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Fireplace Lounges

Facilities Operations and Development | Office of Student Life: How to Operate a Fire Extinguisher

Standards Ohio: Fall-Winter

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Student Life Facilities

Standards Ohio

Fireplace Safety

Why Are So Many Women Not Having Children?

Inglenook

Tax-Free Bonds

Current Referenda | Ballotpedia

 

As the adage goes: “The cure for high prices, is high prices”. Today–ahead of the August primary elections in the United States (when bond referenda appear on ballots — we explore fiscal runaway with particular interest in the instruments that finance construction of the real assets. We recap what we have been doing for 30-odd years placing downward pressure on life-cycle cost.

Perspective:

    • The largest school bond referendum on ballots in November 2025 is the $1.4 billion package for Richardson Independent School District (ISD) in Texas.
    • University of Michigan’s 2025  $2 billion general revenue bonds
    • New York University’s 2025 $2.18 billion bonds through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York
    • The largest school bond referendum on ballots in November 2024 was Measure US for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in California, totaling $9 billion.
    • In the November 2022 elections, a significant number of school bond referenda were presented to voters across the United States. For example, in Wisconsin alone, there were 57 successful capital referenda amounting to nearly $2.1 billion in authorized debt​ (Wisconsin Policy Forum)
    • In Texas, Central Texas schools had a total of $4.24 billion in bonds on the ballot, covering various propositions for school facilities, technology improvements, and athletic facilities​ (Fox 7 Austin)
    • In California and Arkansas, bond measures totaling $74 million — including school choice — were aimed at addressing school facility improvements​ (The74Million)
    • Voters in 16 North Carolina counties approved bond issues totaling $4.27 billion, with $3.08 billion dedicated to K-12 public school construction and improvements​ (EducationNC)

“The cure for high prices, is high prices” — They say.

Today we explore fiscal runaway in the US education “industry” with particular interest in the financing instruments for building the real assets that are the beating heart of culture in neighborhoods, cities, counties and states.  We steer clear of social and political issues.  The marketing of these projects — and how the loans are paid off — provides insight into the costs and benefits of this $100+ billion industry; the largest non-residential building construction market in the United States.

Educational Settlement Finance

We cannot do much to stop the hyperbolically rising cost of administrative functionaries but we can force the incumbents we describe in our ABOUT to work a little harder to reduce un-used (or un-useable) space and reduce maintenance cost.  Sometimes simple questions result in obvious answers that result in significant savings.

More recently hybrid teaching and learning space, owing the the circumstances of the pandemic, opens new possibilities for placing downward pressure on cost.

What the University of Michigan has done to reduce the life cycle cost of the real assets of educational settlements

Gallery: School Bond Referenda

Regulation or Money-Laundering?

Every school building begins twice: first in the bond market, and later on the construction site.  After Architect-Engineers and Building Construction Contractors (many of whom finance election advocacy enterprises) the following organizations are involved in placing a bond on the open market:

  1. School Districts: Individual school districts issue bonds to fund construction or renovation of school facilities, purchase equipment, or cover other educational expenses. Each school district is responsible for managing its own bond issuances.
  2. Colleges and Universities: Higher education institutions, such as universities and colleges, issue bonds to finance campus expansions, construction of new academic buildings, dormitories, research facilities, and other capital projects.
  3. State-Level Agencies: Many states have agencies responsible for overseeing and coordinating bond issuances for schools and universities. These agencies may facilitate bond sales, help ensure compliance with state regulations, and provide financial assistance to educational institutions.
  4. Municipal Finance Authorities: Municipal finance authorities at the state or local level often play a role in facilitating bond transactions for educational entities. They may act as intermediaries in the bond issuance process.
  5. Investment Banks and Underwriters: Investment banks and underwriters assist educational institutions in structuring and selling their bonds to investors. They help determine bond terms, market the bonds, and manage the offering.
  6. Bond Counsel: Bond counsel, typically law firms, provide legal advice to educational institutions on bond issuances. They help ensure that the bond issuance complies with all legal requirements and regulations.
  7. Rating Agencies: Rating agencies, such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings, assess the creditworthiness of the bonds and assign credit ratings. These ratings influence the interest rates at which the bonds can be issued.
  8. Investors: Various institutional and individual investors, including mutual funds, pension funds, and individual bond buyers, purchase school and university bonds as part of their investment portfolios.
  9. Financial Advisors: Financial advisory firms provide guidance to educational institutions on bond issuances, helping them make informed financial decisions related to borrowing and debt management.
  10. Regulatory Authorities: Federal and state regulatory authorities, such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and state-specific agencies, oversee and regulate the issuance of bonds to ensure compliance with securities laws and financial regulations.

These organizations collectively contribute to the process of issuing, selling, and managing school and university bonds in the United States, allowing educational institutions to raise the necessary funds for their capital projects and operations. The specific entities involved may vary depending on the size and location of the educational institution and the nature of the bond issuance.

Bond issuances affect local property values.

