Jennifer Graham is the assistant editor of Facilities Manager and APPA's publications and marketing assistant. She can be reached at jgraham@appa.org.

The planning, design, and construction processes are not ones to take lightly. Innumerable considerations must be made for all phases and aspects of erecting any type of building. In this issue's Listnotes column you will find some unique and some conventional topics relating to planning, design, or construction from the APPAinfo e-mail list. Whether these topics are new to you or not, this peer list always adds a new perspective, with practiced advice and the not-so-obvious answers that are sometimes overlooked.

Question: What standards are used to provide fire protection in art galleries? We have six galleries, one has a halon system, and the others have fire sprinklers or fire alarms. Under what circumstances would you choose one or the other, would you use a dry-pipe system in sprinkled areas?

Question: We have had some recent complaints because of the smell of smoke right outside building doors where the smokers congregate. In some areas the exit door is very near a fresh air intake. Does anyone have policies on outdoor smoking? Has anyone dealt with this issue before?

Question: We are in the design stage of a major renovation to a 160-bed dormitory. One of the considerations is card access. We will utilize a monitored card access system at the main entrance to the building but would like to look into card access for each room. Are there any colleges using a card access system in this environment? If so, what manufacturers have been most successful?

Question: I am in the process of selecting an architect and engineering firm for a renovation project with a total cost of 1.5 million. What percentage range should I expect to pay the selected firm for this size project?

Question: We are investigating the possibility of building a greenhouse. This will be used mostly for research by the Biology and Pharmacy Departments. I know that there are com- panies out there that specialize in building greenhouses. Who are the good ones? Please share your experiences with me.