There are many strategies to prevent school shootings and to keep children safe during the school day, and building design is a key issue.
Some states are mandating that school design have input from public safety officials. Since June 2017, district and charter school officials in Nevada have been required to consult with law enforcement or emergency management before constructing, expanding, or remodeling schools.
New schools tend to have shapes and layout that set boundaries for the students in each school without making it too difficult to move around the building. Security features don’t have to create a prison-like environment to be effective.
For instance, one renovation project of a 1970s brutalist, concrete school added plenty of natural light, while reducing entrance points for more effective monitoring of those entering and exiting. The project also integrated alarms and a public address system to reach all classrooms, offices, and hallways.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 14, 2020
L.A.’s expedited permitting process credited with faster approvals on $1 billion project
Parallel Design-Permitting Process includes flagging elements for correction during conceptual design.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2020
Kansas City is first in nation to offer free public transportation
Aim is to increase mobility to spur more economic activity.
Codes and Standards | Jan 9, 2020
Dept. of Defense will require beefed up cybersecurity standards in January
All contractors will have to demonstrate secure practices.
Codes and Standards | Jan 8, 2020
2019 Oregon Zero Energy Ready commercial code will boost efficiency by 14%
ASHRAE 90.1 is the basis for new code that went into effect Oct. 1.
Codes and Standards | Jan 8, 2020
Energy efficiency initiatives have significantly cut energy consumption per square foot
Lighting and space heating fell by more than 600 trillion Btu from 2003 to 2012.
Building Technology | Jan 7, 2020
Tariff whiplash for bifacial solar modules
Bifacial solar systems offer many advantages over traditional systems.
Codes and Standards | Jan 7, 2020
New certification program for rigid core luxury vinyl tile
ASSURE CERTIFIED to establish industry-wide quality standards.
Codes and Standards | Jan 7, 2020
Boston’s beefed up wetlands ordinance will limit development
Conservation commission must consider future climate impacts when assessing new projects.
Codes and Standards | Jan 6, 2020
States pick up the slack in efficiency policy as federal government lags
With climate change deniers setting policy in Trump Administration, progress continues in statehouses.
Codes and Standards | Jan 6, 2020
OSHA plans multiple revisions to rules impacting construction industry in 2020
Cranes and derricks, welding in confined spaces, beryllium exposure, and more on docket.