YOUR CONSTRUCTION CHEAT SHEET: TRENDS AND SOLUTIONS FOR EDUCATION FACILITIES

Technology: Learning does not have to be confined to the classrooms, and technology opens students to an entire world of education. On college campuses especially, mobile devices have greatly impacted the way information is accessed and disseminated. With learning extending beyond the classrooms, design to accommodate technology must follow. No longer will students access technology only in computer labs. Daniel M. Tarczynski, AIA, of SchenkelSchultz Architecture reports that “every space, even those beyond the traditional classroom, has become a ‘learning’ space.2” Distance learning is another way students can take advantage of technology to enhance their education. Schools that offer this option must be designed to be compatible with technology necessary to meet the needs of these students. Those designing and building educational facilities must make the buildings and campuses well-equipped for emerging technologies to continue to influence students today and into the future.

Flexible Collaborative Learning: Designers consider the effect room layout and furniture placement may have on students’ abilities to learn. Room shape and furniture that can be arranged in multiple ways can affect the way students communicate with one another and how the teachers effectively educate within their classrooms. Kimberly Coffeen, a Senior Educational Facility Planner at LPA, Inc. writes that “planning for diverse types of spaces of different sizes, purposes and qualities can enhance the classroom settings.3” Designs for flexible, open spaces that promote collaboration may include sliding walls, furniture that can be rearranged easily, and lighting in different areas of the room.

Sustainability: Education facilities can have a large impact on the amount of energy consumed in the community, and even small changes can lead to major savings. Implementing green efforts into design can improve students’ health and enhance their learning. Coffeen writes that “a well-designed classroom that includes proper ventilation, good acoustics, quality indoor air quality (IAQ) and abundant daylight has a positive impact on students’ attendance, concentration and performance.3” Energy efficiency measures include changing out interior and exterior lighting, updating mechanical and electrical systems to more efficient models, installing solar panels and even planting green rooftops to help with cooling and storm water runoff.

Students spend an average of eight hours a day, 180 days a year, in school. Multiply that by 13 years for Kindergarten through high school, and 17 years for those who attend colleges or universities, and a great deal of time is spent in the halls and on the campuses of educational facilities. With so much of their time spent in classrooms, the impact of school design on students is significant. According to the Whole Building Design Guide, the lights, colors, size of facilities and layout of rooms can have positive or negative stimulation on students1. Here are the top five design trends for educational facilities.

Security: Unfortunate and tragic events can occur anywhere. Educational facilities from elementary schools to college campuses are taking measures to improve security, with designs that feature secure entryways, reinforced doors, surveillance cameras, emergency communication systems and even dedicated routes to flow student traffic in the event of an emergency. Colleges and universities have incorporated highly visual security tactics into their campuses in an effort to thwart criminal activity and provide accessible safe havens to students in need. These methods include blue light emergency phones, emergency kiosks, well-lit outdoor areas and maintaining bushes and trees so they’re not overgrown4.

Community Involvement: More and more, the community is becoming involved in the planning and design of educational facilities. Often, these facilities can serve multiple uses, and with the community’s input, can reflect the values of the neighborhood addition to functioning well for all who use it. The Whole Building Design Guide notes that “a school building that is attractive and responds to and is consistent with the design and context of the neighborhood, builds a sense of pride and ownership among students, teachers, and the community1.”

1. http://www.wbdg.org/design/elementary.php2. http://www.schoolconstructionnews.com/articles/2015/03/3/q-design-encourages-learning-beyond-the-classroom3. http://blog.lpainc.com/lpa-blog/bid/109751/Five-Trends-in-K-12-School-Design-Everyone-Should-Consider4. http://www.schoolconstructionnews.com/articles/2015/05/21/shining-light-on-campus-security

These five design trends position the schools of today to serve the students of tomorrow. The impact of a facility’s design on the occupants of the facility cannot be overlooked. With a well-designed and executed educational facility, students and faculty can communicate and collaborate better, have better attendance, health and better grades. RSMeans from The Gordian Group® supplies designers with the construction cost estimating tools they need to determine how to create modern learning spaces within a client’s budget. RSMeans data is up-to-date and easily accessible to provide dependable estimates for the latest trends in facility design. The new 2016 data includes additions to safety and security and green unit prices, such as bullet resistant fiberglass panels, reclaimed granite and efficient hazard lighting and warning beacons. This data will help build clear estimates to take your building into the future.

