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Rise in Tornadoes, Floods Poses Risk to Colleges
What if the sort of extreme weather that has left the University of Iowa inundated in floodwaters is not a freak event? What if it is a sign of things to come? (Photograph by AP Images)
Art & Architecture Renovations Near Completion at Yale U.
Paul Rudolph's 1963 Brutalist icon is getting a makeover, plus an addition by Charles Gwathmey.
Guest Blogger: Anne Stephenson
Even the greenest construction project increases a college’s carbon footprint.
Other News
Land-Rich Universities Weigh New Options for Real-Estate Development
Universities are taking advantage of new ways to develop their holdings through corporate partnerships, a new report says.
U. of Iowa Begins Mucking Out and Assessing the Damage
The university's insurer spent the weekend starting to assess the damage to the auditorium and 19 other flooded buildings.
U. of Iowa Flooding Takes Costly Toll in Research and Equipment
Parking lots are under water, some roads leading to the campus are closed, and the campus utility infrastructure is damaged.
New campus buildings
Multimedia
A Green Building as a Billboard for Science
(A 2006 Chronicle video)
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About Buildings & Grounds
Buildings & Grounds is written by Scott Carlson (left) and Lawrence Biemiller (right). Scott Carlson writes about architecture, facilties, energy, and sustainability, among other topics. Lawrence Biemiller writes about architecture and facilities and contributes to Notes from Academe. What's happening on your campus? Let us know.
The Maintenance Bill at University of Maryland: $620-Million
A stunning story in The Diamondback, the student newspaper at the University of Maryland at College Park, reveals that deferred maintenance at the university is estimated at $620-million. And it’s not like the university is catching up. In 2005 the cost was estimated at $500-million.
University officials said the state does not contribute enough money to cover maintenance demands.
“Garth C. Rockcastle, dean of the architecture college, described conditions in his school’s building as ‘structurally problematic,’” writes Tirza Austin. “If it weren’t for the rusting steel beams inside the pillars that support the building, the concrete walls and ceiling would likely have collapsed from erosion, he said.”
Insulation and energy systems at the University of Maryland are inadequate and, in some cases, haven’t been updated for years. (The university, incidentally, landed at No. 15 on Grist magazine’s list of greenest colleges last year, mainly for energy initiatives.)
The Diamondback relayed a compelling anecdote about the electrical system: “Ancient breakers needed to operate the lights around the campus are no longer produced by manufacturers, so university officials have to special order them at $20,000 to $30,000 per breaker…. While officials wait for the breakers’ special production, generators must be rented at $10,000 a week.”
Scott Carlson | Wednesday March 26, 2008 | Permalink | Contact usComments
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Next: Ruling Halts Work on Glass Addition to 1904 Building at Denison U.
This sounds SO familiar. We have a similar situation in our state and the legislature doesn’t seem to realize that by failing to provide for basic building maintenance, the problem is not static until they are ready to pay for it – it gets progressively worse and exponentially more expensive. How can they not see the ultimate value in maintaining their investment?
— Deborah Mar 26, 01:15 PM #
The problem is that political rhetoric has changed the public view so that all taxes are seen as “bad”. What happened to the cultural agreement that public education is worth paying for, and that requires taxes?
Taxes are necessary in our society; the only questions are how much, and what for. Higher education is one of the “what for” answers.
— Al Mar 26, 04:01 PM #
Maryland already has pretty high taxes. It seemed to me when I was there that too much went to the Highway Department and Corrections at the expense of higher ed.
The shape of highways in MD is really excellent, but perhaps a rating of “good” would be enough. And corrections needs funds no doubt, but it’s short-sighted not to reduce crime by ensuring that young people are better educated.
— Eyeshade Mar 26, 06:45 PM #