Tag Archives: D4

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Mobility & Parking

Statement on the Electric Vehicle Zietgeist

University of Michigan Campus Transportation Master Plan

Die Fachhochschule Wedel bei Hamburg

The Invention of the Wheel – The Journey to Civilization 

Today we amble through the literature providing policy templates informing school district, college and university-affiliated transportation and parking facilities and systems.   Starting 2024 we will break up our coverage thus:

Mobility 100 (Survey of both ground and air transportation instructional and research facilities)

Mobility 200 (Ground Transportation)

Mobility 300 (Air Transportation)

Mobility 400 (Reserved for zoning, parking space allocation and enforcement, and issues related to one of the most troublesome conditions in educational settlements)

Today’s session will be the last when we cover both land and air transportation codes, standards, guidelines and the regulations that depend upon all them. We will break out space and aerospace mobility into a separate session — largely because many universities are tooling up square footage and facilities in anticipation of research grants.

Top Deck View


Public consultation originates from the following organizations:

American Center for Mobility

International Code Council

Electric Vehicle Charging

International Electrotechnical Commission

SyC Smart Cities

International Organization for Standardization

Intelligent Transport Systems
Road Vehicles

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

 Intelligent Transportation Systems Society 

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International)

Like many SDO’s the SAE makes it very easy to purchase a standard but makes it very difficulty to find a draft standard open for public review.  It is not an open process; one must apply to comment on a draft standard.  Moreover, its programmers persist in playing “keep away” with landing pages.

Technical Standards for Road Vehicles and Intelligent Vehicle Systems

 

International Code Council

National Fire Protection Association

Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System

Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals

International Light Transportation Vehicle Association

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accreditation Commission

Gallery: Electric Vehicle Fire Risk


Noteworthy:

The public school bus system in the United States is the largest public transit system in the United States. According to the American School Bus Council, approximately 25 million students in the United States ride school buses to and from school each day, which is more than twice the number of passengers that use all other forms of public transportation combined.

The school bus system is considered a public transit system because it is operated by public schools and school districts, and provides a form of transportation that is funded by taxpayers and available to the general public. The school bus system also plays a critical role in ensuring that students have access to education, particularly in rural and low-income areas where transportation options may be limited.

 

Something is always happening in this domain:

A Quiet Rollout: Electric Scooters on Campus

Notre Dame Police Department shares gameday parking restrictions, tips

Electric School Bus Market Size, Industry Share, Analysis, Report and Forecast 2022-2027

Non profit associations proliferate:

American School Bus Council

American Bus Association

Campus Parking and Transportation Association

National Association for Pupil Transportation

National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services

National School Transportation Association

School Bus Manufacturers Association

…and 50-state spinoffs of the foregoing.  (See our ABOUT for further discussion of education industry non-profit associations)

There are several ad hoc consortia in this domain also; which include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.  Charging specifications are at least temporarily “stable”; though who should pay for the charging infrastructure in the long run is a debate we have tracked for several revision cycles in building and fire codes.

Because incumbents are leading the electromobility transformation, and incumbents have deep pockets for market-making despite the “jankiness” of the US power grid, we can track some (not all) legislation action, and prospective public comment opportunities.   For example:

S. 1254: Stop for School Buses Act of 2019

S. 1750 Clean School Bus Grant Program

S. 1939 / Smarter Transportation Act

Keep in mind that even though proposed legislation is sun-setted in a previous (116th) Congress, the concepts may be carried forward into the following Congress (117th).

Public consultations on mobility technologies relevant to the education facility industry are also covered by the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets 4 times monthly in European and American time zones.

This topic is growing rapidly and it may well be that we will have to break it up into more manageable pieces.  For the moment, today’s colloquium is open to everyone.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Standing Agenda / Mobility

Gallery: Campus Transportation and Parking

 

Campus Rail Transit

The West Virginia University PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) system is a unique and innovative form of public transportation that serves the WVU campus and the city of Morgantown, West Virginia. The PRT system consists of a series of automated, driverless vehicles that operate on an elevated track network, providing fast and convenient transportation to key destinations on and around the WVU campus.

The PRT system was first developed in the 1970s as a solution to the growing traffic congestion and parking demand on the WVU campus. The system was designed to be efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, and to provide a high-tech, futuristic mode of transportation that would appeal to students and visitors.

