Tracy Richter Vice President of Planning Services, HPM
Mark Schoeman Design Principal, ABA Studios
David Schrader Managing Partner, SCHRADERGROUP
Michelle Smyth Principal Architect, McMillan Pazdan Smith
Susan Tully K-12 Center of Excellence Leader, Gilbane Building Company
President
Torrey Sims
STAFF CONTACT
Sales
Sarah Clow, Vice President of Sales and Marketing sarah@wmhmedia.com
Kelly Henry has joined Wells + GATE Precast as Director of Architectural Systems. With more than 16 years of experience in the Ultra-High-Performance Concrete sector and a unique background in both architecture and business, Henry brings unparalleled expertise in guiding projects from concept to construction. Prior to taking her new role, she served as Development and Technical Director for Shaffner Heaney Associations Inc. and as Development and Technical Director for Envel Facade. Henry previously collaborated with Gate Precast and DEX by GATE while at Holcim Group (then LafargeHolcim), where she was an Architecture Project Manager and an Architecture Business Development Manager. Her passion lies in partnering with architects to bring bold, ambitious façade designs to life, while supporting teams in delivering innovative and forward-thinking precast solutions.
Sophia Razzaque, AIA, IIDA, NOMA, LEED AP, has joined LPA Design Studios as Managing Director in the firm’s new Austin studio. She previous held roles as Associate Principal with Page and Associate with Lake|Flato Architects, also in Austin. She has also worked at Cook + Fox Architects in New York City, Zaha Hadid Architects in London and Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. She holds a Master of Architecture from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University. Additionally, she teaches at the University of Texas at San Antonio and is a visiting critic at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. She served as the local AIA chapter president in 2024 and as the NOMA Central Texas Chapter Planning and Activities Committee director from 2020-2021. She was the 2021 recipient of both AIA Austin’s Emerging Professional Achievement Award and Texas Society of Architects’ Award for Young Professional Achievement.
Education Leaders
Anne D’Alleva was selected as the next president of Binghamton University. D’Alleva, currently the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Connecticut, is scheduled to begin her duties on Nov. 1. D’Alleva is an accomplished academic leader who has focused on advancing student success and has engaged in multidisciplinary and collaborative efforts to expand UConn’s work in AI and quantum technologies, partner with the state’s tribal nations, and expand academic offerings at the university’s four regional campuses. D’Alleva has led UConn’s academic enterprise, including strategic planning, budgetary management, faculty development and curriculum innovation across the university’s 14 schools and colleges. She received her bachelor’s degree in art history from Harvard University and her master’s degree and doctorate in art history from Columbia University with a graduate certificate in feminist theory. She also completed postdoctoral fellowships at Australian National University and through the Getty Foundation.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents has officially named Taylor Eighmy, Ph.D., as the inaugural president of the new University of Texas at San Antonio, the result of the merger between The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). The appointment comes at the end of a year-long process to combine the talents and resources of both institutions into a single university. Eighmy has served as President of UTSA since 2017, leading transformative initiatives that propelled the university to Carnegie R1 research status, launched Texas’ first College of AI, Cyber and Computing, and positioned the institution as a driver of San Antonio’s booming technology and national security sectors. In February, he was appointed Acting President of UT Health San Antonio, which he held alongside his presidential role at UTSA, and has guided the complex integration process of merging the two institutions. On September 1, the two institutions will officially become UT San Antonio.
Elizabeth Von Lehe, NCIDQ, ASID, has joined CannonDesign as a Senior Design Leader based in the New York City office of CannonDesign. A nationally respected voice in design, Von Lehe is known for blending interiors, branding, curation and user experience into powerful, story-rich environments. She brings an impressive and diverse background to the team, spanning fashion, furniture, interiors, experience strategy and branding and resulting in a uniquely human-centered and multidisciplinary approach to design. In 2023, she led the design of Turf’s NeoCon Experience Center, which earned both Best Large Showroom and Best of Competition honors from IIDA. Beyond her project work, Von Lehe is an active leader within the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), serving as the chair-elect for the national board of directors. She also mentors graduate students at Columbia University and teaches a studio course in partnership with the Institut Paul Bocuse in Paris, France.
Tathiana Woolery was recently promoted to Senior Associate with the Topeka, Kan., office of Treanor Woolery is a skilled project architect with a focus on PK–12 education, where she brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to every phase of design and delivery. She specializes in design, building information modeling (BIM), and project coordination, ensuring that each project runs smoothly and aligns with the unique goals of school communities. Her attention to detail, combined with her ability to manage complex project dynamics, makes her a trusted partner for educators, administrators and district stakeholders. Woolery is passionate about creating inspiring, functional, and equitable learning environments that support students, teachers and staff. Her approach reflects the evolving needs of 21st century education and a commitment to designing spaces where young learners can thrive.
Company Announcements
Fuqua & Partners Architect, a Huntsville, Ala.-based architecture firm, has joined McMillan Pazdan Smith. The acquisition represents a strategic growth investment in Alabama and southern Tennessee with a tenth studio office for the Southeast-focused firm. Both firms share a people-centered culture and specialize in education, civic, commercial and healthcare environments. The firms will work in partnership to support the vitality of communities, commerce and campuses throughout the fast-growing North Alabama area.
Gate Precast, a division of prefabricated building systems firm Wells, recently announced the acquisition of Precision Stone, a regional provider of installation and construction services. This strategic acquisition expands Gate Precast’s installation and field service capabilities across the southeastern U.S. and supports the company’s long-term growth strategy, focused on enhancing client service and project delivery. The acquisition allows Gate Precast to deliver a more comprehensive suite of solutions, combining Precision Stone’s decades of hands-on expertise and service excellence with Gate Precast’s established reputation for high-quality architectural building solutions.
Making the Case for Energy Efficiency
A cost-benefit analysis examines a tiered approach to energy investments that can save schools significant money on annual operating expenses
By Kate Mraw
The realities of funding school construction make it difficult for districts to weigh the short- and long-term benefits of moving their campuses to cleaner, healthier, more energy-efficient environments. Are energy-efficient strategies cost-prohibitive? The Sustainability & Applied Research team at LPA Design Studios recently worked with in-house designers and engineers, and partner Joeris General Contractors, to explore the cost-benefit analysis of energy-efficient schools.
As a case study, the group chose a recently completed elementary school in Dallas — where increasingly severe weather and problems with the electrical grid have upset the status quo of cheap energy and light regulation. As school districts in every state struggle to stretch budgets amid historic political and economic uncertainty, the team looked for opportunities to save money through sustainable design.
Our goal was to understand what it would take to achieve energy independence. We want to be able to have a smart, informed conversation with clients about up-front costs, return-on-investment and potential savings in annual operational costs.
Starting with a data-rich digital model of the school, the team studied three tiers of additional energy-efficiency investment and their associated costs and energy savings. Tier 1 studied only passive strategies — design elements like demand-control ventilation and increased roof insulation that reduce energy use with little to no added cost. Tier 2 looked at alternative HVAC systems — options for a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system and heat pumps — to eliminate natural gas. The third-and-final tier provided
multiple options for reaching netzero energy use by adding on-site energy generation infrastructure.
The study shows just how much energy performance can be gained for free, simply with smart, passive design strategies and modern, marginally more expensive HVAC tech, and how quickly a net-zero energy school might pay for itself and start producing free energy.
The Results
The results illustrate the significant operational savings available from creating moreenergy-efficient buildings. Starting with a passive-only approach, the estimated annual energy cost was $65,000. The optimized HVAC system cut that number by 40% at the up-front cost of $250,000. Going a step further, adding PV on the roof would cost an additional $570,000 but would reduce energy costs to less than $10,000 a year, an 85% savings. To eliminate electricity bills altogether, the school would need a total cost premium investment of around $1 million. Each of these scenarios
would result in a simple payback of 14 to 16 years — potentially much less if energy prices increase, as expected.
The numbers reveal a variety of ways to address energy efficiency, from reevaluating so-called ‘best practices’ to full energy independence. What’s clear is that a highperforming school building is not one-size-fits-all. The point is to give school districts what they need to make informed decisions with their budgets. The return might take 15
years, but over a life span of 50 to100 years, it adds up to a lot of free energy.
Beyond operational savings, the analysis didn’t include the intangible benefits found in energy-independent facilities. Energy strategies can play an important role in developing more resilient campuses, able to function no matter what happens to the grid. Texas energy and electricity customers experience the third-highest rate of power outages in the country, with almost 20 hours of outages in 2021, according to the most recent US Energy Information Administration data.
