• Gordian鈥檚 13th annual听State of Facilities in Higher Education听report puts the deferred capital renewal backlog at听$156 per gross square foot, up听8%听over the past year.听听

• The report says capital investment funding for existing buildings is听73.5%听of听what鈥檚听needed to prevent further backlog growth, with operating budgets听18.5%听below target.听听

• Staffing pressure is also rising: the report says custodial coverage responsibilities are up听27% since 2007, with public institutions seeing steeper increases than private institutions.听听

• Gordian points to strategic reinvestment,听benchmarking听and proactive maintenance as levers to stabilize backlogs and support long-term planning.听听

GREENVILLE, S.C. 鈥�听Deferred capital renewal needs at North American colleges and universities climbed to听$156 per gross square foot, an听8%听year-over-year increase, according to Gordian鈥檚 latest听State of Facilities in Higher Education听report.听听

The听Greenville, S.C.-headquartered company听said the data underscores continued underinvestment in existing buildings and warned that, without meaningful reinvestment, deferred needs are likely to continue rising.听听

Gordian鈥檚 13th annual report frames the sector鈥檚 growing backlog as the result of persistent funding gaps colliding with institutional change. The company said capital investment funding for existing buildings is at听73.5%听of what is听required听to keep deferred needs from expanding, and that operating budgets听remain听18.5%听below target levels.听听

鈥淭his year鈥檚 findings reinforce what we hear daily from leaders across the higher education sector: without sustained and strategic reinvestment, institutions risk deeper operational challenges,鈥� said Arul Elumalai,听President of Gordian, in a statement. 鈥淥ur goal with this report is to equip campus decision-makers with the clear, data-driven insights they need to prioritize the right actions now.鈥澨�听

Gordian said the analysis draws on its database of听43,000 campus buildings听representing听1.1 billion gross square feet听of space, which it uses to benchmark facilities conditions and spending patterns across North American higher education.听听

Alongside capital constraints, the report also points to workforce strain. Gordian said the amount of space each custodian听is responsible for听has increased听27% since 2007, with larger jumps reported at public institutions compared with private ones.听听

The report鈥檚 findings also highlight how structural underinvestment and rising deferred maintenance can restrict campus flexibility and push institutions toward reactive鈥攐ften costlier鈥攆acility management, Gordian said. As a path forward, the company said campuses can use data-driven benchmarking, proactive maintenance听practices听and strategic reinvestment to help stabilize backlog growth and support long-term decision-making.听听

鈥淲hile campuses face continued pressure, there is genuine opportunity ahead,鈥� said Pete Zuraw,听Vice听President of听Market听Strategy and听Development for Gordian, in a statement. 鈥淲ith reliable data and guidance from trusted industry partners, institutional leaders can make informed decisions that strengthen their facilities and position them for long-term resilience.鈥�听

Gordian said it has published the report for more than a decade and collaborates with higher education societies including APPA, NACUBO and SCUP, adding that the report includes survey data and commentary from higher education leaders.听听

This article is based on reporting originally published by Gordian on听April 8, 2026.听

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What You Need to Know听

• Gordon College announced plans for the Adams Center for Music, a new performance hall and expansion of its music facilities in Wenham, Massachusetts.听听

• The project is supported by a planned gift from Stephen and Denise Adams, according to the college.听听

• The college said it expects to break ground in summer 2026 and open the center in fall 2028.听听

• Planned features include a 500-seat performance hall, rehearsal and education spaces, and design elements emphasizing transparency and community connection.听听

Learn More听

Gordon College announced plans for the Adams Center for Music, a new performance venue and expansion intended to unify the college鈥檚 music programs in a single facility for the first time.听听

The Wenham,听Massachusetts-based听college听said the project鈥攊ts most significant building effort since the Ken Olsen Science Center opened in 2008鈥攚ill be made possible by a planned gift from arts and higher-education supporters Stephen and Denise Adams.听听

Under the current plan, Gordon said construction will start in summer 2026, with an opening targeted for fall 2028. The Adams Center for Music will adjoin the existing Phillips Music Center and is expected to bring choral and instrumental ensembles and other music programs into one听consolidated听location.听听

鈥淭his project reflects Gordon鈥檚 commitment to investing in the arts and expanding the reach and reputation of our music program,鈥� said Gordon College President Michael D. Hammond, according to an article from Gordon College.听听

The college said Epstein Joslin + Picardy Architects will design the building. Plans call for performance and rehearsal space, including a 500-seat performance hall, a large ensemble rehearsal room and dedicated areas for choral and music education, along with views of A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel and the campus landscape.听听

