned through AFE certification will provide the tools and knowledge to obtain this information as well as how to continue an excellent program of maintaining your facilities.

INFORMED CHOICES AND A POSITIVE IMPACT We hope you see the pattern: creating and collaborating with your team and professionals in education to improve the spaces where student learning takes place. As AFE says so well, “from the boiler room to board room,” the certification(s) will allow you to not only understand the why and how, but to articulate that information to boards of education in a format that will allow them the ease of making informed choices. The certification will have a positive impact for students and staff while doing so in the most cost efficient manner.

Find out more about this valuable new program for facilities professionals at: www.iasbo.org/FCT

PERSPECTIVE / On the Profession

SCHOOL BUSINESS 101 What is a sustainable practice you have implemented in your district?

Mike Brown

DIR./FACILITIES MGMT., ARLINGTON HEIGHTS SD 25

A: We have gone to occupancy sensors in all the lighting systems, which will reduce our carbon footprint and electrical utility costs for decades to come.

Have a question or issue that needs to be addressed by School Business 101?

Submit your ideas or questions to Rebekah Weidner at rweidner@iasbo.org

Daniel R. Ford

ASST. SUPT./FACILITIES & TRANSPORTATION, BERKELEY SD 87

A: We have installed occupancy sensors for the lights in all buildings and in some schools the occupancy sensors control the HVAC. The HVAC equipment uses variable frequency drives and is digitally controlled. We have upgraded some of the outdoor lighting to LED. The cleaning products we use are considered green.

Ron N. DeGeorge

DIR./BUILDINGS & GROUNDS, PROSPECT HEIGHTS SD 23

Want to add to the discussion?

Add your response in the Hot Topics Group within the peer2peer Network. Then, watch for the next School Business 101 discussion for a chance to be featured in the UPDATE Magazine.

A: We've changed all our outdoor lighting to LEDs and as a result have realized a huge savings in our utility bills. We are replacing all our indoor lighting with more energy efficient T8 lamps with occupancy and daylight censors. We have also started a new geothermal project for heating and cooling of the entire district, which will basically eliminate our boilers and gas bill, give us new equipment and have the ability to have heating and cooling at the same time throughout the district, besides for being green.

Scott R. Mackall

DIR./FACILITY MGMT. AND TRANSPORTATION, PARK RIDGE NILES CMCSD 64

A: We have done lighting upgrades. The other thing we are doing is HVAC upgrades in four of our buildings. We are moving from pneumatics to DDC controls and that is huge on the sustainability side as it uses much less energy and provides a better environment for students.

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Update Update Magazine Magazine // Fall Fall 2013 2013

POINT OF VIEW

By Matthew Dusterhoft DIR./TECHNOLOGY LOCKPORT TWP. HSD 205

The Next Generation

Emerging Internet Technologies and What They Mean for Your District Running water, electricity and reliable access to the Internet: these are the new “basic� utilities that no organization can function without. As more curriculum is being delivered to the classroom through technology, adding Internet access to this list only makes sense. The problem is that Internet access and our computer networks require much more attention and dollars to maintain than plumbing or electricity.

As schools are rapidly evolving around technology, there are many things that need to be considered.

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The in-depth examination of network traffic allows for better understanding of how the network is being used.

The Next Progression of Internet Connection

The Evolution of Firewalls and Content Filtering

Internet connection is simply the point at which the Internet comes into a building, while bandwidth is the amount of data that can move across your connection.

Originally designed to keep unwanted traffic from coming into a local network, firewalls have evolved to be able to closely examine the content of the all network traffic. The in-depth examination of network traffic allows for better understanding of how the network is being used.

Historically the internet connection was a T1 provided through AT&T and the bandwidth was the service that the Illinois Century Network (ICN) provided. These T1 connections are no longer viable solutions for school districts bandwidth needs.

The next progression of Internet connection is optical fiber.

The build-out cost to add fiber to a building is difficult to estimate until you have vendors examine your locations.

The largest variable is the distance the vendor needs to run new fiber to connect it to your building. The build out costs are often waved if you sign three or five year contracts for service. Once installed, fiber is highly reliable and will grow as bandwidth requirements continue to increase.

Evaluate Your Needs: Bandwidth needs will vary between districts. The minimum bandwidth that ICN now provides is 20 times higher then what a T1 can handle, yet this may only be a fraction of what larger districts will need. Vendors and local technology staff can help determine and monitor how much bandwidth a district requires.

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All traffic must also be filtered for content: drugs, violence and pornography. At the most basic level, this is blocking websites by their address or URL. However, this simple URL blocking is no longer sufficient. Newer, more advanced products allow more granular control to govern the use of social media or the amount bandwidth users can use to stream video. An example of granular control is that a district can allow access to Facebook but users could not post updates or play games effectively, making Facebook “read only.�

Assess Your Controls: Controlling the amount of bandwidth that is being consumed becomes important when events like the college basketball playoffs begin every spring. Vendors can now offer both content filtering and bandwidth control in one device. This can be cost effective but can sometimes limit the full set of features a district may need.

POINT OF VIEW / Emerging Internet Technologies

The New Standard of Local Area Network (LAN) Wiring

Many organizations went through the pain of wiring their local computer networks in the mid 1990s. Locations around the buildings, known as “closets,” had to be located and the wires were pulled from the closets to the classrooms. Then fiber backbone had to be pulled from the closets to the main server room. It is likely that the type of cable used was Category5 (CAT5) or Catagory5e. This type of wire could transmit at 100Mbs or 1Gbs, respectively, over a short distance. These speeds can still provide adequate bandwidth to the end users in most situations but that might not be the case long term. Devices and users are able to consume significant bandwidth and any new wiring should be Category6.

It is also important to examine the fiber connections that connect the closets to the main sever room. The fiber that was probably used in the 1990s is only capable of transmitting at 1Gbs. Considering that 1Gbs is now a standard needed to run every PC and wireless access point, a single 1Gbs connection between the closet and sever room is a bottle neck that needs upgrading. 10Gbs fiber is now the standard. It should be relatively straightforward to upgrade the fiber as vendors can use existing conduit paths to pull the new fiber.

Examine Your Set Up: When examining your local wiring, keep in mind all of the devices that are now accessing your computer network.

