The National Center for Education #Statistics is the primary federal entity for collecting & analyzing #education-related data in the U.S. RTs ≠ endorsements.
We steer clear of curricula generally, mainly because curricula is a “crowded space” (i.e. no shortage of opinions, and even passions) except those programs that prepare the next generation for a skill set to support secondary enterprises such as skilled trades, building construction management, coding the internet of everything.
Dr Ajith Parlikad, CSIC Co-Investigator and Senior Lecturer
Mark Enzer, Global Water Sector Leader
Mott MacDonald; Keith Bowers, Principal Tunnel Engineer, London Underground
Ross Dentten, Asset Information and Configuration Manager, Crossrail
Matt Edwards, Asset Maintenance and Information Manager, Anglian Water Services
Jerry England, Group Digital Railway Director, Network Rail
Volker Buscher, Director, Arup Digital
Smart Infrastructure is a global opportunity worth £2trn-4.8trn. The world is experiencing a fourth industrial revolution due to the rapid development of technologies and digital abundance.
Smart Infrastructure involves applying this to economic infrastructure for the benefit of all stakeholders. It will allow owners and operators to get more out of what they already have, increasing capacity, efficiency and resilience and improving services.
It brings better performance at lower cost. Gaining more from existing assets is the key to enhancing service provision despite constrained finance and growing resource scarcity. It will often be more cost-effective to add to the overall value of mature infrastructure via digital enhancements than by physical enhancements – physical enhancements add `more of the same’, whereas digital enhancements can transform the existing as well.
Smart Infrastructure will shape a better future. Greater understanding of the performance of our infrastructure will allow new infrastructure to be designed and delivered more efficiently and to provide better whole-life value.
Data is the key – the ownership of it and the ability to understand and act on it. Industry, organisations and professionals need to be ready to adjust in order to take advantage of the emerging opportunities. Early adopters stand to gain the most benefit. Everyone in the infrastructure sector has a choice as to how fast they respond to the changes that Smart Infrastructure will bring. But everyone will be affected.
Change is inevitable. Progress is optional. Now is the time for the infrastructure industry to choose to be Smart.
Perspective: Since this paper is general in its recommendations, we provide examples of specific campus infrastructure data points that are difficult, if not impossible, to identify and “make smart” — either willfully, for lack of funding, for lack of consensus, for lack of understanding or leadership:
Maintenance of the digital location of fire dampers in legacy buildings or even new buildings mapped with BIM. Doors and ceiling plenums are continually being modified and the As-Built information is usually not accurate. This leads to fire hazard and complicates air flow and assuring occupant temperature preferences (i.e. uncontrollable hot and cold spots)
Ampere readings of feeder breakers downstream from the electric service main. The power chain between the service substation and the end-use equipment is a “no-man’s land” in research facilities that everyone wants to meter but few ever recover the cost of the additional metering.
Optimal air flow rates in hospitals and commercial kitchens that satisfies both environmental air hazards and compartmentalized air pressure zones for fire safety.
Identification of students, staff and faculty directly affiliated with the campus versus visitors to the campus.
Standpipe pressure variations in municipal water systems
Pinch points in municipal sewer systems in order to avoid building flooding.
How much of university data center cost should be a shared (gateway) cost, and how much should be charged to individual academic and business units?
Should “net-zero” energy buildings be charged for power generated at the university central heating and electric generation plant?
How much staff parking should be allocated to academic faculty versus staff that supports the healthcare delivery enterprises; which in many cases provides more revenue to the university than the academic units?
Finally, a classical conundrum in facility management spreadsheets: Can we distinguish between maintenance cost (which should be covered under an O&M budget) and capital improvement cost (which can be financed by investors)
“Kleinkinderschule in Amsterdam” 1880 / Max Liebermann
This ASHRAE consensus product specifies conditions for acceptable thermal environments and is intended for use in design, operation, and commissioning of buildings and other occupied spaces. It is impossible to underestimate the difficulty of engineering an acceptable room temperature in an educational setting that satisfies all people all the time. Today, we simply identify the opportunity to ASHRAE Standard 55-2017, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy poststed on ASHRAE’s Public Review page:
ASHRAE’s standards development platform is one of the fastest in the United States so frequently there is scant time to respond; though we hope other user-interests will. As technical specifics relevant to the education facility industry become more clear we will develop this page accordingly.
