Bruin Café

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Bruin Café

September 1, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“Europe today has little desire to reproduce itself,
fight for itself or even take its own side in a argument.
By the end of the lifespans of most people currently alive,
Europe will not be Europe and the peoples of Europe
will have lost the only place in the world we had to call home”

– Douglas Murry (“The Strange Death of Europe”)

Large European universities such as Rijksuniversiteit Groningen are integrated into the fabric of the surrounding city. There are several ways in which this integration takes place:

Physical location: Many European universities are located in the heart of the city, often in historic buildings that have been repurposed for educational use. This central location means that the university is easily accessible to students and the general public, and that it is often surrounded by other cultural institutions, such as museums, theaters, and libraries.

Student life: The presence of a large student population can have a significant impact on the city’s culture and economy. Many European cities have developed a vibrant student culture, with cafes, bars, and other venues catering to the needs and interests of young people. This can help to create a sense of community between the university and the city, and can also bring economic benefits to local businesses.

Facilities Organization

Research and innovation: Large European universities are often at the forefront of research and innovation, and they can be important drivers of economic growth in the surrounding region. Many universities work closely with local businesses and industries, and they may also collaborate with other universities and research institutions in the area.

Cultural exchange: Universities can be important centers of cultural exchange, both for international students and for local residents. Many European universities offer language classes and other cultural programs that are open to the public, and they may also host lectures, concerts, and other events that are designed to promote cross-cultural understanding.

Overall, the integration of large European universities into the city is a complex and multifaceted process that can have a significant impact on the social, cultural, and economic life of the surrounding region.

The origin of brown cafés can be traced back to the 17th century, during the Dutch Golden Age. At that time, the Netherlands was a prosperous and influential trading nation, and Amsterdam was a bustling city with a thriving port. Sailors, merchants, and locals needed places to socialize, relax, and conduct business, leading to the emergence of taverns and pubs.

The term “brown café” is believed to have originated from the brownish stains that formed on the walls and ceilings due to tobacco smoke, candle soot, and other atmospheric elements. These stains gave the cafés a distinct, cozy ambiance and a sense of history.

Brown cafés became an integral part of Dutch culture, serving as communal gathering spots for people of all walks of life. They were places where locals would meet friends, engage in conversations, enjoy a drink, and sometimes play board games like chess or backgammon. Over time, brown cafés became associated with an authentic, unpretentious, and relaxed atmosphere, attracting both locals and tourists.

The unique charm of brown cafés lies in their preserved historical interiors, with old wooden furniture, dim lighting, and a wide selection of local beers and spirits. Many brown cafés still retain their original character, transporting visitors back in time and providing a cozy retreat from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

While the concept of brown cafés originated in the Netherlands, similar types of establishments can also be found in other European countries, such as Belgium and parts of Germany. However, the term “brown café” is primarily associated with the Dutch tradition of cozy, atmospheric, and convivial drinking establishments.

 


Nederland

Smart Grid Blockchains

Energy Academy

Media stúdzjes

Promovendus maakt recyclebaar rubber

 

What Are People Wearing?

September 1, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today,

when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.”

Miuccia Prada

May Ball

University of Cambridge Estates Division

Structural Design

September 1, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
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Update: September 11, 2024

Snow Load Calculator

Call for public proposals for the 2028 edition

 


CLICK ON IMAGE

Every earthquake, tornado, hurricane, flood and ice storm inspires a revisit of standards action and building code development that we track on behalf of the US education facilities industry.  It is wise to keep pace with the full span of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) regulatory product catalog because so much of the fundamental characteristics of college and university campuses–waterworks, roads, structures, energy etc.–is governed by the safety and sustainability concepts that vary from state-to state.

We follow a number of ASCE titles; among them ASCE/SEI 7-16 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures which describes the means for determining dead, live, soil, flood, tsunami, snow, rain, atmospheric ice, earthquake, and wind loads, and their combinations for general structural design. 

Free Access to the 2002 Edition

CLICK HERE to access them both.  You will need to register as a public commenter.

