Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Smart Buildings on Campus Grow in Popularity

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 08/20/21

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 Yet a third (35%) also noted that their facilities' technology is outdated.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

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.