Management by Walking Around
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Coffee Taste Test
“The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it
which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea
cannot be expected to reproduce.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes (“The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table”, 1857)
The Decline of Men on Campus
College Raptor Gender Balance Report
Naming Policy Committee Report
Dartmouth University Facilities Operations & Management | Utility Systems
IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee
Investment Office: Endowment Reports | $7.9B Total, $2.1B Facilities
Three terms in 30 seconds. Luke Trevisan ’28 took a photo from his Wheeler dorm window every day for 250 days. pic.twitter.com/Z3hpI6bEDQ
— Dartmouth 🌲 (@dartmouth) July 24, 2025
Fellows Coffee Shop
“I have found that it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk
that keep the darkness at bay.”
— J.R. R. Tolkien
University of Birmingham joins National Grid partnership
University of Birmingham to lead European doctoral network on sustainable cooling
Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24: £1.310 billion
Tolkien, author of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” completed his studies at the University of Birmingham in 1915. He graduated with first-class honors in English Language and Literature. After graduation, Tolkien went on to serve in World War I before embarking on his distinguished career as a writer and academic.
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Old Joe Clocktower | Fixing Old Joe
Roger Scruton “Why Intellectuals are Mostly Left”
coffee shop 🍪☕ pic.twitter.com/W8EOY5auQu
— 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚊 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜 (@AcademiaDreams) May 23, 2024
One in every two jobs in the West Midlands are filled by university graduates as latest @UniversitiesUK data shows how crucial universities are to the UK industrial strategyhttps://t.co/hJLrqXs2D2 pic.twitter.com/yZkZ3bJWv1
— Uni of Birmingham (@unibirmingham) March 10, 2025
Our researchers have found that banning phones in schools doesn’t improve students’ mental health and wellbeing. However, increased phone and social media use correlated with negative impacts. Addressing use both in and out of school is crucial. Read more: https://t.co/OrMdq735f5 pic.twitter.com/hkuuqGnQ8q
— Uni of Birmingham (@unibirmingham) February 5, 2025
“The Things We No Longer See”
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“Hazelnut MOOcha Latte” Madelyn Pickett ‘23 ’25 (ENG)
University of Connecticut Statement of Net Position 2024: ($-276.1 M) | Page 17
New School of Nursing Building: $100 million | Substantial completion by Fall 2026
Madelyn Pickett ‘23 ’25 (ENG)
..In Animal Food Products: Dairy Technology (ANSC 3641), taught by Dennis D’Amico, associate professor in the Department of Animal Science, students learn about the science of processing and producing dairy products, including ice cream, yogurt, and cheese. The course gets hands-on and allows students the opportunity to create each product themselves…”
Tonight, the Class of 2030 officially marked a brand new chapter as they gathered together at the traditional torch lighting ceremony 💙 pic.twitter.com/mL9aXY7b7M
— UConn (@UConn) August 29, 2026
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” — Plutarch
Construction Current Opportunities: University Second Electrical Feed Phase 2
Alumni donate $1.5M to UConn. Here’s what the money will be used for
University of Connecticut Avery Point
Financial Reporting Issues Conference (FRIC): Academics from the U.S. and abroad joined us in Norwalk for the 2026 conference, engaging in lively discussions on standard-setting topics under the Board’s consideration. Thank you to all who shared their insights. pic.twitter.com/I3gSTEdRgA
— FASB, GASB, and FAF (@FAFNorwalk) January 9, 2026
First Day of School
Donegan Acoustics
Today we take a cross cutting review of all the literature (codes, standards, guidelines, laws) that informs safe and sustainability occupancy load, means of egress, illumination, ambient air, plumbing, electric, communication and acoustics in classrooms.
Had to take my own 1st day photo.
Cheers to 19 years. Someday I’ll make it past the 1st grade. pic.twitter.com/YZruOvnmqj— Sarah Oberle, Ed.D. (@S_Oberle) August 24, 2026
Keen on your thoughts… https://t.co/IqI87vuVTz
And I’d love to see your classroom layout/displays if you want to share! Tag with #CanvasForThought pic.twitter.com/qZwxAaa6jm— 𝗗𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗶𝗻 (@NathanielRSwain) July 17, 2024
1. Building Codes
- International Building Code (IBC): Adopted by most states, it provides guidelines for the design and construction of buildings, including schools.