All ASHRAE consensus products are on the agenda of our monthly 11 AM/ET Mechanical Engineering and Energy standards teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
The Life Safety Code addresses those construction, protection, and occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from the effects of fire, including smoke, heat, and toxic gases created during a fire. It is widely incorporated by reference into public safety statutes; typically coupled with the consensus products of the International Code Council. It is a mighty document — one of the NFPA’s leading titles — so we deal with it in pieces; consulting it for decisions to be made for the following:
(1) Determination of the occupancy classification in Chapters 12 through 42.
(2) Determination of whether a building or structure is new or existing.
(3) Determination of the occupant load.
(4) Determination of the hazard of contents.
There are emergent issues — such as active shooter response, integration of life and fire safety systems on the internet of small things — and recurrent issues such as excessive rehabilitation and conformity criteria and the ever-expanding requirements for sprinklers and portable fire extinguishers with which to reckon. It is never easy telling a safety professional paid to make a market for his product or service that it is impossible to be alive and safe. It is even harder telling the dean of a department how much it will cost to bring the square-footage under his stewardship up to the current code.
The 2021 edition is the current edition and is accessible below:
Public input on the 2027 Revision will be received until June 4, 2024. Public comment on the First Draft of the 2027 Revision will be received until June 3, 2025.
Since the Life Safety Code is one of the most “living” of living documents — the International Building Code and the National Electric Code also move continuously — we can start anywhere and anytime and still make meaningful contributions to it. We have been advocating in this document since the 2003 edition in which we submitted proposals for changes such as:
• A student residence facility life safety crosswalk between NFPA 101 and the International Building Code
• Refinements to Chapters 14 and 15 covering education facilities (with particular attention to door technologies)
• Identification of an ingress path for rescue and recovery personnel toward electric service equipment installations.
• Risk-informed requirement for installation of grab bars in bathing areas
• Modification of the 90-minute emergency lighting requirements rule for small buildings and for fixed interval testing
• Modification of emergency illumination fixed interval testing
• Table 7.3.1 Occupant Load revisions
• Harmonization of egress path width with European building codes
There are others. It is typically difficult to make changes to stabilized standard though some of the concepts were integrated by the committee into other parts of the NFPA 101 in unexpected, though productive, ways. Example transcripts of proposed 2023 revisions to the education facility chapter is linked below:
Since NFPA 101 is so vast in its implications we list a few of the sections we track, and can drill into further, according to client interest:
Chapter 3: Definitions
Chapter 7: Means of Egress
Chapter 12: New Assembly Occupancies
Chapter 13: Existing Assembly Occupancies
Chapter 16 Public Input Report: New Day-Care Facilities
Chapter 17 Public Input Report: Existing Day Care Facilities
Chapter 18 Public Input Report: New Health Care Facilities
Chapter 19 Public Input Report: Existing Health Care Facilities
Chapter 28: Public Input Report: New Hotels and Dormitories
Chapter 29: Public Input Report: Existing Hotels and Dormitories
Chapter 43: Building Rehabilitation
Annex A: Explanatory Material
As always we encourage front-line staff, facility managers, subject matter experts and trade associations to participate directly in the NFPA code development process (CLICK HERE to get started)
NFPA 101 is a cross-cutting title so we maintain it on the agenda of our several colloquia —Housing, Prometheus, Security and Pathways colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Issue: [18-90]
Category: Fire Safety, Public Safety
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Elvove, Joe DeRosier, Marcelo Hirschler
Today at 15:00 UTC we review the very considerable work we have undertaken for the better part of thirty years on NFPA and IEEE best practice literature that governs the safety of proximate electrical energy devices. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
The primary differences between United States and European electric receptacles stem from voltage, frequency, plug design, and standards. In the U.S., the standard voltage is 120 volts, operating at a frequency of 60 Hz. European countries typically use 230 volts at 50 Hz. This voltage disparity means devices designed for one system may not function properly—or safely—in the other without adapters or converters.
Plug design also varies significantly. U.S. receptacles use Type A or B plugs, featuring two flat pins (Type A) or two flat pins plus a round grounding pin (Type B). European receptacles commonly use Type C, E, or F plugs under the CEE 7 standard. Type C has two round pins, while Type E and F include grounding pins—E with a pin protruding from the socket, and F with side grounding clips. These physical differences make plugs incompatible between regions without adapters.