The announcement described 鈥渟triking glass apertures鈥� along campus pathways that will provide sightlines into key rehearsal and performance areas, a choice the college framed as a symbol of transparency and connection. It also said the performance hall will use wrap-around seating to create an immersive, communal experience, and that the stage will be built to accommodate programming ranging from large听choral-orchestral听works to chamber music.听听

鈥淭his is more than a building; it is a catalyst for transformation,鈥� said Dr. Sarita Kwok, dean of the Adams School of Music and the Arts, according to an article from Gordon College.听听

Architect Alan Joslin, founding principal of Epstein Joslin + Picardy Architects, said the building鈥檚 鈥渕ost eye-catching features鈥� will be its 鈥渢ransparency and communal shaping,鈥� with extensive use of glass intended as an invitation to engage with the arts.听

Denise Adams said the planned facility reflects a belief that music deserves purpose-built environments. 鈥淭his building reflects Stephen鈥檚 and my belief that music deserves spaces designed with the same care and intentionality as the art itself,鈥� she said, according to an article from Gordon College.听听

Gordon also pointed to the Adams family鈥檚 history of investing in music education and positioned the project as part of a broader vision for arts programming and community engagement.听

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By Benjamin Urban听听

As the听higher听education landscape听evolves, traditional classrooms听are听struggling听to keep up.听The rising demand for personalized learning听spaces听and听integrated educational technologies听is听redefining how and where learning happens. These changes are听prompting听institutions to reconsider the environments in which learning takes place.听听

Incoming students expect learning environments that mirror the flexibility and interactivity of the world they live in. Institutions are being challenged to design spaces that support collaboration, experiential learning, and digital engagement.听Facilities must balance both physical and听digital听needs that foster connection and听innovation听in equal measure.听This puts agility听at a premium.听听听

Against this backdrop,听modular prefabricated construction offers听a powerful solution.听It听delivers听the听speed, adaptability, and technology integration that today鈥檚听higher education听spaces听demand.听

Traditional听campus facilities, with fixed layouts and听limited听flexibility, no longer听reflect听the听way students听learn听or faculty teach.听To foster more inclusive, collaborative, and technology-driven spaces, institutions are increasingly embracing modular methods that can evolve with academic and functional needs.听

Adapting Infrastructure for Evolving Education听

Students are longer just digital natives. They have grown accustomed to seamless experiential integrations built听directly into their environments. This is reflected in learning modalities as higher education institutions听combine听synchronous and asynchronous courses, remote and in-person听instruction,听and听collaborative and听independent coursework.听

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to education. Therefore, we cannot expect a one-size-fits-all approach to facility design to suffice.听听

Flexible听classroom spaces听are听essential听to supporting听a range of teaching methods, from听group collaboration听to听hybrid learning. As educators听adapt听to meet students where they are, the physical space must听evolve alongside them.听听

Traditional buildings, constrained by听drywall听and hardwired systems,听can鈥檛听easily accommodate听new layouts or technological infrastructure without听disruption and added cost.听Modular construction听introduces听a听more agile听approach. Movable walls,听integrated听power, and scalable room configurations听enable听institutions to reconfigure classrooms quickly and听efficiently.听听

At the听,听a former campus pub听was reimagined听into a cutting-edge educational hub using modular construction. The pub was repurposed into high-tech classrooms using modular pods听built听for seamless听plug-and-play technology integration. These learning spaces are designed to听serve students today and听evolve听for quick听future听adjustments with minimal disruption.听

This type of responsiveness is essential in educational planning.听Pedagogy changes.听Student听needs听change. Learning environments need to keep pace.听The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, virtual labs, and real-time collaborative platforms听demand infrastructure听that听accommodates听continuous听adjustments.听Modular听solutions allow听institutions听to听stay ahead without sacrificing instructional time or听impacting听budgets.听

Building Faster Without Compromise听

Beyond flexibility, one of the most compelling advantages of modular construction is听the speed听of delivery.听Simply put, higher-ed institutions cannot afford lengthy renovations that take facilities offline for the students that听depend on them.听Traditional construction timelines often stretch months or听longer, limiting a university鈥檚 ability to respond to enrollment trends or evolving technology.听In contrast, modular interiors built off-site in controlled environments can dramatically shorten construction timelines.听

This was the case at听, where the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab听required rapid听expansion to support听the growing program.听Using听modular prefabricated construction, a 26,000听square听foot research lab was听built听in just three months, fully assembled and equipped with integrated technology to power advanced research.听

The听accelerated timeline allowed researchers to move in and continue their work without interruption. More importantly, the lab’s modular design ensures it can evolve easily as programs expand or technology advances听without the need for large-scale reconstruction. For institutions like UC Berkeley, this agility听is听invaluable.听

