On a crisp October day in 2018, Jennifer Gonsalves walked through Yale campus, the civil engineer in her appreciating century-old Gothic and neo-Georgian architecture. When she reached 222 York Street, Yale’s main theater, her gaze—like that of so many drama students—swept up the stone façade. Gonsalves continued her walk past the other eight buildings on […]
Case Studies College and University
Lawrence Rubin – Florida State University
Ask anyone who attended a large state university what their favorite part of college was, and you’ll get a variety of answers. From getting an education that hopefully leads to a successful career and making lifelong friends to going to football and basketball games and parties, the college experience is vast. At Florida State University, […]
Roberta Wright – Patrick & Henry Community College
As a slew of general contractors will attest, there’s a definite shortage of young people entering the trades, but those who do are well-positioned for career growth. At least in some locales, the message seems well taken, including at Patrick & Henry Community College where there’s been a waiting list of students seeking training in […]
Marcel Falkenham – Acadia University
The old saying goes that the road to success is paved with failures. Modern times call for an upgraded adage: The road to green energy and sustainability is illuminated by LED lights. Many of those innovative roads weave through college and university campuses, where the exterior architecture may be traditional, but renovated interiors bring modern […]
Craig Cason and Dr. Donna Souder Hodge – CSU Pueblo
When Colorado State University Pueblo set a goal of being the state’s first net zero campus, it had more in mind than simply switching to LED lighting. Taking advantage of its sprawling campus, the university is building a 24-acre solar farm. The project, which is part of an energy performance contract, will save the university […]
Malcolm LeMay – Oregon State University College of Business
After upgrading HVAC systems to protect against COVID-19, Malcolm LeMay had to shut them down. The director of operations had been “bringing in as much air as possible” at Oregon State University College of Business from March to September of 2020 to limit the spread of the virus. Then, just before students returned for the […]
Ron Reed – Western New Mexico University
For Ronald Reed, switching from a career in baking to one in construction was easier than he thought. If you’re used to reading a recipe, you can easily understand construction guidelines, he explains—just replace one-third of a cup for one-third of a building. After 13 years of running The Dessert Company, a bakery and lunch […]
Chris Policastro – Duke University
It was shaping up as a Spring Break like any other at Duke University in March 2020. With most students gone for the week, the facilities staff was preparing to spruce up the popular Wilson Recreation Center, readying it for the end of the semester. As Chris Policastro recalls, the plan was for a detailed […]
Michelle Swanitz – California Polytechnic State University
It would be a typical day on the job for Michelle Swanitz, one that had her responding to one situation after another before the sun set on the Central California coast. Director of facilities for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Swanitz was handling […]
Brian Larson – University of North Dakota
Imagine you’re pulling an all-nighter for a crucial exam at the University of North Dakota, downing enough Red Bulls to fill a bathtub, when you’re suddenly overcome by a craving for a Chick-fil-A sandwich. What do you do? Drive to the fast-food alley in Grand Forks, of course. Before long, though, that late-night run won’t […]