A small list includes PC’s, printers, LCD projectors, wireless access points, security cameras, HVAC controls, Point of Sale terminals and door access controls.

“Light Speed” Changes to Network Switches and Wireless Networks

Network switches are the devices that all of the wireless plug into so that they can communicate with each other.

There have been continuous improvements to this equipment and costs have not significantly increased.

Switches should be on a replacement schedule between five and eight years in most cases as they are some of the most stable pieces of the network.

The biggest changes and challenges continue to occur in the wireless network. The wireless network is all of the access points hanging on the ceiling. Early wireless networks were individual access points (APs) working independently. Access points today work together using a controller that allows administrators to manage all of the access points from a single interface.

The other change in APs is the speed at which they can transfer data. The industry has labeled the different types of access points as B, G, N and the upcoming AC. It is not important how they work but that each one is faster than the last. Current networks consist of G and N access points and anything new should not be less then N. There is considerable industry buzz around these new AC access points.

Take Caution: AC Wireless technology is still very new, and while the access points can transmit data quickly, almost all end user devices are unable to make use of the added speed.

It will be about two years before the devices catch up to the access points. The increased demand for wireless access is no longer about having an access point close enough to get a strong signal but about having enough access points to service the number of devices that are trying to connect to the APs.

Moving Toward the Future

Budgeting and funding all of the pieces of an increasingly important computer network can be challenging but are essential to the curricular success of a district. As the demands are based on the curriculum, it is time to review expenses of textbooks, workbooks and copy paper to see where cost reductions in old methods can be utilized toward the future.

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COVER STORY

WHAT ARE YOUR

OPTIONS? Analyzing Delivery Methods Selecting a construction delivery method is one of the most important decisions that your district will make when considering capital projects. When choosing between methods, the owner must consider many important questions: »»What is the scope and complexity of the project? »»Is this a project we have done before that we feel comfortable managing? »»Who will take responsibility for overseeing that our district needs and interests are fully accommodated?

All of these factors and others including project schedule, short- and long-term goals and a comfort level in working with various vendors can play into the decision of which route to take.

Although this article provides guidance on delivery methods, it is not meant to be an all-encompassing guide. These are opinions of the authors, and are meant for informational purposes. lllinois ASBO encourages members to thoroughly research and vet projects before making your choice. www.iasbo.org

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THREE UNIQUE ROUTES. THREE DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES. Historically, the General Contract (or Design-Bid-Build) has been considered the traditional approach. However, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), newer models such as Construction Manager at Risk and Design-Build have been gaining popularity amongst public entities. According to AIA articles on the issue, each of these routes has some defining characteristics and considerations.1, 2 DESIGN-BID-BUILD “Traditional” Model “Involves competitively bid, lump sum construction contracts that are based on complete and prescriptive contract documents prepared by architects.”1 Defining/Typical Characteristics »» Three prime players–owner, designer, contractor. »» Two separate contracts–ownerdesigner, owner-contractor. »» Final contractor selection is based on low bid or best value: total cost. »» Three phases–design, bid, build.

These phases may be linear or overlapping if a project is fasttracked or bid-out to multiple prime contractors. »» Well-established and broadly documented roles.

Considerations »» Construction phases are sequential and may require more time. »» Owner is at risk for final construction cost. Actual construction costs are not known until design and bidding are complete.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT-RISK (CM AT-RISK) Gaining Popularity “Involves a construction manager who takes on the risk of building a project. The architect is hired under a separate contract. The construction manager oversees project management and building technology issues.”1

DESIGN-BUILD A Single Source Solution “The owner contracts with a single entity, the design-build entity, for both design and construction. The designbuild entity can be led by an architect or a contractor and can consist of any number of people.”1

Defining/Typical Characteristics »» Three prime players–owner, architect, CM at-Risk. »» Two separate contracts–owner to architect, owner to CM at-Risk. »» Final provider selection based on Qualifications Based Selection or best value: fees »» Establishment of a Guaranteed Maximum Price.

Defining/Typical Characteristics »» Two prime players–owner, designbuild entity. »» One contract–owner to designbuild entity. »» Final design-builder selection may be based on any of the following: direct negotiation, qualifications based selection, best value: fees or total project cost, or low bid. »» Continuous execution of design and construction.

Considerations »» Management role of CM-Contractor can be seen as an added cost. »» CM-Contractor may provide less building than a bid approach to protect margin of profit. Possible conflict of interest with role as both construction manager and contractor.

Considerations »» Conflict of interest with role as designer and contractor. »» Hidden reductions in quality are possible when cost-savings and design changes are determined by design-builder. Short-term construction savings may outweigh life-cycle costs.

>>>

Learning from the perspective of key players in the process–an architect, a construction manager and a performance contractor–brings out a number of elements to keep in mind as you decide which route to take. Read on to hear what our three experts have to say.

FOOTNOTES:

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1. “Primer on Project Delivery.” The American Institute of Architects and the Associated General Contractors of America (2011).

2. “Understanding Project Delivery for the Design and Construction of Public Buildings.” AIA Minnesota.

COVER STORY / Analyzing Delivery Methods

In the Discussion: John R. McNutt PARTNER SHALES MCNUTT CONSTRUCTION

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT: CHOOSING YOUR APPROACH AND EVALUATING FEES Within the realm of CM there are additional choices to be made. Will the CM be simply the owner’s agent or will they be the constructor? Is there a Guaranteed Maximum Price or is it cost plus a fee? How are fees evaluated for a CM? The Construction Manager as a Constructor (At Risk) approach has become the most popular delivery system for those going the CM route and offers many advantages: »» Allowing an owner to select their construction team using the Qualification Based Selection process (or continue an existing relationship) and avoid being saddled with a low-bid contractor without any input. »» The opportunity to have full preconstruction services such as budget and schedule oversight, constructability and value review, comprehensive scope of work development, etc. »» Competitive, public bidding of not just a single general contract package, but 25-30 individual trade packages which ensures the best market pricing the option for a Guaranteed Maximum Price.

»» The protection of the CM firm holding the subcontracts and therefore liability for the performance of subcontractors as opposed to the CM Agency scenario in which the owner contracts directly with the trade contractors and has direct exposure. This exposure can be financial, contractual, safety, quality, warranty, etc.