More sustainable schools are also, by nature, healthier schools. Campuses with natural daylight, reduced energy demand and no fossil fuel combustion save energy and promote a district’s well-being goals. They also serve as teaching tools, putting engineering and conservation on display on a daily basis.
The data reinforces the importance of including sustainability in the initial planning process, when energy efficiency can be integrated into the design process and tied to the district’s larger goals. In a recent $370 million bond measure, Alamo Heights Independent School District included funds for “efficiency and sustainability,” earmarking dollars to address more-efficient energy-saving systems.
By taking a tiered approach to the initial analysis, districts can find a comfort level that fits their budget and the priorities of their community. Districts can test the waters, see the savings and incorporate more strategies into future projects.
While on first review, the systems may seem cost prohibitive, the real-world data illustrates an attractive return on investment. Buildings are a one-time expense that, if designed right, create value that can pay off for decades. For cash-poor districts
overwhelmed by the maintenance and operation of obsolete, energy-hungry schools, capital improvement dollars provide a unique opportunity to get ahead. The way is clear: Prioritizing energy efficiency spending at the right time frees up money later for the education and program expenses that make a real difference for students.
Photo Credit (all): LPA Design Studios
San Franciso University High School Opens Flexible, Daylit Campus
By Lindsey Coulter
SAN FRANCISCO — After more than two years of construction, work is officially complete on the new San Francisco University High School (UHS). Work was first initiated on the independent college preparatory high school in 2008. After years of planning and design, the site permit was received in early 2023 with construction commencing in June of that year.
The building marks the school’s first ground-up construction project, allowing the institution to expand its existing four-building campus in a city where real estate is at a premium. The modern building was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMS) and built by general contractor Truebeck Construction.
The new 48,000-square-foot California Street Campus aims to achieve LEED Platinum and Net-Zero Energy status and is part of a multi-phase development effort to maintain UHS at the forefront of educational evolution.
“It offers a range of healthy, flexible, daylit environments that support 21st century
TRINITY BASIN PREPARATORY TYLER STREET - DALLAS, TX
Butler-Cohen, with PBK Architects, transformed Trinity Basin Preparatory’s Tyler Street Campus in Dallas’ Bishop Arts District into a modern, state-of-the-art facility. The project added 35,000 sq ft with a full-service kitchen, cafeteria, and a two-story classroom wing that doubles as an IBC-compliant storm shelter built with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) for strength, efficiency, and safety. The renovated 72,000 sq ft features upgraded learning spaces, a secure new entry, and expanded administrative areas— creating a consolidated, future-ready campus that will serve students, staff, and the community for years to come.
learning and build a strong academic community,” said William Leddy, FAIA, LEED AP, at the project’s outset. “And it does all of this as a Zero-Net Operational Carbon building, modeling living and learning in a hopeful, climate positive future.”
“The UHS project is a model for sustainable, state-of-the art, K-12 building, campus teaching and learning,” added Grant Ricks, Truebeck Project Executive.
The school will provide modern educational environments for 21st century learning, and includes general assignment classrooms, specialized STEM learning spaces, community gathering spaces with food service, faculty offices and outdoor commons areas. Centralized within the new building is a two-story, multipurpose gymnasium that is sized for collegiate-level athletics competition, offering practice courts and a 650-seat competition court that can also be utilized as a multipurpose facility.
The new building replaces a previous L-shaped World War II-era strip mall with a structure designed for modern education and complete with its own parking. As imagined by LMS, the building will be a public-facing “front door” for the campus. It will bring together all SFUHS STEM classrooms as well as faculty offices into one location, also ensuring that dining, administration and faculty services can be partitioned out fairly across all of the school’s five campuses. It further aims to strengthen the district’s ties with the community, including among teachers, families and alumni.
Partners also included project manager Equity Community Builders, which helped to achieve a highly efficient building on a tight, urban site. In addition to serving as the general contractor, Truebeck performed all concrete work. Additional consultants include structural engineer Forell Elsesser; mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer PAE; civil engineer Luk and Associates; and dry utilities firm Urban Design Consulting Engineers.
CALENDAR
NACAC Conference & Expo
Sept. 18-20
Columbus, Ohio
National Student Safety & Security Conference & Workshop
Oct. 22-24
Houston
Association for Learning Environments
Oct. 29-Nov. 1
Phoenix
EDspaces 2025
Nov. 5-7
Columbus, Ohio
2025 Advancing School
Mental Health Conference
Dec. 1-4
Orlando, Fla.
The new 48,000-square-foot California Street Campus aims to achieve LEED Platinum and Net-Zero Energy status.
The new building includes a two-story, multipurpose gymnasium that is sized for collegiate-level athletics competition. | Photo Credit (all): Truebeck Construction
Renovate or Replace? Rethinking the Lifecycle of K–12 School Facilities
By Michelle Kelly
In the ever-evolving landscape of K–12 education, school districts across the country are grappling with a pivotal question: When is it more prudent to renovate an aging facility, and when is it time to start fresh with a new build? The answer is far more nuanced than a simple cost comparison.
K-12 schools nationwide grapple with aging infrastructure, learning environments that fail to support today’s educational models, rising maintenance and operation costs and limited capital budgets. The decision to renovate or replace a K-12 school facility is one of the most consequential choices a district can make, impacting not only finances but also educational outcomes and community trust.
With rising materials and labor costs, it’s increasingly important for school districts to evaluate the cost of planned renovations against the cost of new construction today and in the future. While many projects are identified as part of multi-year bond programs and prioritized accordingly, budgeted funds are increasingly insufficient to complete the desired facility and program updates when the project is scheduled to begin.
or opt for full replacement, but also to uncover hidden project factors that could significantly affect the final cost. Conducting these estimates early helps reduce risk and supports long-term, strategic planning for school districts.
In California, DSA mandates that if renovation costs exceed 50% of the replacement cost value (RCV), the project must include seismic upgrades — often triggering a cascade of additional code compliance requirements and costs. This threshold is calculated using DSA’s IR EB4 form, which sets a baseline replacement cost (currently $517 per square foot for K–12 schools). This is often significantly lower than actual market rates, which have been unable to keep pace with market movement over the last 10 years.
“Most of our renovation projects already exceed that $517 per square foot figure,” Mejia notes. In San Diego, for example, school construction costs range from $800 to $1,200 per square foot. Even modest renovations can inadvertently trigger seismic upgrades.
In Nevada, where no statewide threshold exists, the Clark County School District sees the highest renovation costs in HVAC and roofing, with only minimal to moderate interior updates. When costs near the replacement threshold, the question becomes: Is it worth spending millions to put a bandaid on a school that still falls short of meeting modern educational needs?
Before proceeding with design, engaging an independent third-party cost estimator to assess both renovation and new construction options can provide critical context for making data-informed decisions.
Beyond the Bottom Line
“People often treat estimating as a checkbox during design,” said Conor Clarke, a cost estimator with OCMI Inc. “But it should be treated as a strategic step during programming or conceptual design — if not earlier — to help districts understand the constraints of renovation and replacement options.”
Michael Mejia, an expert in educational facility cost analysis at OCMI, agrees. “It’s not just about cost — it’s about fiscal responsibility and long-term planning. Especially in California, where DSA [Division of the State Architect] regulations can dramatically shift the scope of a project.”
The 50% Threshold: A Critical Pivot Point
When renovation costs near 50% of the cost of new construction, comparative estimates become essential — not only to determine whether to proceed, scale back,
“Sustainability targets, although necessary from a climate standpoint, further increase the likelihood of these types of triggering events due to their higher associated costs,” said Clarke.
Areas with significant carbon reduction initiatives, like Washington and California, have a higher predisposition to seeing project costs in excess of replacement thresholds driven by the associated codes and standards that must be factored into a design, as opposed to the nature of the initial project.
Calculating the Hidden Costs of Construction
The location, age and condition of a school significantly impact the renovation-versus-replacement decision. Renovation projects must address safety, building envelope, utility upgrades, roofing and seismic improvements to meet current codes and ensure a safe, healthy learning environment.
OCMI’s cost estimates also account for less obvious impacts, including:
· Student safety: Off-hours work and/or temporary construction barriers to maintain a safe environment add cost.
· Temporary facilities: Portables or off-site spaces for classrooms, food service or gyms may be needed, along with associated utility service.
· Electrical upgrades: The increased demand for
facility electrification, remote monitoring, BMS control and wireless data requires significant electrical infrastructure — costs of $130 per square foot or more are common.
· Site logistics: Limited lay-down areas require justin-time delivery, increased warehouse storage and logistical oversight, all of which commonly increase project timelines and delays.
· Loss of community revenue: Temporary loss of rentable spaces such as fields or gyms.
