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Nærmere Deg, Min Gud

In Lutheran memorial the traditional hymn does not treat death as defeat or a meritorious climb, but as the last stage of God’s gracious drawing. Its quiet, stepwise melody and repeated refrain make it especially suited to funerals: a humble prayer of trust rather than triumphant victory, ending in the hope of being “hjemme hos deg.”

LIVE: Bergen Studentradio FM 107.8 FM

Eiendomsavdelingen

Building Construction Management

10 August 2026: International standard for cost coding has been revised

“Architectural Landscape with a Canal” 1783 / Hubert Robert

The construction industry is one of the largest employers in any community.  Many labor unions in the United States support construction of education facilities.  The so-called “multiplier effect” cited by economists means that when you add one person working in the construction industry you create two additional jobs in other sectors.  With an annual construction spend of $75-10 billion, the education industry contributions mightily to the economy of host communities.   Any spend at that rate — the largest non-residential building construction in the United States — presents opportunity higher effectiveness and better profitability for all sides involved in a construction project just by doing a few simple things well:

  • Provide general terminology; especially important when equipment (fenestration, environmental air systems, elevators, generators) originate from offshore manufacturers
    Organization of information in the processes of design, manufacture and construction
  • Provide geometric requirements for buildings, building elements and components including modular coordination and its basic principles, general rules for joints, tolerances and fits, performance and test standards for sealants;
  • Provide general rules for other performance requirements, including functional and user requirements related to service life, sustainability, accessibility and usability;
    Procurement processes, methods and procedures.

A paradigm shift is is well underway in the use of building information. Improved capital efficiency can be achieved with better data handling and information flows between project actors; falling into the wheelhouse of ISO TC 59; described in the links below:

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN ISO/TC 59

 

CLICK ON IMAGE | Norway is the Global Secretariat | ASTM International is ANSI’s US Technical Advisory Group Administrator

While parts of the scopes of various subcommittees may already be familiar to construction professionals — Building Information Modeling (BIM), for example — the bulk of the work product remains fairly high-level.  We will keep an eye on it.

You may do so on your own by communicating directly with ANSI’s ISO Team and/or either of ANSI’s US Technical Advisory Group Administrators:

For TC/59/SC 8 (Sealants)

ASTM International
David Lee / 2128 W Evergreen Ave / West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959 / Phone: (610) 832-9585 / Email: dlee@astm.org

For TC/59/SC 13 (BIM)

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
Brian Cox / Training & Safety Office / 30 Hart Street Room 301 / Atlanta, GA 30329 / Phone: (404) 636-8400 / Email: bcox@ashrae.org

Kennedy School Construction / Harvard University

Because this topic cuts across all building industry disciplines we maintain this committee’s titles on standing agendas of several colloquia;  Construction Spend, E Pluribus Unum, Model Building Code and Global teleconferences.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

 

 

Issue: [15-211]

Category: Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Christine Fischer, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben

LEARN MORE:

US National CAD Standard (v6)

 

 

 

Swimming Pool Dimensions and Construction

University of Michigan | Washtenaw County

About Last Night: #Paris2024

A standard Olympic-sized swimming pool is defined by the following dimensions:

  • Length: 50 meters
  • Width: 25 meters
  • Depth: A minimum of 2 meters
  • Lanes: 10 lanes, each 2.5 meters wide

The total area of the pool is therefore 1,250 square meters, and it holds approximately 2,500 cubic meters (or 2.5 million liters) of water.

https://standardsmichigan.com/australia/

The organization that sets the standards for Olympic-sized pools is the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) — now World Aquatics — the governing body for swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and open water swimming. FINA establishes the regulations for the dimensions and equipment of competition pools used in international events, including the Olympic Games.

The top ten universities that have produced Olympic champion:

  1. University of Southern California (USC)
  2. Stanford University
  3. University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
  4. University of Florida
  5. University of Texas at Austin
  6. University of Michigan – Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.
  7. Indiana University
  8. Auburn University
  9. University of Georgia
  10. University of Arizona

News:

Swim Swam: 2024 Pool “Slow” and not setting records

Paris Olympics swimmers noticing pool is ‘slow’ 

Pool, Spa & Recreational Waters

Swimming, Water Polo and Diving Lighting

Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Code

Bleachers, Folding Seating & Grandstands

Spartan Waters

Michigan Central

Health and Wellness Center - Moody Nolan

Recreational Sports and Fitness Services | Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

June 2026 Real Estate and Capital Project Report

Watersport

The Old Outdoor Pool | Page 21

Reuben Sandwich

Standards Nebraska | Nebraska Public Media

Rural dirt road at sunrise with fields, distant silos, and light fog in the background.

The Nebraska claim centers on Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel in the 1920s when Lithuanian-born Jewish grocer Reuben Kulakofsky requested a corned beef and sauerkraut sandwich during a late-night poker game with a group nicknamed “The Committee” which included hotel owner Charles Schimmel. Schimmel’s son Bernard (a European-trained chef) is refined it by adding Swiss cheese and dressing, then grilling it on rye.


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Threshold

Siena University New York

Christchurch School Virginia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the standards most U.S. campuses apply at residence-hall move-in. They mix fire/life-safety codes with energy and cost controls. Details vary by school, but the pattern is consistent.

