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The students have changed, and the way spaces get used is changing as well. How do we need think about educational environments to foster better thinking inside them?
Data centers have complex mechanical and electrical designs with unique performance and reliability needs. Unique BMS and approaches are required in order to optimize the control, monitoring, and operation of these systems. But what is the best approach?
Architects and engineers are constantly challenged in the higher education market with the same goal from clients over and over again. "We want the learning space of the future," they say. What does that mean, really? Before we can answer that, we need to nail down what today's learning space really is.
Traditionally, the primary location for learning in colleges and universities was the classroom or lecture hall. Today's learning spaces are no longer defined by those terms. Those spaces will continue to exist, but a multitude of different "back of house" spaces are now used for a variety of different teaching uses and learning opportunities throughout the day. Collaborative spaces in corridors, cyber cafes, or the middle of a courtyard are all examples of how learning spaces have evolved, adding another layer to how engineers approach the design of the mechanical systems serving them.
EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME
Understanding that learning spaces are more than just a traditional classroom, we can now answer the initial question. What is the learning space of the future? In short, the answer is: flexible. As simple as it sounds, flexibility can be quite difficult to achieve with the constantly evolving teaching techniques in today's educational environment. The days of row after row of desks focused on a wall of chalkboards has given way to digital smart boards and projectors quite some time ago. The next evolution of teaching techniques is already upon us, and engineers will need to continue to study and adapt their designs to accommodate this evolution.
The amount of technology in today's learning space would shock most adults who have not stepped foot in a classroom or library since finishing college or high school. Technology is evolving at an unprecedented rate, and the truth is that the teaching methods...