Lakeland Florida high school offers free clothes and laundry facilities. Expansion of this concept to Saturdays for all students in the district would contribute to greater utilization of square footage that is normally unused. It may also lower energy cost and contribute to “family feeling” in the district.
I was admiring my gran’s sewing machine today. I think it was probably her mother’s. Amazing that a mass-produced tool was made to look like *this*. pic.twitter.com/fiT5NxtzNA
The 98th commencement ceremony for H.B. Plant High School celebrates the remarkable graduating class of 2025!
🎓 “Your dedication, perseverance, and willingness to give your all have brought you to this moment. As you move forward, embrace every opportunity with the same spirit… pic.twitter.com/oJ9K1NSgeG
— Hillsborough Schools (@HillsboroughSch) May 24, 2025
“Center Grove Schools enters the 2022/2023 school year with a new high-tech safety partner — Centegix CrisisAlert — purchased in part with school safety grant money that pairs with their Emergency Operations Center that opened in January 2022. The CrisisAlert program puts security at the fingertips of all teachers and staff.
Both systems address what the district learned it had to work on from a school safety assessment back in 2018 – live monitoring and faster response times in an emergency. Seven-hundred cameras will scan every school in real-time from the district’s Emergency Operations Center. — More”
Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) are a U.S. government debt instrument created by Section 226 of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. It was later revised and regulations may be found in Section 54(E) of the U.S. Code. QZABs allow certain qualified schools to borrow at nominal interest rates (as low as zero percent) for costs incurred in connection with the establishment of special programs in partnership with the private sector…
…Funds can be used for renovation and rehabilitation projects (including energy projects), as well as equipment purchases (including computers). QZABs cannot be used for new building construction. The school district must obtain matching funds from a private-sector/non-profit partner equal to at least 10% of the cost of the proposed project. Information on the two QZAB federal mandates, 10% match and academy, can be obtained by visiting the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) school financing toolkit (see resources below).
…The normal annual allocation each year has been $400,000,000. However, during 2008, 2009, and 2010, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased these amounts to 1.4 billion. The 2011 allocation has returned to the $400,000,000 level. The allocation is divided up by all fifty states and US possessions. QZABs are a temporary program, subject to reauthorization. The last authorization was for the calendar years 2012 and 2013. Authorizations must be used within two years following the year for which they were given, meaning that authorizations given in 2012 must be used by December 31, 2014. As of July 21, 2014, the reauthorization of the QZAB program for years 2014 and 2015 has not been passed by the U.S. Congress. [Emphasis added*]…
…Schools usually fund large projects, like building renovation or construction, through debt mechanisms such as tax-exempt bonds or loans. School districts must then pay a substantial amount of interest on this debt. For schools serving low income students, QZABs reduce the burden of interest payments by giving financial institutions holding the bonds (or other debt mechanism) a tax credit in lieu of interest. The school district must still pay back the amount of money it initially borrowed, but does not have to pay any interest — typically about half the cost of renovating a school. The credit rate for QZABs sold on a given day is set by the Treasury Department…
With the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting education facility construction projects — and the prospect of at least 10 percent of the built environment rendered redundant for all time — it is enlightening to review the several sources of financing for these construction projects.
We review education industry construction project status and financing at least twice a month during our US Census Bureau Monthly Construction and Finance teleconferences. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone. Use the login credential at the upper right of our home page.
The thunderbolt steers all things. —Heraclitus, c. 500 BC
After the rain. Personal photograph taken by Mike Anthony biking with his niece in Wirdum, The Netherlands
Today at 15:00 UTC we examine the technical literature about rainwater management in schools, colleges and universities — underfoot and on the roof. Lightning protection standards will also be reviewed; given the exposure of outdoor athletic activity and exterior luminaires.
We draw from previous standardization work in titles involving water, roofing systems and flood management — i.e. a cross-cutting view of the relevant standard developer catalogs. Among them:
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Plumbing Engineers
ASHRAE International
ASTM International
Construction Specifications Institute (Division 7 Thermal and Moisture Protection)
The “lightning effect” seen in carnival tricks typically relies on a scientific principle known as the Lichtenberg figure or Lichtenberg figure. This phenomenon occurs when a high-voltage electrical discharge passes through an insulating material, such as wood or acrylic, leaving behind branching patterns resembling lightning bolts.
