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Why are new American public schools so sterile and plain looking?

A a lot of the new high schools in the US, especially high schools built anywhere from the 70's onward, tend to be very sterile and plain looking ... white concrete walls, tiny windows, heavy steel doors, cold concrete floors, etc.

Older American high schools, especially one's in major cities like New York, Boston, Chicago, etc look big and extravagant with big fancy entrances. Sort of like this: http://chinos.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/central-high-school-21.jpg or this: http://chuckmanchicagonostalgia.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/postcard-chicago-chicago-heights-bloom-township-high-school-nice-1942.jpg

Sadly a lot of cities are tearing down those old schools, yet they're able to maintain their old schools in other countries perfectly well. Why do we tear town good looking buildings in America to replace them with concrete slabs?

It can be very expensive to maintain an old building, and very expensive to retrofit it to meet the needs of modern classes. For example, in new buildings - office buildings and schools - the floor is often raised, and cords for the computer systems snake underneath. That's not possible on old buildings. There's no AC in old buildings, and to retrofit them to have central air is prohibitively expensive. The heating system may be old and inefficient. The building may be too small to fit all the students. They may not be able to retrofit the old building to make it accessible to disabled students. And so on.

Here's an example of the problems old school buildings sometimes face:

http://www.dracutforum.net/2008/11/17/old-school-problems/

Often, if the cost of renovation exceeds about 65% of the cost of a new building, they build a new school. But all that said, there are movements to preserve the old buildings:

http://www.peterli.com/spm/resources/articles/archive.php?article_id=538

I know it's a shame. I mourn the loss of the old buildings. Some of them are drop-dead gorgeous. I'm always happy when a town finds a way to at least repurpose the building, rather than destroying it.

WITH STEEL BUILDINGS, NOW GO GREEN!

If you are serious about reducing your carbon footprint and going green, think steel. Today, it is scientifically proven that global warming is real and its threats can no longer be ignored. You need to do your part in going green, and as a responsible world citizen, it is your duty that you reduce your emissions. People have no clue as to how much their carbon footprints are, because they seldom are aware of how much destruction their activities can cause. Simply turning off your lights when not needed do not amount of environmental responsibility. One of the largest sources of carbon footprints for people is the homes that they build. Your home is built on a graveyard of forests and trees and requires so much processing and destruction of natural resources that it could be the single largest source of environmental destruction that an average person causes.

There is also the issue of sustainability at hand. Sustainability refers to the ability of the future generations to enjoy the benefits that the present generation enjoys. This has become the mantra of corporations and socially responsible citizens, and very rightly so. Many natural resources are not going to last forever, and thus it is only sensible that we use them wisely.

This is where the idea of steel buildings comes into the picture. Steel is renewable and causes a very minimal environmental damage. Unlike traditional buildings, steel buildings do not need forests to be cut down for wood, because you don't need wood for construction. In addition, water, another very precious natural resource is wasted in plenty for traditional buildings but almost no water is required for steel buildings. Half the world goes without safe drinking water available to them, and here we are wasting water for our buildings; how ironic!

Steel buildings are the greenest option available in buildings today. Steel is also renewable, which simply adds icing to the cake. However, in case you are wondering about the quality of steel buildings, then be rest assured that steel is one of the finest steel building construction materials that can be used in today's buildings. No other material can be as strong as steel in construction, which means your steel building keeps everyone inside safe and secure at all times. It protects against hail, snow, storms, hurricanes, cyclones, etc. and can stand tall even amidst the worst of weathers. Steel buildings are earthquake resistant, and this is particularly useful for people living in earthquake prone areas. Also, steel is fireproof, which means it will never burn to the ground even if some untoward incident ever happens outside or inside the building. In addition, due to this fireproof property of steel buildings, you end up paying lower insurance premiums too, which is another cost saving.

Steel is the ideal construction material owing to the properties it possess that are highly desirable for construction. The fact that it is very green construction should make the eco-conscious people aware of this option and to consider this very seriously if they want to make a difference.

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Steel Construction: A Manual for Architects, Engineers and Fabricators of Buildings and Other Steel Structures See Reviews For This Product Description Fifth edition of standard handbook of steel construction.

Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels Sale Price: $75.00   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item. See Reviews For This Product

Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels, 1991 (American Bureau of Shipping) See Reviews For This Product Description Contents:* Keels, Stems, and Stern Frames * Rudders and Steering Gears * Longitudinal Strength * Frames * Beams * Pillars, Deck Girders and Transverses * Centerline Divisions in Cargo Spaces * Shell Plating * Superstructures and Deckhouses * Machinery space and Tunnel * Bulwarks, Rails, Ports, Ventilators, and Portlights * Ceiling, Sparring, and Protection of Steel * Vessels Intended to Carry Passengers * Welding and Fabrication * Turbines and Gears * Electrical Equipment * Fire Extinguishing Systems * Materials for Hull Construction and Equipment * Load Line and Tonnage Marks

Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification for Structural Steel Buildings Sale Price: $199.99 See Reviews For This Product Description This is the 1995 Edition of the "Load & Resistance Factor Design Specification for Stuctural Steel Buildings" by the American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. "Metric Edition" 276 pages, bright orange soft back cover. Publication number is S344L (5M396)