- International Existing Building Code (IEBC): Provides standards for the renovation and repair of existing school buildings.
- State and Local Building Codes: Many states and municipalities have additional or modified codes that must be followed.
happy first day of class, @HopeCollege! 📚🤓🏀 pic.twitter.com/yJ3qIIa59Q
— Hope College WBB (@HopeCollegeWBB) August 31, 2026
2. Fire and Life Safety Codes
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes:
- NFPA 101: Life Safety Code – Sets requirements for egress, fire protection, and emergency planning.
- NFPA 13: Installation of Sprinkler Systems – Specifies standards for automatic fire sprinkler systems.
- NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code – Covers fire alarm system installation and maintenance.
- NFPA 70: National Electrical Code (NEC) – Outlines electrical wiring standards to prevent fire hazards.
3. Accessibility Standards
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design – Ensures that school facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
- Architectural Barriers Act (ABA): Requires accessibility in buildings constructed with federal funds.
4. Environmental and Health Standards
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- ASHRAE 62.1: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.
- ASHRAE 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.ASHRAE Standards
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulations:
- EPA Lead and Asbestos Regulations: Governs the handling of lead and asbestos in school buildings.
- EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools: Provides guidelines to manage air quality.
5. Structural Standards
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE):
- ASCE 7: Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures.
- American Concrete Institute (ACI):
- ACI 318: Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete.
6. Plumbing and Mechanical Codes
- International Plumbing Code (IPC): Provides guidelines for plumbing system design and installation.
- International Mechanical Code (IMC): Sets standards for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
7. Electrical Standards
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standards: Includes various electrical safety and installation standards relevant to school facilities.
8. Educational Specifications and Guidelines
- Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Guidelines: Provides best practices for school design that promote effective learning environments.
- State-Specific Educational Specifications: Many states have their own guidelines for the design of educational facilities to meet state-specific educational needs.
9. Safety and Security Standards
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Guidelines: Suggests design strategies to enhance security in school environments.
- School Safety and Security Standards (state-specific): Some states have additional requirements for school security measures.
10. Sustainable Design Standards
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Schools: Provides a framework for building green and energy-efficient schools.
- Green Building Initiative (GBI) Standards: Focuses on sustainable and energy-efficient building practices.
11. Maintenance Standards
- International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC): Provides guidelines for the maintenance of buildings, ensuring they remain safe and functional over time.
12. Other Relevant Standards
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Guidelines: Provides standards for building schools in disaster-prone areas (e.g., tornadoes, earthquakes).
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards: Ensures workplace safety, including in schools, covering areas like chemical safety, electrical safety, and more.
Local Considerations
- Local Zoning Laws and Ordinances: Schools must also comply with local land use regulations, which may affect building placement, size, and use.
Another public jubilation pic.twitter.com/dmQc6IBVbK
— Chelsea Finest💙💙😍 (@finest_che2325) July 20, 2024
How to teach standards to students
“No man, however bold or however high he may stand in his profession,
can resist the benumbing effect of rules laid down by authority.”
Who should teach standards — faculty, practitioners, standards developers or some combination of the three?
At what point in an engineering or technical curriculum should students first encounter consensus standards?
Should students learn only how to apply standards, or also how standards are developed, revised and governed?
Lingua Franca
White House: Designating English as the Official Language of The United States
2026 National Electrical Code Article 100 Definitions Public Input Transcript (Definitions)
2026 National Electrical Code Article 100 Definitions Public Comment Transcript (Definitions)
“The English genius is essentially eclectic;
it borrows from everywhere and from every time.”
— Peter Ackroyd | 2004 Albion: the origins of the English imagination
“The Tower of Babel” 1563 | Pieter Bruegel the Elder
“Wer von Fremdsprachen nichts versteht, kennt seine eigenen nichts.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Disagree with someone and cannot persuade them? Do you need to hide your intransigence or ulterior motive? Then change the basis of discussion by changing the subject with a different definition.