WWW.RSMeans.COM

Officials at K-12 institutions across the nation know that planning is everything when it comes to the maintenance and well-being of their facilities and infrastructures. Thinking two steps ahead is key to overcoming the challenges posed by tight public budgets, stringent scheduling requirements and miles of administrative red tape. These decision-makers have to map out their repair and renovation strategies with precision in order to earn support from their communities and be given the financial means to tackle these projects within a reasonable timeframe.

Each project type comes with its own set of difficulties that must be navigated in order to preserve budgetary and procedural blueprints. No matter what, when or why K-12 officials choose to initiate repairs and renovations they must be able to rely on strong procurement services to remain on track when external factors stand in the way of their success. To offer an idea of which renovation projects are slated ahead, here is a list of the biggest trends across the country.

HISTORIC REFURBISHMENTWhile the demolition and reconstruction of K-12 facilities tends to be the go-to strategy for decision-makers faced with crumbling structures and outdated equipment systems, historical value is a compelling factor that often brings public leaders to opt for renovation instead. Old and outdated buildings impact the motivation of those who work and learn at the school. An improved learning environment leads to improved learning in the school, as well as improved teaching in the school.

Typical tasks that local school administrators face in their refurbishment efforts include major structural improvements to roofs and windows, revamped heating systems and rewiring needed for next-generation technology and learning support. As with any project on a limited budget, decision-makers must ensure that their procurement solutions are as efficient as possible.

CLASSROOM EXPANSIONSIn many municipalities, skyrocketing populations have inflated K-12 enrollment and placed major burdens on local institutions to keep up with the growing student body. With residential construction up across the country, school facilities are becoming overpopulated with a booming student enrollment that’s projected to continue to grow.

School officials everywhere are looking at increasing enrollments and many are holding school board meetings to predict construction costs related to expanding facilities to serve the larger student bodies – some are forecasting hundreds of millions of dollars in projected projects. Decision-makers may not have access to the funding they need to complete every aspect of their vision, meaning that a smart procurement strategy will be all the more important for the future of these growing populations. Job Order Contracting can help local leaders reduce the financial and scheduling risks associated with construction and promote efficient project execution. This alternative construction procurement tool mitigates risk by utilizing a single contract, streamlining the bidding process and using firm localized prices.

FACILITIES CONSOLIDATIONFor schools with less historic significance, some administrators opt to demolish older facilities in order to focus efforts and resources on more promising buildings and infrastructure foundations. Where repairs are needed across multiple aging schools, many are finding a better option is to tear down the facilities, and make expansions and renovations to other school buildings to accommodate those students.

Consolidation efforts are costly and time-consuming, but school administrators can expect returns on investment within a few years. For the time being, decision-makers must utilize precise procurement strategies to minimize the risk during their consolidation journeys.

21ST-CENTURY LEARNING UPDATESEven for K-12 facilities that are largely safe and sound, the technological infrastructure is far behind the times in many of the nation’s schools. More and more, renovation plans are centering on the development of computer facilities, visual arts resources and networking components meant to boost the connectivity of school facilities. Communities focus on becoming cutting edge with these upgrading efforts.

In some districts, the last major update was decades ago, and instruction and programs have changed dramatically since then. To support new technologies and collaborative group work, and to provide today’s real-world learning experiences, school administrators are looking to renovate with a focus on technology.

THE TOP 5 K-12 RENOVATIONS

WWW.THEGORDIANGROUP.COM

Energy Efficiency in Schools The path to becoming more energy efficient in the nation’s schools can feel like a construction nightmare and be a large budgetary strain. Many K-12 leaders may find the costs associated with energy retrofits and green building prohibitive, especially when they are unaware of the value associated with those upgrades. Energy efficiency upgrades in schools create a positive environmental impact and lead to cost savings and improved student health and performance, as well as a more enjoyable atmosphere for both students and faculty. Funding can be stretched even further by using the Job Order Contracting procurement method for energy efficiency construction projects.

It’s Not Easy Being GreenIn public K-12 schools, more than 55 million students spend a large portion of their days in facilities that can be unhealthy and restrict their ability to learn1. However, school administrators feel discouraged

from taking on green construction initiatives due to financial and time constraints as well as doubts over the true benefits of a more sustainable school.

Cost is an important consideration for school officials who are interested in energy efficiency projects. In fact, 68% of school executives report that higher construction costs were extremely significant in discouraging green construction1. Presently, the cost to operate the 98,800 K-12 facilities in the U.S. is $7.6 billion annually3, including all heating and cooling costs. That comes to an average of $77,000 per year, per school. This is already a major line item on budgets, leaving little room for additional investment in green initiatives. Additionally, the cost to build a new energy efficient school is $150 per square foot on average, 1-3% more than building a traditional school1.

