Openness, Accessibility Welcome Students to ‘Hang Out' 24/7
Miami University's year-old School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) building has helped the liberal arts institution triple its engineering offerings and double the number of engineering students, while offering a hands-on, broad-based curriculum.

Bridging the Gap Between Science Concepts and Realities
The University of Michigan (UM) hopes its new Undergraduate Science Building (USB) will become a leading-edge resource for teaching techniques that push the envelope, using the latest in technology and multiple classroom designs. As the University works through the kinks in the experimental building, it expects to home in on what works and what isn't effective when it comes to instruction.

Unconventional Planning and Construction Strategies Facilitate Future Fit-Out
Calling the Life Sciences Technology Building (LSTB) at Cornell University a facility of the future is an understatement. From the first day of planning, it was understood by all stakeholders that the LSTB would be a speculative building aimed at attracting new faculty.

New Life Sciences Teaching and Research Center is Designed for Flexibility
The one thing that is certain about science is that nothing about it is certain. Methodologies change constantly as new fields arise out of old ones, and specialists learn to collaborate in new ways. On the other hand, science buildings--frequently the most costly facilities that colleges and universities construct--must be designed to last for generations. The only way to reconcile these two realities is to design the buildings to be flexible enough to change along with the scientific research that takes place inside.

If It's Not Broken, Don't Fix It
Read any warranty and it will tell you that the promise is void if you don't maintain the product according to manufacturer specifications. This is true for everything from toasters to turbines. But can you do too much maintenance? Is it ever more cost-effective to just leave the equipment alone? Paul Ring, vice president at CH2M HILL, says it is and money wasted on improper or excessive maintenance comes straight from the bottom line, robbing a company of funds for its core mission.

Reorganization Increases Productivity, Morale, and Customer Satisfaction
Since 2002, a reorganization of the Facilities Management Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center has improved facilities workers' job performance, morale, and customer service, and has been instrumental in increasing much-needed funding for the facilities department.