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Fenestration

The oldest door still in use in Pantheon (115 A.D.)

“No work of art can be great,

if it is not composed of the smallest things.”

Today during our usual hour we sweep through standards action in building glazing, entrances and means of egress. The word fenestration (Latin: fenestra) has become a term of art for the design, construction, and placement of openings in a building, including windows, doors, skylights, and other glazed elements. While the word has sparse use in the International Code Council and National Fire Protection Association catalog it is widely used by the Construction Specifications Institute in its MasterFormat system for organizing construction standards, guidelines and building contracts.

The percentage of a building envelope “skin” that is comprised of doors and windows varies depending on the specific building design, function, and location. However, a commonly cited range is between 15% to 25% of the total building envelope. The actual percentage will depend on several factors such as the building’s purpose, orientation, local climate, and energy performance goals. Buildings that require more natural light or ventilation, such as schools, hospitals, and offices, may have a higher percentage of windows and doors in their envelope. In contrast, buildings with lower lighting and ventilation requirements, such as warehouses, may have a smaller percentage of windows and doors.

Fenestration presents elevated risk to facility managers. The education facility industry is a large target and a pattern of settling out of court. For example:

In 2013, a former student at Yale University sued the school over a broken window in her dorm room. The student alleged that the university was negligent in failing to repair the window, which allowed a burglar to enter her room and sexually assault her. The case was settled out of court in 2015 for an undisclosed amount.
In 2019, a student at the University of California, Los Angeles sued the school over a broken window in her apartment. The student alleged that the university was negligent in failing to repair the window, which allowed a swarm of bees to enter her apartment and sting her. The case was settled out of court for $4.5 million.
In 2020, a group of students at Harvard University sued the school over its decision to require them to move out of their dorms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The students alleged that the university breached its contract with them by failing to provide suitable alternative housing, including functioning windows and doors. (The case is ongoing; best we can tell as of the date of this post).

These cases illustrate that colleges and universities can face legal action related to doors and windows, either due to alleged negligence in maintaining or repairing them, or due to issues related to student housing and accommodations.

Our inquiry breaks down into two modules at the moment:

Exterior facing fenestration

Interior window walls and doors

Join us online at the usual time.

door (n.)

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Means of Egress

Life Safety Code

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

pic.twitter.com/frxfwHnD3d

— Ramin Nasibov (@RaminNasibov) May 25, 2024

Code ignis MMXXVII

Winter Holiday Fire Facts

NFPA Fire Protection Systems Catalog (Lorem ipsum)

Crosswalk: NFPA Fire Code and ICC International Fire Code

“Prometheus creating Man in the presence of Athena” 1802 Jean-Simon Berthélemy

Free public access to the current edition of NFPA’s parent fire safety document is linked below:

2024 NFPA 1 Fire Code

We attend to occupancy-specific chapters (listed below) because of their significant presence in education communities.

Chapter 25: Grandstands and Bleachers, Folding and Telescopic Seating, Tents and Membrane Structures (N.B)

Chapter 26: Laboratories Using Chemicals

Chapter 29: Parking Garages

Chapter 32: Motion Picture and Television Production Studio Soundstages and Approved Production Facilities

Chapter 35: Animal Housing Facilities

Chapter 36: Telecommunication Facilities and Information Technology Equipment

Chapter 50: Commercial Cooking

Chapter 52: Energy Storage Systems

Augustana University dorm housing pretty south 19

Some of the chapters reference other titles such as NFPA 45 Standard of Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals which support risk management in other occupancies. It is noteworthy that in the 2021 revision cycle of NFPA 1 there are relatively few new concepts regarding education facilities that have been proposed. You get a sampling of the ideas in play from the transcript of public input for the 2024 edition.

Public Input Report (525 Pages)

Use search terms such as school, college, university, dormitory(ies), laboratory(ies), classroom, children, day-care, student, et cetera for a sense of the ideas in play.

Results of the 2027 First Draft meetings have not yet been posted as on November 9, 2024. A preview of the ideas in play can be found in the meeting minutes of the several committees linked below:

Fire Code (FCC-AAC): First Draft Meeting Minutes

First Draft: Fundamentals of the Fire Code (FCC-FUN)

Special Equipment, Processes and Hazardous Materials (FCC-HAZ)

Building Systems and Special Occupancies (FCC-OCP)

Public comment on the First Draft of the 2027 revision will be received until April 24, 2025.

We include NFPA 1 on our periodic fire safety colloquia — identified by the mnemonic Prometheus — and march along peak interests.

