The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) states that over 20 million students attend colleges and universities across the country. A college degree is an expensive educational investment that may take anywhere from two to six years to complete. Students naturally expect an excellent ROI for their time, money and energy. This is why colleges are focusing on how to optimize their facilities and systems to attract prospective students and offer better academic experiences.
Physical Comfort Impacts Learning Environments
The quality of the campus’ physical environment has a significant impact on staff, student and faculty satisfaction and mental well-being. High-performance cafeterias, dormitories, laboratories, libraries, classrooms, lecture halls and athletic facilities will attract top talent among both students and professors. Facility upgrades, building automation and new technology will optimize indoor environmental qualities through the right air, humidity, ventilation and temperature levels. This will naturally satisfy the functional and comfort requirements of diverse populations.
Enhanced Administrative Controls
Facility optimization projects may enhance waste, energy, operational and maintenance management. Facility administrators may be able to monitor energy and resource usage through integrated building controls and unified building management platforms. This means that administrators may quickly access and review HVAC, lighting, equipment and utilities metering data. Gaining control of energy spending through building automation systems reduces operational, equipment and maintenance expenditures while maximizing student and staff comfort.
Operational Efficiency
Inefficient systems and inflexible technology make it increasingly difficult to take control of the substantial life cycle costs associated with facility operations. Centralized building interfaces with diverse functional capabilities will free up support and administrative staff to focus on less time-consuming tasks. Advanced programs may offer preventive and scheduled maintenance scheduling, which will increase efficiencies and reduce operational costs. Maintenance managers will be able to identify poorly performing equipment and systems before complaints and major problems arise. This will promote excellent reliability, long-term performance and reduced life cycle costs.
Colleges and universities are changing how they operate in order to save money, promote efficiency and attract the best talent. See how our innovative and affordable solutions will benefit your college campus.
