Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

How Inflation, Experience Gaps, and AI Are Reshaping Education Construction and Cost Control

  • 03/23/26

Scott Creekmore, VP of Customer Engagement at Gordian, explains how Gordian evolved from Job Order Contracting into planning tools for facility condition assessments and asset recapture, plus estimating through RSMeans price data. He outlines major challenges facing education construction today: rapid inflation driven by geopolitics, an industry-wide experience gap as seasoned professionals retire without enough backfill, and resulting cost-control volatility where prices swing dramatically over short periods. Creekmore describes how advancing technology—especially AI—along with CMMS and cost-tracking software can help agencies do more with less by improving scope detail, reducing change orders, tracking labor on site, and enhancing cost benchmarking and predictive insights, including regional price differences. He also advocates for longer-term planning, economies of scale, and reexamining procurement laws and options such as cooperative purchasing and job order contracting to improve cost control.

00:00 Meet Scott and Gordian
00:22 Gordian Origins and Services
01:14 Industry Challenges Today
03:14 Tech Trends and AI Tools
05:11 AI for Better Scopes
07:42 Long Term Planning in Education
09:22 Smarter Procurement and Cost Control
10:05 Closing Thoughts

Additional resources:

Sponsored by Gordian

Featured

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.

  • Wyoming District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    Laramie County School District #1 in Cheyenne, Wy., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School, according to a news release. The facility has an estimated completion date of summer 2028, and it will have the capacity for 650 students in fifth and sixth grade.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.