Lights Out

 

Ice Hockey Arena Lighting

National Collegiate Athletic Association: August 2022 IRS Form 900 Tax Filing

"People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy" -- Anton Chekhov

After athletic arena life safety obligations are met (governed legally by NFPA 70, NFPA 101, NFPA 110,  the International Building Code and possibly other state adaptations of those consensus documents incorporated by reference into public safety law) business objective standards may come into play.For almost all athletic facilities,  the consensus documents of the Illumination Engineering Society[1], the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers[2][3] provide the first principles for life safety.  For business purposes, the documents distributed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association inform the standard of care for individual athletic arenas so that swiftly moving media production companies have some consistency in power sources and illumination as they move from site to site.  Sometimes concepts to meet both life safety and business objectives merge.

 

During hockey season the document linked below provides information to illumination designers and facility managers:

NCAA Best Lighting Practices

Athletic programs are a significant source of revenue and form a large part of the foundation of the brand identity of most educational institutions in the United States.   We focus primarily upon the technology standards that govern the safety, performance and sustainability of these enterprises.  We collaborate very closely with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee where subject matter experts in electrical power systems meet 4 times each month in the Americas and Europe.

See our CALENDAR for our next colloquium on Sport facility codes and standards.   We typically walk through the safety and sustainability concepts in play; identify commenting opportunities; and find user-interest “champions” on the technical committees who have a similar goal in lowering #TotalCostofOwnership.

"People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy" -- Anton Chekhov

Issue: [15-138]*

Category: Electrical, Architectural, Arts & Entertainment Facilities, Athletics

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Jack Janveja, Jose Meijer, Scott Gibbs

LEARN MORE:

[1] Illumination Engineering Handbook

[2] IEEE 3001.9 Recommended Practice for Design of Power Systems for Supplying Lighting Systems for Commercial & Industrial Facilities

[3] IEEE 3006.1 Power System Reliability

 

* Issue numbering before 2016 dates back to the original University of Michigan codes and standards advocacy enterprise 

The “Sugaring” Season

Standards Vermont

Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States, and the maple syrup industry is an important part of the state’s economy and culture. Vermont maple syrup is renowned for its high quality and distinctive flavor, and many people around the world seek out Vermont maple syrup specifically.

The maple syrup industry in Vermont is primarily made up of small-scale family farms, where maple sap is collected from sugar maple trees in early spring using a process called “sugaring.” The sap is then boiled down to produce pure maple syrup, which is graded according to its color and flavor. Vermont maple syrup is graded on a scale from Grade A (lighter in color and milder in flavor) to Grade B (darker in color and more robust in flavor).

The Vermont maple syrup industry is heavily regulated to ensure quality and safety, and the state has strict standards for labeling and grading maple syrup. In addition to pure maple syrup, many Vermont maple producers also make maple candy, maple cream, and other maple products.

University of Vermont Facilities Management

Vermont

Winter Sport

 

“Indians Playing Lacrosse on the Ice” 1934 Yale University Art Gallery

The literature for designing, building and maintaining sport and recreation related spaces in education settlements cuts across so many safety and sustainability risk aggregations that, starting 2024, we begin breaking up the topic according to four seasons; mindful that not all seasons are present in all settlements at all times of the year and in different age groups.

Volleyball at the high school level in the USA is a winter sport but a fall sport at the collegiate level.  Rifle and Fencing is only a collegiate sport.  Swimming “short course” (25 meter) competition is a winter sport depending upon regional facilities. (e.g. University of Southern California, University of North Carolina Wilmington, University of Michigan)

Join us today when we sort through the literature and any live public consultations on proposed changes to the most frequently referenced titles.

Hockey

Ice Hockey Arena Lighting

Figure Skating

Rifle

Recreation

Darts

Ice Fishing

Curling

Billiards

Swimming

Coetzenburg Swimming Pool

Related:

Readings / Sport, Culture & Society

Maths and Sport

National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security

Virtual reality technology in evacuation simulation of sport stadiums

 

Ice Swimming

January 1st is Polar Bear Plunge Day in the Great Lakes.  February should just be renamed ‘We Survived New Year’s Insanity, Now We Freeze Quietly’ Month’.  It is also popular among the young in other “watery” universities around the world.

2023 St. Clair College Polar Bear Plunge

2022 Cool School Polar Plunge

Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan

Pleasures and Hazards

Pleasures:

  1. Increased adrenaline rush: Cold water swimming can produce a surge of adrenaline in the body, which can make you feel more energized and alert.
  2. Improved mood: Cold water swimming has been associated with an increased release of endorphins, which can elevate your mood and reduce stress levels.
  3. Improved immune function: Cold water swimming has been shown to improve immune function, possibly due to the stress response induced by the cold water.
  4. Sense of accomplishment: Many people find ice swimming to be a challenging and rewarding experience, providing a sense of accomplishment and pride.
  5. Social bonding: Ice swimming can be a social activity, with groups of people coming together to share the experience and support each other.