Fire and electrical safety

  • No open flames: candles, incense, fireworks, Sterno, grills.
  • No appliances with exposed heating elements: hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens, skillets, deep fryers; air fryers are banned on most campuses.
  • Cooking only in designated kitchens; in rooms, usually only a UL-listed microwave (often 700–1,000 W) or a university MicroFridge combo.
  • No halogen lamps, lava lamps, plastic-shade multi-bulb lamps, or space heaters unless the university issues them.
  • Extension cords banned or tightly limited; only UL-listed surge protectors plugged directly into the wall. No daisy-chaining.
  • Keep a clear 36-inch path to the door; do not block exits or prevent the door from opening 90 degrees.
  • Wall coverings limited (often 10–25% of a wall); hanging fabric/tapestries often banned unless fire-rated.
  • Upholstered furniture must meet fire-resistance labels such as CAL TB117-2013.
  • No lithium-ion micromobility devices (e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards) stored or charged in rooms on many campuses.
  • Do not cover, disable, or hang items from smoke detectors or sprinklers.
  • Health-and-safety inspections shortly after move-in.

Building and personal security

  • Card/fob access; do not prop exterior or stairwell doors.
  • Lock the room whenever you leave, even briefly.
  • Guests must be escorted; residents are responsible for them.
  • Weapons, ammunition, and realistic replicas prohibited.

Economy / energy standards

  • Mini-fridges typically capped at about 3.6–4.5 cubic feet; Energy Star models preferred or required.
  • One fridge and one microwave per room; extra units banned to avoid overloaded circuits and higher utility costs.
  • Many schools rent or install MicroFridge units because they use less energy than two separate appliances.
  • Personal window/portable ACs usually prohibited; cooling is centralized.
  • LED bulbs recommended; high-watt lamps discouraged.
  • Limit how many devices run at once so circuits do not trip.

Property-economy / damage control

  • No nails, duct tape, or adhesives that peel paint; Command strips often allowed.
  • No lofting with cinder blocks or unapproved risers (especially risers with built-in outlets).
  • No extra mattresses, waterbeds, or large non-university furniture.
  • Damage found at check-in/check-out is billed to the student.

Related Standards Michigan coverage:

Housing/Accommodation

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Teacher Calls for Supplies

U.S. public school teachers post donation requests on X because official classroom budgets rarely cover what students actually need. Surveys find about 95–97% of teachers spend their own money; recent averages run roughly $600–$1,000 a year, and higher in some states. School allotments often sit near $200. That gap buys pencils, paper, books, snacks, hygiene items, and decor so every child can participate.

Pay has not kept pace with those costs, inflation, and (lately) tariff-driven supply-price jumps. Many teachers also work second jobs. District purchasing is slow, restricted, or aimed at core curriculum, not daily consumables or student basics. Platforms like DonorsChoose exist for the same reason; X is simply a faster way to share a wishlist with parents, alumni, and strangers.Teachers say they do it so students are not left without materials. Crowdfunding is a workaround, not a substitute for adequate school funding.

Jacob’s Well

Standards Pennsylvania  | Standards Michigan Water

“At the Water Trough” 1876 J. Alden Weir

‘Forever chemicals’ detected in 65% of sampled private wells in Pennsylvania

HOME | Penn State Extension

Person packing boxes

Many settlements use well water as their primary or supplemental source for potable water, irrigation, or campus operations. This is common in regions where municipal water infrastructure is limited or costly, and groundwater from private or on-site wells provides a reliable alternative. For context, about 13 million U.S. households rely on private wells for drinking water, and many educational institutions follow suit due to similar geographic and economic factors.

Examples of Colleges and Universities Using Well Water:

  • Rural Campuses in General: Numerous small liberal arts colleges and community colleges in rural settings (e.g., in the Midwest, Northeast, or Pacific Northwest) draw from on-site wells. For instance, a 2025 analysis of campus water systems notes that rural colleges often contend with well water challenges like high total dissolved solids (TDS) or iron content, requiring specialized treatment such as reverse osmosis purifiers.
  • Oregon Institutions: Approximately 23% of Oregon households use domestic wells, and this extends to educational facilities. Oregon State University’s Well Water Program actively educates on groundwater protection for well-dependent users, implying local campuses (including community colleges in areas like Jackson County) rely on wells for potable supply.
  • Utah System of Higher Education Campuses: Public colleges like Snow College (in Ephraim, UT) and Dixie State University invest in filtration systems specifically for processing secondary or well water used in irrigation and operations. Snow College’s upgrades target well-sourced water to cut usage by 30%, while DSU filters secondary water (often well-derived) for campus landscaping.

Why Well Water is Used

  • Location-Driven: Campuses far from urban centers (e.g., in agricultural states like Iowa, Kansas, or Vermont) opt for wells to avoid high municipal hookup costs.
  • Sustainability and Cost: Wells support self-sufficiency, especially for non-potable needs like cooling towers or grounds maintenance, aligning with green initiatives on many campuses.
  • Treatment Needs: Institutions often add purification (e.g., UV systems for bacteria or softeners for hard water) to meet safety standards, as wells can introduce contaminants like arsenic or nitrates.

 


Relata:

Exploring Well Water Testing Behaviour Through the Health Belief Model

Wolverine Village

 

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