M5 Archives - Standards Michigan

Translatio Studii

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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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

Outdoor Events

“Panoramic View of the Greek Amphitheatre at Syracuse” / Abraham Louis Rodolphe Ducros (18th Century)

Today at 15:00 UTC explore best practice literature for outdoor events in cross-cutting fashion; refreshing our understanding about how we make such events in academic settings safe, sustainable and successful. Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Bleachers, Folding Seating & Grandstands

Audio Standards

Amphitheaters

Audiovisual Experiences

Lightning Protection Systems

Rain & Lightning

Sport Scoreboards

Form v. Function | Function v. Form

Audio and Music Engineering

Virtual reality technology in evacuation simulation of sport stadiums

May Ball

May Balls are typically organized by committees of students from the hosting college, who plan and coordinate various aspects of the event, including the theme, decorations, catering, entertainment, and ticket sales.

The proceeds from May Balls go towards charitable causes or to support college funds. The event provides an opportunity for students to celebrate the end of the academic year, socialize with peers, alumni, and guests, and create lasting memories of their time at Cambridge.

Cambridge University Estates Division

Relevant codes and standards:

Approved Documents

British Standard BS 7671

Electricity – Systems in Buildings

Ventilation: Approved Document F

Key Updates on Fire Safety Standards

❤️ pic.twitter.com/pmQp9jUuCF

— Dr. Maya C. Popa (@MayaCPopa) May 26, 2023

LIVE: KAFA 97.7 FM | THE ACADEMY

“We see that the Pacific theater presents significantly longer distances than any theater we operated in the recent past, and that’s going to present some pretty significant fuel/logistic supply chain risk,” said DAD Roberto Guerrero.https://t.co/ncdcEwP6d3

— Air Force Energy (@AFEnergy) May 15, 2023

How many pounds of stuffing can a C-5 carry? Asking for a friend… #HappyThanksgiving @TeamCharleston @Travis60AMW pic.twitter.com/kKkBIEC5py

— Air Force Energy (@AFEnergy) November 23, 2021

Cavatina

Original Score (Stanley Myers)

Mandeville Conservatory of Music | Cavatina from the movie “The Deer Hunter”, composed by Stanley Myershttps://t.co/aS2yY4cizx https://t.co/h6sTxxiw7X pic.twitter.com/lfDaRGpkgm

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) November 11, 2018

“Cavatina” Performed as part of the Guitar Ensembles’ Concert in the Memorial Hall of Bishop’s Stortford College@BSCollege
print(“LunchHour1600UTC”); weekday(2)https://t.co/7i9S3FZs9u pic.twitter.com/yUpH5UXs96

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) December 1, 2021

“The Cavatina” 1970 Stanley Myers
University of Illinois School of Music@IllinoisMusic
print(“Evensong”)https://t.co/MiBuOOsWEZ pic.twitter.com/vhRXle9GIR

— Standards Michigan (@StandardsMich) August 14, 2022

I-Codes

Hephaestus: God of Fire, Metalwork, and Building

Today we survey the broad sweep of the International Code Council catalog of best practice titles; incorporated by reference into public safety regulations in most of the United States. This session will be a “survey” and “organizational” session when we limit detail and simply identify priority titles and the technical specifics in play over the next twelve months.

Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

2024/2025/2026 International Code Council Code Development Schedule

Complete Monographs (To be posted soon)

International Green Construction Code: Definitions

International Fire Code

Storm Shelters

Hammurabi

International Energy Conservation Code

Sport Occupancies

International Mechanical Code

Higher Education Laboratories

Interior Finishes

Morning Shower

International Building Code | Electrical

Day Care

Stadium & Arena Structural Engineering

Off-Site Construction

K-TAG Matrix for Healthcare Facilities

IoT Enabled Smart Gardening

Nikhil Sukhdev – Naman Nahata

PES University, Bangalore, India

Sunil Sridhara – Gnana Swamy

CTAS Development

Abstract: Internet of Things (IoT) is the interconnection of physical objects and devices to the internet and in turn to each other to aid decision making. This paper deals with automation of gardening systems using IoT. With water resources becoming ever so scarce by the day, it has become imperative that we use water extremely judiciously in all walks of our daily life. We track the environmental conditions such as humidity of the soil, and temperature and take an appropriate route towards the problem. Based on the data collected, we run algorithms which help keep the garden in good condition and at the same time using resources optimally.

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