Smart Buildings on Campus Grow in Popularity

The results of a global survey reveal that nearly two-thirds (65%) of college and school facilities managers are now more likely to invest in smart building solutions than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the preferred type of smart building investment was mixed. The top choice, among 38% of respondents, would be an app showing real-time building "health" information. That was followed by software providing better insight into fire systems (cited by 35%), and cybersecurity products and contactless building entry, both mentioned by 33% of survey participants.

The survey was undertaken on behalf of Honeywell Building Technologies and involved education facilities people in four countries: the United States, China, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

Four in 10 respondents (42%) said their facilities had experienced a physical site intrusion or cybersecurity breach during the previous year. Almost half (47%) ranked video surveillance and campus access control or fire and life safety systems as a top priority over the next 12 to 18 months. That's a boost up from three other sectors also surveyed, including healthcare (where 34% prioritized these safety technologies), data centers (38%) and commercial real estate (29%).

Nearly three-quarters (72%) said they found it difficult to keep up with changes in technology. Yet a third (35%) also noted that their facilities' technology is outdated. Among the technology currently in place in their buildings were these:

  • Indoor air quality solutions, referenced by 35%;
  • Aspirating smoke detection, 34%;
  • Remote building management, 34%;
  • Software to assess fire systems 32%; and
  • Real-time building health information, 28%.

When it comes to the technology in their facilities, just two-thirds of respondents (66%) reported that their employees were trained and equipped to manage it.

The full survey results are available on the Honeywell site with registration.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Massachusetts Charter School Opens New Academic Building

    The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new academic building, according to a news release. The 17,000-square-foot space will serve as a classroom and science lab building for the student population of almost a thousand in grades 6–12.

  • Zurn Elkay Announces Updated Line of Filtered Bottle Filling Stations

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently released an updated line of its Elkay Filtered Bottle Filling Stations, according to a news release. The new line features a sleeker design and functional upgrades to help simplify filter maintenance and reduce long-term labor costs.

  • Shaping Campus Identity: The Crucial Role of Landscape Architecture in Campus Design

    Landscape architecture plays a crucial role in shaping the overall experience, functionality, and identity of college and university campuses. The design and layout of outdoor spaces influence everything from the interactions between students to the ease with which people navigate the campus. A thoughtfully designed campus provides not only a functional environment for daily activities but also a space that inspires academic success and fosters personal growth.

  • Understanding the Training of School Resource Officers

    SROs are now integral components of nearly every educational system in the country. But instead of being a more passive entity in schools, they have gradually become mentors to students, adding to their support network of teachers, parents, coaches, and other caring adults.