Like many folk traditions of saying “Rabbit, rabbit” to your colleagues on the first day of the month has an unclear origin and has several variations and interpretations. We use it a reason to explore university research into food sources; the proper business of education communities everywhere. In one version of the tradition, saying “Rabbit, rabbit” or “White rabbit” as the first words upon waking on the first day of the month is believed to bring good luck for the rest of that month. It is thought to ensure good fortune, happiness, and general positivity throughout the coming weeks.
The specific origins and reasons behind this tradition are difficult to trace, as superstitions often evolve and are passed down through generations. It’s worth noting that this practice is not universally known or followed, and its popularity may vary among different regions and communities. Ultimately, the saying “Rabbit, rabbit” on the first day of the month is an example of a charming and whimsical superstition that some individuals enjoy participating in as a fun way to start the month on a positive note.
The Synthetic Turf Council is a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association serving the synthetic turf industry. Its vision is to improve the world through synthetic turf. Its mission is to serve as the global forum to promote, develop, grow and advocate for the synthetic turf industry. As a voice in its industry, it promotes the benefits of synthetic turf systems, it provides credentialing services and, for our purpose produces a bibliography of consensus products relevant to the education facility industry:
We do not find any open public consultations at the moment but we keep the Council’s consensus products in on the standing agenda of our Sport teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting.
The steeplechase event requires a combination of speed, endurance, and jumping ability, as athletes must clear the barriers while maintaining their pace and negotiating the water jump. The rules and specifications for the steeplechase event are set by the International Association of Athletics Federations the governing body for the sport of athletics (track and field) worldwide; with minor adaptations by the NCAA for intercollegiate competition.
Emma Coburn | University of Colorado Boulder
The steeplechase is a distance race with barriers and a water pit that athletes must clear during the race. According to the NCAA Track and Field and Cross Country rulebook, the standards for the steeplechase water jump are as follows:
Length: The water pit must be at least 3.66 meters (12 feet) long.
Width: The water pit must be at least 3.66 meters (12 feet) wide.
Depth: The water pit must have a minimum depth of 0.7 meters (2 feet 4 inches) and a maximum depth of 0.9 meters (2 feet 11 inches).
Slope: The slope of the water pit must not exceed 1:5, meaning that for every 5 meters in length, the water pit can rise by no more than 1 meter in height.
Barrier: The water pit must be preceded by a solid barrier that is 91.4 cm (3 feet) high. Athletes are required to clear this barrier before landing in the water pit.
These standards may be subject to change and may vary depending on the specific NCAA division (Division I, Division II, or Division III) and other factors such as venue requirements. Therefore, it’s always best to refer to the official NCAA rules and regulations for the most up-to-date and accurate information on the steeplechase water jump standards in NCAA competitions.
ASTM F 2157-09 (2018) Standard Specification for Synthetic Surfaced Running Tracks
This specification establishes the minimum performance requirements and classification when tested in accordance with the procedures outlined within this specification. All documents referencing this specification must include classification required.
ASTM F 2569-11 Standard Test Method for Evaluating the Force Reduction Properties of Surfaces for Athletic Use
This test method covers the quantitative measurement and normalization of impact forces generated through a mechanical impact test on an athletic surface. The impact forces simulated in this test method are intended to represent those produced by lower extremities of an athlete during landing events on sport or athletic surfaces.
ASTM F 2949-12 Standard Specification for Pole Vault Box Collars
This specification covers minimum requirements of size, physical characteristics of materials, standard testing procedures, labeling and identification of pole vault box collars.
ASTM F 1162/F1162M-18 Standard Specification for Pole Vault Landing Systems
This specification covers minimum requirements of size, physical characteristics of materials, standard testing procedures, labeling and identification of pole vault landing systems.
ASTM F 2270-12 (2018) Standard Guide for Construction and Maintenance of Warning Track Areas on Sports Fields This guide covers techniques that are appropriate for the construction and maintenance of warning track areas on sports fields. This guide provides guidance for the selection of materials, such as soil and sand for use in constructing or reconditioning warning track areas and for selection of management practices that will maintain a safe and functioning warning track.
ASTM F 2650-17e1 Standard Terminology Relating to Impact Testing of Sports Surfaces and Equipment
This terminology covers terms related to impact test methods and impact attenuation specifications of sports equipment and surfaces.
Athletic and recreational sports enterprises are important features in education communities; supportive of brand identity and cohort creation. Assuring the safety and sustainability of these assets is informed by several best practice titles; among them the Illuminating Engineering Society recommended practice RP-6-15 Sports and Recreational Area Lighting From the project prospectus:
The purpose of RP-6-15 is to provide the reader with recommendations to aid in the design of sports lighting systems. Popular sports, such as baseball, tennis, basketball and football as well as recreational social activities, such as horseshoe pitching and croquet are covered. Venues for spectators of amateur, collegiate, and professional sports are complex facilities that should provide not only for the spectators, but also the equipment used in modern sports broadcasting. This document does not address those needs, so the reader should look for guidance from the sports league or the project consultant. Sports lighting systems consume power which over time can be significant, and IES RP-6-15 defines methods for maximizing energy efficiency.