· Hazardous materials: Older buildings may require costly hazmat mitigation, which can be difficult to fully quantify during design without large amounts of destructive testing.
Balancing Needs with Budgets
Many school facilities require substantial modernization to meet today’s educational standards. Districts must balance renovation budgets with infrastructure and programmatic needs — often across hundreds of schools.
OCMI collaborates with architects and districts to identify cost thresholds early, allowing for scope adjustments before funding approval. These early conversations help avoid costly surprises by starting conversations about project logistics and risks early to ensure a more accurate comparison between renovation and replacement.
For example, San Diego Unified School District allocates bond funds per site and closely monitors cost and risk. For Lafayette Elementary School, OCMI estimated replacement costs for the seven-building K–8 campus to guide decisionmaking.
Mejia emphasizes the importance of aligning scope with DSA expectations: “We’ve seen projects derailed because they unknowingly crossed the 50% threshold. It’s cheaper to pay for a cost study early than to redesign a project midstream.”
The Case for New Construction
While renovations may appear cost-effective, today’s construction climate — marked by labor shortages, material volatility and evolving educational needs — often makes new construction a better long-term investment.
“If the cost difference between renovation and replacement is only 12%, and you’re already expecting 5–8% in change orders on a renovation, can school districts consider paying a little more for a facility that lasts 70 years instead of 20?” Clarke asks.
Advantages of new construction include:
· Predictability: Fewer unknowns and less scope creep help keep projects on schedule and budget.
· Labor efficiency: New builds require less specialized labor and allow for more efficient workflows.
· Design flexibility: A blank slate supports modern educational design, energy efficiency and future-ready infrastructure.
· Material sourcing flexibility: Designers can consider a broader range of material suppliers as they are freed from the constraints of pairing existing systems in modernizations.
Construction Financing, page 18→
OCMI’s cost study for Arlington Public helps the district make informed decisions about current and future construction. | Photo Credit: Rendering courtesy of StudioWC
OCMI provided full cost estimates of modernization and replacement options for Gage Elementary School for the San Diego Unified School District. Photo Credit: Rendering courtesy of HMC Architects
Designing for Connection: Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Educators and Learners
By Lindsey Coulter
School design is evolving, shifting away from purely aesthetic or functional considerations toward evidencebased strategies that support the full human experience of both students and educators. That shift formed the basis of the July 16 “Spaces of Connection” event hosted by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of A4LE, Tarkett and the Denver office of DLR Group. Interdisciplinary leaders from education, design and manufacturing gathered to explore how the built environment affects learning outcomes and staff wellness. The event content was driven from the Healthy Building Summit hosted annually by Tarkett.
Educator Well-Being
reduce stress. These design choices are also linked to improved heart rate variability (HRV), a measure tied to cognitive resilience and readiness to learn. Importantly, the benefits don’t require luxury materials. Even low-cost strategies such as interior greenery or wood-patterned materials can yield measurable benefits.
Case Studies Underscore Impact
In South Carolina’s Richland School District Two, researchers studied two nearly identical classrooms — one with biophilic design features and one without. After a full year to account for the “new building effect,” results showed that classrooms with biophilic elements netted:
· A 3% increase in students’ test scores
With many schools lacking updated HVAC systems, designers must find creative, cost-effective strategies to maintain thermal consistency. Stanley also pointed out a broader health concern: 55% of teachers actually have chronic illness, which can flare when they are standing all day.
“This becomes really apparent when you’re standing on something hard versus something with a cushion,” he added.
Research at Every Stage
According to Peditto, EBD doesn’t begin and end with post-occupancy evaluation (POE).
While much of the traditional focus in educational design has been on students, presenters emphasized that educator comfort is also crucial.
“We know that when a teacher shows up disengaged in a classroom, that translates to the students,” said Jonathan Stanley, Director of Education and Government Strategies at Tarkett North America, one of the presenters. “So, ask yourself the question: How do we design for human engagement?”
· A 7.2% increase in students testing at grade level
· A reduction in reported student stress levels
These gains were particularly notable in a district with high poverty rates, highlighting that design changes can support both academic achievement and emotional wellbeing.
Meanwhile, a South African primary school demonstrated the importance of acoustic comfort by testing four classrooms with varying sound treatments — from commercial panels to simply covering walls and
“Biophilic elements such as natural light, indoor plants, and organic textures support attention restoration and reduce stress.”
Kati Peditto, Ph.D., Senior Design Researcher at DLR Group, urged attendees to also consider educators’ physical and cognitive needs. Teachers often spend long hours on their feet, moving between learning zones and navigating complex classroom dynamics. Providing ergonomic furniture, restorative spaces and acoustic comfort can reduce burnout and support longevity in the profession.
Designing for Legibility and Navigation
Stanley and Peditto also encouraged attendees to approach environmental comfort from a variety of perspectives, from temperature to seating and flooring, but also in terms of how clearly a space communicates its function and flow. In environmental psychology, this concept is known as legibility. Essentially, do users understand what activities a space supports, where they are in the building and how to move through the spaces?
Subtle design cues or nudges such as color-coded learning pods, floor patterning, and daylight markers help orient students and staff, improving wayfinding and reducing anxiety. This is especially beneficial for neurodivergent learners.
“Just as in healthcare facilities, where poor wayfinding can impact patient well-being, confusing school environments can undermine a student’s ability to engage,” Peditto noted.
Biophilia and Cognitive Restoration
A core strategy of evidence-based design (EBD) is biophilia — incorporating natural elements into the built environment. Biophilia gained visibility in a 1984 study by Roger Ulrich, which showed that hospital patients whose rooms included views of nature recovered faster than those without. This principle applies across educational settings, too.
Biophilic elements such as natural light, indoor plants and organic textures support attention restoration and
ceilings with egg cartons. Regardless, the outcome was consistent. The acoustic treatments resulted in:
· Improved listening comprehension
· Better literacy development
· Reduced teacher vocal strain
“Excessive classroom noise harms cognitive development,” Peditto explained. “This is one of the most well-researched relationships in environmental psychology.”
Stanley added that flooring plays a surprisingly critical role in managing sound.
“If you go between the extremes — carpet to polished concrete — you’re going to see a more than 100% difference in acoustical reverberation value,” he said. “By implementing or changing out your flooring type, you can massively enhance how somebody hears somebody else, how their cognition is working in the moment. It’s not just about not hearing information — it’s also about cognitive load.”
“Please, do not just call me during post-occupancy evaluation,” Peditto said. “Research and evidence-based design should also take place in pre-design.”
Peditto also emphasized that meaningful evaluation requires baseline data collected during the visioning and schematic design phases. “If we don’t have anything to test against, we actually can’t indicate that our design strategies worked,” she said.
For example, a school that says it wants to be “a community of literacy” must define what that means in measurable terms. “That sounds really cool — I love that — but I can’t test that,” Peditto added. “You need researchers ... who are able to say, ‘OK, this is what literacy means. This is how we’re going to measure it. And these are the specific design strategies we’re going to use to actually improve it.’”
Stories Move Stakeholders
However, Peditto and Stanley agreed that research alone doesn’t drive change.
“Funding follows storytelling,” Stanley said. “People don’t think about how much of a disruption a poorly chosen flooring type can be. We can help solve that — and fund it — if we tell the story right. We need to not only include the impact of flooring on facilities management but also its impact on the teachers and students to make it a more holistic story.” Peditto echoed this sentiment, explaining that it’s not enough to collect data and publish a report.
“We need to be thinking about the ways that we not only collect data but share it in a way that helps our clients make decisions,” she said.
A Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Thermal Comfort and Health
Temperature control has emerged as another key factor influencing learning environments.
“In a classroom that was 80 degrees, students were having substantial difficulty focusing,” Peditto said. “When the temperature was lowered to 68 degrees, almost all of those symptoms disappeared.”
Throughout the event, the presenters also underscored the importance of collaboration across disciplines, ensuring architects, educators, psychologists, manufacturers and facility managers are all engaged.
“Research shouldn’t be the cherry on top of postoccupancy,” said Peditto. “It’s a holistic approach that starts from redesign and visioning.”
Ultimately, designing “spaces of connection” means balancing data with empathy — building schools that elevate not just student outcomes but the daily experience of those who work and learn within them.
The Bright School in Chattanooga, Tenn., worked with Tarkett to select a beautiful, healthy and cost-effective solution for replacing broadloom carpet installed over vinyl asbestos tile.
The open, flexible spaces at St. Ignatius Catholic School in Meridian, Idaho, integrates a seamless flooring solution between soft and hard surfaces.