The PRT system currently operates five different stations, with stops at key campus locations such as the Mountainlair Student Union, the Engineering Research Building, and the Health Sciences Center. The system is free for all WVU students, faculty, and staff, and also offers a low-cost fare for members of the general public.

The PRT system has been recognized as one of the most advanced and innovative public transportation systems in the world, and has won numerous awards for its design, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. It has also become an iconic symbol of the WVU campus, and is often featured in promotional materials and advertising campaigns for the university.

Standards West Virginia

More

Federal Transit Administration

West Virginia Department of Education: School Transportation

“Evaluation of the West Virginia University Personal Rapid Transit System” | A. Katz and A. Finkelstein (Journal of Transportation Engineering, 1987) This paper evaluates the technical and operational performance of the WVU PRT system based on data collected over a six-year period. The authors identify several issues with the system, including maintenance problems, limited capacity, and difficulties with vehicle docking and undocking.

“Modeling of the West Virginia University Personal Rapid Transit System” by J. Schroeder and C. Wilson (Transportation Research Record, 2002) This paper presents a mathematical model of the WVU PRT system that can be used to analyze its performance and identify potential improvements. The authors use the model to evaluate the impact of various factors, such as station dwell time and vehicle capacity, on the system’s overall performance.

“Evaluating the Effectiveness of Personal Rapid Transit: A Case Study of the West Virginia University System” by K. Fitzpatrick, M. Montufar, and K. Schreffler (Journal of Transportation Technologies, 2013) This paper analyzes the effectiveness of the WVU PRT system based on a survey of users and non-users. The authors identify several challenges facing the system, including low ridership, reliability issues, and high operating costs.

Association for Commuter Transportation: Accreditation Standards

 

Reliability Analysis for Power to Fire Pumps

Reliability Analysis for Power to Fire Pump Using Fault Tree and RBD

Robert Schuerger | HP Critical Facilities (Project Lead, Corresponding Author) 

Robert Arno | ITT Excelis Information Systems

Neal Dowling | MTechnology

Michael  A. Anthony | University of Michigan

 

Abstract:  One of the most common questions in the early stages of designing a new facility is whether the normal utility supply to a fire pump is reliable enough to “tap ahead of the main” or whether the fire pump supply is so unreliable that it must have an emergency power source, typically an on-site generator. Apart from the obligation to meet life safety objectives, it is not uncommon that capital on the order of 100000to1 million is at stake for a fire pump backup source. Until now, that decision has only been answered with intuition – using a combination of utility outage history and anecdotes about what has worked before. There are processes for making the decision about whether a facility needs a second source of power using quantitative analysis. Fault tree analysis and reliability block diagram are two quantitative methods used in reliability engineering for assessing risk. This paper will use a simple one line for the power to a fire pump to show how each of these techniques can be used to calculate the reliability of electric power to a fire pump. This paper will also discuss the strengths and weakness of the two methods. The hope is that these methods will begin tracking in the National Fire Protection Association documents that deal with fire pump power sources and can be used as another tool to inform design engineers and authorities having jurisdiction about public safety and property protection. These methods will enlighten decisions about the relative cost of risk control with quantitative information about the incremental cost of additional 9’s of operational availability.

 

 

CLICK HERE to order complete paper

American Vitruvius

University of Michigan North Quad

Robert A. M. Stern is an American architect, educator, and author known for his contributions to the field of architecture, urbanism, and design. Stern has been particularly influential in shaping the aesthetics of educational campuses through his architectural practice and academic involvement. Here are some key aspects of his approach to the aesthetics of educational campuses that attract philanthropic legacies:

  1. Pedagogical Ideals:
    • Stern’s designs for educational campuses often reflect his understanding of pedagogical ideals. He considers the spatial organization and layout of buildings in relation to the educational mission of the institution.
    • Spaces are designed to foster a sense of community, encourage interaction, and support the overall educational experience.
  2. Traditional and Classical Influences:
    • Stern is known for his commitment to classical and traditional architectural styles. He often draws inspiration from historical architectural forms and traditional design principles.
    • His work reflects a belief in the enduring value of classical architecture and its ability to create a sense of timelessness and continuity.
  3. Contextual Design:
    • Stern emphasizes the importance of contextual design, taking into consideration the existing architectural context and the cultural or historical characteristics of the surrounding area.
    • When designing educational campuses, he often seeks to integrate new buildings harmoniously into the existing campus fabric.
  4. Attention to Detail:
    • Stern is known for his meticulous attention to detail. His designs often feature carefully crafted elements, including ornamental details, materials, and proportions.
    • This focus on detail contributes to the creation of visually rich and aesthetically pleasing environments.
  5. Adaptation of Historical Forms:
    • While Stern’s work is firmly rooted in traditional and classical architecture, he also demonstrates an ability to adapt historical forms to contemporary needs. His designs often feature a synthesis of timeless architectural elements with modern functionality.

