Issue: November / December 2023

Los Angeles Community College District Reduces Its Environmental Impact

By Rueben C. Smith, D.C.Sc.

College and university campuses are behemoths of energy consumption, with libraries and server rooms using electricity around the clock, large buildings blasting heat and cooling, sometimes to empty classrooms and offices, and students often oblivious of their energy use during late-night study sessions or the occasional all-nighter. As a result, educational institutions have the potential […]

Sustainable Lab Award Winners Demonstrate Innovative Design and Efficient Operations

By Star Scott and Kathleen Brady

While laboratories and other high-tech facilities are at the forefront of groundbreaking scientific, medical, and technological advancements, they are also far more energy- and resource-intensive than other campus facilities, due to their need for clean, outside air and more frequent air changes to ensure the safety and integrity of researchers and their work. The International […]

AASHE Publishes 2023 Sustainable Campus Index

By Monika Urbanski

The 2023 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI), produced annually by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognizes top-performing colleges and universities by country, institution type, and in 17 sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Used by hundreds of colleges and universities, STARS helps […]

The Bookshelf Nov/Dec 2023

By Theodore J. Weidner, Ph.D., P.E., RA, NCARB, DBIA, CEFP, APPA Fellow

What Do I Have to Offer a Group like APPA?

By David Van Hook, CEFP

Have you ever found yourself wondering why APPA wants you, and not the generic “you” as in an organization, but you in particular? I have. I have often wondered, “What do I have to offer this group? Why do they want me on that team? Do I really have anything to teach the people who […]

Facilities Management: The Key to Elevating Staff Well-being in Education

By Charlie Green

The pursuit of enhancing the well-being of educational staff has moved beyond mere institutional rhetoric and has firmly rooted itself as a genuine priority in educational settings. Global studies and research trends emphasize the importance of staff well-being for educational outcomes. Educational institutions now recognize that compromised staff well-being can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased […]

Human Capital, An Undervalued Asset

By Lindsay Wagner, Ph.D. Field Editor

APPA is delighted to introduce Lindsay Wagner, Ph.D., as the new field editor for the Facility Asset Management column. Lindsay has worked in higher education facilities management for more than 20 years in positions including maintenance mechanic, plumber, project manager, and director. She was drawn to facilities management as a profession while working as a […]

Exploring AI and the Future of Campus Facilities Management

By Craig Park, FSMPS, ASSOC. AIA

APPA is delighted to announce Craig Park as the new field editor of the Technology + Trends column. An architect by training and technologist by practice, Craig is an award-winning and nationally recognized thought leader in the design of communication and collaboration facilities. He is an associate principal and director of digital experience design at […]

Power Management in Campus Data Centers: A Path to Sustainability

By Forrest Secosky

Reimagining data center infrastructure in the age of AI can help campuses balance innovation with carbon reduction initiatives. Demand for data centers is soaring as the world continues to embrace digitalization and greater interconnectivity, and high-performance computing systems supporting the rise of generative AI transform the data center landscape. These facilities, crucial to many institutions, […]

November/December 2023 • volume 39, number 6

Celebrating Campus Sustainability Successes