Photo Credit (all): Tarkett
Renovations to Rebuilds: Construction Best Practices and a Strategic Approach to Delivering Innovative Schools
By Daniel Abou-Jaoude
Florida’s school districts are facing unprecedented demand for new school facilities, expansions and renovations. Fueled by steady population growth and shifting demographics, school boards across the state are expanding their educational infrastructure to serve both current students and those expected to enroll in the coming years. Lasy year, Florida’s K-12 schools had more than 3.2 million students enrolled, with significant increases seen in suburban, urban and rural areas alike. That number is only expected to grow, with recent reports projecting that Florida’s population could increase by 1.4 million people by 2030, further intensifying the need for new and improved school facilities.
In some areas, schools are situated in neighborhoods where no land is available for new campuses, forcing districts to prioritize renovations or complete rebuilds. As demand shows no signs of slowing, close collaboration between school districts and experienced construction partners will be essential to delivering the next generation of learning environments across the state.
Balancing New Construction with Major Renovations
When aging schools reach the limits of what renovations can achieve, full demolitions and rebuilds often become necessary to provide the kinds of facilities that meet today’s educational standards. Skanska, which has completed more than 160 K-12 projects across Florida over the past 20 years, has seen firsthand how districts must balance preservation with modernization as they plan for long-term growth.
For example, Newsome High School in Hillsborough County underwent a major transformation through a phased approach that included constructing a new auditorium adjacent to the existing school, followed by a full conversion of the original auditorium into modern classrooms. These types of projects require extensive coordination with school administrators and faculty to minimize disruptions to daily operations.
Prioritizing Safety on Active Campuses
Working on active school campuses presents unique challenges that demand careful planning and constant communication. At Buffalo Creek Middle School in Manatee County, Skanska constructed a new two-story media center, converted the former media center into new classrooms and renovated existing facilities while students attended classes nearby. Safety is always the top priority. It is paramount to adhere to safety and security guidelines such as dedicated entry and exit points, and clearly marked separation zones between active construction areas and educational spaces.
This ensures students and teachers can continue learning without interruption. At
Collins PK-8 in Hillsborough County, construction across six buildings on an active school campus created a complex web of challenges including dewatering an existing pond with 24/7 pumps that exceeded the allowed decibel levels for noise. Through close coordination with school leaders and surrounding neighbors, the firm constructed temporary sound walls to contain the noise and help minimize the impact.
Building Strong Partnerships with School Districts
Open lines of communication help identify potential challenges before they disrupt project schedules or school operations. Skanska emphasizes the importance of engaging with administrators and curriculum department heads early, hosting site tours for staff and students, and keeping all impacted stakeholders informed. In certain schools, the company issues a community newsletter to keep parents, staff, and neighbors informed about project milestones, potential impacts, and progress throughout the construction timeline.
NeoCity Academy in
provides students with modern, college-like
that prepare them for future academic and professional environments.
“As the seventh largest school district in the nation, these projects are investments in the future of education across our growing school district,” said Chris Farkas, Deputy Superintendent for Hillsborough County Public Schools. “Maintaining close collaboration with construction partners throughout these complex projects ensures we can deliver future-ready learning environments that reflect the evolving needs of our students and communities.”
Building for the Future
Today’s educational facilities are increasingly being designed with flexibility in mind. Movable furniture, outdoor learning spaces and technology-integrated classrooms are now standard features in new and renovated schools. These environments give teachers the tools to tailor instruction to student needs and encourage collaboration among peers.
NeoCity Academy in Ocsceola, Co., highlights this modern approach, providing students with modern, college-like spaces that prepare them for future academic and professional environments. Beyond traditional classrooms, the rise of career and technical education (CTE) programs is driving demand for new types of educational facilities, including specialized labs and workshops. Schools such as Plant City Technical Center in Hillsborough County showcase how districts are preparing students for the workforce while supporting the labor needs of local industries.
Looking Ahead
With Florida’s population expected to continue rising, and education models evolving, the need for school renovations, retrofits and expansions shows no sign of slowing. By partnering with trusted builders, prioritizing safety and engaging communities throughout the process, school districts can deliver innovative learning spaces that meet both immediate enrollment needs and long-term educational goals.
Daniel Abou-Jaoude, is vice president for Skanska USA Building.
At Buffalo Creek Middle School in Manatee County, Skanska constructed a new two-story media center, converted the former media center into new classrooms and renovated existing facilities while students attended classes nearby.
Photo Credit (all): Skanska
Newsome High School in Hillsborough County underwent a major transformation through a phased approach that included constructing a new auditorium adjacent to the existing school.
Ocsceola, Co.,
spaces
Transforming Space and Education
Central Queens Academy and GLUCK+ bring new life to a former commercial building, creating a space where students and educators thrive
By Lindsey Coulter
In the borough of Queens, New York, where land for new construction is scarce, growing schools often struggle to find the right space or structure to support modern teaching and learning. Leaders at Central Queens Academy (CQA) experienced similar challenges when searching for the growing school’s permanent home. Thanks to the partnership and ingenuity of architecture firm GLUCK+, however, for the first time in the school’s more than ten-year history, the entire CQA community is now united under one roof.
The Search for a Site
CQA opened in 2012 and for several years the middle school was located in small, temporary spaces as school leaders sought a facility to call home.
“We knew that we were going to open our first elementary school in 2021, so our desire for a large, permanent school space increased even further,” said Ashish Kapadia, Executive Director and CQA parent.
The GLUCK+ team, headed by architect Charlie Kaplan, LEED AP, Principal, and Marisa Kolodny, Associate, was tasked with finding an existing facility that could be adapted and redesigned as a home for education, while also providing a welcoming space for the community. Having worked with the school for more than a decade, the GLUCK+ team had a deep understanding of the school’s spatial needs and how the building needed to serve the mission.
“We’ve been involved with CQA for about 12 years, helping them from their
properties, eventually selecting a portion of an existing mixed-use structure that includes a community health facility as well as a residential tower, with the school occupying the building’s three expansive podium levels. The podium offers an impressive 83,000 square feet of space, enough to accommodate 50 classrooms and up to 900 students.
Navigating Scale and Space
The podium level’s massive 35,000-square-foot floor plate presented both a gift and a unique design challenge. To bring the space down to a more educational scale, the design team broke the space into smaller components, creating intimate, village-like neighborhoods of rooms.
“We wanted to make sure that the scale of the space wasn’t overwhelming for the students,” Kaplan said. “Developing smaller zones allowed us to create more personalized learning environments.”
The building’s existing structural elements, including low ceilings throughout, also forced the team to get creative, developing a visually dynamic space that also reinforced CQA’s branding and mission.
“We leaned into the low ceilings, lowering them even further in some spaces to create a more intimate, focused environment,” he added. “In the classrooms, we used color, particularly CQA’s signature orange, to highlight architectural features like the carved ceiling details. Instead of just painting the ceiling, we carved into it, using the orange color in these cut-out sections that drew the eye upward, making the space feel larger
“GLUCK+ was able to take our programmatic needs and fit it into an unusually shaped space. They created a modern look with a school feel that allows us to offer a rigorous but nurturing program.” – Ashish Kapadia
very first temporary spaces to eventually landing in this permanent location,” Kaplan explained. “New York’s real estate market presents significant hurdles for not-forprofits, which often compete against for-profit developers. You’re constantly looking for the right piece of land, or sometimes a lease, that suits the organization’s mission and budget.”
Together, the GLUCK+ team and school leaders evaluated nearly 100 different
and more inviting.”
Kaplan also reflects on the challenge of balancing architectural concepts with realworld constraints.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was solving difficult design problems with limited resources and the joy that comes with figuring out how to achieve a lot with a little,” he said.
CQA’s classrooms were placed along the building’s perimeter, benefiting from ample natural light. | Photo Credit (all): Here and Now Agency
The Concept of Villages and Commons
A hallmark of CQA’s design is the concept of “villages” and “commons,” which emerged from the practical challenge of redesigning a building that was originally conceived as a commercial space.
“When you have a floor plate that large, it’s inherently very deep, and parts of it don’t receive natural light,” Kaplan said. “In our test fit, we arranged classrooms around the perimeter, where there was glass, but the central area became a conundrum. What do we do with the ‘doughnut’ in the middle?”
The solution came in the form of the Commons: central spaces designed to foster community, learning and interaction among students. The concept was shaped not only by the building’s physical constraints but also by the need to accommodate CQA’s diverse population.
As CQA serves one of the most culturally diverse zip codes in the United States, with more than 30 languages spoken by the students alone, the Commons became a natural fit to bring these groups together in a shared space. The design also accommodates the school’s practice of allowing young scholars to step outside of their traditional classroom settings to learn in small groups. According to Kapadia, this method has led to a decrease in scholars falling behind academically.