Ultimately, the owner is insulated in all of these areas and has a single contractual agreement with only one firm.* If an issue arises on a project, the owner needs only to look to his CM for answers.

Ultimately, the CM Constructor (At Risk) approach seems to offer the best option. Qualifications Based Selection means an owner chooses the best team for their project and gains early involvement of the construction partner. Competitive bidding of all trades means the best pricing and a level playing field for multiple contractors. The contract type allows for a single source of responsibility for the owner and limits exposure to liability. The fee is negotiated and essentially takes the place of a general contractor’s fee, which means there is no premium for this method.

SOME ADVICE ON EVALUATING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FEES Since a CM is hired through a selection process, there is a question on how to evaluate fees. While discussion of this topic could fill its own article, there are a few key things to remember. There are typically three key components to fees: preconstruction fee, construction fee and general conditions. The first two are fairly easy to evaluate as they are expressed in either lump sum or a percentage of construction cost. The last one, general conditions, can be more difficult. It can include many different components ranging from project manager and superintendent costs to temporary toilets and dumpsters. When evaluating this component, it is crucial that you compare “apple to apples.”

CM’s may take very different approaches that should be scrutinized closely. *There are two contracts involved with the construction management method, one with the construction manager and another with the architectual firm.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY: JOHN SHALES, PARTNER, SHALES MCNUTT CONSTRUCTION

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In the Discussion: John R. Robinson III GENERAL MANAGER PERFORMANCE SERVICES, INC.

TI N C A R NT

G:

PERFORMANCE CO AN ALTERNATE DELIVERY METHOD There is an alternative procurement method that school districts are turning to that, when done right, can greatly improve the quality and delivery of a complex project.

A Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract (GESC), also commonly referred to as a Performance Contract, is defined

by Article 19b in the Illinois School Code. The advantages of this process are many, but they all result from two primary distinctions: The ability of the district to buy on value – The school district does not need to select the low-bid but can rather make a decision based on value. In addition, the designs are subject to competition, which is lacking in the traditional approach. This motivates designers to not only consider quality and functionality of the design, but also the cost of construction, operation and maintenance. The lifetime operating costs can often far exceed the initial costs and so they need to be looked at closely. The school district can evaluate multiple options with stated operating and lifecycle costs and be in charge of deciding which option is best for them.

The “single-source accountability” component – This means that one company is responsible for the entire project – both the design and the construction (putting performance contracting in the Design-Build category).

The GESC provider performs the design, purchases the equipment and hires and manages the subcontractors. This simple difference creates a whole host of unique benefits to GESCs. For one, there is no more finger-pointing. The GESC provider accepts responsibility and is contractually obligated to deliver the project as promised. Additionally, because one company controls all the pieces involved, they can often provide outcome guarantees in the form of energy savings and no change orders. Environmental guarantees pertaining to temperature, humidity, ventilation, mechanical noise and light levels can also be included. Finally, the speed of delivery is dramatically improved when the design and construction teams are one unit and on the same page.

Ultimately, all delivery methods have their rightful place.

For complex construction projects, particularly those that include mechanical, electrical and controls systems, Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracts can offer unique value and substantial benefits to school districts.

THE PROBLEM WITH TRADITIONAL PROCUREMENT METHODS Construction can be a frustrating topic for school districts.

There is too much to do with too little money. Projects often go over budget, past deadlines and frequently end with a different outcome than expected. Surprisingly, rarely are these shortcomings due to failures of your project teams, or because they weren’t “good enough.” The construction industry is loaded with talented individuals and great companies. Rather, the issues occur because of the way these services have been traditionally procured. The perils are baked in at the very beginning.

The “Lowest Responsible Bidder” approach can be effective for simple commodity purchases. However, when things get complex, as construction often does, the effectiveness of this approach becomes severely limited.

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Indeed, a great of deal of additional work and burden, both on the district and project teams, is actually created because of the low bid process. How much additional time do you spend trying to figure out exactly who is responsible for the problem on your project? It’s not easy when there isn’t one person in charge. And with so many different people involved, often with competing interests, how is the speed of delivery impacted? The project naturally takes more time and effort. Or how about when the bids come in over budget – are you surprised? How is the design team motivated to keep the project costs down? For so long, we’ve been fine tuning the traditional approach to reduce problems and improve the process. But rarely do we acknowledge how the procurement process creates the problems in the first place.

COVER STORY / Analyzing Delivery Methods

In the Discussion: Andrew Hays Pigozzi, AIA LEED AP PRINCIPAL STUDIO-GC

FROM AN ARCHITECT'S PERSPECTIVE: BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS TO EACH MODEL Andrew brings a unique perspective, not only having been a practicing architect since 1990, but having also served on his local school board for the last six years. He firmly believes that when it comes to construction delivery methods there is no “silver bullet.”

DESIGN-BID-BUILD This is the easiest to comprehend, everyone understands their roles and I am convinced that under normal circumstances it is the best value. All of the costs associated with construction are competitively bid and the designers and contractors are in separate camps to keep each other honest.

It does have its risks, as you never know what the market will bring you. We've all heard the bad project stories. There is a bit of mystery as to who will be the lowest bidder; the person who made the biggest mistake or had sharpest pencil (or iPad).

Insider Tip: Even with other delivery methods there is always open bidding on the subcontractor level which can have the same inherent risks. Also, there are ways of screening bidders by using experience requirements.

DESIGN-BUILD It sounds nice that the designer and builder are on the same team with one source of responsibility. But architects and contractors will always view projects differently and I think that's a healthy thing as long as there is respect each other. I never understood the benefit of this method for public schools in Illinois with the current procurement laws.

Those rules have been in place for a long time and for very good reasons. The attempts at Design-Build in Illinois for public schools are more of a hybrid of CM at Risk with the architect. The owner is left all alone with no checks and balances.

PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING This can work well if the work is limited and directly related to verifiable costs savings. These savings should not include “cost avoidance” money. This method works best for: lighting replacements, HVAC equipment replacements and energy management/control systems. In this tough & uncertain economic era (the new normal), it's definitely something to consider.

