With more than 98,000 public PK-12 schools serving 49.4 million students, maintaining infrastructure is a key concern for facility managers.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released their report A Comprehensive Assessment of America’s Infrastructure, which schools were analyzed and given a report card based on the conditions of their infrastructure. America’s schools were given a “D+”.
According to the report, fewer than half of states collect representative data on their school facilities. Based on the available public data, the average age of main instructional buildings in the U.S.’ public school system is 49 years. With aging infrastructure, it is essential that facility systems make thorough upgrades or replacements to their facilities so that students can continue to have a safe learning environment.
Despite their aging infrastructure, fewer than half of all public school facilities have undergone meaningful renovations or replacements since their original construction. The report found that fewer than one-third of schools have received improvements since 2010.
According to a 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report cited in ASCE’s report, 41 percent of school districts needed to update HVAC systems in at least half of their schools, making HVAC repairs the most common need. Meanwhile, at least 28 percent of school districts have yet to upgrade their interior lighting, safety or security systems and roofing in half of their total facilities.
Jeff Wardon, Jr., is the assistant editor of the facilities market.