Hazards:

  1. Hypothermia: Prolonged exposure to cold water can cause hypothermia, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.
  2. Cold shock response: Entering cold water can cause an involuntary gasp reflex, which can lead to drowning if it occurs while the head is underwater.
  3. Heart problems: Cold water swimming can put a strain on the heart and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in people with underlying cardiovascular disease.
  4. Frostbite: Exposed skin can become frostbitten in cold water, particularly in extremities such as the fingers and toes.
  5. Injury from slipping or falling: Ice swimming can be hazardous if proper safety precautions are not taken, such as wearing appropriate footwear and using a rope or ladder to enter and exit the water.

 

College Polar Bear Plunges

2023 St. Clair College Polar Bear Plunge

2022 Cool School Polar Plunge

Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan

Heat Tracing Installation

“Vue de toits (effet de neige)” 1878 Gustave Caillebotte

One of the core documents for heat tracing is entering a new 5-year revision cycle; a consensus standard that is especially relevant this time of year because of the personal danger and property damage that is possible in the winter months.  Education communities depend upon heat tracing for several reasons; just a few of them listed below:

  • Ice damming in roof gutters that can cause failure of roof and gutter structural support
  • Piping systems for sprinkler systems and emergency power generation equipment
  • Sidewalk, ramp and stairway protection

IEEE 515 Standard for the Testing, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Resistance Trace Heating for Industrial Applications is one of several consensus documents for trace heating technology.   Its inspiration originates in the petrochemical industry but its principles apply to all education facilities exposed to cold temperature and snow.   From its prospectus:

This standard provides requirements for the testing, design,installation, and maintenance of electrical resistance trace heating in general industries as applied to pipelines, vessels, pre-traced and thermally insulated instrument tubing and piping, and mechanical equipment. The electrical resistance trace heating is in the form of series trace heaters, parallel trace heaters, and surface heating devices. The requirements also include test criteria to determine the suitability of these heating devices utilized in unclassified (ordinary) locations.

Its principles can, and should be applied with respect to other related documents:

National Electrical Code Article 427

NECA 202 Standard for Installing and Maintaining Industrial Heat Tracing Systems

IEC 62395 Electrical resistance trace heating systems for industrial and commercial applications

 ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings

Lowell House / Harvard University

We are happy to explain the use of this document in design guidelines and/or construction specifications during any of our daily colloquia.   We generally find more authoritative voices in collaborations with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets 4 times per month in Europe and in the Americas.  We maintain this title on the standing agenda of our Snow & Ice colloquia.  See our CALENDER for the next online meeting.

Issue: [18-331]

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Kane Howard

Category: Electrical, #SmartCampus

LEARN MORE:

Good Building Practice for Northern Facilities

Electrical Heat Tracing:International Harmonization Now and in the Future, IEEE Industry Standards Magazine, May/June 2002 pages 50-56

 

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

 

Electrical heat tracing: international harmonization-now and in the future

C. Sandberg

Tyco Thermal Controls

N.R. Rafferty – M. Kleinehanding – J.J. Hernandez

E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, Inc 

 

Abstract:  In the past, electrical heat tracing has been thought of as a minor addition to plant utilities. Today, it is recognized as a critical subsystem to be monitored and controlled. A marriage between process, mechanical, and electrical engineers must take place to ensure that optimum economic results are produced. The Internet, expert systems, and falling costs of instrumentation will all contribute to more reliable control systems and improved monitoring systems. There is a harmonization between Europe and North America that should facilitate design and installation using common components. The future holds many opportunities to optimize the design.

CLICK HERE to order complete paper

 

Heat Tracing Installation

Industrial electroheating and electromagnetic processing

Pipe Heating

Heat Tracing

Fireplace Safety


Many accommodations such as dormitories, fraternities and sororities have working fireplaces — wood burning and natural gas.  Community spaces such as student unions, libraries and recreation spaces also have fireplaces as a central feature.

The purpose of NFPA 211 is to reduce fire hazards by discovering and promulgating best practice for the safe removal of flue gases, the proper installation of solid fuel-burning appliances, and the correct construction and installation of chimneys, fireplaces, and venting systems.  The current 2019 Edition is linked below:

Free Access: NFPA 221 Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances

The 2024 has been released.  To guide our inquiry into safety and sustainability concepts for the 2027 Edition we like review the developmental transcripts of previous edition:

Public Input Report

Second Revisions Report

Public comment on the First Draft of the 2027 Edition will be received until June 3, 2025. 

Public comment on the Second Draft of the 2027 Edition will be received until March 31, 2026. 

We encourage facility managers to recommend improvements to this standard by setting up a (Free) NFPA account the link below:

Online submission of public input and public comments

We maintain this standard on our periodic Prometheus and Housing colloquia.  Consult our CALENDAR for the next online meeting, open to everyone

Link to parent standard:

Code ignis MMXXVII

NFPA 211: Articles and News

University of Rochester Fireplace Safety

American Gas Association: How Natural Gas Fuels Your Holiday Traditions

Natural Gas Transmission & Distribution

 

Winter Birds


Birds in Winter

 

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