CHICAGO — Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has vowed to withhold all further construction funding from the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), after a second financial scandal has engulfed the charter school operator. The organization, which has constructed 16 charter schools across Chicago, is currently being investigated for securities fraud by the Federal Security Exchange Commission (SEC).
WASHINGTON — The Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) recently announced its for new construction and Lee J. Brockway Awards for renovations at its annual conference and exposition in September in Indianapolis, Ind. The awards were presented for outstanding planning and inspired architectural design of high quality learning environments to six exceptional projects.
C.W. Driver, a builder serving California since 1919, has announced the promotion of Richard Freeark, LEED AP, to senior vice president of the firm’s San Diego office. Freeark will oversee the office operations and all C.W. Driver projects within the region. Freeark is an industry veteran of 34 years with a specific expertise in the higher education and health care construction markets. Throughout his career, he has been involved in several award-winning projects.
The high-powered, patent-pending Broce “Turf Boss” Sweeper is designed to reduce maintenance time on synthetic fields by up to two-thirds. Though many sweepers require multiple passes, which can lead to overheating and engine damage, the Broce “Turf Boss” requires just one. The system features full, 8’ brush contact, reversible rotation and a radiator designed to operate in up to 140 °F temperatures. These features allow the operator to sweep easily in both directions, and help ensure the life of the product.
Insulgard Security Products introduced its weather-resistant, secure TH350 door. The doors are built to resist ballistic, blast, forced entry, wind and impact threats. Ideal for school security, the product is rigorously tested to meet stringent government requirements including FEMA 261-2008 and ICC-500-2008. The doors have been tested to withstand the harshest environments, including winds up to 250 miles per hour in EF-5 tornados and category-5 hurricanes.
Mitsubishi Electric’s new WD390U-EST projector allows consumers to project information without an attached computer. The cloud projector uses a thin client function as a dynamic display device, which allows schools to save money on computers. Users can easily send documents from computers, servers, smart phones or other devices to the cloud projector. Teachers can present information on the projector easily and quickly, and school districts can store teaching materials on the projector’s network for wide distribution and easy access, according to the company.
As part of the AX.S Series Access Control product line, Kaba Access and Data Systems (ADS) announces the availability of the Access Manager 300 (AM300) and Door Unit 500 (AD500) system. The two-piece combination enables businesses to provide access control capabilities without the installation of software or servers. An embedded application on the AM300 arranges and manages data directly on the device. Users simply type in the IP address into any web browser and login to the system — the screen displays the application options.
REVO, the industry’s first motorized track head that can be adjusted with a hand-held remote, has been introduced by NSpec, the architectural and specifier division of Nora Lighting. REVO heads can be rotated horizontally (340-degree rotation) or vertically (200-degree rotation). The unit is designed for use in retail stores, art galleries, hospitality venues and any other high-ceilinged site where a track head needs to be maneuvered. It is dimmable to 10 percent and adjustable when dimmed. A single REVO remote can reposition any REVO track head in an installation.
Centria, an industry leader in the design, development and manufacturing of architectural metal wall and roof systems, announces the addition of four new zinc finish options to its Allusion Print Coat System. Introduced in 2012, Allusion is a prefinished, print coat system that accurately simulates expensive natural finishes, including wood and specialty metals, using high-performance print coating technology. The four new finishes added to the coating system are Blue Zinc, Red Zinc, Crystal Zinc and Green Zinc.
The international projector brand Epson has introduced two new series to accommodate the K-12 classroom. The Epson PowerLite series consisting of S17, X17 and W17 are three brightly colored, affordable and easy-to-use projectors that feature HDMI connectivity and optional wireless connectivity. The series consisting of Epson PowerLite 97, 98, 99W, 955W and 965 classroom projectors feature advanced network connectivity for simplified control of classroom content as well as high image quality.
