With increases in COVID-19 vaccinations taking place around the country, it appears students could be back in the classroom this fall for another year of learning.
And while school children usually dread back to school time, it’s embraced by parents. Likewise, builders are also happy to see class back in session, as it likely means that any major projects in the education sector that were suspended during the pandemic will ramp up full speed before long.
That’s why educators planning facility projects must act now.
Education, both K-12 and colleges and universities, is a bustling construction market. In 2018, some $98.9 billion was spent on education construction projects across America, which represented nearly a 10% spending increase from a year ago.
Here are five major trends impacting school construction and renovation activity:
- Aging buildings – Most buildings on school campuses in the U.S. were constructed prior to 1975 and have passed key thresholds for renewal or renovations.
- Student safety – There are increasing pressures on school districts from parents, teachers, and community leaders to provide safer and more secure school facilities.
- Lack of financing – It’s becoming increasingly challenging to weight the costs of new construction versus renovation.
- Tight scheduling – Schools must deal with scheduling major projects around strict state mandated academic calendars, working around an average 180 days of learning.
- Changing needs – School construction experts are now seeing 50% of activity for projects not used exclusively for academic programs (e.g., dining, athletics, administrative use, and student housing in colleges and universities).
According to the industry resource PlanGrid Construction, education construction isn’t likely to be slowing any time soon, so while construction teams were catching their breath, it won’t be long before activity ramps up once again.
Sonitrol Great Lakes has been at work – using all precautions – providing safety and security installations and upgrades throughout the pandemic and is readying for a busy summer schedule of projects across the region. Contact us to learn more about our dedicated Education Market security solutions.