The process involves the creation of a temporary electric field within the material, which polarizes its molecules. As the discharge propagates through the material, it causes localized breakdowns, creating branching paths along the way. These branching patterns are the characteristic Lichtenberg figures.
In the carnival trick, a high-voltage generator is used to create an electrical discharge on a piece of insulating material, such as acrylic. When a person touches the material or a conductive object placed on it, the discharge follows the path of least resistance, leaving behind the branching patterns. This effect is often used for entertainment purposes due to its visually striking appearance, resembling miniature lightning bolts frozen in the material. However, it’s crucial to handle such demonstrations with caution due to the potential hazards associated with high-voltage electricity.
Left Panel Of George Julian Zolnay’s Allegorical “Academic, Business & Manual Education” Granite Frieze At Francis L. Cardozo High School (Washington, DC)
All fifty United States have their own “signature” disaster with which to reckon; some more than others. California has earthquakes, Florida has hurricanes, Missouri has floods; and so on, Life and property loss are preventable; but losses will persist because technical solutions notwithstanding, culture determines human behavior. It is impossible to be alive and safe.
FM Global is one of several organizations that curate privately developed consensus products that set the standard of care for many industries; education communities among them. These standards contribute to the reduction in the risk of property loss due to fire, weather conditions, and failure of electrical or mechanical equipment. They incorporate nearly 200 years of property loss experience, research and engineering results, as well as input from consensus standards committees, equipment manufacturers and others.
If you want FMGlobal as your insurance carrier, or to supplement your organization’s self-insurance program, then you will likely be assigned an FMGlobal conformity professional.
A scan of its list data sheets indicate a number of noteworthy updates of documents establishing minimum requirements for safety technologies common in education facilities:
Note that the bulk of the safety concepts in the foregoing titles incorporate by reference the safety concepts that cross our radar every day FM Global provides direct access to the full span of its documents at this link:
To respond to calls for public consultation you will need to set up (free) access credentials.
We keep FMGlobal titles — and the literature of other property insurers involved in standards setting — on the standing agenda of our Risk, Snow and Prometheus colloquia. See our CALENDAR for the next meeting.
“Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this agreement due to events beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, civil commotion, labor strikes, and natural disasters. The affected party shall promptly notify the other party of the force majeure event and take reasonable steps to mitigate its impact on performance. During the continuance of such events, the obligations of the affected party shall be suspended, and the time for performance shall be extended.”
Example 2: Detailed Force Majeure Clause
“In the event that either party is unable to perform its obligations under this agreement due to a force majeure event, the affected party shall promptly notify the other party in writing, specifying the nature and anticipated duration of the force majeure event. Force majeure events shall include, but are not limited to, acts of God, strikes, lockouts, government action or inaction, war, terrorism, epidemics, and natural disasters. The affected party shall use reasonable efforts to overcome or mitigate the effects of the force majeure event. If the force majeure event continues for a period of [specified duration], either party may terminate this agreement by providing written notice to the other party.”
Duke University West Campus Water Reclamation Pond | Click on image
One of several titles asserting best practice for rainwater catchment systems — an emergent design feature many college and university facility departments are signaling to demonstrate their conformity to the campus sustainability zietgeist — is ASPE 63 Rainwater Catchment Systems; developed and published by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers. From the project prospectus:
Scope: This standard covers requirements for the design and installation of rainwater catchment systems that utilize the principle of collecting and using precipitation from a rooftop and other hard, impervious building surfaces. This standard does not apply to the collection of rainwater from vehicular parking or other similar surfaces.
Project Need: The purpose of this standard is to assist engineers, designers, plumbers, builders/developers, local government, and end-users in safely implementing a rainwater catchment system.
Stakeholders: Plumbing engineers, designers, plumbers, builders/developers, local government, end users.
You may obtain a copy of the 2020 edition by contacting Gretchen Pienta, (847) 296-0002, gpienta@aspe.org, 6400 Shafer Court, Suite 350, Rosemont, IL 60018. We encourage front-line/workpoint experts and facility managers to participate in the ASPE standards development process. Start with the link below:
We have all water system codes and standards on the agenda of our next monthly Mechanical, Plumbing and Rain colloquia See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
“Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky” 1816 Benjamin West
Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous experiment with lightning on June 10, 1752.
