Asumag 648 34constructrept
Asumag 648 34constructrept
Asumag 648 34constructrept
Asumag 648 34constructrept
Asumag 648 34constructrept

34th Annual Official Education Construction Report

May 1, 2008
Spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007.

Spending on construction by the nation's school districts and colleges slowed in 2007, representing the fourth consecutive year total expenditures dropped from the year before and setting a low point in spending so far this decade, according to American School & University's 34th annual Official Education Construction Report.

A difficult economy and rapidly rising costs took their toll as many education institutions trimmed or postponed planned projects. Total spending on new, addition and modernization construction by school districts and higher-education institutions dropped to $32.9 billion from $36.6 billion in 2006. But while total spending slowed, the amount K-12 institutions and colleges allocated to new buildings increased, reflecting the pressure to continue constructing new spaces to keep up with enrollment growth.

School district spending on new construction increased to $14.7 billion in 2007 from $13.7 billion the year before, and college spending on new construction jumped to $7.3 billion from $5.3 billion in 2006.

Following is the authoritative source for education construction data, detailing spending by type of institution; projected spending through 2010; per-square-foot and per-student costs; and much more. In addition, new data on the impact of green and security on education construction is included, providing you with insight as you plan future construction projects.

Arriving at the results

Results for the 34th annual Official Education Construction Report were compiled via a detailed questionnaire sent to chief business officials at the nation's school districts and colleges, asking about construction completed during the past year and construction planned to be completed in the next three years.

Administrators that completed or planned construction during this timeframe were then asked to provide a variety of details on the amount being spent, the type of construction being done (new, addition or modernization), and the expected completion date. All respondents involved with new and retrofit construction were asked to provide additional information on each project. Further follow-up correspondence was made to clarify some data. Responses were separated by institution type, region of the country and institution size, and projected across the education universe.

Education construction completed in 2007

($000s)

The National Picture SCHOOL DISTRICTS $14,671,846 New $5,611,141 Adds/Mods $20,282,987 TOTAL COLLEGES $7,269,669 New $5,386,416 Adds/Mods $12,656,085 TOTAL ALL EDUCATION $21,941,515 New $10,997,557 Adds/Mods $32,939,072 TOTAL

Education construction projected to be completed in 2008-2010

($000s)

The National Picture SCHOOL DISTRICTS $36,690,931 New $16,031,835 Adds/Mods $52,722,766 TOTAL COLLEGES $21,892,846 New $18,794,183 Adds/Mods $40,687,029 TOTAL ALL EDUCATION $58,583,777 New $34,826,018 Adds/Mods $93,409,795 TOTAL

Education construction: The past 10 years

($ Billions) 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 School Districts $17.095 $16.039 $21.567 $26.777 $24.343 $28.638 $29.088 $22.962 $25.325 $20.283 Colleges $7.330 $13.964 $14.703 $14.732 $16.205 $19.469 $12.186 $14.561 $11.306 $12.656 All Education $24.425 $30.003 $36.270 $41.509 $40.548 $48.107 $41.274 $37.523 $36.631 $32.939 New Construction $12.097 $14.431 $19.139 $20.112 $22.505 $31.596 $20.656 $21.220 $19.031 $21.942 Adds/Mods $12.328 $15.572 $17.131 $21.397 $18.043 $16.511 $20.618 $16.303 $17.600 $10.997

New school costs (Median)

Elementary Middle High Cost/Square Foot $188 $211 $175 Cost/Student $21,176 $28,889 $23,873 Square Feet/Student 134 158 110 Number of Pupils 600 800 950 Size (sq. ft.) 62,000 135,000 110,000 Total Cost ($000) $10,805 $25,500 $25,000

Construction Insight: School Districts

Green principles and security concerns have permeated the planning of education construction programs. As part of AS&U's Official Education Construction Report, SCHOOL DISTRICTS that completed new projects or were planning to complete construction by 2010 were asked a number of questions regarding the importance of green and security issues in their programs:

How important is the incorporation of security equipment (cameras, locks/access control, etc.) in your construction project?

National: 63.7% very important.

New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked the highest (81.3% very important).

West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD) ranked the lowest (39.6% very important).

Are green/sustainable concepts important in determining the types of materials/products used in your construction project?

National: 65.6% yes.

Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) ranked the highest (78.9% yes).

West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked the lowest (44.8% yes).

If you had an unlimited budget, what is the total dollar amount you would need for construction projects?

$103,356,883 (national mean) per district.

Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) ranked the highest ($294,941,176).

West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD) ranked lowest ($12,101,667).

If yes, what areas incorporate green decisions?

LIGHTING/CONTROLS 79.1% (National)

  • South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) ranked highest (92.3%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) and West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) tied for lowest (61.5%).

HVAC 78.3% (National)

  • South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) ranked highest (92.2%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) ranked lowest (61.5%).

DAYLIGHTING/CONTROLS 73.6% (National)

  • Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) ranked highest (86.4%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (46.2%).

BUILDING MATERIALS 60.9% (National)

  • Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) ranked highest (81.8%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (38.5%).

WASHROOMS 58.7% (National)

  • New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked highest (70%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (23.1%).

FLOORING/CARPETING 49.4% (National)

  • South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) ranked highest (61.5%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (15.4%).

ROOFING 45.5% (National)

  • Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) ranked highest (63.6%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (15.4%).

FURNITURE/FURNISHINGS 28.1% (National)

  • Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) ranked highest (45.5%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (<1%).

Construction Insight: Colleges

As part of AS&U's Official Education Construction Report, COLLEGES that completed new projects or were planning to complete construction by 2010 were asked a number of questions regarding the importance of green and security issues in their programs.

Here are the results:

How important is the incorporation of security equipment (cameras, locks/access control, etc.) in your construction project?

National 61.2% (very important).

New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked the highest (78.9% very important).

Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) ranked the lowest (43.8% very important).

Are green/sustainable concepts important in determining the types of materials/products used in your construction project?

National: 75.3% yes.

Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) ranked the highest (91.7% yes).

West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked the lowest (47.4% yes).

If yes, what areas incorporate green decisions?

If you had an unlimited budget, what is the total dollar amount you would need for construction projects?

$256,131,061 (national mean) per college.

Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) ranked the highest ($1,086,037,069).

East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) ranked lowest ($68,846,154).

LIGHTING/CONTROLS 85.3% (National)

  • East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) ranked highest (94.7%).

  • Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) ranked lowest (65.6%).

DAYLIGHTING/WINDOWS 78.2% (National)

  • New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked highest (93.3%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) ranked lowest (55.6%).

HVAC 77.8% (National)

  • East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) ranked highest (86.8%).

  • South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) ranked lowest (70.7%).

BUILDING MATERIALS 73,3% (National)

  • East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) ranked highest (86.8%).

  • South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) ranked lowest (58.5%).

WASHROOMS 60.9% (National)

  • New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked highest (80%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) ranked lowest (33.3%).

FLOORING/CARPETING 57.8% (National)

  • New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked highest (80%).

  • West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) ranked lowest (38.9%).

ROOFING 54.7% (National)

  • East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) ranked highest (76.3%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) ranked lowest (11.1%).

FURNITURE/FURNISHINGS 34.2% (National)

  • New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) ranked highest (60%).

  • East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) ranked lowest (11.1%).

School Data

5,060

Mean number of students at responding school districts.

36
Percentage of school districts completing some form of construction project in 2007.

52
Percentage of school districts planning a construction project to be completed by 2010.

$19
Amount, in millions, the median new school district construction project completed by 2010 is expected to cost.

College Data

6,461
Mean number of FTE students at responding colleges and universities.

61
Percentage of colleges and universities completing some form of construction project in 2007.

73
Percentage of colleges and universities planning a construction project to be completed by 2010.

$18.3
Amount, in millions, the median new college and university construction project completed by 2010 is expected to cost.

The Trusted Source

As the bellwether report documenting education construction activity for the past 34 years, the American School & University Official Education Construction Report is regularly referenced by local, state and federal agencies, as well as the nation's leading news organizations. AS&U actually started compiling data on school and university construction in 1950 for the 1949 year. After a decade or so of yearly surveys, data began being compiled sporadically until industry demand prompted AS&U to start collecting data annually again. The annual reports resurfaced in 1975 with information on education construction completed in 1974, and data has been collected and published every year since. American School & University is the only authorized source of this education construction information.

Agron is editor-in-chief of AS&U.

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...