Insider Tip: Make sure the savings can be independently verified and also make sure you are aware of the grants available from agencies such as DECO when considering your options.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AS ADVISOR OR AT RISK Hiring a Construction Manager at Risk or as Advisor is a good option especially on large, complicated, multi-phased projects. There is excellent opportunity to take advantage of economies of scale and work at multiple sites. There is still the advantage of competitive bidding and CM and A&E fees are usually in line within industry standards.

The design phase benefit of CM includes added opinions for scheduling and cost estimating that are always helpful.

But, detailed cost estimates are almost always an additional service and “value engineering” is a beautiful phrase for “eliminating scope and quality.”

Insider Tip: As with all delivery methods, it comes down to: Who can I trust? Who do I feel comfortable working with?

And, most importantly, who will get the job done? There is no science indicating which of these two methods is more cost effective.

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vs

Environmentally Sound

Financially Sound How can districts decide to spend money on sustainable strategies when they have no money?

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ARTICLE

By Dennis E. Bane PRINCIPAL DLR GROUP

If the decision-making process is informed and a broader perspective is considered, deciding whether to spend money on sustainable strategies is no longer the question at hand. The actual question is: How much can school districts afford to invest?

Redefining “Value”

A New Cost Perspective

Early in the design and planning process it is common practice to establish expectations and priorities. To maximize value, many solutions are explored along with estimated costs, which typically exceed the initial budget. This is a necessary step, to most an evil one, but nonetheless a necessary one to ensure all solutions are explored and priced accordingly to allow educated decisions that ultimately define value.

During the planning phase, all who are vested in the project begin to formulate opinions related to costs. As the planning process unfolds, participants will hit a fork in the road. Individual cost decisions are either viewed as an expense or an investment. Early in the process there may be a balance, but as the project scope begins to take shape so does your cost perspective.

Since each district has different needs, expectations and priorities, the definition of value is different. As the decisionmaking process refines the definition of value, possible solutions and corresponding costs are re-prioritized until the final solution meets expectations, goals, needs and is fiscally responsible.

If the decision-making process is properly facilitated and orchestrated, school districts should feel that initial cost to implement a proposed solution is an investment, not an expense. If the decision-making process proceeds to maximize “the bang for the buck,” focusing on the “the buck” instead of “the bang,” then we are in expense mode.

This is the most critical time in the process. Project scope and correlating cost models developed here are carried forward to set the tone for projects to come. Financing often requires an election. Communities, hopefully, have made the decision to invest financially in the proposed solution, have determined it to be fiscally prudent and, therefore support the cause. Once this becomes so, the cost model created during the planning stages becomes the budget.

According to William Reed, in The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building, this translates into “… trying to make the building cheaper by cutting out pieces, reducing scope, or both, often by plucking away any ‘green’ components that appear to represent low-hanging fruit, because they were conceived as an additional layer of desired elements.”

You have heard the term “Guaranteed Maximum Price” or “GMP” – well, all things considered, this is your “GMP.” There is no more money. Expectations have been set, now it is time to deliver. This places enormous responsibility on those involved in planning and the process itself. The decisions made here will last for years to come.

OK, I understand, nothing new here – right? You have heard it all before – right? What does this have to do with sustainability? Everything.

There are two key problems with “expense mode” thinking: • We are too focused on the initial costs and not enough on long-term cost. – The design process has not infused enough information into the decision-making process to support educated decisions. Decisions are made without understanding their long-term impacts.

• We view sustainable solutions as “additional layers.” – “Additional layers” take resources out of the classroom.

Districts can’t afford “additional layers” in their buildings.

“Additional layers” are afterthoughts – afterthoughts are not integrated into the decision-making process.

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Holistic, blended, sustainable strategies pay for themselves over time… and allow more financial resources to be allocated to learning.

In both cases, Siloed Optimization is at the root of the problem. William Reed defines Siloed Optimization in The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building. He explains that, “Optimization of the building’s individual systems are primarily done in isolation, based on rule-of-thumb conventions that target abstract, generalized standards.

These systems are then assembled into a building.”

A Holistic Approach Rather than assembling building components into systems that interact in unplanned ways, we should be creating holistic solutions whose individual parts influence other parts and, in turn, the building as a whole.

Russell Ackoff demonstrates this point in Redesigning the Future, “English does not contain a suitable work for ‘system of problems.’ Therefore I have had to coin one. I choose to call such a system a ‘mess.’ The solution to a mess can seldom be obtained by independently solving each of the problems, of which it is composed.”

Over the life of a building the initial cost of construction is estimated to account for 4-6% of the total cost of ownership. Thus 94-96% is attributable to operational cost.

Paint as a Sustainable Strategy What, paint? You usually wouldn’t think of paint as a sustainable strategy. Not when thinking in a vacuum, but it is when thinking holistically.

Picking the right kind of paint reflectance can reduce the number of light fixtures in a room, which reduces heat gain, which reduces the size of mechanical cooling equipment, which all results in smaller electrical load. Furthermore, reduction in the number of light fixtures reduces the number of light bulbs purchased over the life of the building and reduction of utility use reduces bills paid for electricity over the life the building.

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So, picking the right kind of paint reduces initial construction cost of the lighting and mechanical supply and distribution systems and has long-term cost savings associated with operating and maintaining said systems.

These effects, as well as the environmental impact associated with burning of fossil fuels to provide energy – all stem from a simple discussion about paint. Short-term savings can be re-invested in other components. Longterm savings can be diverted from operation budgets to additional resources in the classroom.

A New Way of Looking at Lighting In the late ’70s, sixteen triple lamp T12 fixtures were needed to do what twelve triple-lamp R8 fixtures could do, and what nine triple-lamp T5 fixtures can do today while still maintaining the roughly 50 foot-candles recommended for classrooms. Technology has allowed the number of fixtures to be cut nearly in half. Now we talk paint and reduce those numbers by 25 percent.

Without taking the time to discuss and analyze holistically, rules of thumb are applied and rooms become over lit.

Calculations rarely include optimal reflectance values so more fixtures are purchased, meaning more replacement parts to buy, more to maintain and more energy consumption. Maximize the useful life of a light fixture; the costs of using more light fixtures than necessary can add up to huge dollars.

A typical sustainable strategy suggested when working in isolation is to include alternates such as daylight sensors, occupancy sensors, indirect lighting, light shelves, etc.

