Free from lock and key
Electronic access-control solution replaces mechanical security system
Videx. The mechanical lock and key system at Stonington Public School System, Old Mystic, Conn., offered no effective way to control and audit access to school buildings. The school system wanted a security method that would enable it to identify people accessing school buildings and note the time of entry so this information could be recalled if an incident occurred.
Stonington Schools chose CyberLock because of its financial feasibility and its flexibility. CyberLock electronic cylinders were easy to install; the cylinders fit into the existing mechanical lock hardware, and no wiring was needed.
“I don't see how you can go wrong,” says Ken Donovan, facility manager. “You can have electronic access control for under $300 per door.”
Stonington Schools replaced the mechanical cylinders in the existing lock hardware on its fire-rated doors with CyberLock electronic cylinders to avoid the huge costs of a wired-in system. The fire code prohibited the district from drilling through a fire-rated door, modifying the jamb, or moving the door to another location.
The school system purchased the cylinders in small batches to work within its budget. Its goal was to install them in all of the buildings, beginning with the high school.
The security system's flexibility became useful when Stonington Schools experienced trouble with vending-machine theft. Someone had ordered a master key from the Internet and was stealing from the cafeteria vending machine. Putting in an electronic cylinder eliminated the problem.
“Not only does it [CyberLock] ensure security, it gives the teachers peace of mind as well,” says Donovan. “They know that if something goes wrong, the system will show who was there.”
Circle 312 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Lab exhaust system
Greenheck. The Vektor-CD (Centrifugal High Plume Dilution) Laboratory Exhaust System safely exhausts laboratory work environments. It uses a backward curved flat blade and backward curved airfoil blade that allow for efficient operation with reduced energy consumption and lower overall sound levels.
Circle 300 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Recycled fiber products
Kimberly-Clark/SCOTT. Recycled fiber and process chlorine-free SCOTT brand towel and tissue products are designed for customers who use 100 percent recycled fiber products. The new offerings include SCOTT brand 100 percent recycled fiber C-Fold Towels, Multi-Fold Towels, JRT Jr. Bathroom Tissue and Standard Roll Bathroom Tissue. A 100 percent recycled fiber SURPASS Facial Tissue also will be available in the coming months.
Circle 301 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
All-purpose disinfectant
Clorox. Clorox Pro Quaternary All-Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner is EPA-registered to kill germs, including healthcare-associated and community-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA). It can be used on a variety of hard, non-porous surfaces and potential CA-MRSA “hot spots,” including shower stalls, exercise equipment and mats, whirlpool units, steam rooms, artificial turf and helmets, and outdoor play equipment. It also can be used on surfaces in other work environments such as desks, bathrooms, handles and tables.
Circle 302 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
$5 million grant
Miracle Recreation Equipment Co. Miracle's Grants for America's Schools program will award up to $5 million in grant money to help schools fund the purchase of Miracle commercial play and recreation equipment to help children learn through physical, social and cognitive development. The program will help fund the construction of more than 1,200 playgrounds throughout the United States, benefiting more than 60,000 children.
Circle 303 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Rooftop HVAC
Lennox. The Landmark R-410 rooftop unit line is ideal for both emergency and planned replacement jobs. Every 2- to 6-ton unit is ENERGY STAR-qualified for energy savings and meets 2010 efficiency standards. Available in gas/electric, cooling only (electric heat) and heat-pump models, all Landmark units use R-410A (the environmentally friendlier refrigerant replacing the chlorine-containing R-22). The units are available with stainless-steel heat exchangers, coil corrosion protection and hinged doors. They contain several standard features for convenience and a wide range of field-installed accessories.
Circle 304 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Recycling cart
Meese Orbitron Dunne Co. The Sortasaurus Trux line of recycling collection carts was developed to promote recycling and streamline the sorting process for recycling processors. The cart has three durable vinyl liners set within a weather-resistant, powder-coated steel frame on a combination wood and steel base with industrial-strength casters. The individual compartments enable plastic, glass, metals, paper or different grades of the same material to be separated at the point of collection rather than manually during processing.
Circle 305 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Hygienic hand dryer
World Dryer Corp. The AirForce hand dryer uses multiple air jet technology that dries hands fast, using only 1.1 kilowatts of energy. It has a lightweight design; a sleek and modern die-cast aluminum cover; and is available in white, black or polished chrome. It is coated with SteriTouch patented anti-bacterial technology, making it a safe option for hygienic restrooms.
Circle 306 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Rust-guard chair
Palmer Snyder. PS Event Furniture has introduced a new steel coating technology for “polyfold” indoor/outdoor folding chairs. This new coating technology prevents the formation of rust in all types of weather conditions. The EventXpress C600RG Folding Chair features an 18-gauge, ¾-inch diameter, tubular steel frame with a molded polypropylene plastic seat and back. Each chair weighs 7.1 pounds. Palmer Snyder guarantees that C600RG chairs will have no rust problems for a period of three years from the date of shipment.
Circle 307 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Card printing
Nisca. The Nisca PR-C101 card printer has a lightweight construction and small footprint. The card exit location can be switched from the front or back of the printer. An all-in-one removable ribbon cartridge with cleaning roller makes changing the consumables and cleaning the printer virtually maintenance-free.
Circle 308 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Embracing the digital era
Enterprise video communications solution centralizes university's technical assets and increases enrollment
Media Publisher. Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, sought to deliver supplemental learning resources in a more dynamic format to accommodate its “digital-era” students. Still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Rita, the university had to maximize its existing IT investments and use its funds in the best way possible.