“We are able to do real science experiments in laboratory settings and offer four years of middle school STEM instruction, leading to higher scholar performance in math and science by the time they finish 8th grade,” Kapadia said. “For example, 24% of our 8th graders got into a specialized or selective high school in the spring of 2025 and over 75% of our eighth graders passed two high school Regents exams this year.”
However, the idea of the Commons is also rooted in the historic notions of shared public spaces.
“The Commons was once a shared agricultural space, and we thought about how this idea could translate to an urban school,” Kaplan added. “It’s a place for students to come together, learn and engage in ways that are different from the traditional classroom.”
Engaging Interiors
To celebrate the coming together of various populations, the GLUCK+ team developed the Entrance Commons, a greeting area located just before the main circulation space on the first floor. Further on and at the heart of the floor
After evaluating nearly 100 different properties, the team selected a portion of an existing mixed-use structure, with the school occupying three expansive podium levels.
The podium offers an impressive 83,000 square feet of space, enough to accommodate 50 classrooms and up to 900 students.
plate, GLUCK+ inserted the Central Commons, the main gathering space which accommodates informal learning and features a grass-like turf carpet and a recessed ceiling that is painted blue to resemble the sky. Built-in bench seating surrounds the area, which also includes a white wall for projection and students’ creativity. It is the main space for non-traditional learning activities where different grades and classrooms can gather.
Down the hall is the Kindergarten Commons, a more private and secure area with enough space to seat 100 young learners as well as a raised platform used as a stage. Further into the building is the Crossroads Commons, a dynamic space/intersection that includes a mix of classrooms and grade levels with access to the gym and the upper floors.
Each common area includes green flooring, while pops of the school’s signature orange are integrated throughout the hallways and classrooms. Blue is also used to reflect a sky element, while soft gray in the hallways is accented with corkboards for posting student classwork, art and announcements. Each classroom has a cut-out above the door projecting natural light from the interior classroom windows. Seating arrangements within the commons have playful benches with open cubby spaces for shoes or books. The cafeteria is also used as a multipurpose space with long community tables and large windows.
“GLUCK+ was able to take our programmatic needs and fit it into an unusually shaped space,” Kapadia said. “They created a modern look with a school feel that allows us to offer a rigorous but nurturing program.”
Light, Durability and Maintenance
Given the building’s design as a commercial space, CQA’s classrooms were placed along the building’s perimeter, benefiting from ample natural light. However, ensuring that the interior spaces received adequate light was an ongoing challenge.
“We designed the corridor walls that separate classrooms from the Commons with continuous clerestory windows. This allowed light to filter from the classrooms into the common areas, brightening the whole space,” Kaplan noted.
Durability and ease of maintenance were also central considerations, especially in a school environment where wear and tear are constant. In typical school designs, VCT floors are standard, but the GLUCK+ team upgraded CQA to a luxury vinyl tile that is more durable, easier to maintain and more eco-friendly, which aligns with the school’s goals for sustainability.
The team also carefully considered the materials used in the walls. “We did extensive research on paints, opting for super-durable paints that could still be easily repaired,” Kaplan said. “For high-traffic areas like the classroom corridor, we used tile wainscoting up to three feet to withstand daily use.”
The importance of a robust HVAC system also came into focus, especially as much of the project planning took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were in the middle of the pandemic when we were designing the HVAC systems, focused on providing great air quality and above-code fresh air circulation,” Kaplan adds.
The decision to use smaller, redundant HVAC units for every two classrooms was an important one, ensuring that if one unit failed, the rest of the building would continue to function smoothly.
“This redundancy is especially valuable in a school setting, reducing classroom downtime when a unit fails, ” Kaplan said.
PROJECT TEAM:
Architect: GLUCK+
Structural Engineer: Silman
MEP and Acoustics: GEA Consulting Engineers
Lighting Design: Lux Populi
Food Service: Kitchen Consultants
Structural Engineer of Record (Building): Times Building PC Engineering Service
MEP Engineer of Record (Building): EJC Engineering
PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS:
Curtains (on track): Europatex Casablanca 44
Carpet: Milliken
Floor and Wall Tile: Daltile, Nemo Tile
Wall Coverings: Koroseal Tac-Wall
Resilient Flooring: Tarkett
A School for the Future
Central Queens Academy is not just a school; it is a reflection of the community it serves. The design emphasizes flexibility, inclusivity and durability, ensuring that it meets the needs of students today while adapting to the challenges of tomorrow. As Kaplan notes, “The project really exemplifies how architecture can solve problems while staying true to a bigger vision. Every design decision was made with the goal of creating a space where students and teachers can thrive, regardless of background.”
“Because of our new facility, for the first time, we are able to offer dance, art, music, physical education and recess for our elementary school all at the same time,” Kapadia said. We are able to offer various arts and movement courses for our middle school at the same time. We are able to hold club activities, movie nights, game nights, and other fun events for scholars and families.”
Through thoughtful design and a deep commitment to community values, Central Queens Academy has created an environment that fosters learning, connection and growth.
Students are able to do science experiments in laboratory settings, and the schools can now offer four years of middle school STEM instruction, leading to higher performance in math and science.
The GLUCK+ team upgraded CQA to a luxury vinyl tile that is more durable, easier to maintain and more eco-friendly, which aligns with the school’s goals for sustainability.
Advances in Prefabrication Lead to More Sustainable Campuses
By Doug Bevier
As mainstays of innovation and progress, universities are under growing pressure to address climate change. And with a profound understanding of the scientific imperative to act, many are prioritizing decarbonization across every facet of campus life, from operations and academics to community engagement. At the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), transforming the physical campus by replacing traditional design and construction methods with prefabrication has significantly reduced the institution’s carbon footprint. The Tidelands, a student housing project in San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood, showcases how this shift to prefabrication, combined with a thoughtful design-build process and rigorous performance targets, has helped lower carbon emissions, create healthier spaces and set new benchmarks for sustainable campus development.
Balancing Aesthetics, Carbon Emissions and Cost
In response to San Francisco’s urgent need for high-density affordable housing, the Tidelands doubled the amount of housing available to UCSF medical students and trainees, offering 595 units across two buildings.
The need to balance aesthetics, environmental impacts and cost became a driver for thoughtful design solutions across the project, inspiring creative problem-solving rather than hindering owner priorities for a timeless building and minimized carbon footprint. The architect, engineers and UCSF officials came together early in the project, which allowed for the selection of healthy, affordable building materials, the integration of passive strategies and cross-team coordination for faster, informed decisionmaking.
Together, the teams determined that the Tidelands would use Clark Pacific’s Infinite Facade with glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC). The design team tested multiple materials for the building envelope, ultimately discovering that GFRC concrete had significantly lower impacts than other options. The Infinite Facade is a building envelope system, prefabricated offsite that is tested for ASTM and AAMA air, water and vapor penetration, and meets or exceeds Title 24 building code requirements for every climate zone in California.
carbon, combined with more efficient designs that improve manufacturing efficiencies and results, can cut the overall environmental impact of a building before it opens its doors.
A Controlled Environment: A typical 50,000-square-foot higher-education building consumes more than $100,000 worth of energy annually. Beyond embodied carbon, prefabricated systems inherently contribute to a reduction in operational carbon. Fabricating building components in a controlled factory environment enables higher precision and quality control, resulting in tighter building envelopes and superior insulation. This directly translates to lower energy consumption for heating and cooling once the building is operational, ensuring long-term energy savings and a smaller carbon footprint throughout the building’s lifespan.
Integrated Radiant Systems: Radiant heating and cooling systems integrated into prefabricated concrete floor systems offer a highly efficient, comfortable and sustainable approach to climate control in buildings. The advantages stem from the inherent properties of concrete as a thermal mass, combined with the controlled environment of prefabrication. Heating and cooling energy are delivered to the slab using water. This water heats or cools the slab, which then radiates the temperature into the surrounding space. By simply controlling the temperature and the flow of water circulating through the slab, owners can regulate the temperature of the mass. Then, based on the air temperature, they can force heat transfer in one direction or the other to absorb heat in the space in cooling mode, or radiate heat into the space in heating mode.
Clark Pacific collaborated with UCSF to determine a window-to-wall ratio that would keep the cost within budget while also focusing on thermal comfort. The design team explored multiple scenarios and the effect each would have on energy systems, cost and performance.
Architecture firm Kieran Timberlake also conducted a façade sun exposure analysis to determine the impact of solar heat gain on the rooms. The design team selected billows, and horizontal and vertical sunshades were built directly into the prefabricated panels on the sun-facing elevations and flat panels on the others. This strategy, combined with the continuous insulation inherent in the Infinite Facade system, ensures the Tidelands project not only meets but surpasses Title 24 prescriptive requirements on performance. The ability to achieve the desired U-value from a single provider eliminated the need for additional subcontractors and consultants, and simplified energy analysis.