Although K-12 administrators all over the country face shrinking budgets, it is important to not only consider the initial cost of a new school building or renovation, but also the operational cost of the building over the next several decades2. As the trend for sustainable initiatives grows, schools are realizing the cost benefits continue for years to come.

Studies show that 64% of school executives report being discouraged from green construction due to the lack of awareness of its benefits1. Below are some reasons why becoming energy efficient is worth the investment.

Going Green Can Lead to n $0.40 cent per square foot n reduction in building operating n costs at the most energy n efficient schools3

n The financial savings of going n green are about $70 per square n foot, which is more than 20 n times as high as the cost of n going green1

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS HAVE STAYING POWER AT SCHOOLS

64% OF SCHOOL EXECUTIVES REPORT BEING DISCOURAGED FROM GREEN CONSTRUCTION

DUE TO THE LACK OF AWARENESS OF ITS BENEFITS

2)1

WWW.THEGORDIANGROUP.COM

1. http://www.usgbc.org/Docs/Archive/General/Docs2908.pdf 2. http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/benefits-sustainability 3. http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Energy-Star-Portfolio-Manager-Helps-K12-Facility-Managers-Avoid-Millions-in-Energy-Costs--13864# 4. http://www.facilitiesnet.com/energyefficiency/article/Study-Results-Energyefficient-Schools-Lower-Costs-Improve-Air-Quality--5598 5. http://www.athleticbusiness.com/fitness-training/fitness-facilities-go-green.html6. http://contractormag.com/green/green-buildings-may-cut-emissions-water-50-percent 7. http://www.energy.ca.gov/2003publications/CEC-500-2003-082/CEC-500-2003-082-A-07.PDF

Benefits of Upgrading to Green Water and Wastewater Systems n 32% less water usage than conventional schools4

n $1 per square foot savings of school n 50% reduction in greenhouse emissions7

How Can These Benefits be Realized? Energy efficiency upgrades benefit the environment as well as the operating costs of buildings and the health and productivity of individuals who utilize them. Whether a school is implementing green upgrades during new construction or transitioning existing facilities to green energy solutions, they can benefit from decreased operating costs for years to come. They can also experience financial advantages immediately, by saving time and money during the construction procurement process.

K-12 facilities across the country have benefited from Job Order Contracting (JOC) to expedite their energy efficiency updates and help stretch their repair, maintenance, and straightforward new construction money further.

Schools use JOC to procure their green initiatives, enabling them to complete large numbers of efficiency improvement measures with a single, competitively-bid contract based on a set of customized, pre-priced construction tasks. JOC eliminates the time, expense and administrative burden of completing the normal design-bid-construct cycle for each project, and delivers quality construction faster and more cost effectively, with complete transparency. JOC helps school administrators avoid the frustrations associated with construction delays and lost funding opportunities, and enables them to start realizing the benefits of their green initiatives quicker.

Benefits of Upgrading to Green Energy Systems n 33% less energy usage on average4

n $9 per square foot savings1

n A North Carolina school district comprised of 32 n facilities has saved $8.1 million in energy costs n through green initiatives over the past eight n years, equating to a 30% reduction in annual n energy usage3

Benefits of Upgrading to Green Indoor Air Quality Systems n 38.5% reduction of instances of asthma1

n In high performance schools, better indoor air n quality cut costs by approximately $45 per n student per year, from reducing illnesses such as n influenza and cold1

n Increased teacher retention rates1

n 70% of green school executives reported n reduction in student absenteeism and improved n student preformance1

Benefits of Upgrading to Green Temperature Control and Lighting Systems n 3.6% increase in classroom productivity in n green schools vs conventional schools1

n 5-15% potential electric savings by daylighting n classrooms7

IT’S TIME FOR UNIVERSITIES TO ADDRESS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

A door closer is out of adjustment. Now, the door slams every time

it closes. This damages other components, such as the latch, door jamb, door stop and weather stripping. With the prolonged and repeated door slamming, the door frame becomes damaged and the latch no longer works. Now the entire door and frame need replaced. All this could have been prevented if the adjustment to the door closer had been made in a timely manner1.”

