PBS 140 Child Care Center Design Guide - The Whole Building ...

10.2.3 Other Considerations:
The security risk assessment may recommend that a guard station should
be located near the center so that surveillance of comings and goings to
the center are easily seen by posted guards. Alternatively, a form of
surveillance may be recommended.
Additional safety issues impact the space planning of the center. Treat the
perimeter of the building and play yards as a controlled filter with only one
primary means of public access and egress. All other service and
emergency egress points should be controlled, with access limited to
authorized individuals.
Ensure that there is adequate exterior lighting to allow safe exterior
circulation and site security.
10.2.4 Security Influences on Design:
Additional safety issues impact the space planning of the center. Treat the
perimeter of the building and play yards as a controlled filter with only one
primary means of public access and egress. All other service and
emergency egress points should be controlled, with access limited to
authority individuals.
Design the entry approach to be visible by center staff who are inside.
Position the reception area adjacent to the entry and director’s office.
Buildings with child care centers must have coverage by security personnel
as consistent with the FPS Security Criteria for the specific site.
The design must ensure that a child will be unable to leave the center
without the knowledge of the staff. For instance, the designer must be
sensitive to placement of operable windows in the vicinity of a public
sidewalk, or the ability of children to open egress doors.
Window systems (glazing, frames, anchorage to supporting walls, etc.) on
the exterior facades of child care centers must be designed to mitigate the
hazard of glass fragments (or even whole panes) flying into occupied space
following an explosive event at the exterior. To do this, the design must
balance the features of the glazing, framing, and attachments with the
capacity of the supporting structure to allow the system to develop its
PBS-140 - July 2003
CHAPTER 10: TECHNICAL CRITERIA
full resistive capacity. Coordination with FPS is paramount on this issue,
as the feature may have a significant effect on the budget. All new exterior
glazing must be laminated and span less than a 1 meter between mullions.
10.3 Sustainable Design
See definitions and discussions referenced elsewhere in this document.
10.4 Accessibility
The site, as well as the building access to and within the center, shall comply
with the current publication of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards
(UFAS), the final rules of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility
Guidelines (ADAAG), and local accessibility codes, whichever is most
stringent. The new Standards are available via the Internet at
http://www.access-board.gov/news/playguide.htm for playground rules,
http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/kids/childrens.pdf for children’s
elements, or from the Department of Justice.
Quite often, very young children are not considered when regulations are
written and enforced. Codes are developed with a tilt toward elementary
and secondary schools as child care centers are a new and unfamiliar
phenomenon. Most designers and code officials take their cues from
elementary schools, when actually the childcare center should be thought
of as a home.
Highlights and guidelines for applying the rules are contained in Appendix
F. Only those items that affect children’s elements are discussed.
Designer’s should consult ADAAG directly for guidance during the design.
The appendix is primary to the non-design professional user of the Guide.
10.5 Historic Preservation
If the center is housed in a building included or eligible for inclusion on the
National Register of Historical Places (NRHP), or if the center or its play
yard in visible, or in close proximity to such a building, the center design
must retain, respond to, and respect the use and character of the historic
structure(s).
The resolution or mitigation of any adverse effect on historic property shall
be coordinated with the GSA Historic Preservation Officer, the State Historic
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