Windows were installed during the manufacturing process. The Tidelands project was completed six months ahead of schedule, and UCSF has one point of contact for the building envelope warranty.
Driving Sustainable Construction with Prefabrication
As recently as 10 years ago, sustainable buildings were considered experimental, but today they are increasingly feasible. At the same time, many owners and project stakeholders still find they need to choose between sustainability and cost. An owner may have ambitious sustainability goals, but if the cost of bringing them to life is too high, they may be out of reach.
Although achieving a balance between budget and sustainability is a complex challenge, prefabrication offers a solution through:
Material Innovation: Advances in lowcarbon concrete that can reduce embodied
Sustainable Campus Development
Prefabrication is not just a construction method. It’s a strategy for creating a more sustainable and resilient future for campus infrastructure.
As demonstrated by the Tidelands project, prefabrication and early engagement enable design teams to explore multiple scenarios for elements such as window-to-wall ratios and sun shades, assessing their impact on energy performance and cost in real-time. By prefabricating building envelopes with integrated insulation, windows and shading devices, the construction process becomes more predictable, minimizing the unforeseen costs and delays often associated with traditional multi-trade coordination on-site. This approach ensures that aesthetic goals are met without compromising energy efficiency or exceeding the budget, ultimately delivering highly sustainable buildings that prioritize occupant well-being and long-term operational savings.
LIGHTBLOCKS Palette was chosen by architects to accentuate the study room walls at Delaware Community College. The use of the colorful resin products helped make the study area bright and fun. LIGHTBLOCKS non-porous, fingerprint- and scratch-resistant surface makes it especially well-suited for educational settings and other high-traffic environments.
Doug Bevier is Director of Preconstruction at Clark Pacific.
Delaware Community College | LIGHTBLOCKS Palette
Low-carbon concrete can help reduce embodied carbon and overall environmental impact.
Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of Clark Pacific
STANDOUTPRODUCTS
Put your product in the spotlight by contacting SCN at sales@wmhmedia.com
Energy-Efficient Return Grille
The fully customized Invi Air return grille can retrofit existing duct openings or correctly size a grille to meet project airflow needs. The bar grilles are crafted from Invi Air’s diffuser material, engineered to minimize condensation, static and dust buildup. This composite material enables versatile use for both supply and return applications, delivering a seamless, flush finish that blends effortlessly with a wall or ceiling. Invi Air’s smart composite material not only resists moisture but also improves HVAC system performance. With a significantly lower response to temperature change than aluminum, the flameretardant material reduces condensation on the diffuser by 95%. This allows for a higher thermostat setting and reduced energy consumption. The design also allows for a quick and simple installation.
Invi Air
www.inviair.com
Modular Lab Furniture
Acoustic Metal Mesh
Functioning as a decorative material in schools, metal decorative mesh by Argger is typically used for classroom ceilings, offering great sound transmission and diffusion effects among acoustic decorative materials. Sound waves travel 5,200 meters per second in metal, which is almost two times faster than cork and pine. Meanwhile, metal decorative mesh offers design versatility and a modern aesthetic. Argger architectural metal mesh ceilings have unparalleled overhead functionality. They effectively hide wiring, plumbing, ductwork, mechanicals and support structures. The fireproof structure guarantees site security, as the unique mesh patterns allow free flow of air and sprinkler system water.
Argger www.argger.com
Building Control System
UniLine Casework Groupings by HEMCO Corp are designed to incorporate the company’s most popular casework styles in a complete package. The casework, which includes base cabinets, wall cabinets, countertops, sinks, fixtures, base tables, mobile workstations, specialty storage cabinets and peg boards, is constructed of welded 18-gauge steel. The powder-coat finish is environmentally friendly, attractive and long lasting. Modular design allows for simple field conversion from inlet to overlay, door and drawer reconfigurations and hardware component changes. Casework is tested independently to be SEFA 8 load-bearing capacity compliant. Services can also include a complete turnkey installation to ensure one-source quality standards.
HEMCO Corp. www.hemcocorp.com
ADA Drinking Fountain
The ADA Outdoor Filtered Stainless Steel Bottle Filler and Dual Fountain (Model 3612F) by Haws Co. is a heavy-duty, stainless steel, outdoor, filtered, barrier-free pedestal bottle filler and fountain with silver matte powder-coated finish. The model is standard with two drinking fountains and one bottle filler, and the option of adding/ changing a drinking water fountain, bottle filler, dog bowl and/or hose bib at any time.
The forward-facing activation buttons meet ADA guidelines while saving space. The high fountain provides a forward approach for a standing person using a walker, while the low fountain provides a forward approach centered under the wheelchair access bowl.
Haws Co.
www.haws.com
The SanaLife Energy E360 building automation system offers HVAC, lighting, metering and critical building systems control all in one intelligent, centralized platform to simplify operations, reduce energy waste and improve comfort. Users can control all systems with one dashboard across floors, zones and facilities. The system also offers seamless integration with BACnet, Modbus and JACE, allowing for the standardization of energy and automation data using open protocols. Additionally, E360 unifies HVAC, lighting, submetering, and sensor data through IoT and BAS integrations, giving users centralized automation, visibility and control across every building system.
SanaLife Energy www.sanalifeenergy.com
Lighting Control Platform
Athena is Lutron’s all-in-one lighting control platform, combining lighting, shading, controls and cloud-connected software into a unified, scalable solution. Designed to support energy efficiency and streamlined building management across campus environments, Athena offers flexibility, sustainability and ease of use. The Ketra and Rania D2 Downlights deliver dynamic, tunable lighting and exceptional white light from a compact 2-inch aperture — ideal for promoting comfort and focus in classrooms, libraries and student lounges. The Sunnata Keypad Integration is a wireless, retrofit-ready control solution that allows intuitive scene-setting for everyday use, lectures or special events. The platform also includes the enhanced Lutron Dashboard, a centralized interface that gives facility managers complete control over lighting, shades and building data, with automation tools like scheduled system shutdowns and energy-saving lighting presets.
Lutron
www.commercial.lutron.com
Six Trends Shaping Health Science Education Today
By Nathan Williamson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
Rapid-fire changes to healthcare have influenced health science education significantly over the last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic alone has shifted the approach to care-provider wellness, telemedicine, online learning and home health. Aging baby boomers, an increasing population and more affordable healthcare has created a shortage in healthcare professionals, and technology has changed the way care can and will be provided. Students and clinicians alike are facing new challenges that require more interdisciplinary education, training and opportunities for new and advanced degrees. Looking toward the future, here are six trends impacting health science education today.
Simulation
Teamwork is an important element of patient care, especially in acute hospital settings. The journey of care for patients is complex and often touches each of the allied health professions. This journey highlights the need for health professionals to collaborate and communicate clearly with each other. Health educators are using simulation to train students in controlled environments that model the real-life experiences healthcare professionals may encounter. Space types often mirror this patient journey with ambulance simulators, mock operating rooms, patient beds with high-fidelity training mannequins monitored by control rooms, and physical therapy spaces for recovery. Debriefing is also an essential part of the simulation-based learning experience. Locating debriefing rooms in areas that can double as breakout or study spaces allows them to serve multiple purposes. Considerations to improve simulations may include supplementing fixed, high-tech simulation spaces with flexible, low-tech solutions such as a Go-Pro for audio/video capture that can be shared in labs and classrooms.
Well-Being
The pandemic also forced health systems and providers to train nurses and technicians to consider their own well-being to better care for patients. Equally, health science students face tremendous stress due to long lab and classroom hours. Communal spaces such as open seating areas, cafes and easily accessible outdoor environments are ideal for supporting the well-being of students and faculty. It is pivotal to ensure a rich variety of spaces that accommodate socializing as well as quiet breaks. Smaller independent spaces complement larger spaces for varying comfort needs of the student population. Educators are also providing healthy vending options as an added amenity in places designated for rest and reprieve. Creating a feeling of home for the student and staff is essential. This can be achieved with simple upgrades like adjustable lighting, calming colors, daylight, soundproofing, comfortable seating and plants, which all help students relax and recharge.