This example of deferred maintenance comes from Allegion’s whitepaper, Rising Trend of Deferred Maintenance in Facility Management1.

eferred maintenance issues don’t pop up overnight, they

typically take years to bubble underneath the surface of public infrastructures and budgets. The cost of deferring repairs are small on a day to day scale, however, as the minor costs compound, the cost enlarges into a substantial expenditure on budgets. One

problem turns into multiple major problems and in turn decays equipment or buildings to the point where there are serious fiscal and tangible consequences.

Deferred maintenance continues to be an issue in the higher education sector at a time where there is stiff competition for enrollment and funding. During such a competitive time deferred maintenance can be both a “monetary saving grace and a budgetary nightmare2.” Anthony Trombetta, director of sales for the International Sanitary Supply Association, expresses that as budgets continue to get reduced and cut, “more universities implement deferred programs that negatively impact the residents and the buildings2.”

In a non-deferred maintenance environment, roughly 70% of maintenance costs should be preventative or planned and 30% should be emergency maintenance. However in most cases, the reverse is true. Lander Medlin, executive vice-president

of the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, insists that universities need to flip the ratio instead of only “creating band aids2.”

A study conducted by the Pacific Partners Consulting Group found that $1 of deferred maintenance costs $4 of capital renewal needs in the future3. This is because less preventive maintenance on equipment and buildings can shorten their lifecycle. In fact, it has been proven that it can shorten their lifecycle by as much as one-third3. Also, skipping routine maintenance on equipment or buildings

30%70%

Preventative or plannedEmergency Maintenance

Maintenance Cost In a Non-Deferred Maintenance

Environment

can result in more emergency repairs, which are more costly and take longer than planned repairs3. As more maintenance and repair tasks become deferred or ignored, problems start to accumulate and there are many potential adverse effects. According to a 2006 study by APPA, a national group of education facilities leadership professionals, more than 16% of prospective students said they rejected a college or university because of poorly kept facilities4. This is a staggering number considering 2 million high school graduates attended college the next year5.

That means more than 320,000 students rejected a college or university because of poorly kept facilities.

So why are higher education facilities ignoring repair or maintenance tasks? One reason is that many higher education institutions focused primarily on new construction to meet higher enrollment demands decades ago, subsequently making repair and maintenance tasks a lower priority. Two examples of this scenario include the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and all four of Arizona State’s campuses. The University of Massachusetts experienced a massive growth period in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s and thus focused primarily on the construction of new buildings rather than maintenance. Forty years later their backlog of maintenance

was estimated at $400 million and consequently enrollment rates are still dropping due to years of decaying facilities6. The University of Arizona State’s four campuses are also experiencing similar problems. ASU spent many years focusing only on new construction while deferring maintenance requests. Now ASU faces defective roofs, leaking pipes, malfunctioning electrical equipment and old flooring across four campuses. While they have accumulated over $242 million in deferred maintenance costs, they have also seen a dip in enrollment due to ailing facilities4.

According to Athens Ohio Today, the Ohio University Board of Trustees recently gave the go-ahead for a set of guidelines, principles and policies for a $250 million bond strategy aimed at tackling the heavy deferred maintenance demands that hang over the university. “The opportunity to fund... the incredible deferred maintenance on this campus is something that the trustees and the administration have talked about and worked on the vote today,” said Board Chairman David Brightbill, according to the source. “That was a very monumental decision that we made today and it was based on a lot of work and a lot of effort by a lot of people7.”

The organization has already mapped out how it plans to use the funds from the bond blueprint. Immediate repair needs will be addressed over the next four years with $100

million set aside by the board. The Ohio University Foundation Investment Committee will manage the remaining $150 million to be invested and distributed over the next 100 years. Universities have their work cut out for them, but to solidify their deferred maintenance management strategy, decision-makers will need to support their repair and renovation projects with procurement services that minimize wasted resources. Job Order Contracting is the perfect response to this problem, serving as a platform from which decision-makers can launch multiple repair and renovation projects from one contract with minimal financial risk.

WWW.THEGORDIANGROUP.COM

1. http://us.allegion.com/IRSTDocs/Article/110499.pdf 2. http://asumag.com/deferred-maintenance/matter-time-perspectives-deferred-maintenance?page=2 3. https://www.schooldude.com/community/discover/blogs/-1-deferred-maintenance-4-needed-later-in-capitalhow-does-that-math-work 4. http://www.statepress.com/2014/09/02/dream-deferred-university-facilities-wither-without-maintenance-funding/ 5. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm was 206. http://asumag.com/mag/university_operations_maintenance_deferred?page=17. http://thegordiangroup.com/Blogs/In-The-News/November-2014/Officials-seek-to-solve-deferred-maintenance-probl.aspx