Smart building specialist Johnson Controls 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, the firm said in a release.
As part of its OpenBlue Healthy Buildings offerings, Johnson Controls said it has helped college administrators create and implement strategies to safely and efficiently welcome back students, staff and faculty. Through long-term relationships that transfer the full lifecycle risk of healthy building operations to Johnson Controls, campus administrators can provide scalable campus recovery strategies to deliver healthy environments, the firm added.
“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. “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.”
Johnson Controls noted that clear 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, the firm said.
One of the institutions that selected Johnson Controls to deliver a safe, healthy and connected campus environment ahead of the fall 2021 semester was East Central College in Union, Missouri. As part of this project, 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.
OpenBlue Healthy Buildings 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, the firm added.
Johnson Controls has already served 2,887 higher education campuses in North America.