Wiring and safety standards further distinguish the systems. U.S. outlets follow the National Electrical Code (NEC), while Europe adheres to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. Grounding and polarization requirements also differ, reflecting regional engineering practices. Ultimately, these distinctions ensure safety and efficiency but complicate international device compatibility.
“Whom the gods love, die young.” Menander (341-290 BCE)
“My mother was a Protestant, of a traditional American, vague kind: she belonged to the church that the nice people in the neighbourhood went to. My wife is a Catholic, the kids are Catholic, so I’m a Catholic fellow-traveller.”
“When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators.”
“If government were a product, selling it would be illegal.”
“The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it.”
“Not much was really invented during the Renaissance, if you don’t count modern civilization.”
“No humorist is under any obligation to provide answers and probably if you were to delve into the literary history of humour it’s probably all about not providing answers because the humorist essentially says: this is the way things are.”
“G.K. Chesterton’s Fence” is a concept often cited in discussions about change, reform, and tradition — in software as well as in “campus traditions”.
It’s derived from a quote by the English writer, G.K. Chesterton, which goes: “In the matter of reforming things, as distinct from deforming them, there is one plain and simple principle; a principle which will probably be called a paradox. There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, ‘I don’t see the use of this; let us clear it away.’ To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: ‘If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.'”
In essence, Chesterton is cautioning against the impulse to dismantle or alter established systems, institutions, or traditions without fully understanding why they were put in place in the first instance. The “fence” represents any existing structure, rule, or tradition, while the act of removing it symbolizes reform or change. Chesterton suggests that before advocating for the removal or alteration of something, one should first understand its purpose and history. This is because such structures often have reasons for their existence, which might not be immediately apparent to those seeking change.
The principle emphasizes the importance of respecting tradition and the wisdom of those who came before, as well as the necessity of informed decision-making when it comes to implementing reforms. It urges individuals to exercise caution and humility, recognizing that existing systems may have evolved to address specific needs or challenges, and that blindly discarding them could lead to unforeseen consequences.
Today we examine relatively recent transactions in electrotechnologies — power, information and communication technology — that are present (and usually required) in patient care settings. At a patient’s bedside in a hospital or healthcare setting, various electrical loads or devices may be present to provide medical care, monitoring, and comfort. Some of the common electrical loads found at a patient’s bedside include:
Hospital Bed: Electric hospital beds allow for adjustments in height, head position, and leg position to provide patient comfort and facilitate medical procedures.
Patient Monitor: These monitors display vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate, helping healthcare professionals keep track of the patient’s condition.
Infusion Pumps: These devices administer medications, fluids, and nutrients intravenously at a controlled rate.
Ventilators: Mechanical ventilators provide respiratory support to patients who have difficulty breathing on their own.
Pulse Oximeter: This non-invasive device measures the oxygen saturation level in the patient’s blood.
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) Machine: It records the electrical activity of the heart and is used to diagnose cardiac conditions.
Enteral Feeding Pump: Used to deliver liquid nutrition to patients who cannot take food by mouth.
Suction Machine: It assists in removing secretions from the patient’s airway.
IV Poles: To hold and support intravenous fluid bags and tubing.
Warming Devices: Devices like warming blankets or warm air blowers are used to maintain the patient’s body temperature during surgery or recovery.
Patient Call Button: A simple push-button that allows patients to call for assistance from the nursing staff.
Overbed Tables: A movable table that allows patients to eat, read, or use personal items comfortably.
Reading Lights: Bedside lights that allow patients to read or perform tasks without disturbing others.
Television and Entertainment Devices: To provide entertainment and alleviate boredom during the patient’s stay.
Charging Outlets: Electrical outlets to charge personal electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
It’s important to note that the specific devices and equipment present at a patient’s bedside may vary depending on the level of care required and the hospital’s equipment standards. Additionally, strict safety measures and electrical grounding are essential to ensure patient safety when using electrical devices in a healthcare setting.
We have been tracking the back-and-forth on proposals, considerations, adoption and rejections in the 3-year revision cycles of the 2023 National Electrical Code and the2021 Healthcare Facilities Code. We will use the documents linked below as a starting point for discussion; and possible action:
There are many other organizations involved in this very large domain — about 20 percent of the US Gross Domestic Product.
Ahead of the September 7th deadline for new proposals for Article 517 for the 2026 National Electrical Code we will examine their influence in other sessions; specifically in our Health 100,200,300 and 400 colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
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