He used a kite and a key to demonstrate that lightning was a form of electricity.
This experiment marked an important milestone in understanding the nature of electricity
and laid the foundation for the development of lightning rods and other lightning protection systems.
Seasonal extreme weather patterns in the United States, resulting in damages to education facilities and delays in outdoor athletic events — track meets; lacrosse games, swimming pool closures and the like — inspire a revisit of the relevant standards for the systems that contribute to safety from injury and physical damage to buildings: NFPA 780 Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems
This document shall cover traditional lightning protection system installation requirements for the following: (1) Ordinary structures (2) Miscellaneous structures and special occupancies (3) Heavy-duty stacks (4) Structures containing flammable vapors, flammable gases, or liquids with flammable vapors (5) Structures housing explosive materials (6) Wind turbines (7) Watercraft (8) Airfield lighting circuits (9) Solar arrays
This document shall address lightning protection of the structure but not the equipment or installation requirements for electric generating, transmission, and distribution systems except as given in Chapter 9 and Chapter 12.
(Electric generating facilities whose primary purpose is to generate electric power are excluded from this standard with regard to generation, transmission, and distribution of power. Most electrical utilities have standards covering the protection of their facilities and equipment. Installations not directly related to those areas and structures housing such installations can be protected against lightning by the provisions of this standard.)
This document shall not cover lightning protection system installation requirements for early streamer emission systems or charge dissipation systems.
“Down conductors” must be at least #2 AWG copper (0 AWG aluminum) for Class I materials in structures less than 75-ft in height
“Down conductors: must be at least 00 AWG copper (0000 AWG aluminum) for Class II Materials in structures greater than 75-ft in height.
Related grounding and bonding requirements appears in Chapters 2 and Chapter 3 of NFPA 70 National Electrical Code. This standard does not establish evacuation criteria.
University of Michigan | Washtenaw County (Photo by Kai Petainen)
The current edition is dated 2023 and, from the transcripts, you can observe concern about solar power and early emission streamer technologies tracking through the committee decision making. Education communities have significant activity in wide-open spaces; hence our attention to technical specifics.
Public input on the 2026 revision is receivable until 1 June 2023.
We always encourage our colleagues to key in their own ideas into the NFPA public input facility (CLICK HERE). We maintain NFPA 780 on our Power colloquia which collaborates with IEEE four times monthly in European and American time zones. See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.
Lightning flash density – 12 hourly averages over the year (NASA OTD/LIS) This shows that lightning is much more frequent in summer than in winter, and from noon to midnight compared to midnight to noon.
Issue: [14-105]
Category: Electrical, Telecommunication, Public Safety, Risk Management
Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard
Didn't really plan for all possibilities, did they. 🤓
Churches and chapels are more susceptible to lightning damage due to their height and design. Consider:
Height: Taller structures are more likely to be struck by lightning because they are closer to the cloud base where lightning originates.
Location: If a church or chapel is situated in an area with frequent thunderstorms, it will have a higher likelihood of being struck by lightning.
Construction Materials: The materials used in the construction of the building can affect its vulnerability. Metal structures, for instance, can conduct lightning strikes more readily than non-metallic materials.
Proximity to Other Structures: If the church or chapel is located near other taller structures like trees, utility poles, or buildings, it could increase the chances of lightning seeking a path through these objects before reaching the building.
Lightning Protection Systems: Installing lightning rods and other lightning protection systems can help to divert lightning strikes away from the structure, reducing the risk of damage.
Maintenance: Regular maintenance of lightning protection systems is essential to ensure their effectiveness. Neglecting maintenance could result in increased susceptibility to lightning damage.
Historical Significance: Older buildings might lack modern lightning protection systems, making them more vulnerable to lightning strikes.
The risk can be mitigated by proper design, installation of lightning protection systems, and regular maintenance.