EPpu-vzX4AAu3J6 university of washington students interior media tech 1923 721

EUdNw2kWsAEAqFw Pitt Innovation Institute student laboratory pennsylvania pitt 1921 721

EPj-JXGXsAI1b9_ colorado university denver students welding mountain night best 1919 719

American College of the Building Arts students staff fire 1921

Fall 2016 Design Studio Presentation kent state univresity fashion 1921

SCM-Media-Production-Studios-in-use-092017.jpg.5.1x.generic montclair university 1921

IRSC - Indian River State College STUDENT WELDING florida 1923

Academy of Art University welding student 1920

Helping_the_range_in_high_school_shop_class_(27476439571) welding class oregon 1919 721

Campus fire safety is domain relatively well-covered by other organizations such as the Center for Campus Fire Safety and HigherEd Safety so we place NFPA 1 in the middle of our priority tier. We are more interested in the harmonization of NFPA 1 with a competitor title International Fire Code; published by the International Code Council; to wit:

International Fire Code: The purpose of this code is to establish the minimum requirements consistent with nationally recognized good practice for proving a reasonable level of life safety and property protection from the hazards of fire, explosion or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings, structures or premises and to provide a reasonable level of safety to fire fighters and emergency responders during emergency operations

Fire Code: The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Inspection of permanent and temporary buildings, processes, equipment, systems, and other fire and related life safety situations (2) Investigation of fires, explosions, hazardous materials incidents, and other related emergency incidents (3) Review of construction plans, drawings, and specifications for life safety systems, fire protection systems, access, water supplies, processes, hazardous materials, and other fire and life safety issues (4) Fire and life safety education of fire brigades, employees, responsible parties, and the general public (5) Existing occupancies and conditions, the design and construction of new buildings, remodeling of existing buildings, and additions to existing buildings (6) Design, installation, alteration, modification, construction, maintenance, repairs, servicing, and testing of fire protection systems and equipment (7) Installation, use, storage, and handling of medical gas systems (8) Access requirements for fire department operations (9) Hazards from outside fires in vegetation, trash, building debris, and other materials (10) Regulation and control of special events including, but not limited to, assemblage of people, exhibits, trade shows, amusement parks, haunted houses, outdoor events, and other similar special temporary and permanent occupancies (11) Interior finish, decorations, furnishings, and other combustibles that contribute to fire spread, fire load, and smoke production (12) Storage, use, processing, handling, and on-site transportation of flammable and combustible gases, liquids, and solids (13) Storage, use, processing, handling, and on-site transportation of hazardous materials (14) Control of emergency operations and scenes (15) Conditions affecting fire fighter safety (16) Arrangement, design, construction, and alteration of new and existing means of egress

Note that both ICC and NFPA parent fire safety documents are developed on coincident 3-year cycles.

Issue: [18-90]

Category: Fire Safety, Public Safety

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Joshua W. Elvove, Joe DeRosier, Casey Grant

System Aspects of Electrical Energy

IEC technical committees and subcommittees Ω SMB Tabulation

IEC and ITU offices | Geneva

Much economic activity in the global standards system involves products — not interoperability standards. Getting everything to work together — safely, cost effectively and simpler — is our raison d’etre.

Manufacturers, testing laboratories, conformance authorities (whom we call vertical incumbents) are able to finance the cost of their advocacy — salaries, travel, lobbying, administration — into the cost of the product they sell to the end user (in our cases, estate managers in educational settlements). To present products — most of which involve direct contact with a consumer — at a point of sale it must have a product certification label. Not so with systems. System certification requirements, if any, may originate in local public safety requirements; sometimes reaching into the occupational safety domain.

Our readings of the intent of this technical committee is to discover and promulgate best practice for “systems of products” — i.e. ideally interoperability characteristics throughout the full span of the system life cycle.

To quote Thomas Sowell:

“There are no absolute solutions to human problems, there are only tradeoffs.”

Many problems have no solutions, only trade-offs in matters of degree. We explain our lament over wicked problems in our About.

IEC technical committees and subcommittees

LEARN MORE:

Current Projects

We track action in the catalog of this consortia standards developer because we continually seek ways to avoid spending a dollar to save a dime; characteristic of an industry that is a culture more than it is a business.

