{"id":7727,"date":"2021-03-15T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2021-03-15T08:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=7727"},"modified":"2021-03-15T14:24:50","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T14:24:50","slug":"higher-education-master-plans-provide-direction-prevent-wasteful-spending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/higher-education-master-plans-provide-direction-prevent-wasteful-spending\/","title":{"rendered":"Higher education master plans provide direction, prevent wasteful spending"},"content":{"rendered":"

By John Holbert<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like any other organization, higher education institutions change over time.\u00a0<\/span>Buildings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>age. Infrastructure wears out.\u00a0<\/span>Programmatic needs evolve.\u00a0<\/span>The best wa<\/span>y\u00a0<\/span>to plan and prepare for these inevitable\u00a0<\/span>occurrences is to<\/span>\u00a0develop a master plan and conduct facility assessments<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Higher education m<\/span>aster plans<\/span>\u00a0rely on analys<\/span>i<\/span>s of\u00a0<\/span>several<\/span>\u00a0factors<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 including\u00a0<\/span>projected educational trends, changes in demographics, financial and economic forecasts,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>societal\u00a0<\/span>shift<\/span>s (e.g.,\u00a0<\/span>long-term effects of COVID-19)\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provide a blueprint\u00a0<\/span>o<\/span>f\u00a0<\/span>the f<\/span>uture\u00a0<\/span>growth\u00a0<\/span>of a campus and the ability to meet the associated needs of that growth.\u00a0<\/span>The plan addresses such things as\u00a0<\/span>when and\u00a0<\/span>where buildings will be const<\/span>ructed<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>how to provide for the necessary supporting infrastructure<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and plan<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0for\u00a0<\/span>minimizing\u00a0<\/span>energy use,\u00a0<\/span>reducing the\u00a0<\/span>carbon\u00a0<\/span>footprint, and\u00a0<\/span>investing in\u00a0<\/span>renewable opportunities such as solar<\/span>\u00a0and wind\u00a0<\/span>energy<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Facility assessments\u00a0<\/span>are a key component of master plans, providing an analysis of\u00a0<\/span>building systems and infrastructure a<\/span>nd their ability to<\/span>\u00a0support future needs<\/span>. The<\/span>se analyses<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>should be completed every five to 10 years<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>can be\u00a0<\/span>general or detailed, depending on the\u00a0<\/span>breadth of i<\/span>nformation\u00a0<\/span>needed<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Such assessments<\/span>\u00a0should provide<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n