Campus Technology: The Who and What of Classroom AV Design - Part 1

In February 2016 I wrote an article for Campus Technology focusing on the design and construction process surrounding higher education classroom audiovisual systems.  This is the beginning of a new recurring monthly column titled AV Smarts that I'll be writing for Campus Technology, so make sure to check back each month.

The Who and What of Classroom AV Design - Part 1

by Mike Tomei, Tomei AV Consulting

There are plenty of resources out there informing readers about what projector they should buy or how to create huddle spaces — but when I was a higher ed tech manager, I was always looking for advice on successful project management. Particularly when there are architects and contractors involved with large projects, managing the design and installation of classroom AV systems can be a struggle.

This is the first article in a monthly series focusing on the design and construction process surrounding higher education classroom audiovisual systems. I will cover the different types of AV installation projects, the roles of all the stakeholders involved with classroom AV design and install, and the various phases of construction projects and how they pertain to AV, and I'll dive deeper into each phase to highlight the major deliverables. I make an attempt to adhere to established standards from InfoComm and the AIA (The American Institute of Architects), but over the years I've tailored my project management process to reflect real-life scenarios. If you've ever struggled with keeping a classroom AV system installation on schedule, getting the right design deliverables to the right stakeholders, or ultimately delivering the exact AV system that the project called for, then this series of articles will help you.

Project Stakeholders

Before we dive into the different types of AV construction projects, or the phases that make up those projects, we need to review all the possible stakeholders in a higher ed AV installation project. If a classroom AV installation project goes awry and there's a big scramble at the end of the project to get it back on course, it's probably because the correct individuals were not involved with the project in an early phase. Every institution and every construction project has a slightly different mix of project stakeholders, but this is a typical makeup of all the major players:

Owner Team:

Client.  In the case of higher education construction projects, the client is usually the department that's initiating the request for a classroom construction project. Typically, a point person from the department is in charge of coordinating the department's administrative involvement (budget, scheduling, etc.) in the project, but he or she isn't necessarily one of the individuals that will be using the new AV systems.

End users.  Faculty or staff members, and sometimes students, are included in this group of individuals who will be using the new AV systems after installation. This group rarely has any knowledge of (or interest in) any of the administrative aspects of the construction project.

AV support staff.  This group of stakeholders is made up of the individuals that will ultimately be responsible for the daily operation, repair and maintenance of the installed classroom audiovisual systems. They may be employed by the specific department requesting the AV installation, a centralized campuswide technology support department, or a combination of both. These staff members are also typically responsible for defining campuswide AV design and equipment standards.

IT staff.  Information technology employees are responsible for providing and maintaining the IT infrastructure required for classroom audiovisual systems, such as network data connections and telecom service. This group defines IT design and technology standards for the campus. 

Facilities staff.  These campus staff members are responsible for the structural and electrical work associated with the installation of audiovisual equipment. They typically handle the wall or ceiling mounting of projection screens, projector mounts, interactive whiteboards, speaker mounts and other AV equipment attached to the building structure. They are also responsible for the installation of power outlets, connection of power to electric screens, providing cable path and pulling low voltage cables for AV installations. Facilities staff may also handle HVAC requirements pertaining to AV equipment. The institution's interior designer may also be a part of this department. Depending on the size of the construction project and campus standards, other contracted trades may handle many of these duties. 

Construction planning staff.  Many institutions have a construction planning department that acts as the project manager for the owner side of construction projects. Some institutions hire a construction project manager to represent them, if they don't have anyone on staff with those skills. Other project managers come into play from the general contractor and AV integrator, but the client's project manager takes precedence and acts as the communication bridge between the institution's stakeholders and the contracted stakeholders. This individual is also responsible for the administrative aspects of the project, like establishing the project timeline and assembling the required bid documents for the contracted stakeholders.

Design Team:

Architect.  An architect is typically hired by the institution to provide design and construction administration services for larger construction projects. He or she assembles the project's design team, which can consist of electrical, structural and mechanical engineers, as well as consultants specializing in AV design, acoustics, lighting and networking. Depending on the type of construction project and the institution's project manager's level of responsibility, the architect has a degree of involvement in the management of the construction phase.