Since they were discussed only in the context of lighting, and not holistically with other systems, they were designed independently – like an option to purchasing a car. When it comes time to buy, they can easily be stripped off. When that happens, “bang for the buck” is lost.

ARTICLE / Environmentally Sound vs. Financially Sound

Holistic Thinking as the New Norm New Norm – More comprehensive energy analysis during the planning phase, such as energy modeling to predict energy use, will better inform design parameters that allow educated decisions, focused on investing, to be made.

Just think how many more components go into a building’s systems beyond paint and lighting. Think about: • How the building envelope (exterior walls and roof) impact interior systems.

• How differing exposure to natural elements impacts the makeup of those walls (window types, thermal bridging, etc.).

New Norm – Commissioning before occupancy will verify actual energy use and be a predictor of future energy use.

Reframing the Discussion

Embracing the New Reality Since 1975, lighting has been the main focus of energy savings. Fifty percent of a building’s electrical consumption and 40 percent of cooling loads were driven by lighting.

Savings realized since 1975 are doubled with the recent adoption of the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. As such, Illinois has catapulted to one of the top three states addressing energy consumption.

Sustainable strategies need to be a natural part of the decision-making process and, instead of being a single topic of discussion, be blended into all discussions. If so, the question isn’t “How much can I afford to spend on sustainable solutions?” but rather “How much can I afford to invest in energy efficiency, long-term operational costs and indoor air quality?” Holistic, blended, sustainable strategies pay for themselves over time, provide a better teaching and learning environment and allow more financial resources to be allocated to learning.

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Beyond Buildings: Creating a Culture of Stewardship Today’s resources to create a green school have never been greater. While a green school can often be defined by its building, today’s green school is ultimately created by its community and occupants and defined by culture and practices. Neither the building nor the culture has to come first, but the culture sustains the long-term vision and invests in our students’ future actions. Best stated by the Center for Green Schools, “Green schools are more than buildings. They are places where children learn the wonders of the world and teachers prepare the next generation of leaders and citizens.”

Numerous green school case studies exist for new buildings and comprehensive renovations that focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship. Advancements are gaining momentum to include increased energy-efficiency code requirements, building material innovations and understanding the indoor environmental impact on learning. Current progress will continue with more stringent building codes and as schools voluntarily comply to reduce energy costs, learning environments will improve, as well as operate more efficiently.

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ARTICLE

Similarly, innovative resources are available to grow our next generation of green school communities. 133,000 existing K-12 schools across the country – 5,200 of which reside in Illinois – can greatly impact students and future leaders through implemented programs and community connections.

From an early age, students learn the importance of stewardship, understand the impact their decisions and actions have on their community and how their leadership can influence the world.

While a green school can often be defined by its building, today’s green school is ultimately created by its community and occupants and defined by culture and practices.

Call to Action: Green Apple Day of Service Actions speak louder than words and the best opportunity for a school to move down the green path is to engage in a project that galvanizes the school community. Environmental service learning projects fulfill an environmental need while elevating student actions and attracting parents and community members to school mentorship roles.

In 2012, the Center for Green Schools created the Green Apple Day of Service that gives parents, teachers, students and organizations the opportunity to transform schools into healthy, safe and productive learning environments through participation in service projects.

These projects create lasting, positive awareness of green schools and model sustainable practices.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Illinois Chapter adopted the Green Apple Day of Service and developed a unique mentor-pairing program: professional green building community members volunteer as mentors to plan, support and work with schools to prepare successful projects. Most projects are accomplished with low or no cost and many attract sponsors that expand the original scope. Some projects have even inspired ongoing efforts and continue with a newly empowered school green team.

By Stuart A. Brodsky AIA, LEED AP, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CANNON DESIGN

The 2012 Illinois program resulted in: • 28 registered projects, over 500 volunteers and 28,000 volunteer hours.

• Projects including waste audits, murals, garden and rain barrel installations, recycling and student art signage for energy- and waste-reduction education.

The Green Apple Day of Service is an annual event, occurring nationwide on September 28, 2013. Illinois’ mentorpairing program will again leverage local expertise to help local schools. Although the 2013 pairing process will be complete by the publication of this article, it is never too late to join the initiative. Project ideas, case studies and sign-up details are available via the Illinois Chapter of the USGBC website.

Green Apple Day of Service: Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies Serving families in the Evanston/Skokie CC School District 65, the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies selected an Educational Poster Campaign for the first Green Apple Day of Service in 2012.

Proving very little money is necessary to impact change, students created colorful signs to remind their classmates to make green choices. Students used recycled materials to feature facts about saving energy, conserving water, promoting cleaner air and taking steps toward promoting a healthier learning environment.

2012 Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, Green Apple Day of Service

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Taking your Green School into the Future The Green Apple Day of Service can be an entry point for a green school, but aligning environmental stewardship with the school’s culture and operations completes the initiative’s cycle. So how do energized green teams from the Day of Service find programs that approach sustainability more comprehensively, provide recognition opportunities, participate in an established framework and measure results in policy, operations and maintenance?

National and Statewide Recognition: U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools This award honors schools that are exemplary under three pillars: 1. Reduce environmental impact and costs.

2. Improve the health and wellness of students and staff.

3. Provide effective environmental and sustainability education, which incorporates science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), civic skills and green career pathways.

The Illinois State Board of Education launched the first Illinois Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) awards program in 2012, recognizing schools that are leading the way to promote sustainability and environmental education. For 2013, Illinois joins 39 other states participating in the federal Green Ribbon Schools award program to commend the greenest and healthiest schools in the nation.

Aligning environmental stewardship with the school’s culture and operations completes the initiative’s cycle.

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GRS 2012 Illinois winner: Chicago Public Schools, Academy for Global Citizenship (see photo, above) The Academy for Global Citizenship, a charter school on Chicago’s southwest side, “engages the whole child in an enriching academic community focused on academic excellence, international awareness and environmental stewardship.”

Offerings include daily yoga, gardening, schoolyard chickens, organic meals, wellness instruction and ecologically sustainable practices. AGC’s new home will retain these elements while incorporating an array of new environmentally responsible features, including a net-positive energy school design.