While not an ANSI accredited the FASB/GASB standards setting enterprise’s due process requirements (balance, open-ness, appeal, etc.)* are “ANSI-like” and widely referenced in education enterprise management best practice. Recent action in its best practice bibliography is listed below

ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATES ISSUED

For obvious reasons, we have an interest in its titles relevant to Not-For-Profit Entities

WHAT IS THE FASB NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITY TEAM

Inside the latest PCC meeting: a closer look at what’s shaping the Council’s current priorities. 🎥 Watch the update: https://t.co/VZ02TZwcVu

— FASB, GASB, and FAF (@FAFNorwalk) October 28, 2025

~~At present the non-profit titles are stable with the 2020 revision.~~ That does not mean there is not work than can be done. Faculty and students may be interested in the FASG program linked below:

Academics in Standard Setting

Also, the “Accounting for Environmental Credit Programs”, last updated in January, may interest colleges and universities with energy and sustainability curricula. You may track progress at the link below:

EXPOSURE DOCUMENTS OPEN FOR COMMENT

The Battle about Money

We encourage our colleagues to communicate directly with the FASB on any issue (Click here). Other titles in the FASB/GASB best practice bibliography are a standing item on our Finance colloquia; open to everyone. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

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Harvard Business School spring massachusetts students 1923

wayne state university auditorium mike ilitch interior michigan students facebook 1921

Issue: [15-190]

Category: Finance, Administration & Management, Facility Asset Management

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben

Workspace / FASB GASB

What do you think: Do investors need a clearer picture of non-financial donations made to not-for-profits?#FASB needs your feedback to help help the Board determine how to move forward. Share your thoughts by April 10.#giftsinkind #charitablegiving https://t.co/MBMhEOFUlE pic.twitter.com/o4pdMC0yXq

— FASB, GASB, and FAF (@FAFNorwalk) March 31, 2020

Carnegie Classifications

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, or simply the Carnegie Classification, is the framework for classifying colleges and universities in the United States. Created in 1970, it is named after and was originally created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, but responsibility for the Carnegie Classification was transferred to Indiana University‘s Center for Postsecondary Research, in 2014.

The framework primarily serves educational and research purposes, where it is often important to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions. The classification includes all accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States that are represented in the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education ®

“The Life of Julia”

This content is accessible to paid subscribers. To view it please enter your password below or send mike@standardsmichigan.com a request for subscription details.

Mechanical 330

Today’s Handout: Radon, et al (For future dedicated session)

During today’s colloquium we audit the literature that sets the standard of care for mechanical engineering design, construction operations and maintenance of campus district energy systems — typically miles (kilometers) of large underground pipes and wires that characterize a district energy system. Topically, Mechanical 400 deals with energy systems “outside” or “between” buildings; whereas Mechanical 200 deals with energy systems within an individual building envelope.

2024 International Mechanical Code

Mechanical Engineering Courses

A campus district energy system is a centralized heating and cooling network that supplies thermal energy to multiple buildings within a defined area, such as a college or university campus. The system generates steam, hot water, or chilled water at a central plant, which is then distributed through an underground network of pipes to individual buildings for space heating, domestic hot water, and air conditioning. By consolidating energy production and distribution, campus district energy systems can achieve significant energy and cost savings compared to individual building systems, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve reliability and resiliency of the energy supply.

Washtenaw Community College mechanical michigan students staff 1921

uni mass energy chiller plant`19 mechanical

"I've always been interested in building systems that can understand and respond to natural language. It's one of the most challenging and fascinating problems in AI" - Stephen Wolfram

Vaasan yliopisto mechanical room finland international interior FI 1923 719

"The golden rule of elevator safety states 'Its either you're in or out'" - Facilities Management

Free_Cooling_head uni chicago facilities energy mechanical

School Construction News (September 24) | Arizona State University: Helping Higher Ed: Solutions to Advance Sustainability Goals in Campus Mechanical Systems

We track standards setting in the bibliographies of the following organizations:

AHRI | Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute

ASHRAE | American Society of Heating & Refrigeration Engineers

ASHRAE Guideline 14: Measurement of Energy and Demand Savings

ASHRAE Guideline 22: Instrumentation for Monitoring Central Chilled Water Plant Efficiency

Facility Smart Grid Information Model

ASME | American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASPE | American Association of Plumbing Engineers

ASTM | American Society for Testing & Materials

AWWA | American Water Works Association

AHRI | Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute

IAPMO | International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials

IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission

Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers

Research on the Implementation Path Analysis of Typical District Energy Internet

Expansion Co-Planning of Integrated Electricity-Heat-Gas Networks in District Energy Systems

Towards a Software Infrastructure for District Energy Management

IMC | International Mechanical Code

IDEA | International District Energy Association

District Energy Best Practices Handbook

District Energy Assessment Tool

IPC | International Plumbing Code

ISEA | International Safety Equipment Association

NFPA | National Fire Protection Association

SMACNA | Sheet Metal Contractors National Association

UL | Underwriters Laboratories

UpTime Institute

(All relevant OSHA Standards)

It is a large domain and virtually none of the organizations listed above deal with district energy systems outside their own (market-making) circle of influence. As best we can we try to pull together the peak priorities for the real asset managers and engineers who are responsible for these system.