AV consultant.  An independent consultant that specializes in the design and construction project management of installed of audiovisual systems. An AV consultant can be subcontracted by an architect or hired directly by an institution. A truly independent AV consultant is vendor and manufacturer agnostic, making design decisions based solely on the client's best interests and needs.  

Contractors:

AV integrator.  This is a contractor that specializes in the design, installation, configuration and repair of audiovisual systems. The AV integrator may be contracted directly by the institution, or a subcontractor under the general contractor. Typically, the AV integrator roles that have some sort of client contact are: sales representative, design engineer, project manager and installation technicians. I'll talk more about each individual's role in subsequent articles.

Contracted trades.  A general contractor, electrical contractor and HVAC contractor are typically hired by institutions for larger construction projects, when the required work exceeds the capacity of the campus facilities department. They are responsible for providing the same structural, mechanical and electrical services as described in the "Facilities staff" section.   

Types of Construction Projects

Before we dive deeper into each phase of a construction project and discuss how each stakeholder is involved in those phases, we first need to talk about the different types of construction projects. Factors like project timeline, budget, funding source and the client's construction project management experience all come into play when looking at the different types of construction projects. There are always exceptions to the rule, but from the perspective of AV system installations, projects typically fall into these categories:

Design-bid-build.  Design-bid-build projects are typically larger projects that involve many of the different stakeholders that I discussed. Project budgets need to be large enough to pay for this involved process, and the project schedule needs to have enough time allotted to each step in this process. State schools often have to rely on this process with project budgets over a certain amount, because they have strict public-fund bid requirements. They can't have the same individual designing the bid documents, then also bidding on that same project to sell and install the equipment. From an AV standpoint, these projects typically involve an AV consultant taking a lead role in the design and installation management of the AV systems. The AV consultant works with the owner and design teams to prepare the initial infrastructure and technical system design documents (CAD drawings), as well as the bid documents needed to hire the AV integrator (scope of work or construction specifications). The AV integrator is hired through a bidding process and the construction phase begins. With direction from the AV consultant, the AV integrator finalizes documents (shop drawings), coordinates with other related trades, procures equipment and the final installation takes place. Wrapping up the entire process, the AV consultant and owner's representatives are involved in the commissioning of the AV systems. Throughout the course of this series of articles, I'll be using the design-bid-build process as my basis for discussion, since it's typically the process that many find hard to manage.

Design-build.  Another popular process in higher ed AV installation projects is the design-build model. From the AV standpoint, this process involves an AV integrator handling the design aspects of the project, as well as selling and installing the AV systems. This process is typically seen with projects that don't have very involved infrastructure or technical design requirements. Projects that have a very compressed timeline or value-engineered budgets also typically look to the design-build model. Some higher education institutions rely heavily on the design-build process because they have in-house AV support staffers who are comfortable creating their own design documents (CAD drawings, scope of work, etc.), augmenting the design services provided by the AV integrator. Projects that are funded with private money may not require a full bid, which is a good case for the design-build model.

Other models.  There are other project management models that come into play when looking at higher ed AV installation projects, but they're typically used for smaller projects. These are usually "homegrown"; projects that many refer to as "hang-and-bangs": small classroom installs that may involve a mix of owner-furnished equipment, for which the installation of equipment is either handled by the owner's tech and facilities staff or an AV integrator. Since these models can take many forms, and usually don't have well developed project management processes, I won't be focusing on them in this series.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 40 (January 2016)

In this latest episode of the AV Nation EdTech podcast, we debate flat panel displays vs projectors, how to hide equipment in a classroom, and installing the latest classroom technology while maintaining network security.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 39 (December 2015)

In this latest episode of the AV Nation EdTech podcast, we discuss Extron's lecture capture management software, my SCN article about designing advanced learning environments, and apps that we use for AV design and installation.

Campus Technology: Decoding ADA Standards in Classroom AV

In November 2015 I wrote an article for Campus Technology focusing on ADA Standards in relation to classroom audio visual system design.  Click on this link to see the original article with some illustrations.

