Johnson Controls, the global front-runner for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, collaborated with 894 U.S. higher education institutions in its fiscal third quarter to implement healthy building strategies in preparation for campus reopening in fall 2021.
As part of its OpenBlue Healthy Buildings offerings, Johnson Controls has helped college administrators create and implement strategies to safely and efficiently welcome back students, staff, and faculty.
Through comprehensive, long-term relationships that transfer the full lifecycle risk of healthy building operations to Johnson Controls, campus administrators can provide ambitious and scalable campus recovery strategies to deliver healthy environments that put wellness, productivity, and safety first.
Investing in indoor air quality
"Now is the time for educators to invest in indoor air quality and move into the future of healthy living, sustainability and learning," said Jaime Paris Boisvert, Director for the Higher Education Market at Johnson Controls.
Healthy campus environments have a direct positive influence on student achievement and wellness
"We know healthy campus environments have a direct positive influence on student achievement and wellness. Now, campuses must also address short-term COVID-19 needs along with those long-term health goals. We're honored to work on so many forward-looking projects that will optimize the campus experience for years to come. Because while infrastructure has always played a significant public health role, upgrades shouldn't begin and end with COVID-19."
Healthy, optimized campus experiences
As a majority of North American colleges and universities reopened campuses fully for the fall semester, they required modernized and resilient infrastructure. Johnson Controls OpenBlue Healthy Buildings empowers higher education stakeholders to optimize their buildings to create a new standard for safety, wellness, and efficiency.
Clean air solutions help mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens, touchless security minimizes contamination, and flexible facility solutions allow campus leaders to rapidly repurpose spaces as needed. Through OpenBlue, these solutions can be automated for scalable, efficient, and ongoing optimization.
Filter installations
To deliver a safe, healthy, and connected campus environment ahead of the fall 2021 semester, East Central College in Union, MO selected long-time partner Johnson Controls. Leveraging federal relief and stimulus funding and a turnkey approach, Johnson Controls building experts commissioned a comprehensive and integrated healthy building solution.
They installed high-efficiency MERV-13 filters, UV-C disinfection technologies, upgraded heat pumps, and Metasys® controls. The applied solutions will enable East Central College to improve air quality while maximizing classroom comfort to support improved learning outcomes.
Long-term revenue impact
OpenBlue Healthy Buildings ultimately allows schools to safely bring students back on campus Regardless of endowment size, the pandemic's negative impact on tuition and donations has tightened the margins of colleges and universities throughout the country. For many, the solution to fostering revenue recovery and positioning for future growth lies in instilling confidence in the safety of campuses for students, staff, faculty, and their families by making clear commitments to their health.
"Schools that get their return to campus right will not only have a successful semester but will remain competitive to health-conscious applicants and donors in the future. How campuses welcome back students this fall can impact revenue for years to come," said Paris Boisvert.
A sustainable learning environment
Global decarbonization targets and increasingly sustainability-minded applicants, donors, and communities have driven higher education stakeholders to commit to ambitious sustainability goals. However, many energy efficiencies and renewable energy projects were suspended or canceled during the pandemic.
OpenBlue Healthy Buildings ultimately allows schools to safely bring students back on campus, freeing up capital that can be reinvested in sustainability initiatives that keep colleges and universities on schedule in reaching their decarbonization targets.
Serving campuses
Johnson Controls has served 2,887 higher education campuses in North America, powering its missions for exceptional student experiences through healthy, connected, and sustainable infrastructure.
To learn more, visit, "The Link Between Healthy Campuses, Healthy People, and Better Learning."