BIFMA and EDmarket Form Partnership to Produce First-Ever Education Market Furniture Report

Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) and the Education Market Association (EDmarket) recently announced their partnership to conduct an extensive study of furniture in the education market.

“We are excited to work with a well-established and trusted partner and representative in the contract furniture industry, whose forward-looking vision encompasses the education market,” said Jim McGarry, EDmarket President and CEO.

The extensive study will inform and serve as a conduit for feedback and input from key members of the industry in the education arena. This unique body of research will facilitate informed, strategic decision-making for the industry, based on market trends identified through the understanding of collected data, and provide a better comprehension of overall trends and where the industry is headed. The final report will be available to participating manufacturer companies, with an executive brief accessible to the public.

BIFMA Executive Director, Thomas Reardon, agreed with Jim, stating “This is a unique opportunity to explore a growth channel in our industry in a way that hasn’t been done before, with far-reaching impacts for future educational environments”.

As with other highly respected BIFMA industry reports, the data collection process will be strictly managed by BDO, ensuring accurate information. BDO is an independent, third party audit and accounting firm that will guarantee confidentiality and anonymity for participants and their company data.

About the Education Market Association (EDmarket) The Education Market Association connects people who want to succeed in the education market by providing events, resources and leadership to those serving education, for more than 100 years. For more information on the Education Market Association, visit www.edmarket.org.

About BIFMA BIFMA is the trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers. Since 1973, BIFMAʼs role has been to monitor the state of the industry, serve as a forum for member cooperation and collaboration, sponsor the development and refining of current and future standards, educate on their importance and application, and translate their necessary complexity into more easily understood and implemented formats. Visit www.bifma.org.


Featured

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.