Hammurabi

Group A Model Building Codes

Art, Design & Fashion Studios

Art presents a different way of looking at things than science; 

one which preserves the mystery of things without undoing the mystery.

Sir Roger Scruton

 

 

NFPA 1 Second Draft Meeting (A2026) June 2 – 3, 2025

“Interior de Ateliê” 1898 Rafael Frederico

We are guided by four interdependent titles that set the standard of care for safety and sustainability of occupancies supporting the fine arts in education communities.

(1)  Chapter 43: Spraying, Dipping and Coating Using Flammable or Combustible Material of NFPA 1: Fire Code.   As a “code” the public has free access to the current 2021 Edition , and Chapter 43 at the link below:

NFPA 1 Fire Code / Chapter 43 Spraying, Dipping and Coating Using Flammable or Combustible Materials

You get a sense of the back-and-forth among the technical committee members from the transcripts of committee activity linked below:

First Revisions Report (282 pages)

Our interest lies in fire safety provisions for educational occupancies with activity involving paint, chemicals used with paint (art studios) and Class III combustible materials (garment design & prototyping).

(2) NFPA also has another title — NFPA 33 Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable or Combustible Materials — provides more detail for instructional and facility maintenance operations activity.

(3) NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, much of which is derived from NFPA 1 (See: “How the Fire Code and Life Safety Code Work Together“)

(4) Finally, the International Code Council develops a competitor title — 2021 International Fire Code — which also provides fire safety standards for art, design and fashion studio safety.  The IFC is developed in the Group A tranche of titles:

2021/2022 Code Development Group A

2024/2025/2026 ICC CODE DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE

We encourage direct participation by education industry user-interests in the ICC and the NFPA code development process.  A user interest in education community would have a job title similar to the following: Principal, Dean, President, Chief of Business Operations, Facility Manager, Trade Shop Foreman.

Harvard University

We maintain all four titles identified in this post on the standing agenda of our Prometheus (fire safety) and Fine Arts colloquia.   See our CALENDAR for the next online meeting; open to everyone.

Issue: [10-31] [16-64]

Category: Fire Safety

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Josh Evolve, Marcelo Hirschler


More

Northeastern University: Safety Guide for Art Studios

Princeton University: Art Safety

University of Chicago Art Studio Safety Policy

 

Redivivus

Today we pick through the literature for best practice in recycling enterprises in education communities.  We have been keeping pace with the evolution of regulations in this domain for over 15 years now.  Much like the security zietgeist the number of organizations involved in standards setting and conformance will likely surprise you.  It is a cross cutting topic with a growing body of expert agencies claiming some part of the domain.

We will also pick through a few representative legislative proposals.   Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Art Wall from Recycled Materials 2017 Barbara Rucci

Cloud based smart recycling bin for waste classification

Research on recycling of industrial waste

Smart Recycling Machine to collect the wasted Non-woven Fabric Face Mask

Curriculum for Effective Recycling

Readings / Evaluating Water-Damaged Electrical Equipment


*May 10, 2021

We have been keeping pace with the evolution of regulations in this domain for over 15 years now.  Hydra-like growth in policy think tanks and standards-developing organizations expanding into this domain will likely surprise you.  For example, in no particular order:

College and University Recycling Association

NSF International Joint Committee on Environmental Leadership Standard for Servers

Sustainability Leadership for Photovoltaic Modules

Reconditioned Electrical Equipment

Sustainable Electronics Recycling International

Environmental Protection Agency: Land, Waste, and Cleanup Topics

As in other domains, the private standards system competes with government “influencers” and incumbent proxies who make markets through legislation.

Specific requirements must be met for recycling to be economically feasible and environmentally effective. These include an adequate source of recyclates, a system to extract those recyclates from the waste stream, a nearby factory capable of reprocessing the recyclates, and a potential demand for the recycled products. These last two requirements are often overlooked—without both an industrial market for production using the collected materials and a consumer market for the manufactured goods, recycling is incomplete and in fact only “collection”.

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