Industry News


OpenStax Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Providing Open Educational Resources

OpenStax, which expands access of K–12 and higher-education resources and research-informed educational tools, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as 2024 comes to a close, according to a news release. The educational initiative from Rice University has served almost 37 million students in 153 countries and saved students nearly $3 billion in educational costs since its launch in 1999.

American University Launches Sustainability Research Project

American University in Washington, D.C., recently began a research project exploring the relationship between purchase decisions for university campuses and sustainability, according to a news release. The study seeks to explore how “greening” the purchases involved in student housing renovations, breaking ground on new facilities, buying new equipment and supplies, and more, can foster larger sustainability goals.

Georgia State University Plans Campus Transformation

Georgia State University in Atlanta, Ga., recently received an $80-million gift that will go toward the largest campus transformation project in university history, according to a news release. The contribution from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation will go toward a planned $107 million in campus upgrades across nine projects in downtown Atlanta.

Texas School District Opens New Elementary School

The Boerne Independent School District (Boerne ISD) near San Antonio, Texas, recently opened a new elementary school that serves almost 500 students, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects to build the 97,151-square-foot Viola Wilson Elementary School, which opened in August.

Massachusetts High School to Build New Athletics Facility

Middlesex School, which serves boarding and day students in grades 9–12, recently moved forward with plans to build a new athletics facility for its campus in Concord, Mass., according to a news release. MassDevelopment recently issued a $43.7-million tax-exempt bond to fund the project.

Texas A&M Breaks Ground on New Space Institute

The Texas A&M University Space Institute recently broke ground next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, according to a news release. The Nov. 15 groundbreaking ceremony followed the Nov. 7 approval by the Texas A&M University System’s Board of Regents of $200 million for the facility’s construction.

Belmont Abbey College Selects Architect for New Performing Arts Center

Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., recently announced the selection of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting (Little) to serve as the project architect for its new Visual and Performing Arts Center, according to a news release. The 1,000-seat theater will serve the college and local community as a home for theater, visual arts, performing arts, art exhibitions, and other cultural and educational events.

New Jersey High School Debuts Auditorium Renovation, Technical Upgrades

Plainfield High School in Plainfield, N.J., recently completed a series of construction projects including an auditorium renovation, a new eSports gaming arena, and a black-box theater, according to a news release. The school partnered with PureTek Group to install the Pliant Technologies CrewCom professional wireless intercom system.

Florida District Selects Designer for K–8 Prototype Campus

St. Lucie Public Schools in St. Lucie, Fla., recently announced that it has selected Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., to design its new Western Grove K–8 prototype campus, according to a news release. Construction on the 217,500-square-foot facility will begin in February 2025 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026.

RenewAire Releases DX Cooling Coil for Two Existing Energy Recovery Ventilators

HVAC and indoor-air-quality solutions provider RenewAire recently launched the new HE+DX Coil, a duct-mounted system for the company’s existing HE07 and HE10 energy recovery ventilators (ERVs).

DLR Group Hires New Higher Education Business Development Leader

Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has named a new Higher Education Business Development Leader who will serve out of the firm’s New York studio, according to a news release.

Case Systems makerspace

Case Systems Launches Line of K–12 Learning Spaces Installations

Case Systems recently announced the launch of SALTO, a line of classroom fixtures and installations for K–12 learning spaces like STEM labs, art rooms, and makerspaces, according to a news release. The product line is designed to provide teachers with flexibility and adaptability, enabling them to shift between collaborative and individual learning environments.

California District Opens New K–8 School

The Chino Valley Unified School District in Chino, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Legacy Academy K–8 School, according to a news release. The $51-million, 73,000-square-foot facility has the capacity for about 1,250 students.

Call for Opinions: Spaces4Learning 2025 Predictions for Educational Facilities

The K–12 and higher education facilities landscapes are always evolving. Schools are constantly adapting to technology advances, pedagogy changes, sustainability initiatives, and more.

North Dakota State University Starts Construction on Research Lab

North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D., recently began construction on the new, $78-million Bolley Agricultural Research Laboratory, according to a news release. The university partnered with JLG Architects and Clark & Enersen for the building’s design and with Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

Los Angeles Unified School District Adopts VR Learning Platform

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently announced its partnership with Avantis Education to bring educational virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) solution ClassVR to its students. A news release reports that the district has already deployed more than 16,000 ClassVR headsets as part of the Los Angeles Unified Instructional Technology Initiative.

All Surfaces Announces New Director of Commercial Business Development

Surface solutions provider All Surfaces recently announced that it has hired a new Director of Commercial Business Development in Torie Bonafede. Bonafede will work to build the company’s market presence in various categories and drive strategic initiatives to expand its commercial sales portfolio.

Oregon District Selects Builder for Multiple Renovation Projects

The David Douglas School District in Portland, Ore., recently selected Balfour Beatty company Howard S. Wright to deliver $15.7 million in renovations and repairs across multiple schools and facilities, according to a news release. The district also partnered with BBL Architects for the projects’ designs.

Hartwick College Debuts Baking Innovation Lab

Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., recently debuted its new Baking Innovation Lab (BIL), part of the Hartwick Center for Craft Food and Beverage, according to a news release. The 3,500-square-foot facility serves as a lab for innovation, collaboration, and experimentation within the food and grain sector.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Facilitron Partner for Facility Management

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) recently announced a partnership with facility management systems provider Facilitron, according to a news release. MDCPS has about 350,000 students across 400 campuses and is the 19th Florida school district to use Facilitron’s platform.

University of Michigan Medical Campus to Build $35M Parking Structure

The Board of Regents at the University of Michigan recently approved the construction of a new, $35-million parking structure for its Medical Campus in Ann Arbor, Mich., according to a university news release. It will provide 570 new spaces for visitors to the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Pavilion and is scheduled for completion in winter 2026.

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