Sie strahlt vor Freude über ihre Auszeichnung – TH-Alumna Melanie Klaus. Für ihre Bachelorarbeit im Bereich Erneuerbare Energien wurde sie vom Solarenergieförderverein Bayern geehrt. In ihrer Bachelorarbeit im Studiengang Elektro- und Informationstechnik untersuchte sie das Zusammenspiel von Wind- und Solarenergie und den Nutzen, der sich hieraus für die regenerative Energieerzeugung erzielen lässt. Untersucht wurde also die Nutzung der natürlichen Kombination von Wind und Sonne für die Energieerzeugung. Um die Rentabilität dieser Einspeisekombination zu ermitteln, hat Melanie Klaus ein Software-Tool entwickelt, welches zur Planung und Simulation abgestimmter Photovoltaik-Wind-Kombinationen dient und bereits für die Errichtung einer Photovoltaik-Anlage zu einem Windpark eingesetzt wird.
Starting 2023 we separated our coverage of solar energy standards from our standing Electrical and Energy colloquia and placed emphasis on seasonal life cycle returns. We start with the following titles
International Code Council Section 1607 Photovoltaic panels or modules
ASHRAE International: 90.1 Building Energy Code & 189.1 Green Energy Code
Time permitting: Example design specification and construction contract.
Other standards developers and publishers are also present in this domain but this list is where we will start given that we only have an hour. Join us today at 16:00 with the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.
“…The solar panels will populate the gothic chapel roof, producing an approximate 105,000 kWh of energy a year – enough to run the chapel’s electricity, and saving around £20,000 in energy bills per year. The college confirmed that any excess energy would be sold off to the national grid.
Solar panels perform better when listening to music:
A 2013 study by researchers at Imperial College London and Queen Mary University of London showed that solar panels actually work better when exposed to music, of multiple genres. Scientists at the university proved that when exposed to high pitched sounds, like those found in rock and pop music, the solar cells’ power output increased by up to 40 percent. Classical music was also found to increase the solar cells’ energy production, but slightly less so than rock and pop, as it generally plays at a lower pitch than pop and rock. Whether they know it or not, British band Coldplay are just one of the artists benefitting from this research. During their 2021 tour, they installed solar photovoltaic panels in the build-up to each show, “behind the stage, around the stadium and where possible in the outer concourses”…
To determine how much electrical power and lighting 12 kilowatts (kW) will provide for an educational facility, we need to consider the following factors:
Power Distribution: How the 12 kW will be distributed across different electrical needs such as lighting, computers, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and other equipment.
Lighting Requirements: The specific lighting requirements per square foot or room, which can vary based on the type of facility (classrooms, libraries, laboratories, etc.).
Efficiency of Lighting: The type of lighting used (e.g., LED, fluorescent, incandescent) as this affects the power consumption and lighting output.
We start with lighting.
Lighting Efficiency:
LED lights are highly efficient, typically around 100 lumens per watt.
Fluorescent lights are less efficient, around 60-70 lumens per watt.
Lighting Power Calculation:
12 kW (12,000 watts) of LED lighting at 100 lumens per watt would provide: 12,000 watts×100 lumens/watt=1,200,000 lumens
Illumination Requirements:
Classroom: Approximately 300-500 lux (lumens per square meter).
Library or laboratory: Approximately 500-750 lux.
Area Coverage:
If we target 500 lux (which is 500 lumens per square meter), we can calculate the area covered by the lighting: (1,200,000 lumens)/ 500 lux=2,400 square meters
Now we need to allocate power to other loads.
Lighting: Assuming 50% of the 12 kW goes to lighting:
Lighting Power: 6 kW (6,000 watts)
Using the previous calculation: 6,000 watts×100 lumens/watt=600,000 lumens
Area Coverage for lighting (at 500 lux): (600,000 lumens)/500 lux=1,200 square meters
Other Electrical Needs:
Computers and equipment: Typically, a computer lab might use around 100 watts per computer.
HVAC: This can vary widely, but let’s assume 4 kW is allocated for HVAC and other systems.
Breakdown:
Lighting: 6 kW
Computers/Equipment: 2 kW (e.g., 20 computers at 100 watts each)
HVAC and other systems: 4 kW
Summary
Lighting: 12 kW can provide efficient LED lighting for approximately 1,200 square meters at 500 lux.
General Use: When distributed, 12 kW can cover lighting, a computer lab with 20 computers, and basic HVAC needs for a small to medium-sized educational facility.
The exact capacity will vary based on specific facility needs and equipment efficiency.
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
_-_Benjamin_Franklin_Drawing_Electricity_from_the_Sky_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg)