Decoding ADA Standards for Classroom AV

by Mike Tomei, Tomei AV Consulting

Classroom audiovisual systems can quickly turn into complex designs integrating a mix of technology, furniture and room design into one (hopefully) cohesive system. AV designers are not only tasked with determining the equipment needed in the system, but also the required infrastructure design specifications to make sure the system adheres to building, electrical, structural and life safety codes.

In the midst of all those specifications, one often overlooked — but critical — aspect of AV system design is compliance with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities. The most recent revision, including the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, was established in 2010. Many regulations defined in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design document apply directly to classroom audio visual system design. Disregarding these ADA Standards results in AV systems that are unusable by persons with disabilities, and may result in lawsuits.

As a quick disclaimer, this article is simply my interpretation of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design as they relate to AV system design, and should not be used as a substitute for seeking out the advice of an expert on accessible design. Every AV system design is different, so look to your campus ADA coordinator or a qualified design consultant for the final determination on the ADA compliance for your specific classroom AV system installations. This may not be a complete list of all the ADA Standards applying to your specific AV installation project. The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design document is very extensive, and should be read carefully by anyone involved with classroom audiovisual design.

This article will focus on the aspects of the 2010 ADA Standards that apply to an audiovisual system installation, but not the numerous room design elements that also need to adhere to ADA Standards. Aspects like number of wheelchair-accessible seating areas, aisle pitch in auditoriums, fire alarm systems, signage, student desk height, door sizes, etc. need to be determined by the project's architect, facilities project manager or interior designer, and aren't addressed in this article.

Scope

The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design apply to both new construction and alterations to existing buildings/facilities. There are many exceptions for unique facilities (historic buildings, limited access spaces, etc.), so make sure to check Chapter 2 of the regulations to determine how they apply to your facility.

Classrooms are defined in the ADA Standards as "assembly areas" and are subject to these regulations. The types of assembly areas that are specifically defined in the ADA Standards, and may apply to higher education campuses, are: classrooms, lecture halls, public meeting rooms, motion picture houses, auditoria, theaters, playhouses, concert halls, centers for the performing arts, amphitheaters, arenas, stadiums, grandstands or convention centers.

Operable Parts: Sections 205 and 309

Sections 205 and 309 of The 2010 ADA Standards address "operable parts" on accessible elements, which can include classroom AV system components like touchscreen/button user interfaces, projection screen switches, laptop input plates, etc. that are mounted on lecterns, teaching stations and walls. ADA Standards dictate acceptable floor space, height, reach ranges and difficulty of operation pertaining to these operable parts, of which are defined in subsequent sections.

Work Surfaces: Sections 226 and 902

These sections apply to the acceptable height of work surfaces such as lecterns, instructor tables, and teaching stations. ADA Standards dictate that the height of work surfaces shall be a minimum of 28 inches AFF (above finished floor) and a maximum of 34 inches AFF. Lectern height is frequently overlooked by AV system designers, resulting in AV equipment mounted on lecterns with work surfaces that violate these standards. Lecterns that are 34 inches tall (to comply with the ADA Standards) are usually too low for standing users. Adjustable height lecterns solve this issue and create a comfortable teaching experience for all users. The AV equipment mounted on these work surfaces is subject to ADA reach range standards, which are addressed below.

Reach Ranges: Section 308

The 2010 ADA Standards clearly define forward and side reach ranges for users in wheelchairs. A forward or side reach by a user in a wheelchair can be defined as "unobstructed" or an "obstructed high reach."

An example of an "unobstructed forward or side reach" is when a person in a wheelchair approaches a wall-mounted AV control system touchscreen or a laptop input wall plate. These AV system elements can have a maximum height of 48 inches AFF and a minimum of 15 inches AFF. Take caution when specifying the height above the finished floor for wall boxes to be installed by electrical contractors. Typically, if you specify your 2-gang box for the wall-mounted touchpanel to be installed 48 inches AFF, the electrical contractor will measure 48 inches from the floor to the center of the box. All AV system user interface controls above the center line of that 2-gang box will be above 48 inches AFF, creating a violation of the ADA Standards. A common laptop input plate wall mounting height is 18 inches AFF, which matches typical power outlet heights. Make sure that the bottom of your AV input plate doesn't drop below 15 inches AFF.