The IES-suite joins standards developed by the International Code Council (International Building Code), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE 3001.9) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70) that must be applied skillfully by design professionals and understood by athletic facility managers. Other consensus standards developers such as the American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Engineers and the Entertainment Services and Technology Association were moving into this domain before the circumstances of the pandemic.
We always encourage our colleagues in the education industry to do so themselves; starting with the links below:
Comments on proposed changes to IES LP-6-2x Lighting Practice: Lighting Control Systems – Properties, Selection, and Specification will be received until April 1st
Comments on Draft “IES TM-39 Technical Memorandum: Quantification and Specification of Flicker” will be received until August 12th
Keep in mind that the IES typically deals with the application of best practice in illumination. It neither covers the reliability of the power systems nor the power chain to the luminaries. Recommended practice for the power chain are now being developed by the IEEE Industrial Applications Society; specifically IEEE 3001.9 – Recommended Practice for the Design of Power Systems Supplying Lighting Systems in Commercial and Industrial Facilities. The IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee pulls together ALL the standards — ICC, IEEE, IEC, NFPA, IES, ASHRAE, ASTM, ESTA and any other emergent consensus or open source documents that might set the standard of care for the education industry.
University of Michigan
The IEEE E&H Committee meets online 4 times monthly in Europe and the United States; and those meetings are open to the public (CLICK HERE). Additionally, we set aside one hour every month to walk through the entire suite of standards for sports and recreation facilities. See our CALENDAR for the date of our next Athletic & Recreation standards teleconference. Login credential are at the upper right of our home page
We have been following the developmental trajectory of another “alternative energy” – related consensus product — NFPA 853 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Fuel Cell Power Systems — a document that sets the criteria for minimizing fire hazards associated fuel cells power generating technology installations; many of which are pre-engineered and pre-packaged by manufacturers.
Keep in mind that it is an installation standard and “agnostic” about the type of fuel cell technology. As such, it is likely referenced in energy project design guidelines and construction contract specifications. From the document prospectus:
Scope: This standard shall apply to the design, construction, and installation of stationary fuel cell power systems and shall include the following:
(1) A singular prepackaged, self-contained power system unit
(2) Any combination of prepackaged, self-contained power system units
(3) Power system units comprising two or more factory-matched modular components intended to be assembled in the field
(4) Engineered and field-constructed power systems that employ fuel cells.
The current edition of NFPA 853 is dated 2015
The NFPA Technical Committee on Electric Generating Plants has already begun work on the 2020 revision. A selection of First and Second Draft documents are posted below:
Response to the Second Draft Report under NFPA’s NITMAM process are due August 29th.
We normally collaborate with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee on consensus products of this nature because that is where the most informed locus of expertise lies. That committee meets online four times monthly in European and American time zones. We also host our own codes and standards for power and telecommunication systems teleconference every month. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Category: District Energy, Electrical, Energy, Facility Asset Management, Fire Safety, Risk Management, #SmartCampus, US Department of Energy
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Bill Cantor (wcantor@ieee.org)
Tolkien, author of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” completed his studies at the University of Birmingham in 1915. He graduated with first-class honors in English Language and Literature. After graduation, Tolkien went on to serve in World War I before embarking on his distinguished career as a writer and academic.
Our researchers have found that banning phones in schools doesn’t improve students’ mental health and wellbeing. However, increased phone and social media use correlated with negative impacts. Addressing use both in and out of school is crucial. Read more: https://t.co/OrMdq735f5pic.twitter.com/hkuuqGnQ8q
Hosting open-air celebrations such as graduations and cultural requires sensitivity to audio standards that ensure high-quality sound and audience safety. Today at the usual hour we examine the standards covering sound system design, noise control, loudness levels, equipment specifications, weather and local environmental considerations.
Surprisingly, there are many even without approaching the not insignificant cabling system standards. We pick three representatives titles which cross reference one another:
World Health Organization recommendations for limiting exposure to leisure noise (e.g., concerts) to a level exceeding 80 dBA for 24 hours or 140 dB peak sound pressure to prevent hearing loss. Recommendations for speech heavy events will defer from musical events.
Height and Angle: Line array speakers are often elevated (e.g., on trusses or poles) and angled to cover the audience while reducing sound spill to non-audience areas.
Distance: Main speakers should be placed to avoid excessive sound pressure near the front (e.g., 95–100 dBA max for audience safety) and ensure clarity at the back.
Acoustical Society of America ASA-2010 Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools. While primarily for schools, this standard’s principles can apply to open-air educational or community events, emphasizing background noise control and speech intelligibility. For open-air audiences at events like outdoor lectures or festivals, speaker placement should minimize interference from environmental noise (e.g., traffic, wind). The standard suggests maintaining a signal-to-noise ratio where speech is at least 15 dB above background noise for clarity.
Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
New update alert! The 2022 update to the Trademark Assignment Dataset is now available online. Find 1.29 million trademark assignments, involving 2.28 million unique trademark properties issued by the USPTO between March 1952 and January 2023: https://t.co/njrDAbSpwBpic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
