U.S. University Spending for Laboratories and Infrastructure Approaches $3 Billion in Five-Year Analysis

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). As the fall 2005 school year begins, the youth of America journey to new higher educational learning centers with their ivory towers and ivy covered walls. Behind the enrichment of these young minds lie institutions that are operated almost identically to any corporate boardroom one might walk into. Higher education in the new millennium is big business and, just like corporate America, these institutions spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year to expand, upgrade, and revamp their centers of learning to provide a better education.

This article focuses on spending at any given university campus falling into one of two categories: classrooms/laboratories and infrastructure. In these two arenas, a five year analysis of capital spending shows that almost $3 billion will be spent undertaking 190 enhancements at learning centers in the United States by the end of 2008. These projects range from grassroot laboratories, R&D centers, and boiler & cogeneration plants to chilled water plant additions, utility infrastructure modifications, and steam tunnel upgrades.

Click on the image at right to view a regional breakdown of University Laboratory and Infrastructure project activity.

The Great Lakes Region of the country is leading the spending charge with almost 60 projects worth just over $1 billion. The Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions come in a distant second and third with spending approaching $510 million and $440 million respectively. The West Coast region is in fourth place with over $250 million in spending (15 projects), while the Northeast is in fifth place at $169 million (15 projects).

On a state basis, Ohio is our front-runner with 17 projects worth $450 million on the books. Florida is currently in second place with 12 projects worth over $260 million, while California comes in third at $244 million (11 projects).Indiana (11 projects worth $240 million) and North Carolina (14 projects worth $150 million) round out the top 5.

Click on the image at right to view a chart showing the breakdown of future planned spending by year.

Some examples of project spending at our nation’s universities are a $400 million cancer research center expansion in Ohio, a $130 million genetics and cancer research center addition in Florida, a $100 million university central heating plant addition in Massachusetts, and a $50 million phase I university utilities plant rebuild in Indiana.

As long as there exists a desire to learn and a corporate economy in need of fresh talent, Universities will continue to spend money, expanding facilities to handle the ever-increasing number of young minds eagerly hoping to learn. In addition, the generosity of our nation’s corporations and the university alumni will continue to provide the funds necessary to finance these expenditures for decades to come.

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