Industry News


CIRI Webinar Series Graphic

Cleaning

CIRI To Host Webinar Series Focused on Cleaning and Indoor Virus Transmission

The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) will host a three-part webinar series called “COVID-19: The Second Wave,” beginning Thursday, Nov. 12.

Furniture

Furniture Company Debuts New School Furniture to Support Active Learning Spaces

MiEN Company, a furniture company serving the education industry, debuted four new furniture products to help institutions outfit active learning spaces.

College of the Redwoods

Sustainability

College of the Redwoods Approves Solar Deal

A community college in northern California has projected a savings of $4.2 million over the next 20 years from an implementation of solar.

Experiential Learning Yard. Image Credit: Clemson University Relations

Career Tech

Clemson Adds Outdoor Lab Site for Construction Science Students

A South Carolina university has just set up a three-acre site to give their construction students a permanent space for hands-on learning.

LIDaR map of a portion of the Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff.

Accessibility

Northern AZ U Tackles Accessibility Mapping Project

Northern Arizona University is working with Quantum Spatial, a geospatial data company, to develop an accessibility map to help people with mobility issues more easily navigate the hilly campus.

The new entrance for the University of Central Missouri

Rennovation

U Central MO Gets "Living Room" Makeover

The University of Central Missouri has gone public with an update on a multi-year masterplan for renovating the Elliott Student Union, dubbed as the "campus living room," by the university's community.

The university reported that stage lighting will resemble that of a café. Photo by David Kadlubowski, GCU News Bureau

Spaces

Grand Canyon U Students Help Build COVID-safe Outdoor Theatre

Faculty, staff and students at Grand Canyon University's College of Fine Arts and Production have constructed an outdoor theatre for use this play season, which addresses COVID-19 restrictions while still allowing students (and their audiences) to enjoy live productions.

COVID-19

COVID-19 Cases Spread on Campus Due to Housing Settings and Social Gatherings, CDC Reports

Two new reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conclude that COVID-19 is spreading on college campuses due to congregate housing, the increase of social gatherings, and disregard for mask wearing.  

Architectural rendering of approved residence halls.

New Construction

California Northstate Receives Approval on New Modular Residence Hall

A private for-profit university in northern California has received city approval to build a new on-campus dormitory for its medical students.

3D rendering of the Unmanned Aerial Systems Laboratory. Source: St. Mary

New Construction

Construction Nears Completion on Drone Lab at St. Mary's University in TX

St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX is nearing completion of new drone lab, which is on target to be done in October.



As it moves throughout the room, the cbot sprays a cleaning agent that, according to the company, is effective against SARS CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that generates COVID-19, as well as other pathogens.

Cleaning

Cleaning Robot Pitched for Classrooms

Imagine a Roomba with a plastic pillar on top, roaming through a room dispensing disinfectant onto chairs, table-tops and other surfaces.

Vail Valley Foundation’s YouthPower365, along with Winnebago’s Specialty Vehicle Division, unveiled an all-electric, emission-free vehicle called the “Magic Bus” Mobile Preschool.

Learning Spaces

All-Electric Mobile Preschool Brings Programming to Colorado

A Colorado non-profit will launch a mobile preschool experience in October for families with children ages 3 to 5 years old who do not attend a traditional preschool program.

Byron Nelson High School. Courtesy of Perkins and Will.

New Construction

Expansion and Renovation Completed at Byron Nelson HS in North Texas

The three-story, 75,000 square-foot expansion and renovation of the campus provides added capacity to a rapidly growing population in the Northwest Independent School District. The project was headed by Perkins & Will.

Contest

Second Annual 'Custodians Are Key' Contest Seeks Nominations

The eight-month campaign recognizes the work of K-12 custodians across the country and honors them and their school with a $15,000 prize package.

Northwestern Athletics Add Filtration Systems

As part of a phased ramp-up in its return to full operations, Northwestern University Athletics and Recreation has installed filtration systems in the locker and weight rooms and other high-traffic spaces in its athletic facilities.

Classrooms

Florida School Unveils New Building for Students with Dyslexia

Middle school students began classes on Monday at the newly constructed building at Roberts Academy, a private school for students with dyslexia.

Software

School Communication System Adds Contact Tracing Features

SchoolStatus, which produces a mass notification and communication software-as-a-service platform for schools, has added functionality to enable contact tracing reporting and tracking.

Reopening

Residence Hall Staff and Grad Students at U of Michigan On Strike

Residence hall staff and graduate students at the University of Michigan are on strike due to lack of coronavirus health protections on campus. The grad students and residence hall staff began separate strikes on the same day, Sept. 8.  

Reopening

Bradley U Requires All Students to Quarantine for Two Weeks

Bradley University is requiring the entire student body to quarantine for two weeks because of a spike in COVID-19 on campus, officials announced this week. The temporary quarantine is in effect until Sept. 23.

Reopening

NYC Teachers and Principals Pressure Mayor de Blasio to Delay School Reopening

New York City public schools are set to reopen on Sept. 10. However, the city’s teachers, principals, and staff say schools are unprepared to reopen and are pressuring Mayor Bill de Blasio to delay the start of in-person instruction by several weeks.

