What will be the major issues for facility management for schools and universities in 2025?

Facility management in the education sector, also known as “School Facility Management”, is a set of processes, methods and tools used to optimize the management, maintenance and proper functioning of school and university buildings.

The job of facility manager has been undergoing a major transformation for several years now. Facility managers must respond to growing challenges brought on by technological developments and new student expectations. This article provides an overview of the most important issues for 2025:

Integration of the IoT and artificial intelligence in schools and universities

The digital transformation in higher education now includes the integration of advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), which are essential tools for optimizing infrastructure management. IoT makes it possible to set up intelligent systems that monitor building occupancy and energy efficiency in real time.

This enables institutions to better manage their resources and to avoid the waste resulting from underutilized spaces or equipment. With ever growing numbers of students, efficient space management becomes an important advantage in making campuses ready for the future and improving overall efficiency.

Sustainability and energy efficiency of school buildings

Higher education institutions must respond to environmental challenges by adopting sustainable practices. It is essential to implement strategies to reduce their carbon footprint, such as the use of renewable energy sources and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. A greener and more energy-efficient approach will be a key factor for the success of school campuses in 2025.

Governments are increasingly implementing energy-savings plans to meet this challenge, including the renovation of university buildings with a range of IT equipment to promote the circular economy. France is a good example of this, with its implementation of the Campus Energy Efficiency Plan (PEEC2030), intended to reduce energy consumption at universities by 30% by 2030, with the ultimate aim of meeting the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050^[1].

In this dynamic environment, some universities are already taking exemplary initiatives. ETH Zurich, for example, has been using energy-efficient ROOMZ screens in its classrooms since 2016. With 800 screens installed to date, the university is demonstrating its outstanding energy efficiency: an average battery life of more than four years per display and an extremely low failure rate of around 1.6% per display and year.

Adapting to new learning methods

Hybrid working and distance learning are now also commonplace in higher education. Facility managers need to redesign spaces to integrate flexible technologies and to support diverse learning environments. Classrooms and workspaces need to be reconfigured to facilitate remote collaboration, while maintaining areas for traditional teaching.

The smooth management of schedule updates is facilitated by installing dynamic and up-to-date signage, such as ROOMZ Displays, to display class schedules at the entrance to rooms or by placing the ROOMZ Flightboard in corridors to help students find their way.

This approach is exemplified by the case study of CBS International Business School in Cologne, Germany, which has equipped its buildings with more than 100 ROOMZ Displays, thereby ensuring error-free information sharing in real time.

Source:

[1] France University: The Campus Energy Efficiency Plan for 2030 (PEEC2030)