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English Viticulture and Oenology

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Café Crème

Switzerland has some unique ways of making and serving coffee. One notable tradition is the “Schümli-Pflümli,” a Swiss coffee drink that combines coffee with plum schnapps and whipped cream.

Here are a few other Swiss coffee specialties:

Café Crème: A popular Swiss coffee, it’s a large coffee similar to an Americano but typically served with a layer of crema on top.

Kaffee fertig: This is a coffee with added Schnaps or Kirsch (a type of cherry brandy), served hot and often enjoyed in the winter.

Luzerner Kafi: A regional specialty from Lucerne, this is a coffee with Schnaps and sugar, sometimes with a bit of whipped cream.

Zuger Kirschtorte Coffee: Inspired by the famous cherry cake from Zug, this coffee includes cherry liqueur and is often served with a small piece of the cake or similar dessert.

These coffee traditions highlight Switzerland’s blend of coffee culture with local flavors and ingredients.

Ghana’s Rabbit Industry

Ona Java

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Building Environment Design

I don’t build in order to have clients.

I have clients in order to build.

— Ayn Rand

Google Data Center

 

“Détruire est facile ; construire est difficile.”

— Victor Hugo

 

The highest level of standardization for the building interiors on the emergent #SmartCampus originates in ISO TC 205 — Building Environment Design.  This committee is charged with standards setting in the design of new buildings and retrofit of existing buildings for acceptable indoor environment and practicable energy conservation and efficiency. Building environment design addresses the technical building systems and related architectural aspects, and includes the related design processes, design methods, design outcomes, and design-phase building commissioning. Indoor environment includes air quality, and thermal, acoustic, and visual factors.  The business plan is linked below:

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN ISO/TC 205

Some of the key ideas in the scope of this project are listed below:

– the design of energy-efficient buildings
– building control systems design
– indoor air quality
– indoor thermal environment
– indoor acoustical environment
– indoor visual environment
– radiant heating and cooling systems
– heating and cooling systems
– building commissioning planning
– moisture in buildings

We see many of the foregoing ideas in the catalog of ASHRAE International — ANSI’s US Technical Advisory Group Administrator in this project, as well as a number of others (CLICK HERE).   There are 31 Participating member and 28 Observing member nations.

Generally speaking, ISO consensus products are performance standards and contrast sharply with prescriptive standards in the energy-related domains in the United States.  Prescriptive standards are easy to enforce but difficult to write.  Performance standards are easy to write but difficult to enforce.

Facility managers that oversee building automation units in education communities in the United States are encouraged to participate in the development of ISO 205 by communicating directly with Brian Cox at ASHRAE (bcox@ashrae.org).  We keep all ISO standards on the standing agenda of our periodic Global and AEdificare standards colloquia.  We also maintain this committee’s catalog on the standing agenda of our Mechanical colloquium.  See our CALENDAR for the next online meetings; open to everyone.

Issue: [10-30]

Category: International, Mechanical, Energy, Facility Asset Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Richard Robben, Larry Spielvogel

More

Bygningsinformasjonsmodellering

 

Solar Panel Recycling

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers:

The value of diversity in the renewable energy industry and research community

Comparing the carbon footprint of monocrystalline silicon solar modules manufactured in China and the United States

Material Requirement and Resource Availability for Silicon Photovoltaic Laminate Manufacturing in the Next 10 Years

Life cycle assessment of transparent organic photovoltaic for window applications

Evaluating the Electricity Production and Energy Saving from Transparent Photovoltaics for Windows in Commercial Buildings

Ceramics Studio Tour

More

Pacific University Art & Design

Oregon Fire Code

Pacific University Facilities Management

Architectural Billings

Architectural Record July 23, 2025 

AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design

Selecting architects for designing large educational campus buildings typically involves a structured process that ensures the chosen architect meets the project’s functional, aesthetic, and budgetary requirements. Here’s an overview of the typical steps involved:

1. Defining Project Goals and Requirements

  • The institution or client identifies the purpose of the building, the estimated budget, sustainability goals, and any specific design or functional needs.
  • A detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is prepared, outlining project objectives, scope, timeline, and submission requirements.

2. Public Announcement or Invitations

  • The RFP/RFQ is distributed through professional networks, industry publications, or procurement platforms.
  • Invitations may also be sent directly to pre-identified firms with expertise in similar projects.

3. Initial Submissions

  • Interested architectural firms submit their qualifications or proposals. These typically include:
    • Firm portfolio: Highlighting past projects, especially in educational architecture.
    • Design approach: How the firm plans to address the project goals.
    • Team composition: Key personnel and their relevant experience.
    • References and certifications.

4. Shortlisting Candidates

  • A committee reviews submissions and shortlists firms based on criteria such as experience, design philosophy, project understanding, and compatibility with the client’s goals.

5. Interviews and Presentations

  • Shortlisted firms are invited for interviews to present their ideas, discuss their approach, and answer questions.
  • Some institutions may request preliminary concept designs to gauge creativity and alignment with the campus’s vision.

6. Evaluation of Proposals

  • Proposals are evaluated based on:
    • Design capability: Innovation, sustainability, and functional design.
    • Experience: Success in similar projects.
    • Cost efficiency: Ability to meet the budget without compromising quality.
    • Cultural fit: Alignment with the institution’s mission and values.

7. Final Selection

  • The committee selects the architect based on scoring, deliberations, and sometimes a voting process.
  • Contract negotiations follow, detailing scope, fees, and deliverables.

8. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

  • In some cases, stakeholders, including faculty, students, and local communities, are involved in providing feedback or participating in design workshops.

9. Formal Approval

  • The governing board of the institution or a similar authority often gives final approval.

This process ensures transparency, accountability, and the selection of the most qualified architect for the project.

 

Related:

American Planning Association

Society for College and University Planning

Higher Education Facilities Act of 1963

Carnegie Classifications

Bechtel Projects

Beauty in a World of Ugliness

Duncan Stroik Architect

American Vitruvius

Robie House

Architecture and Aesthetic Education

Synthetic Turf Guidelines

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:

Synthetic Turf Council Technical Guidelines

You may communicate directly with the Council at the link below:

Synthetic Turf Council Contact Information

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.

LEARN MORE:

White Papers & Technical Presentations

 

Summer Meals

Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder

Ann Arbor Public Schools | Student Summer Food Service Program
|

Readings

“The Negro Family: The Case For National Action” 1965 Daniel Patrick Moynihan

“Black Rednecks and White Liberals” by Thomas Sowell

“Please Stop Helping Us: How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed” by Jason L. Riley

“Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America” by John McWhorter

Related:

Kitchens 100

Kitchens 200

Kitchens 300

Commercial Kitchens

Colloquy (June)

Open agenda; Not Too Organized. Whatever anyone wants to talk about.  We do this once every month.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

 

Summer Hours at our State Street Office: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Join us for lunch 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM every Wednesday at the University of Michigan Business School

 

Retrodiction

Education & Healthcare Facility Electrotechnology Committee

 

 

Welcome

Standards Michigan Group, LLC

2723 South State Street | Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA

888-746-3670

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