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When constructing schools, some college boards are beginning to use a new concept named the "Little ones First Strategy." This concept focuses on making schools that are secure and supply a healthful atmosphere so the students can focus on finding out.
Such college construction projects are created with fire safety, constructing safety, upkeep, durability, power efficiency and noise management in mind. But topping the list is remediation and handle of mold.
"To a college administrator, mold is a 4-letter word," stated Don L. Bell, superintendent of the Northern Lebanon College District in Pennsylvania. Bell has spearheaded the "Little ones Initial Approach" and supports concrete masonry style as 1 of the very best approaches to attain it.
When Bell started plans for an addition and renovation at Northern Lebanon Middle College in 2002, he and architect Jay Darkey of JPD Architects agreed to create with concrete masonry.
"We have a vision to prevent mold in the first spot and concrete masonry is 1 of the ideal construction materials to stop mold. I have seen the advantages of utilizing concrete masonry in the past and the horror stories when it was not employed," Bell said.
"As far as mold goes, it is a hot problem appropriate now," said Darkey, explaining that architects have to address moisture in design and that masonry is one particular of the greatest ways to do that. "The structure has to be detailed correctly to address any possible for moisture getting in the walls."
The intrinsic properties of concrete masonry make it a all-natural choice where there is concern about mold development.
"Masonry does not give a ready food supply for mold if there is a mold problem, it is simply remediated by cleaning it rather of replacing the entire wall," mentioned Jan Boyer, executive director of the Pennsylvania Concrete Masonry Association.
Bell also knows firsthand the protective properties of masonry in terms of fire safety. Even though he was principal of a higher school, there was a fire in the school on a Saturday when no a single was in the developing.
"The fire completely gutted the space itself, but it was contained just to that classroom simply because of the concrete masonry construction," Bell stated. "It did not spread to any other rooms."
Boyer adds, "We are fortunate in Pennsylvania in that most schools are created of masonry and if Dr. Bell has his way, even much more schools will be employing masonry." www