Background & Perspective:

As covered in previous posts, we pay special attention to how occupancy classifications are defined in the International Building Code and ASCE/SEI-7 because those definitions inform how the decisions of academic unit programmers, facility planners/managers and building design professionals contribute to our lower cost agenda.

Throughout 2019-2021  we will be following development of the next edition of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) and its companion titles — in large measure a companion document for the safety concepts found in ASCE SEI-7 — because a great deal of construction activity in education facilities involves renovated space.

Stanford University Medical Center / Photo Credit: Perkins -Eastman

The revision cycle for the 2022 edition started earlier this year (see previous posts) and the meetings of various SEI-7 technical committees responding to public input is proceeding according to the schedule linked below:

SEI7-16 2022 REVISION CALENDAR

N.B. ASCE has changed its content management system making it a challenge to find information where it used to be.   We will communicate with its webmasters to find an update to the code-making committee’s calendar.

Keep in mind that owing to weather conditions interrupting committee member travels, and the present COVID-19 pandemic contingency, some of the meetings may be cancelled or conducted online.  In any case,  as technical committees meet throughout 2019 exposure drafts open to public comment public will be uploaded to the ASCE public commenting facility:

More information about participating in the ASCE standards development process for this and other documents may be obtained from Jennifer Groupil (jgoupil@asce.org).

Moscow State University

Given that it is a relatively rarified standards space,  we group our tracking, discussion and prospective advocacy in the ASCE standards suite during our Construction Spend colloquia.  See our CALENDAR for the next online teleconference; open to everyone.

 

Issue: [13-68]

Category: Architectural, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Jerry Schulte, Patti Spence

Archive / ASCE


More

Public Access to Superceded Editions of ASCE SE-7

Tallest Educational Buildings in the World

National Council of Structural Engineers Associations

Homeschool Laws By State

September 1, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Education happening outside the home offers several advantages that contribute to the holistic development of children:

Socialization: Interacting with peers and teachers in a structured environment helps children learn social skills, cooperation, and conflict resolution, which are essential for navigating the complexities of adult life.

Diverse Perspectives: Schools expose children to a variety of viewpoints, backgrounds, and cultures, fostering tolerance, empathy, and understanding of diversity.

Specialized Instruction: Qualified educators are trained to teach specific subjects and tailor instruction to different learning styles, ensuring that children receive a well-rounded education.

Access to Resources: Schools provide access to resources such as libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, and technology that may not be available at home, enriching the learning experience.

Extracurricular Activities: Schools offer extracurricular activities like sports, music, drama, and clubs, which help children discover their interests, develop talents, and build leadership skills.

Preparation for the Real World: Schools simulate real-world environments, teaching children important life skills such as time management, responsibility, and teamwork, which are crucial for success in adulthood.

Professional Development: Educators undergo continuous training and development to stay updated with the latest teaching methodologies and educational practices, ensuring high-quality instruction for students.

While home-based learning can complement formal education and offer flexibility, the structured environment and resources provided by schools play a vital role in shaping well-rounded individuals ready to thrive in society.

FinTech 200

August 30, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

“The most important role of technology is to create time.

Information technology epitomizes this role.

And wealth creation is ultimately about time,

freeing human time from labor.”

— George Gilder

L’italiano Luca Pacioli, riconosciuto come “Il padre della contabilità e della contabilità” è stato il primo a pubblicare un’opera sulla partita doppia, e ha introdotto il campo in Italia.

 

“Hatred of the rich is the

beginning of all wisdom” 

— H.L. Mencken

 

Today we break down the literature that informs the finances of the real assets of education settlements.   We examine a few publicly available university annual budget documents and, lately, have been looking ahead at innovation in distributed ledger solutions, digital currencies and blue sky conceptions of a circular economy which has captured the imagination of trendsniffers in every nation.

Since our 2016 estimate of $300 billion — triangulated from several private and public databases; the number that measures construction spend coupled with operations and maintenance — a fair estimate of growth is likely closer to  $500 billion now.  Based upon the US Census Bureau monthly construction spend reports we have seen a slight uptick in construction spend. We still see construction activity running at an $85-$90 billion clip.

