Epidural analgesia is the most popular method of controlling pain in labor in the United States today, but it has serious side effects and risks for both mothers and babies. Though most laboring American women choose epidural analgesia, it is important not to confuse a hospital’s failure to provide options with patient preference. Few large... Read more »
Nature has been recycling water within the Earth’s closed ecosystem since the very beginning of time. Humans, although a part of the ecosystem, have misappropriated this precious reserve, severely imperiling the availability of freshwater for future use for all life on Earth. Civilizations have thrived or collapsed because of water. The restructuring of our established... Read more »
In late 2009, the University of Virginia Foundation consulted with Perkins+Will to help develop a program brief for a different kind of research facility: a hybrid of laboratory and factory that would offer a new model of collaboration between universities and industry that would be called the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, or CCAM. The... Read more »
Will online education render the traditional university campus irrelevant? Is there a “there” there when it comes to online education? What makes the flesh and blood, bricks and mortar material realm still relevant – even essential – to education? While online education has brought with it radical transformations to higher education, bringing people together in... Read more »
New technologies have increasingly moved to the center of 21st century learning inspiring innovative learning concepts and potentially influencing our conception of educational space. This article looks at the connection between game-changing ideas in education and school design. It looks at the benefits and challenges that new technologies bring to the K-12 environment. It describes their connection to... Read more »
This article focuses on the design of the University Crossing atrium at University of Massachusetts (UMASS) in Lowell, where an innovative way to bring daylight deep into the building’s north facing, four story atrium was the primary objective of the study. Using a number of physical and digital tools including Diva-for-Rhino, the design team has explored the invention... Read more »
This research focused on the use of lighting control systems in an office environment by studying the role of smart lighting strategies and their effects on the office. By sequentially testing these strategies for twelve consecutive weeks, this study worked to determine the ability of each approach to reduce the overall energy consumption, while incurring minimal consequences on... Read more »
Residence Halls provide a unique educational opportunity for students, since they can learn about and experience a lifestyle that embodies sustainable practices and engages them as active participants in reducing energy use for the building. The Massachusetts State College Building Authority (MSCBA) and Bridgewater State University (BSU) took advantage of a Zero Net Energy Building... Read more »
As the area of computerized, high-fidelity medical simulation training has evolved, a new approach has developed centered on an offering of course work in interdisciplinary teams-based learning. This article compares the varied types of team-based training offered at simulation centers in educational institutions and healthcare system-based centers in order to identify how this learning style... Read more »
This article reviews Waste to Energy (WTE) technologies that are currently available and how the healthcare sector can employ these for waste management and revenue generation. The available literature is reviewed to discuss specific case studies. The case studies also explore the role of local communities in these ventures. The financing, operations and maintenance of... Read more »
Early in the development of the design for the Tinkham Veale University Center, the team determined that the west-facing glass wall of the Commons space presented challenges to the usability and conditioning of that space. The team proceeded to explore several options to control solar heat and light gain, including electrochromic glass, internal sun shading,... Read more »