Framework for Integration of Sustainable Principles: Eco-Schools Eco-Schools, started in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education, is an internationally-acclaimed framework to help educators integrate sustainable principles throughout their schools and curriculum and foster a greater sense of environmental stewardship among youth. Via school-based action teams of students, administrators, educators and community volunteers, the Eco-Schools program strives to model environmentally-sound practices, provide support for greening the curriculum and enhance science and academic achievement.

Certified schools undergo a thorough application process and succeed in organizing and implementing a comprehensive assessment of their school. The program includes a seven step change process that empowers youth-led leadership: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Establish an eco-action team.

Perform an environmental review/audit.

Develop an eco-action plan.

Monitor and evaluate progress.

Link to educational curriculum.

Involve the entire school and larger community.

Create an “Eco-Code,” or a mission statement.

ARTICLE / Beyond Buildings

Green Schools Policy, Operations and Maintenance: LEED-EB Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings (EB) is a program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The rating system has some similarities to LEED 2009 which is applied to new construction, but is customized to address existing buildings by maximizing the operations efficiency while minimizing the environmental impact. While this rating system was developed to be applied to any building type, schools across the nation and here in Illinois are choosing it because of the program’s rigor and strength. It supports schools that have adopted sustainable practices established in the other programs described in this article, but takes it to the next level of integrating and measuring its impact on a building’s operations and maintenance. The structure includes a green building audit and sustainable policy development in operations and maintenance, with the measured results and third-party verification.

The LEED-EB rating system encourages owners and operators of existing buildings to implement sustainable practices and reduce their building’s environmental impact, while addressing the major aspects of ongoing building operations.

The prescriptive and performance strategies of LEED-EB are intended to provide operational benefits throughout the building’s life. If these strategies are continued over time, a building can maintain and even improve its performance.

A. E. Stevenson High School: The Path to the First LEED-EB Gold: When certified in June 2011, A.E. Stevenson High School became the first LEED-EB Gold High School.

This certification recognizes the school’s commitment to responsible operations and maintenance processes and reflects a deeper commitment to engaging the local community of stakeholders in environmental responsibility. The District 125 board elected to pursue LEED-EB certification as an opportunity to benchmark the school’s operations on a national level. Initially, school administrators saw LEED certification as a way to gain recognition for the initiatives already in place, but the process quickly provided impetus to fulfill one of the school’s values: Continuous Improvement.

Over the course of the LEED-EB project, the school’s Energy Star rating increased with no- and low-cost improvements to building systems and adjustments to operational procedures. Stevenson High School has been committed to responsible site maintenance practices on its 75-acre property for many years.

The school has pledged to extend the lessons of operations and maintenance improvements to capital projects for the building as well. Recent demonstration-scale installations include a green roof, daylighting controls, and photovoltaic panels.

Interior renovation projects also start with a sustainability focus and emphasize responsible use of resources.

The LEED-EB rating system encourages owners and operators of existing buildings to implement sustainable practices and reduce their building’s environmental impact.

A. E. Stevenson High School, Information Learning Center Photo by: James Steinkamp Photography

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ENERGY CREDITS What Are They and How Can They Truly Benefit Your School District?

In short, an energy credit is something that is created by way of either saving or generating power. When power is saved or reduced through either energy efficiency projects or possibly adjustments in the way energy is used, the result is a net reduction in energy consumed and therefore Energy Efficiency Credits (EECs) can be realized. When power is produced via “green” alternatives such as wind, solar and geothermal then that new energy becomes a net add to power that is available for consumption, and therefore, Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) can be realized.

TYPES OF ENERGY PROJECTS Energy efficiency projects are those that as a result of implementing, make your buildings more energy efficient, thus reducing overall energy consumption. A sampling of these projects include: lighting upgrades, HVAC retrofits, building automation upgrades, building envelope improvements (roofing, windows, doors, insulation) and so on.

Renewable energy projects are those that generate power through a “clean” or “green” process as opposed to the traditional methods that actually create a harmful

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by-product such as CO2, nuclear waste or other potentially damaging materials. These projects harness the earth’s natural ability to produce energy such as through the sun's rays (solar), earth's core temperature (geothermal), wind (turbines), waste (biomass and methane projects) and so on, that generate power without the harmful by-products. Worth noting here is that in addition to saving or generating power, other efforts play a very critical role in contributing to the production of energy credits such as natural gas conservation, water conservation and recycling.

ARTICLE

Each is measured by megawatts and for every megawatt hour (MWh or 1,000 Kilowatt hours) of electrical power reduced or conserved one EEC can be produced. Similarly, every MWh generated by clean energy sources equates to one REC. An EEC or “white” tag, is an instrument issued by an authorized body guaranteeing that a specified amount of energy savings has been achieved.1 RECs or “green” tags represent the property rights to the environmental, social and other non-power qualities of renewable electricity generation. 2 A POTENTIAL NEW REVENUE SOURCE In all cases, there are organizations that offer the opportunity to potentially turn these EECs and RECs into a new revenue source, by converting them into Certificates that can then be sold on the open market. They are purchased by companies, institutions, municipalities, cities, individuals, etc. that choose to procure these Certificates as a means of reducing their environmental footprint or simply to take a proactive stance in becoming a responsible steward of our environment. There is a long list of reasons that these Certificates are purchased and the demand in both the voluntary and mandated markets are growing, despite the state of the economy.

We all know that buildings require ongoing maintenance and upkeep and a large portion of the capital outlaid for those projects are dedicated to “facility renewal” type projects– either making the building more energy efficient or perhaps even adding the ability to produce power on site through the

By Terry F. Stoklosa PRESIDENT TFS ALLIANCE GROUP

implementation of “clean” energy projects. Energy Efficiency Credits (EECs) and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are a very valid and emerging market that present K12 institutions the incredible potential of capitalizing on those dollars spent.

Based on those projects being implemented, programs exist to generate and sell certificates, thus creating a new revenue stream for schools! In some cases, schools are actually allowed to take advantage of credits that are associated with projects already implemented and up to two years in the past. Depending on the types of projects and when they were completed, this can equate to a staggering amount of new revenue for the district.

The protocol to be adhered to for creating, taking to market and selling and retiring these certificates may vary depending on policy decisions about program implementation cost, ease of compliance and other factors. 3 Rest assured though, this is not something that the school will have to be burdened with.

When evaluating the potential of participating in any energy credit program, always do your homework and work with someone that you trust will adhere to all the applicable requirements and act on your best behalf.