Ædificare

Tax-Free Bonds

Schenkingen

During 2024-2025 we will be breaking down this subject into manageable segments as interest in it clarifies.  For now it is enlightening to approach finance standards with an examination of a few operating budgets:

University of Michigan Budget Book 2024

Harvard University Budget Overview: September 2023

University of Minnesota 2022 Final Capital Budget Requests with Governor’s Recommendations

The 2022-2023 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Higher Education Budget Proposals (California)

Prince George County Public Schools Operating Budget 2022 

University of Illinois Deferred Maintenance 

Central Michigan University Capital & Deferred Maintenance Budgets

Every dollar passing through the business or academic side of the education industry has rules for how it is received and tracked.*   At the moment we track, but do not dwell, on the grant management standards asserted by state and federal funding agencies.  When we do, we place them on the agenda of the appropriate colloquium.

Appropriate use of public funding underlies some — but not all — of the accounting burden of the education industry. We steer clear of the grant management requirements public funding agencies place upon the education industry; maintain focus on the titles developed and published by organizations that have a due process platform.  For example:

Accredited Standards Committee X9

Financial Industry Standards: Program of Work

Preparing for the Quantum Era

Open-IX Association

Data Center OIX-2 Certification

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

X12 Incorporated

There are several trackworthy non-ANSI accredited standard developing organizations:

Sustainability Accounting Standards Board

FASB/GASB

Public Consultation of Implementation (This statement fairly compares with ANSI’s Due Process Guidance.   Comments due January 20, 2023)

Real Estate Information Standards Board

Kuznets curve

 

Send bella@standardsmichigan.com an email for a detailed advance agenda.  To join the colloquium today use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

“De armen en het geld” 1882 Vincent van Gogh

Schenkingen


More:

Community FY22 Appropriations Request Letterdocx

PFN_InfraInvLtr_June 2021

Letter-Tax-Provisions-American-Jobs-Families-Plans-061421

Half the people working in schools aren’t classroom teachers—so what?

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR DOWNLOAD


Syllabus: Fintech 100

*Electronic Code of Federal Regulations

Education Community Finance

August 30, 2024
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, ,
No Comments

Giovanni Paolo Panini, An architectural capriccio with figures among Roman ruins

The post-pandemic #WiseCampus transformation requires significant capital to meet the sustainability goals of its leadership.  Campuses are cities-within-cities and are, to a fair degree, financed in a similar fashion.  Tax-free bonds are an effective instrument for school districts, colleges and universities — and the host community in which they are nested — for raising capital for infrastructure projects while also providing investors with, say $10,000 to $100,000, to allocate toward a tax-free dividend income stream that produces a return in the range of 2 to 8 percent annually.

An aging population may be receptive to investment opportunities that protect their retirement savings from taxation.

Once a month, we walk through the prospectuses of one or two bond offerings of school districts, colleges and universities and examine offering specifics regarding infrastructure construction, operations and maintenance.  We pay particular attention to details regarding “continuing operations”. Somehow the education industry has to pay for its green agenda.  See our CALENDAR for the next Finance colloquium; open to everyone.

The interactive map provided by Electronic Municipal Market Access identifies state-by-state listings of tax-free bonds that contribute to the construction and operation of education facilities; some of which involved university-affiliated medical research and healthcare delivery enterprises.

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR INTERACTIVE MAP

 

If you need help cutting through this list please feel free to click in any day at 11 AM Eastern time.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our hope page.  We collaborate with subject matter experts at Municipal Analytics and UBS.

Issue: [Various]

Category: Administration & Management, Finance, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, John Kaczor, Liberty Ziegahn

*We see the pandemic as a driver for a step-reduction in cost in all dimensions of education communities.  We coined the term with a hashtag about two years ago.

*College and university infrastructure projects are classified with public school districts under the rubric “municipal bonds” at the moment.  CLICK HERE for more information.

 


More:

Duke Law Review:  Don’t ‘Screw Joe the Plummer’: The Sausage-Making of Financial Reform

An Expanded Study of School Bond Elections in Michigan

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