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Coffee Society
Durham (Dunholm O.E.) as a Northumbrian learning settlement originates with its Cathedral; founded in 995 AD as part of a Benedictine monastery. Monks maintained libraries and created an intellectual hub for the English speaking peoples. Fast forward a millennium and we find "DU Coffee Society" which describes itself as a welcoming space for students to learn about coffee making, latte art and each other.
Modular Classrooms
Owing to US immigration policy, public schools are overwhelmed with responsibility for rising K-12 enrollment. Modular classrooms are a solution but have specific requirements in various aspects to ensure they are safe, functional, and comfortable for occupants. Today at the usual hour we examine best practice literature for structural, architectural, fire safety, electrical, HVAC, and lighting requirements.
Fenestration
The word "fenestration" comes from the Latin word "fenestra," which means "window" but in the modern era of architecture in building design, its use has evolved to mean any openings in a building's envelope -- i.e. windows and doors. Building codes and regulations in many countries now require specific fenestration standards to ensure buildings are energy-efficient and provide safe entry and egress.
Off-Site Construction
Temporary classroom buildings have been a solution to dramatic swings in student enrollment for decades. Off-site construction using 3-D printing technology gathers pace and can contribute to our goal of making education facilities safer, simpler, lower-lost and longer lasting if aesthetic issues are resolved.
Quadrivium: Autumn
Educational settlements are where people come to feel at home in beautiful surroundings. The catalog that informs the safety and sustainability of these "cities-within-cities" changes 100 to 1000 times per day. Titles are unstable, time-sensitive, copyright protected and land (sometimes invisibly) in public law. We explore the action continuously to formulate response to public consultations. Daily colloquia topics appear on our CALENDAR. Recommend refresh of this web page once or twice to see timeliest information.
Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
The ASCE 7 Hazard Tool is a quick reliable way to look up key design parameters specified in Standard ASCE 7. Easy-to-use mapping features allow you to quickly look up hazard data for a specific location, including wind, tornado, seismic, ice, rain, flood, snow, and tsunami all in one tool. No other titles are open for public consultation at this time but we keep an eye on it because it runs close-coupled with the ICC catalog.
Life Safety Code
NFPA 101 is the foundation for almost all building safety laws in the United States and is referenced in nearly every other title in the NFPA catalog. It is primarily a building egress document from a fire safety point of view. but other titles in the NFPA catalog reference its requirements for emergency illumination systems, among others. Public comment on the Second Draft 2027 Revision will be received until March 31, 2026.
Current Issues and Recent Research
We examine the proposals for the 2028 National Electrical Safety Code; including our own. Public comment on proposed changes will be received until March 24th. The 2026 National Electrical Code which has recently been released for public use (public input on the 2029 revision will be received until April 9, 2026).
Shasta County: Five New Modular Classrooms
US Offsite partnered with RSA to design, manufacture, and deliver five new modular buildings that met California’s snow-load standards and doubled classroom capacity — all in under 10 months.