FOOTNOTES: 1. From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Efficiency_Credit 2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/gpmarket/rec.htm 3. World Resources Institute. http://www.wri.org/publication/bottom-line-energy-savings-certificates

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Damage Thoughtful spending now that will save you in the long run

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ARTICLE

By Kerry Leonard ARCHITECT FGM ARCHITECTS, INC.

Raymond L. Costa Jr. RETIRED DIR./BUSINESS

Control Temperature changes, water and wind are things that wear on buildings old and new. No matter how well a school building is built, time and the elements will eventually cause most building systems to fail. Thoughtful decisions during design, periodic inspections and preventative maintenance can prevent little problems from becoming major issues and help avoid untimely failures.

Preventative maintenance saves money over waiting to fix things when they break. A broken damper actuator could cause freezing in a unit ventilator, leading to classroom flooding. A failure of a roofing system can lead to water leaks and damaged walls, ceilings, floors and wiring. A wiring failure can cause a fire and significant damage.

Let’s take some elements of a building’s major system and look at the benefits of preventative maintenance.

1

Substructure, foundation and floors: A crack may be an early warning of structural failure. On-going monitoring may be required or an immediate repair may be necessary to prevent water seepage or structural failure.

2

Shell (the building envelope): Older brick buildings were not always built with expansion joints, so cracks may appear where an expansion joint should be. Brick buildings need tuck pointing to keep out water. Tuck pointing mortar areas as they deteriorate costs less than rebuilding an entire wall. Windows and doors are parts of

the shell that wear out and need to be replaced. New doors and windows are more secure and energy efficient and will reduce operating costs. A leaky roof causes immediate damage. Water ruins ceilings, damages wood floors in gymnasiums and a leak over an electrical panel presents a life safety issue. Replacing an entire roof is expensive; maintaining roofs and extending their life is not.

3

Plumbing: Old galvanized pipes corrode on the inside. Depending on water quality, pipes and valves can last 20 to 40 years or possibly longer. Eventually water under pressure will find even the smallest holes. It is often cheaper to replace whole sections of building piping rather than to continue to make small repairs.

4

HVAC: Heating/cooling components and systems wear out. Some components, like unit ventilators, can last 40 to 50 years with good maintenance. Boilers can last from 20 to 100 years. Boilers require inspection and yearly maintenance to maximize their useful life. Air conditioning systems are much the same, however in an emergency, a school can run without air conditioning, but not without a heating system. Today’s temperature control systems are more sophisticated and technologically based; consequently they have a reduced life span. Replacement of a 10-15 year old system that is no longer supported by the manufacturer has become a major maintenance cost for school districts.

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ARTICLE / Damage Control

5

Electrical: Inspection of electrical systems should be performed regularly. Overloading electrical systems in dangerous and blown circuit breakers can be a nuisance.

If the building’s wiring is sound, circuits can be added and load centers improved. Old buildings may need a service upgrade which is a significant investment. Modern technology requires more electricity than older buildings were designed for.

6

Safety and Security: Working fire and tornado warning systems are required by law. These tend to malfunction occasionally and a school can operate without one temporarily as long as the Regional Office of Education and the local fire department approve. Parts for older alarm systems will eventually become unobtainable and the whole system must be replaced.

School districts should think of their facilities as a resource and invest in that resource as part of a cycle of continual improvement of the educational environment to support the district’s vision.

Other low voltage systems, interior finishes, fire protection, equipment and furnishings and site improvements also need to be periodically assessed and repaired. Prioritization of needs and repairs becomes critical; the use of a failure analysis process to prioritize is helpful in determining which projects to complete with limited resources.

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The needs of the facility as a building must be considered in light of its use as a place of learning and teaching.

Completing maintenance work as part of educational improvement projects or in multiple phases as academic areas are renovated brings new challenges but may be necessary to leverage limited resources. School districts should think of their facilities as a resource and invest in that resource as part of a cycle of continual improvement of the educational environment to support the district’s vision.

Once there was a TV ad for automobile oil filters that said, “Pay me now, or pay me later,” meaning that the car owner could invest a small amount of money in good maintenance to prevent paying a lot of money for an engine overhaul.

The same can be said about most building systems. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

TAKEAWAYS • No matter how well a school building is built, time and the elements will eventually cause most building systems to fail.

• Preventative maintenance saves money over waiting to fix things when they break.

• The needs of the facility as a building must be considered in light of its use as a place of learning and teaching.

RESOURCES Common Sense That’s Not So Common When you read what business management consultant Patrick Lencioni has to say about organizational health, you’ll find many of his suggestions are simply common sense.

So why is this a message needed so badly amongst business leaders?

Going Beyond “Smart” The “smart” elements of an organization include marketing, strategy, finance and technology.

Most leaders prefer to focus on these characteristics because they are more measurable, objective and data driven.

Overcoming Biases According to Lencioni, organizational health is all about the integrity of an organization: whether it is whole, complete and consistent. This forms the context for everything that happens with in the organization.

A “healthy” organization is characterized by minimal politics and confusion, high morale and productivity and low turnover. Nobody doubts that the items in the “healthy” category can be transformational, but road to “healthy” is less predictable… and a lot messier.

In order to address this area, all leaders must humble themselves and overcome some inherent biases: • Sophistication Bias – The fact that this concept it is SO simple and straightforward • Adrenaline Bias – You have to slow down and temporarily pause from “putting out fires” to deal with it • Quantification Bias – The benefits are difficult to analyze and quantify

The Road to “Healthy” For those that are willing to dive in, Lencioni outlines four key disciplines that can help them achieve organizational health. The first of these is a cohesive leadership team.

This means more than a group of people who are working separately and meet up at the end of the day.

Instead, this team is constantly drawing from one another as goals are collectively shared. From there, the team can go on to create and reinforce clarity, leaving little room for confusion and disorder.

On My List The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business

By Patrick Lencioni

Overview: Picture a work environment where everyone loves his or her job, customers and leaders. Where everyone is aligned around common goals and working harmoniously to achieve these shared outcomes. Sound unrealistic?

In The Advantage, Lencioni asserts that organizational health is not so far off as some may perceive. More than that, it is “free and available to anyone who wants it.” He lays out a practical and intriguingly simple path to a healthy organization that will reach into every facet and change it for the better.

