The initial reboot of campuses will likely have a blend of online learning and on-site instruction. The reality is that even if campuses could fully reopen this fall, they would not have enough space on campus to accommodate the entire student population given the distancing guidelines.
As part of HMC’s ongoing research effort to better understand the longterm effects of COVID-19 and develop solutions for a safe return to PreK-12 schools, we consulted with clients from various school districts and county offices of education, conducted surveys with parents, and did a deep dive literature review on building design and infectious disease transmission/prevention.
HMC is committed to sharing our findings with the industry in a series of white papers that focus on five main areas of Technology, Adaptability and Flexibility, Regulatory/Budgetary/Institutional Impacts, Space Needs/Reduction and Restructuring, and Impact to Wellness/Mental Health. In this paper, we discuss space needs within our PreK-12 built environments.