Media Publisher helped the university enhance and extend its curriculum by initiating an enterprise video communications (EVC) solution. The EVC software has centralized the university's existing video assets, allowing users to find, publish and reuse them easily. It enables faculty to communicate more efficiently and consistently with colleagues and students while maximizing the return from existing IT investments.
The benefits of the software include increased enrollment because of technology-enhanced education in the classroom and through online courses. The university also has seen greater employee and student satisfaction. Faculty members are able to create and share their own training materials, leveraging the expertise and creativity of its educational staff.
Lamar University views its video system not as a technical luxury, but as a cost of doing business that enhances its ability to deliver its mission of “expanding minds and shaping futures.”
Circle 313 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Bringing down the decibel level
Heat pump designed for quiet operation improves classroom learning environment
Bard. Val Verde Unified School District, Perris, Calif., has managed its population growth with modular construction techniques in many of its buildings. Although inexpensive to build, they can be noisy.
“For a long time, we were looking at ways to improve the quality and acoustics of our building's construction,” says Todd Butcher, director of maintenance and operations. “We also wanted to see if we could obtain quieter-operating air-conditioning units. Our goal was to reduce the overall decibel levels within each of our classrooms.”
Geary Pacific, the local distributor of Bard HVAC equipment, suggested the district test the Quiet Climate 2 heat pump. Designed specifically to provide quiet operation in classrooms, especially portable units, the pump provides operating sound levels that are 20 to 35 times quieter than a standard wall-mounted heat pump. The HVAC unit also is 44 percent more energy-efficient and uses Earth-friendly refrigerants. Its one-piece design enables fast installation and reduced service costs.
Since the district installed the Quiet Climate 2 in its audiology laboratory, the overall ambient noise level in the clinic has dropped from 58 dbA to 37 dbA (decibels recorded 10 feet in front of the unit.)
“The environment for evaluating our students has improved by at least 200 percent,” says Randy Lerner, district audiologist. “With the old unit, I had to turn it off during a testing session because it was so loud,” says Lerner. “Now students comment on how quiet the lab is — and that's when the unit is on!”
Circle 314 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Portable soccer goal
Bison Inc. All official-size (24-foot by 8-foot) Bison Shootout Soccer portable goals are compatible with gooseneck football goals. Compatibility allows soccer goals to be placed in front of gooseneck football goal posts by repositioning the soccer goal's rear horizontal stabilizer bar. Both sports can use the same goal line easily. This especially is critical for fields with permanently painted field markings.
Circle 309 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Creating versatility
Adaptable furniture adds to modern design elements in new elementary school
The HON Company. New Berlin Elementary School, Jacksonville, Fla., was designed to house 750 students in grades K to 5. Its modern design features daylighting, large classrooms to accommodate various table groupings for collaborative learning, a technology center, an art lab and several conference rooms. The desks, tables and seating throughout the school allow teachers and students to tailor configurations to their unique learning styles.
While the school was still in its initial design stages, Cheryl Thompson, the district interior designer, knew she wanted to use HON products throughout the building. She cites quality workmanship, versatility, durability and aesthetics as the main attractions of the products and appreciates the limited lifetime warranty.
“We frequently use the Accomplish student desking and seating, and Activity tables in classrooms,” says Thompson. “We love the versatility they provide. Plus, they're durable. They hold up to heavy kid use and traffic.”
Accomplish chairs and adjustable-height student desks used in the intermediate classrooms can be grouped together to form tables or can be used individually. Kidney and trapezoid activity tables used in lower grade levels facilitate group learning, yet leave room on the floor for circle time and sharing. All classrooms feature a 30-inch by 60-inch educational workstation — adjustable computer tables that seat up to four students.
Circle 315 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Assessing facility conditions
New software supplies university with valuable information about facility infrastructure and helps win support for funding
VFA, Inc. To develop its annual capital budget for facilities renewal, sustainment and construction, the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), Worcester, historically employed an internal team to assess needs and develop deficiency lists. Several challenges led UMMS to re-evaluate this process.
First, it began to see increased operational issues related to equipment at the end of its useful life. However, it often was harder to win funding for systems-renewal projects than for higher-profile programs, such as new equipment and renovations. Second, the university needed more detailed data related to its backlog. Finally, UMMS needed support in articulating the ROI of infrastructure investments.
To address these issues, the university worked with VFA, Inc. to assess facility conditions and provide a prioritized list of deficiencies to roll into its capital plan. It also used capital-planning management software to centrally maintain the facility data and provide tools for forecasting long-term spending needs.
With industry-standard cost data from RSMeans incorporated into the software, UMMS got a clear picture of deferred-maintenance costs. The software also provided tools for assigning requirement priorities, projecting long-term costs, and understanding the impact of not funding infrastructure improvements.
With detailed, up-to-date information about facility and system conditions, as well as data-driven projections of need, UMMS succeeded in winning support for more than twice the level of infrastructure funding that was budgeted the previous year.
Circle 316 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Sanitary faucets
Component Hardware Group. SANIGUARD antimicrobial-treated spots are designed for use with potable water on its Encore premium plumbing fixtures. The inside diameter of the spout is coated with an inorganic, silver ion antimicrobial to reduce bio-fouling by inhibiting the growth of a broad spectrum of bacteria and odor-causing molds and fungi. The efficacy of SANIGUARD on treated surfaces can be expected to last for the life of the product.
Circle 310 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
Access control
Sielox Access Control. The 1500 Series manages two to 16 doors in a large configuration (AC-1500L), or two to four doors with a small configuration (AC-1500S). When used with the Sielox X-LAN, up to 32 doors can be managed with one Ethernet connection.
Circle 311 for more information at freeproductinfo.net/asu