AI Welcome Center automatically turns on when a person faces it. Then it performs a quick temperature measure with laser-sensing technology and checks for face masks using "vision AI."

Products

"Welcome Center" Automates Health, Mask Check-in

A company that produces technology for the food industry has developed a "welcome center" that schools can use to automate student and staff check-in.

Energy Harness

HVAC

Ceiling Unit Uses UVC Light to Clean Classroom Air

A Florida company with an office in Purdue Research Park has introduced a technology it said would help schools reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The screening solutions let employees and visitors self-assess their health and wellness through web- and email-based tools before requesting access to a building.

Access Control

Facility Access Tools Repositioned for New Occupancy Controls

A company that produces physical security products is repositioning its products to address the needs of facilities under new restrictions. The offerings from LenelS2 cover touchless access, occupancy management, enforced access control and screening solutions.

Healthy Schools

Ed Tech Company Releases COVID-19 Training Videos

An education technology company that produces training has compiled a set of videos to help districts prepare for school reopenings.

Layout of shared bathrooms by KWK Architects.

Facilities

Residence Hall Designs Expected to Shift in Response to COVID-19

Emphasis on single sleeping unit spaces will probably dominate in residence hall design in coming months and years, along with common areas that encourage physical distancing, wider entrances and kitchens that allow for one-way traffic patterns. Those are the predictions of student housing design experts at KWK Architects.

Safely Reopening

Chicago Public Schools Hosts Feedback Meetings This Week on Reopening Plan

Chicago Public Schools is conducting several virtual meetings this week to gather feedback on the district’s reopening plans for the fall. The first one was held Monday morning

Sustainability

LA Community Colleges Vows to Eliminate Carbon Footprint by 2040

The Los Angeles Community College District has vowed to eliminate its carbon footprint entirely over the next two decades.

Parents Create COVID-Screening App for Schools

Dr. Brian Benson, a family physician and his wife, Kaley Benson developed a symptom-screening software for schools called Cleared4School.

"ViralBarrier" from Precise Tooling Solutions is intended specifically for K-12 and higher education use.

"Viral Barrier" Provides Physical Distancing Shield

"ViralBarrier" from Precise Tooling Solutions is intended specifically for K-12 and higher education use.

Hy-Lite

Furniture and Equipment

Rolling Privacy Panels Facilitate Physical Distancing

U.S.-based Hy-Lite said its new panels are made of architectural-grade acrylic blocks that allow light through while protecting privacy.

Reopening Schools

Rural Wisconsin Districts Seek Early School Start

Rural school districts in Wisconsin have asked the state to begin school earlier than usual citing concerns that the pandemic has interfered with student progress.

LA and San Diego Schools to Hold Online-Only Classes in The Fall

Los Angeles Unified School District and San Diego Unified School District announced they will not reopen for in-person classes next month due to increasing COVID-19 cases.

Reopening

Texas Education Agency Issues Guidelines for Reopening Schools

School districts must offer daily on-campus instruction for all students who wishes to attend, but any parent may request for their child to receive virtual instruction from any school that offers such instruction.

Health Sciences Facilities

U North Florida Gets $6 million to Start Setting up "MedNexus"

The University of North Florida has received $6 million in the latest state budget to build what the university has named the UNF MedNexus. The intent is to create an operation that connects regional healthcare providers with university students, faculty and researchers.

Stevens College of Tech Expanding Footprint with New Diesel School. Source: Greenfield Architects

Stevens College of Tech Expanding Footprint with New Diesel School

Construction has begun on a new facility that will be leased by a Pennsylvania college. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is expecting to move into the new building by June 1, 2021.

Reopening

Texas A&M Converting Sports Venues, Other Facilities into Class Spaces

Texas A&M said it would convert non-traditional spaces into classrooms for the fall semester, which starts on Aug. 19.

E.J. Whitmire Stadium at Western Carolina University, in busier days. Source: Western Carolina University

Sports Facilities

Western Carolina U Chooses Woolpert for Stadium Project

A North Carolina institution is almost finished with a million-dollar project in its stadium. The Western Carolina University project included the removal, demolition and replacement of the existing synthetic turf field and the addition of a new synthetic turf practice area.

Kim Consavage, a member of Michigan State

Construction

Michigan State Halts Construction on Three Major Projects

Michigan State University has put the brakes on a number of campus construction projects to address a funding gap posed by the impact of the pandemic.

Finlandia

Health Sciences Facilities

Finlandia U Plans Fall Opening of New Health Sciences Facility

Finlandia University's College of Health Sciences will be ready to receive students in fall 2020 in its new location, in spite of project delays due to a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the institution.

Contest

Tennant Company Awards Grand Prize in "Custodians Are Key" Contest

The inaugural “Custodians Are Key” contest launched in September and recognizes the work of K-12 custodians around the country. Kris Kantor of Hayes Elementary in Lakewood, Ohio is the grand prize winner and will receive a prize valued $5,000, while his school receives $10,000.