These minimum and maximum height ranges for unobstructed reach also apply to user-accessible rack-mounted AV equipment, projection screen switches, sliding white/chalkboard systems and manual projection screen pull strings. One exception described in the ADA Standards is that "floor electrical receptacles" (which I interpret to include AV input plates inside floor boxes) are not required to adhere to these reach ranges.

The "obstructed high reach" minimum and maximum ranges for forward and side reaches depend on the size of the obstruction the person in a wheelchair has to reach over, and are clearly defined by illustrations in Section 308. These obstructed high forward reach ranges apply to the acceptable depth of ADA compliant teaching stations/tables that wheelchair users can roll up to, with their knees under the desk. Knee and toe clearance is addressed in a different section of the Standards. Obstructed high side reach ranges define the maximum acceptable depth and height of obstructions wheelchair users can reach over to access AV equipment. Even though you may have a height adjustable lectern in the classroom, if wheelchair users are expected to perform a side reach over the lectern to access AV equipment that doesn't meet this section's requirements, you're in violation of the ADA Standards.

Knee and Toe Clearance: Section 306

Teaching stations or instructor tables that allow users in wheelchairs to roll under the desk/table are subject to ADA Standards for knee and toe clearance, which are defined in Section 306. Minimum and maximum height and depth ranges are defined for the space under these desks/tables; AV-related items like keyboard trays/drawers, cable trays, under-table-mounted AV equipment, and the underside of elements like table boxes can decrease the available knee and toe space, causing a violation of ADA Standards.

Turning Space and Clear Floor/Ground Space: Sections 304 and 305

These sections of the ADA Standards address the required space needed for wheelchair access to AV system components. Users in wheelchairs need proper access to approach lecterns, instructor tables, teaching stations, AV equipment racks, walls with mounted AV equipment, etc. — and enough room to turn their wheelchair. As a minimum, there needs to be 30 inches by 48 inches of clear floor/ground space in front of the accessible element, with a turning space minimum of 60 inches in diameter, or a T-shaped turning space that is defined in section 304.3.2. Clear floor/ground space is defined for "either forward or parallel approach to an element."

Protruding Objects: Sections 204 and 307

Sections 204 and 307 address the distance that wall- and post-mounted items can protrude and the vertical clearance required for overhead items. These standards often come into play when designing wall- and ceiling-mounted digital signage displays in hallways as well as ceiling-mounted projectors in classrooms. For example, the ADA Standards dictate that a wall-mounted digital signage display between 27 inches and 80 inches above the floor may not protrude more than 4 inches from the wall. This is a common ADA Standards violation. Recess your display, mount, media player and power/network outlets in the wall to adhere to this standard. Another example that this section addresses is a digital signage display ceiling-mounted in a hallway or a ceiling-mounted classroom projector. The bottom of that display/projector must have at least 80 inches vertical clearance above the floor.

This section specifically addresses protrusion minimums and maximums for items in "circulation paths." The ADA Standards define a circulation path as: "An exterior or interior way of passage provided for pedestrian travel, including but not limited to, walks, hallways, courtyards, elevators, platform lifts, ramps, stairways, and landings." I've heard differing opinions on applying the circulation path definition to objects mounted on a classroom wall or ceiling. I err on the side of caution in this respect, and make sure any wall- or ceiling-mounted AV equipment in my designs meets these protrusion standards. I frequently see wall-mounted ultra-short-throw projectors and ceiling-mounted projectors installed in classrooms that don't meet these ADA standards.

Assistive Listening Systems: Sections 219 and 706

When audiovisual system designers think of ADA Standards, assistive listening systems are the first thing that come to mind. It's required that assistive listening systems be provided "in each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space." Classrooms certainly fall into this category, as do meeting and event spaces on campus. The ADA Standards dictate the specific number of required receivers in relation to the audience size, as well as some technical requirements for the different types of assistive listening systems (induction loop, infrared and FM radio transmission). Section 703.7.2.4 addresses the necessary signage required when there's an assistive listening system present. The assistive listening system requirements are commonly neglected ADA Standards in schools, but AV support departments can look to the assistive listening system manufacturers for some guidance on becoming compliant.