As your organization gets healthier, there is a multiplier effect – you are able to tap more and more into the skills and intelligence of your staff.

This “advantage” can truly transform any organization and is worthwhile investment even in difficult fiscal times.

Health is all about the integrity of an organization: whether it is whole, complete and consistent. www.iasbo.org

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Explore Your Options:

Construction Delivery, Maintenance and Green Resources

Examine Your Building Alternatives After reading up on delivery methods (see article, pg. 24), look to these resources on the peer2peer Network for further guidance in making the right choice.

Primer on Project Delivery American Institute of Architects and the Associated General Contractors of America, 2011 Take a closer look at the delivery methods discussed and understand the specific terms and characteristics associated with each.

Understanding Project Delivery for the Design and Construction of Public Buildings American Institute of Architects, Minnesota Branch Go beyond the definitions to read an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each delivery method.

Learn More About Performance Contracting in Illinois Check out the Energy Services Coalition Web site to learn about performance contracting activities and project financing programs and find legislative guidance.

Find it at: www.energyservicescoalition.org/resources

Plan and Budget for Building Maintenance Budgeting for Facilities Maintenance and Repair Activities: Report Number 131 National Academies Press, Federal Facilities Council Standing Committee on Operations and Maintenance Topics include determining current replacement values, items to include in your maintenance and repair budget and minimizing maintenance and repair costs.

Available online at: www.nap.edu

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Planning Guide for Maintaining School Facilities School Maintenance Task Force, National Forum on Education Statistics, National Forum on Education Statistics and ASBOŽ International Designed to “help readers better understand why and how to develop, implement, and evaluate a facilities maintenance plan, this free resource includes checklists, sample forms and other useful information.

Download this document for FREE at: http://nces.ed.gov

RESOURCES

Build a Green Culture – One Initiative at a Time Inspired by the green articles in this issue? To get a kickstart in implementing the “Top Ten” Green Initiatives on pg. 16, take advantage of these resources:

Energy Star Portfolio Manager Beyond managing your district building’s individual portfolio, find guidelines and practical tools to get you going on your energy management strategy.

Find it: www.energystar.gov

Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) Provides energy assessments and workshops, new construction design and assistance, retrocommissioning guidance and more valuable resources.

Find it: http://smartenergy.arch.uiuc.edu

Illinois DCEO Energy Office A full range of energy and recycling resources including available grants, energy efficiency programs and much more!

Find it: www.ildceo.net/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling

U of I at Chicago Energy Resources Center Current programs include: energy management assessments, economic modeling, analysis of policy and regulatory initiatives.

Find it: www.erc.uic.edu

US Green Building Council – Illinois Chapter A non-profit organization that “advances green buildings and sustainable communities across Illinois.”

Find it: www.usgbc-illinois.org

Good School Maintenance, Fourth Edition Illinois Association of School Boards, Service Associates, James B. Fritts, Senior Editor A “bible for thousands of physical plant managers,” this updated edition can be used as a guide for building supervisors, a tool for preparing new maintenance staff or a reference on specific tasks under the maintenance umbrella.

Order your copy at: www.iasb.com/shop

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THE FINAL WORD Speaking Up About School Facilities Keith D. McLean Dir./Buildings & Grounds Rich Twp. HSD 227 kmclean@rich227.org

“The role of the facilities director has changed significantly.”

I have been working in maintenance and operations for Illinois schools since 1990. The role of the facilities director has changed significantly but our ultimate goal is the same, the education of kids in a safe and healthy environment so that they may leave as productive members of society.

Regardless of change, the buildings and grounds staff must understand that they are a critical part of this process.

“Funding is always going to be the number one issue.”

Our buildings are aging, needs are ever increasing and funds for their maintenance and repair are diminishing. Deferred maintenance will not fix anything and will drive repair costs up.

Following the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, we all found out that the unthinkable can happen. I don’t know of any facility managers that did not start a re-evaluation process of their school security and crisis response plans. Cameras, propped door alarms and secure entryways are all very expensive and there are very few that want to go to their public for a referendum.

“There will always be change and new challenges to deal with.”

School funding, ever changing codes and regulations, public views and expectations and trying to “do the right thing” with respect to being good stewards of the environment and health are all key. A facility manager’s ability to accept that there will always be change and new challenges to deal with and to plan for and move at the speed of change will have the most (or least) impact on how the facilities under their jurisdiction will operate.

“You have to work with what you have.”

JIM WOMACK / NIU

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And, what you have today is probably more than you will have in the future.

Through many budget reductions, restructuring projects, new codes and regulations the one thing that will not change is that you have to get your job done. A well-informed staff with adequate training and a good understanding of why they do what they do will be your best ally. Let them know when they do a good job, train them when they need it and remind them that they are important to you and an asset to the department.

2013 EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCES

L EARN. GROW. TH RIV E. Keynote speaker Sydne Kalet will teach strategies to thrive amidst all that vies for your attention on a daily basis – e-mails, voicemails and everything in between!

This Conference is jam packed with valuable sessions, networking and more geared specifically toward support professionals.

TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTEND OR SEND YOUR STAFF: JOINT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 24, 2013 | UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | SPRINGFIELD, IL

WWW.ILLINOISSPC.COM

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE

DECEMBER 6, 2013 | NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY | NAPERVILLE, IL

WWW.IASBO.ORG/ESPC

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DON’T MISS THESE EVENTS JOINT EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE September 24, 2013 University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL TECHCON: TECHNOLOGY & FINANCIAL ISSUES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY October 18, 2013 NIU Naperville, Naperville, IL IASB/IASA/ILLINOIS ASBO 81ST JOINT ANNUAL CONFERENCE November 22-24, 2013 Hyatt Regency Chicago, Chicago, IL EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS CONFERENCE December 6, 2013 NIU Naperville, Naperville, IL TAKE NOTE OF FUTURE ILLINOIS ASBO CONFERENCE DATES! 63RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 30 – May 2, 2014 Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center Schaumburg, IL 64TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 29 – May 1, 2015 Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center Schaumburg, IL 65TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4 – 6, 2016 Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center Schaumburg, IL 48 |

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FIND OUT MORE AT WWW. IASBO.ORG