Home Healthcare
Patient care is moving out of the hospital and into the community. While the pandemic accelerated the use of telehealth, many providers and patients alike see longterm value in at-home healthcare services. As baby boomers age and average lifespans increase, health professionals are needed at assisted living facilities, single-family homes and over the phone. Many educators are adjusting curriculum to better position students for the rising need for elderly care. To better prepare students, consider a bedroom simulation to pair with traditional hospital-bed-style simulation to practice and access skills related to growing geriatric care.
computer-based technologies bring flexibility, control and analytics to education and healthcare environments. Other new technologies include simulated patients, online assessment and individualized skills practice. Databases create opportunities to gather information on educational experiences and student performance. This data can be used to design curriculum and track learning. These new technologies also allow students and faculty to modulate learning based on progress. Some institutions are creating mobile apps to guide selflearning. The National Science Foundation is investing research dollars to study the use of AI in the classroom. Currently, AI generates mock patient interviews, creates clinical simulations and assists faculty in student assessment. AI is here to stay and should begin to be integrated into curriculum so that students are better prepared for their careers. At the same time, it is also pertinent to develop protocol for protecting student privacy when using AI for data collection.
Online Learning
AI/Data Analytics
Patient data and patient-centered care go hand in hand. Health professionals now must know how to access and interpret data. These skills better facilitate more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans and enable more informed decisions. Tablets, smartphones, and other
Educators face many challenges when it comes to the sheer volume of students needed to meet the increasing demand for health professionals. Limited classroom space, access to clinical sites or preceptors, and finding the faculty required to teach are all too common restraints. The pandemic necessitated the use of distance education, which serendipitously helped many schools grow their online learning programs. Schools are leaning on virtual reality as a way to make education more accessible, providing immersive experiences to prepare students for the demands of allied health professions. Adding telehealth to curriculum can better position students for this model of healthcare. Educators can also add virtual dissection software which can be utilized anywhere in lieu of expensive spaces such as cadaver labs.
Interdisciplinary Community Hub
Often students are challenged to find enough clinical settings to develop the interpersonal skills and patient interaction vital to their education. At the same time, many institutions continue to break down traditional educational barriers in favor of collaboration between physicians and other allied health professionals. It is becoming more common to incorporate a central space just off the front door designed with flexibility and technology to accommodate guest lectures and simulation, overflow lab space or special events. This creates a space to bring people in and increase education. Hosting a free community health clinic would provide students with an opportunity to be involved in an interdisciplinary clinical setting. Another recommendation is to allocate time and space for those not in the profession that are seeking certifications to have access to training and simulations. This could provide an additional revenue stream for institutions as well.
The future of healthcare is evolving rapidly, and it is essential to that students are ready not only for the challenges but also the opportunities. Through thoughtful design, collaboration and interdisciplinary education, institutions can better prepare students for the future of healthcare.
Nathan Williamson, AIA, NCARB, is a Senior Architect with Goodwyn Mills Cawood in Atlanta. Throughout his more than 25-year career, Williamson has designed first-class higher education and science and technology facilities, among other project types, throughout the Southeast. He can be reached at nathan. williamson@gmcnetwork.com.
Another recommendation is to allocate time and space for those not in the profession that are seeking certifications to have access to training and simulations.
Health educators are using simulation to train students in controlled environments that model the real-life experiences healthcare professionals may encounter.
Photo Credit (all): Edward Badham
Northwest Allen County Schools Unveils Long-Awaited Administration Center
By Lindsey Coulter
For 50 years, the Northwest Allen County Schools (NACS) administrative team operated out of repurposed classrooms and storage closets in the back of Perry Hill Elementary School. As the Fort Wayne, Ind., district’s enrollment steadily increased, the makeshift administration space could not keep pace. The lack of flexibility began to strain staff collaboration, morale and operational efficiency.
collaboration zones to suit different working styles. Natural light floods the interiors through expansive windows and clerestory glazing, while materials such as masonry and metal paneling, blend tradition and innovation.
The “Main Street” Corridor
different configurations — whiteboards, TVs, movable furniture and more — to allow teams and individuals to work as needed.
Safety, Technology and Transparency
As with all public buildings, safety was a critical concern.
In May, however, NACS officially opened the brandnew, standalone Administration Center — a modern, light-filled facility that signals a fresh chapter for the district. The 32,000-square-foot, $18 million project, described as a “showpiece” by Superintendent Wayne Barker, is a far cry from the cramped offices of the past.
“[Staff members] have done incredible work despite those working conditions,” Barker said during the building’s grand opening. “Today we give the administrative staff a space that truly supports their efforts.”
The new Administration Center consolidates key departments that were previously scattered across various school buildings, including Technology, Human Resources, Business, Special Education, Teaching and Learning, Safety and Operations, and the Superintendent’s Office. Additionally, the building offers a multi-use kitchen, recording studio and cubicle work areas. This more centralized and thoughtful approach to operations is already fostering better daily collaboration between staff — which will support improved outcomes for the district’s approximately 8,000 students.
A Space for Purpose and People
Designed by Elevatus Architecture and built by Weigand Construction (both based in Fort Wayne, Ind.) using a CMC/CMAR delivery method, the facility reflects the district’s emphasis on collaboration, flexibility and transparency. The layout encourages both planned meetings and impromptu conversations through open offices, shared lounges and breakout spaces. These elements support the kind of cross-departmental coordination essential in a growing school district.
Cory Miller, AIA, Partner and President of Elevatus Architecture, said that the district’s explosive growth made the project especially important and urgent.
“This district has grown by double digits in recent years, and there are 2,700 new homes planned in the next two years,” Miller said. “The small administrative area in the elementary school just wasn’t sustainable anymore.”
In the previous Perry Hill Elementary location (which was also renovated following the building’s completion), only about 15 or 16 employees could even fit into the administration space. This meant other employees were scattered across the district.
At the heart of the Administration Center is the central corridor, known as “Main Street.” This area serves as the building’s public-facing collaboration space and connects the building’s three primary zones: the technology department, the superintendent’s office and central leadership, and human resources/business operations.
Board meetings and public gatherings are held in a stunning new boardroom, a highlight of the facility. It features floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in natural light and offer a visible connection with the community. Outfitted with high-end audiovisual technology, the boardroom doubles as a training space and can be divided into smaller meeting rooms as needed.
The architectural inspiration for the building also draws from the district’s history. In the 1960s, two separate township school systems consolidated into what is now NACS. The building’s central entrance — the gateway connecting the different zones — is meant to reflect that union.
“We wanted the structure to honor the district’s past while looking toward the future,” Miller said. “So, we included elements that speak to that merger — bringing people together.”
Supporting Staff and Students
While the facility was designed to support the work of adults, the ultimate goal is student success. By giving administrators the tools, space and environment they need to collaborate and lead, the district hopes to increase its effectiveness, uplifting students and educators across all schools.
“There’s a real sense of pride here,” said Aaron Organ, Marketing Manager with Elevatus Architecture, who helped document the project. “You can feel it when you walk through the space. It’s a message [to employees] that their work matters.”
That message isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s also about health, productivity and performance. Modern workplace research shows that lighting, acoustics and ergonomic design directly impact staff well-being. As up to 50% of teachers and administrators experience chronic health issues that can be exacerbated by less-than-ideal working
“It communicates that the work these employees do matters. They finally have a space that reflects their importance.” – Cory Miller
conditions, it was important for the team to remember that schools and administration spaces are workplaces, too.
“We designed the boardroom and the rest of the public space to be transparent and accessible, but also secure,” Miller explained. “The boardroom has escape routes and the building can be locked down quickly if needed.”
In addition to safety, technology was another high priority, especially for a district that operates as a 1:1
device environment, providing every student with a laptop. That adds up to more than 4,000 devices that must be wiped, reset and redeployed each summer, requiring significant work and storage space. As such, the new building’s technology department includes dedicated areas to handle this massive undertaking.
Efficient, Future-Ready Design
Although the Administration Center stands out for its clean lines and professional polish, it was built with an eye toward practicality. The project was part of a larger referendum package that primarily focused on a new middle school and high school improvements. The Administration Building was the smallest of the three projects, meaning the team had to work within strict budget constraints.
“This was what was left in the budget,” Miller said. “But the district said, ‘Let’s do it right.’”
The result is a facility that balances cost-efficiency with quality. There’s room for future growth both within the current footprint and via planned expansion zones on the site. And even with its modest scope compared to the district’s other construction projects, the Administration Center is already making a big impact.
“HR was compiled into a small office with people working out of a literal closet,” Miller explained. “Technology staff was also spread out. It was inefficient.”
The new facility, by contrast, is thoughtfully designed to support up to 82 occupants — anticipating a 20% growth beyond current staffing. The new building includes a sleek blend of private offices and open
“Most of the administrators here were former teachers or principals,” Miller said. “So, they deeply understand the learning environment. But this time, we had to blend that knowledge with workplace design to make sure everyone had what they needed — from acoustically sound conference rooms to open lounge areas.”