Wheelchair Spaces in Assembly Areas: Sections 221 and 802

Sections 221 and 802 address requirements for wheelchair spaces in assembly areas like classrooms and meeting/event spaces. Many of these requirements (number and location of wheelchair spaces, the size of those spaces, companion seats, etc.) fall under the architect or interior designer's responsibilities, but these sections do address sight lines from wheelchair spaces, which affect the AV designer. The sight lines to a "screen, performance area, or playing field" from the wheelchair spaces are specifically addressed. AV designers need to work with the project's architect or interior designer to make sure that sight lines from all wheelchair spaces meet these ADA Standards.

System Contractor News: Who's Who of Consulting Guide 2015

SCN published their annual Consulting Guide, and not only is my business profile listed in the Guide, but I also wrote a small piece that was published inside the Guide.  Since it's a bit hard to link to the article, I'll reprint it below in this newsletter.

How To Create Advanced Learning Environments that Students and Teachers Alike Can and Will Take Full Advantage Of

by Mike Tomei, Tomei AV Consulting

With the increasing popularity of concepts like active (collaborative) learning, flipped classrooms, and lecture capture, higher education AV system designs have evolved past the typical “hang-and-bangs.” AV design consultants and integrators see lots of opportunity in the higher ed market to provide more complex AV system designs to support these new teaching trends, but they aren’t necessarily paying attention to clients’ needs. Having worked in higher ed AV support roles, and many of my current clients being colleges and universities, I’ve experienced a large divide between how college administrators and faculty view these enhanced AV systems in classrooms.

Administrators at the helm of these classroom-upgrade projects love the idea of a flashy active-learning classroom with multiple displays, a complex control system, and elaborate matrix switching. As I dig deeper and meet with faculty members, I sometimes hear a lack of interest in these types of rooms, or outright opposition to being forced to teach in these environments. Some faculty believe that too much installed AV equipment will create more of a distraction for students, rather than aid in the learning process. More often than not, less is more when it comes to designing higher ed collaborative learning environments. Many times a handful of basic single-display huddle spaces in a library are of more interest than installing one very complex active-learning classroom. Administrators may still want to create a showcase active-learning classroom on their campus, but a thorough needs-analysis effort during the AV design process assures that all parties will have their voices heard, and the end product will be a classroom that meets the varying demands of all users.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 38 (October 2015)

In the October 2015 episode of the AV Nation Ed Tech podcast we discuss consumer electronics in the classroom, web interfaces on AV equipment, the AV-iQ site, Middle Atlantic furniture, HDMI cable licensing, and the latest from CCUMC.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 37 (September 2015)

In the September 2015 episode of the AV Nation EdTech podcast, we discuss my feature in the Commercial Integrator 2015 "40 Influencers Under Forty" list, Extron making a move deeper into the lecture capture market, lecture capture workflow, and network security concerns relating to AV equipment.

AVNation AV Week podcast: Episode 209 (8/21/15)

Since August is a very busy month for higher ed tech managers, we didn't record an episode of the EdTech podcast.  Instead, since I made Commercial Integrator's "40 Influencers Under 40" list, Tim Albright invited me and some others from the list to record an episode of the AV Week podcast.  I joined Hope Roth, Victoria Ferrari and Commercial Integrator's Editor-In-Chief, Tom LeBlanc.  We discuss USB-C connectors in pro-AV, and how millennials like to be managed.

Commercial Integrator 2015 "40 Influencers Under Forty"

I'm very honored to be voted into Commercial Integrator's 2015 "40 Influencers Under Forty" list.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 36 (July 2015)

In the July 2015 episode of the AV Nation EdTech podcast, we discuss in-house vs. integrator installation for higher ed AV support departments, the various education technology trade shows out there, and we give our views on InfoComm 2015.