* Building services engineers are responsible for the design, installation, operation and monitoring of the technical services in buildings (including mechanical, electrical and public health systems, also known as MEP or HVAC), in order to ensure the safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly operation. Building services engineers work closely with other construction professionals such as architects, structural engineers and quantity surveyors. Building services engineers influence the architectural design of building, in particular facades, in relation to energy efficiency and indoor environment, and can integrate local energy production (e.g. façade-integrated photovoltaics) or community-scale energy facilities (e.g. district heating). Building services engineers therefore play an important role in the design and operation of energy-efficient buildings (including green buildings, passive houses and zero energybuildings. uses. With buildings accounting for about a third of all carbon emissions^] and over a half of the global electricity demand, building services engineers play an important role in the move to a low-carbon society, hence mitigate global warming.

More:

Practical Essay on the Stength of Cast Iron and Other Metals Thomas Tredgold (1882)

George Herman Babcock — through his patents of pumps, steam engines, and novel boiler designs with collaborator Stephen Wilcox — raised the standard for safe boiler design & operation.https://t.co/qakAw4jfCn pic.twitter.com/3rCxXHkBfM

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) October 21, 2020

Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research

Bangers and Mash

University of New England Financial Report 2022 | ($30.81M)

Classic British comfort food. The origin of the recipe can be traced back to the United Kingdom in the mid-20th century. The dish’s name, “bangers,” comes from the habit of sausages bursting open (banging) while cooking due to their high water content, particularly during World War II when meat was scarce, and fillers were added to sausages.

The popularity of sausages and mashed potatoes as a meal likely dates back much further in British culinary history. Sausages have been a part of British cuisine for centuries, and mashed potatoes have been consumed in the UK since potatoes were introduced to Europe in the 16th century. It has long since become the go-to meal for college students seeking a satisfying, simple, and budget-friendly option during their academic years.

Ingredients:

Pork sausages (traditional British bangers)
Potatoes (such as Russet or Yukon Gold)
Butter
Milk or cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion gravy (optional, for serving)

Instructions:

Start by preparing the sausages. You can grill, pan-fry, or oven-bake them until they are cooked through and nicely browned.

While the sausages are cooking, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. Place them in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or a potato ricer.

Add butter and a splash of milk or cream to the mashed potatoes, and continue mashing until you achieve your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the cooked sausages on top of the mashed potatoes, and if desired, pour onion gravy over the dish.

The History of “Bangers and Mash” as a College Meal:

Simplicity: The dish is easy to prepare, requiring basic cooking skills and readily available ingredients, making it ideal for students who may have limited cooking facilities or time.

Affordability: Sausages and potatoes are often budget-friendly ingredients, making “Bangers and Mash” a cost-effective meal for students on tight budgets.

Comfort and Nostalgia: The dish’s hearty and comforting nature brings a sense of nostalgia and home-cooked goodness to college students, especially those living away from home for the first time.

Social Meal: “Bangers and Mash” is a dish that can be shared with friends or hallmates, making it a popular choice for communal meals in college dormitories or shared kitchens.

Overall, “Bangers and Mash” has not only been a staple in British cuisine but also a go-to meal for college students seeking a satisfying, simple, and budget-friendly option during their academic years.

Wright College & Village

Standards Australia

Uniform Plumbing Code

“Niagara” 1857 Frederic Edwin Church

Although the 2024 Revision is substantially complete there are a number of technical and administrative issues to be resolved before the final version is released for public use. Free access to the most recent edition is linked below.

CODE DEVELOPMENT

2027 UPC/UMC CODE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE

Report on Comments for the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code

pic.twitter.com/gS9EFYlTgc

— Leslie (@Hopeleslie1234) August 10, 2024

Fontaines

Water fountains enhance campus outdoor settings by creating serene, inviting spaces that promote relaxation and social interaction. Their gentle sounds of flowing water reduce stress, mask noise, and foster a calming atmosphere conducive to study or reflection.

Aesthetically, fountains serve as focal points, adding elegance and visual appeal to courtyards or green spaces. They attract students, faculty, and visitors, encouraging gatherings and community engagement. Environmentally, fountains can support local ecosystems by providing water for birds or plants.

Well-maintained, they symbolize a campus’s commitment to beauty and sustainability, enriching the outdoor experience and enhancing the overall campus ambiance.