The Next Generation of Learning Spaces听

As educational institutions prepare for the next wave of transformation, the requirements for learning spaces are听coming into sharper focus.听Yes, they must be flexible, future-ready, and faster听to build.听But importantly, these spaces need to integrate听emerging technologies.听Elements like interactive displays and AI-enabled learning tools听are becoming听table stakes听today and听will听likely require听continuous updating.听听

Examples听like听the University of听the Fraser听Valley and UC Berkeley听demonstrate听how modular construction can听deliver听seamless technology听integration in higher education.听Integrated infrastructure for data, power, and audiovisual systems can be embedded directly into prefabricated components, creating digital-first spaces that are flexible,听efficient听and ready to evolve.听听

Modular construction answers this call in ways that听conventional听construction听methods cannot.听With plug-and-play functionality that allows technology to be updated or expanded with minimal disruption, modular design provides the resilient foundation needed to support continuous innovation in teaching and research.听

Conclusion听听

Modular prefabricated听construction is听reshaping the foundation of how learning environments are conceived and constructed. As campuses expand and听methods听evolve, the institutions that听invest in听adaptable infrastructure will define the next era of higher education.听听

In a market where speed, technology, and flexibility compete to听attract, teach, and empower future students, modular construction delivers the operational听agility听and long-term value institutions need to stay ahead.听

Benjamin Urban is Chief Executive Officer for DIRTT.听

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By Megan Marsh

As education methods and types of spaces evolve, CO Architects is continually exploring emerging trends shaping the future of interiors in higher education. Our challenge as architects and interior designers is to create university environments that foster community, places that support collaboration, encourage interactions among people with varying points of view and forge human bonds. These key trends are important design elements shaping the future of higher education.

1. Flexibility

In an era where everyone must do more with less, flexible design solutions ensure that universities utilize spaces to their full potential. Flexible spaces and furniture that adapt to the future of education are a growing trend. Clients are also increasingly requesting agile spaces that are equipped to respond to various technologies and experiential needs. Many of our projects include movable partitions that allow classrooms to expand as well as large gathering areas that can be reconfigured to host various event types and group sizes, such as lectures, graduation ceremonies and TED Talks.

Designers are now combining business, education, and leisure in blended-use spaces instead of programming them separately for work or gathering. Co-mingling increases occupancy through varying uses throughout the day. Movable, versatile furniture is a vital aspect of space flexibility. Foldable and stackable furniture with integrated storage allows for quick reconfiguration for different activities.

2. Tech-Enabled Spaces

A corollary of flexible design is integrating current technology into campuses for both new buildings and modernizations of older ones to ensure longevity and relevancy. Examples include integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) to enrich students鈥� campus and education experiences. The evolution of higher education design to focus on technology-driven learning environments as technology-enhanced spaces like AR and VR labs help make complex concepts easier to understand.

Other features routinely included are interactive smartboards, video-conferencing tools and other collaborative software as well as podcast rooms and recording studios for professors to professionally record lectures for hybrid learning, meeting current teaching needs but also accelerating new teaching methodologies.

3. Neurodiversity

Recognizing that students learn in a wide variety of ways, universities are becoming more accommodating to a range of cognitive and sensory preferences. Designs ensure that a choice of sensory environments is provided, in order to cater to diverse learning styles and needs. This can include a variety of study, learning and meeting environments, providing dimmable lighting and a range of color palettes. Collaboration areas vary from brighter rooms with plenty of natural light, to darker rooms with soft lighting as well as a range of visual and acoustical privacy elements. A mix of furniture types adds additional choices, allowing students to choose based on how they鈥檙e feeling at any given time.

4. Community-Fostering

The overall square footage in the education sector has remained relatively stable. However, space allocation has shifted toward slightly smaller private offices for faculty and an increase in flexible, shared workspaces or hybrid work models for faculty and staff.

This decrease in private workspaces is offset by a significant increase in public and community-life spaces, such as larger common areas, student lounges, collaboration zones and wellness facilities. Spaces that prioritize social interaction, support student well-being, and enhance campus life reflect a shift toward more communal, multi-functional environments within educational buildings.

5. Local Outreach

Higher education design increasingly considers and embraces the neighboring community. Multi-modal lecture spaces are often designed to also host community events, drawing residents onto campuses. Design details regularly embrace local influences and neighborhood history. Art installations often draw inspiration from the site surroundings and sometimes showcase the work of local artisans.

Visit the to see how wellness, outdoor learning spaces and sustainability are also shaping the future of higher education.

Megan Marsh is a senior interior designer and senior associate in the Los Angeles office of CO Architects.

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