To deliver the best possible design, flexibility was key. The building includes a variety of meeting spaces with
The facility is more than just an office building. It’s a symbol of the district’s commitment to its people — those who support teachers, students, and families behind the scenes.
“It communicates that the work these employees do matters,” said Miller. “They finally have a space that reflects their importance.”
And as those employees now settle into their new home, the district can look forward to a future marked by improved collaboration, efficiency and pride.
In May, Northwest Allen County Schools officially opened the brandnew, stand-alone Administration Center — a modern, light-filled facility that signals a fresh chapter for the district.
Photo Credit (all): Tim Brumbeloe, BFA Commercial Photography
The building offers a multi-use kitchen, recording studio and cubicle work areas.
Achieving Deep Green in Higher Education
By Arathi Gowda, FAIA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Architecture, engineering and construction professionals strive to build sustainably, but there are always valid reasons why a project falls short of initial north star sustainability goals. However, with a seasoned team that can tune design and construction techniques for market conditions, higher levels of sustainability can be reached.
Recent projects at two universities, both at different points on their sustainability journeys, demonstrate how to achieve these deep green goals. At Princeton University, the new TIGER and CUB facilities support Princeton’s campus-wide decarbonization and water use reduction targets. The Paul J. DiMare Center at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School is now the most energy-efficient building
on the campus and one of the most energy-efficient research laboratories in all of Massachusetts.
How do these teams do it? Did their clients help them by setting high expectations in their brief? Did they have stellar design and construction partners? Did the policy landscape make it easier to make the case for green? The answer is yes, and the team had the expertise in delivering.
Going Beyond Building as Usual
Although Princeton and UMass Chan are at different points in their sustainability journeys, both had clear goals and laid down a gauntlet to deliver best-in-class sustainability projects.
In 2019, Princeton updated its Sustainability Action Plan with goals for campus operations and building projects, emphasizing designing and developing responsibly. TIGER and CUB were briefed as energy facilities central to Princeton’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by the university’s 300th anniversary in 2046 by phasing out natural gas, investing in geo-exchange and utilizing thermal storage to significantly reduce peak energy cost.
One of the principal features of the project was a ground-source heat exchange system, more than 1,200 cumulative bores, some up to 850-feet deep, which act as thermal batteries to store seasonal heat far below ground. Two new thermal energy storage (TES) tanks adjoin each facility, storing a ready supply of water to heat and cool the campus daily while shaving peak demand and cost. In combination with on-site and off-site solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation, these integrated systems support Princeton’s transition away from fossil fuel combustion and will be used for the next century. Princeton’s new systems significantly reduce potable water use as well by harvesting and storing heat instead of rejecting it via cooling towers.
At the University of Massachusetts, the project team was challenged to implement strategies to address emissions associated with designing, building, maintaining, and operating campus buildings and grounds. Since 2013, the Chan Medical School Office of Sustainability has guided public sustainability goals. The Paul J. DiMare Center was developed under the first version of the Chan School of Medicine’s Sustainability Plan, with a strong emphasis on lowering emissions. The 2021–2025 Climate Action Plan further challenged project teams to design buildings with an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) at least 20% lower than the university’s existing building stock.
A critical component of decarbonization and electrification for the Center was ground-source heat exchange. The campus lawn across from the building conceals 75 boreholes drilled 500 feet in the bedrock, providing closed-loop heating and cooling. This system generates 88% of heating and 50% of cooling needs while reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions by 42% compared to the existing central plant. Additionally, advanced energy recovery loops 80% of the energy for heating, cooling, and humidification back into the building, and a triple-glazed, articulated pleated
Princeton’s new systems significantly reduce potable water use as well, by harvesting and storing heat instead of rejecting it via cooling towers.
Photo Credit: Halkin Mason Photography
One of the principal features of the Princeton TIGER project was a ground-source heat exchange system, more than 1,200 cumulative bores, some up to 850-feet deep, which act as thermal batteries to store seasonal heat far below ground.
Photo Credit: Halkin Mason Photography
façade eliminates perimeter heating and improves thermal comfort. The result is an enviable EUI for a research lab: 130 kBTUs per square foot per year.
Driving Innovation with Integrated Design Process
One of the most useful green building credits to utilize as a template, regardless of a project’s pursuit of certification, is LEED’s Integrative Design Process credit. A Concept Design Sustainability Charette is a great way to gain early consensus and support for project goals. But to get it built, these initial goals must be consistently coordinated and revisited throughout the project to balance practical design constraints and budget with initial aspirations.
Both projects used an integrated design process, with ongoing input from client teams and each discipline to realize holistically sustainable goals. Each employed a project charter method outlining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in aspects of
least 20%
design aspiration from a multi-disciplinary group of experts. Respective goals included established massing, orientation, and site conditions that were favorable for passive design, energy, envelope, and lighting reduction targets, human comfort and health targets, and water reduction targets and strategies for indoor and outdoor efficiency. The result of this close collaboration, in lock step with the standard financial pressure on projects, is that both are notable for strategies that are difficult to realize.
Balancing Budgets and Capturing Financing
One method of integrated design that both teams utilized was evaluating the first cost, annual energy cost savings, and incremental cost of each proposed Energy Conservation Measure (ECM). This method of evaluation is common in high performing projects and is critical to allowing clients to see the potential return on energy and decarbonization measures aligned with project budget reviews. A clear framework of whole-building energy and carbon consumption enables timely decisionmaking on the highest impact and returns from the building services systems and gives the design team ample opportunity to compromise on various aspects of the project which will have lower long-term yields.
In addition, this early and intermittent energy modeling is critical to the application of sustainable financing. Both projects had a suite of federal, state, and city incentives that were reviewed for green building at the time of construction. Princeton used federal
incentives for geo-exchange systems, while the University of Massachusetts used the Mass Savings program in collaboration with the commissioning team to capture state incentives. According to David Weis, Director of Campus Plant at Princeton, “The new TIGER and CUB systems further expand Princeton’s ability to precisely manage peak demands, yielding measurable savings in the energy budget every year.”
Committing to Sustainably
The cities of Princeton and Worcester have regulatory differences, and both use state energy code requirements. Massachusetts energy code and stretch code are amongst the most stringent in the nation, second only to California. With three levels of building energy code in Massachusetts — Base, Stretch and Specialized Stretch — Worcester adopted the Specialized Stretch Code in 2010 and also committed to becoming the greenest mid-sized city in the country as well as a net-zero city by 2045. Although the New Jersey State code is ranked eighth in the nation, in terms of stringency Princeton University’s sustainability commitments far exceed the state requirements.
LEED certification statistics are another way of considering broad market adoption, cost parity, and competition for high quality sustainable construction space within cities. Worcester, a city of 206,000 people, has 38 LEED certified projects. By contrast Princeton, with a population of 30,300 has 30 LEED certified projects — about 5.5 times more per capita. This is in large part because Princeton has raised the sustainable floor despite a lower energy code threshold.
For both Princeton and the University of Massachusetts, policy and commitment were tailwinds that were part of delivering high performing projects, but not the only ingredient. An integrated project approach and committed team tackled headwinds consistently throughout the project to deliver on initial lofty aspirations.
Planning for the Future
With more than 1,300 school bond measures proposed nationwide in 2024 alone, the need to upgrade and modernize school buildings is urgent. Early, accurate cost analysis is essential for districts to responsibly manage budgets and taxpayer dollars. It represents a crucial first step in right-sizing capital expenditure plans for the physical and fiscal needs of the communities they serve.
Nationally, tariffs, labor shortages and Buy America clauses drive up costs. Though some of these factors could prove to be transient, others, like labor shortages, require long-term solutions. As such, districts must plan now to avoid being priced out later.
A Call for Strategic Thinking
Ultimately, the decision to renovate or replace a school facility should be grounded in a holistic evaluation — one that considers not just upfront costs, but long-term value, educational outcomes and community impact.
“School construction isn’t just about buildings, it’s about the utility those buildings provide,” Clarke concludes. “If we can buy 50 years of utility and avoid millions in future renovations, that’s a conversation worth having.”
Mejia adds, “This isn’t just a technical exercise — it’s about being a good steward of public funds. A well-timed cost study can save districts millions and help them deliver better learning environments for generations to come.”
Michelle Kelly is a Director of Business Development at OCMI Inc. in Seattle. OCMI is an independent cost estimating firm that takes a data-driven approach.
Arathi Gowda, FAIA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C, LFA is a Principal with ZGF Architects.
The University of Massachusetts’ 2021–2025 Climate Action Plan challenged the project teams to design buildings with an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) at
lower than the university’s existing building stock. | Photo Credit: Robert Benson