This happens routinely in political discourse and rather frequently in best practice discovery and promulgation in building construction and settlement infrastructure standards[1]. Assuming all parties are negotiating in good faith resolution may lie in agreement on a common understanding of what a satisfying agreement might look like.
Admittedly, a subtle and challenging topic outside our wheelhouse[2] hence the need to improve our organization of this topic starting with today’s colloquium; with follow on sessions every month.
Starting 2025 we will organize our approach to this topic, thus:
Language 100. Survey of linguistic basics for developing codes, standards and regulations. Many vertical incumbents have developed their own style manuals
Language 200. Electrotechnical vocabulary
Language 300. Architectural and Allied trade vocabulary
Language 400. The language of government regulations; the euphemisms of politicians with influence over the built environment
Language 500. Advanced topics such as large language models or spoken dialects such as “High Michigan” — arguably, the standard American dialect where it applies to the standards listed above.
These deep differences still exist. pic.twitter.com/doxytw9Hps
— Jon Harris 🌲 (@jonharris1989) October 14, 2025
It may not be obvious how profound the choice of words and phrases have on leading practice discovery and promulgation. For example, “What is Gender” determines the number, placement and functionality of sanitary technologies in housing, hospitals and sporting. The United States has a Supreme Court justice that cannot define “woman”
As always, we will respond to public consultation opportunities wherever we can find them. Some organizations are better than this than others.
Large Language Models
Examples of Variations in Translations of Homer’s Odyssey
The Surprising Factor That Determines English Fluency
Today we limit our discussion to language changes in the catalogs of ANSI-accredited standards developers whose titles have the most influence over the interoperability of safety and sustainability technologies that create and sustain the built environment of educational settlements.
American Institute of Architects: Definitions for Building Performance
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
National Fire Protection Association
Every building construction discipline has its own parlance and terms of art.
This is enough for a one-hour session and, depending upon interest, we will schedule a breakout session outside of our normal “daily” office hours. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
ΒΙΒΛΙΟΘΗΚΕΣ
Starting 2024 and running into 2025 we will break down this topic further, starting with construction contract language — Lingua Franca 300:
Asset management applies to any organization. As such, understanding its terminology, principles, and outcomes is key to an organization’s success. ISO 55000:2024 provides an overview of #AssetManagement and its expected benefits. @isostandards https://t.co/XZsWvJJ8r4
— ANSI (@ansidotorg) September 22, 2024
Large Language Models
Electropedia: The World’s Online Electrotechnical Vocabulary
Footnotes:
(1) The United States government defines a “Green Building” as a building that has been designed, constructed, and operated in a way that reduces or eliminates negative impacts on the environment and occupants. The government has established various standards and certifications that buildings can achieve to be considered “green.”
The most widely recognized green building certification in the United States is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). To achieve LEED certification, a building must meet certain standards related to sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
In addition to the LEED certification, there are other programs and standards that can be used to measure and certify the sustainability of buildings, such as the Green Globes rating system and the Living Building Challenge.
Overall, the goal of green building is to create buildings that are not only environmentally sustainable but also healthier, more comfortable, and more efficient for occupants, while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. By promoting green building practices, the U.S. government aims to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment and move towards a more sustainable future.
(2) The U.S. Green Building Council is a conformance organization. See the discussion our ABOUT for background on incumbent stakeholders.
Language Family Tree pic.twitter.com/RREloueklh
— English Grammar (@GrammarUpdates) September 21, 2024
Earliest Coffee
Michigan Central | Active Construction Projects
The former Ulrich’s Bookstore* operates interstitially on Central Campus in the South University commercial district.
Opens 6 AM most days for the University Grounds Crews and construction contractors starting before the heat arrives.
South University Commercial District
* It happened slowly, then all at once…
The quiet eclipse of Washtenaw’s Swabian roots by the University’s borderless ambition
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/njrDAbSpwB pic.twitter.com/GkAXrHoQ9T
— USPTO (@uspto) July 13, 2023
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