Latest news with #HED
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Modular Housing Offers Good Design, Efficiency And Value
The Whidbey Puzzle Project showcases an off grid, net zero home built with modular construction. In the midst of an ongoing housing crisis, more attention is focusing on modular construction for its efficiencies in labor, time and costs. Those efficiencies stem from the modular construction process, but can be exponentially improved with simple design. Otis Odell, housing and mixed-use sector leader at design and construction firm HED, began exploring modular construction years ago in ski resort towns where the building season was limited by the climate. While he now advocates for the method, he acknowledges it has challenges. In one of his recent projects, despite having a well recognized general contractor and fabricator, the project team still wasn't able to realize its targeted results because of ongoing, known challenges. 'Achieving cost and time savings with modular in some ways depends on some level of standardization that has little to no variation or complexity,' he advises. 'You start to understand what is important about the design is that it can deliver a functioning kitchen, a place to eat, has light, has outdoor space access, and if those unit layouts are repeated hundreds of times that's OK because what ultimately makes it home is what the resident brings into the space.' To realize the efficiencies and standardization, a project has to start and finish with strong cross-functional collaboration. The project's architects and fabricators have to coordinate closely to ensure modular-friendly designs. Any time there are misaligned expectations between stakeholders, it can take the budget and timeline completely off the rails. 'The fabricator making shop drawings should get all stakeholders together to understand the scope of work of each entity, the general contractor and major sub trades, in the pre-construction phase,' Odell said. 'When they aren't familiar enough with the scope to provide actual pricing, it leads to a miss on project goals.' Modular can be more efficient and cost effective with better collaboration, communication and ... More consistency. Odell has a vision to create a platform that flips the script. 'Instead of a standard process to deliver housing – design, award, price – I want to flip it to be price, award, design,' he said. 'Typically, a firm is asked for a preliminary package and they rarely can match budget so we are creating a pricing module with three years of information in a database with number of units, unit mix, zip code, and it can generate a price in seconds.' With well-defined scopes, Odell believes he can deliver units at an 85% ready level with a ready set of drawings including all BIM models so it is easy to collaborate with a fabricator. The standardization and efficiency that Odell wants to deliver for housing is a reality for hospitality projects he has been involved in. 'The quantity of modules through standardization is essential, and we were able to get the number of modular types from 11 to 7 for a standard hotel layout,' he said. 'It took $2 million out of the project costs from the fabrication standpoint. Reducing the variations is easier in the hospitality space than in the housing space.' Right now his company has created six bay designs that can deliver a studio, plus one-, two- and three-bedroom units with the goal to have 80% permit ready documents of the modules. Odell anticipates that in housing, there will be a need for customization and variation, so he's working on computational design and using scripts that will have the ability to respond to clients' and developers' goals. Some groups, like Model/Z, also are experimenting and exploring standardization efficiencies to deliver attainable workforce housing projects across the country. Modules are fit for purpose, to be transported easily to a job site to be placed on a pin ... More foundation. Whidbey Puzzle Prefab is approaching modular construction in a similar way—focusing on the replication. 'We saw an opportunity to create a higher quality, more sustainable product that could be replicated,' said the company's architect Matt Wittman. 'Flexibility is the key factor. A lot of prefab has larger modules, we divided it into multiple smaller units to be easier to be transported on any highway without special permits. That was a driver.' The modules are flexible and interchangeable to be put together in multiple configurations; assembled in infinite ways that can be custom to the set location, whether it is in the city or the woods, in Florida or in Maine. Modules are premade individually and then connected with outdoor walkways that all sit on a pin foundation with a ring beam producing walkways and decks as in between space. The modules also are light on the land and environmentally sustainable. Modules have solar, heat pumps, hydronic heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilation, and smart home controls to monitor energy use. These features support the advanced insulated envelope to meet net zero. The roof is extra insulated, achieving R-50, which is a 70% increase over base line code, and the walls are double the code. The roof also is designed to channel rainwater into a tank where it can be purified with a custom filtration system to be safe for use in kitchens, bathrooms, showers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Whidbey shared a cost breakdown, which is based on the company's current low volume, but at scale could break through some affordability challenges. The prototype project costs $676 per square foot. With the net zero, off grid design, operational costs are eliminated. No concrete is used since the home uses a steel ground frame foundation with hand set micro pin piles that also mean less ground disturbance. This unique foundation can reduce the carbon footprint by 77% compared to a concrete foundation. The pin foundation has to be engineered to meet the same criteria as a conventional concrete foundation, so it is equal in performance. A conventional concrete foundation would have 30,000 pounds of Co2, the pin foundation is only 7,000 pounds, and meets all the same structural requirements. The install labor is about the same, but the pin foundation doesn't need any excavation, so time and labor is saved there, along with the fact that there is no destruction and impact to the earth. Currently, the modules are manually assembled in a factory with builder partners. From Odell's data-informed, repeatable designs to Whidbey's flexible, net-zero prefab systems, the future of modular housing looks increasingly sustainable, scalable and cost effective. While customization remains a hurdle, innovations in computational design and manufacturing partnerships are pushing the limits of what prefab construction can offer. As modular solutions evolve, they promise to transform how we build homes in the years ahead.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Mexico touts rising higher education enrollment
New Mexico Higher Education officials on May 27, 2025 reported the second year of growth for public college and university enrollment in the state. College enrollment in New Mexico had a 4.2% increase this spring compared with 2024, reflecting the second consecutive year of growth, the state Higher Education Department announced on Tuesday. HED says more than 5,000 additional students are attending higher education institutions across the state, growth officials attribute to the state's Opportunity and Lottery scholarships. According to the state, close to 30 two-year and four-year higher education institutions participate in the Opportunity Scholarship program, which covers fees and program costs for certificate and degree programs for New Mexico residents who plan to enroll in at least six credit hours at one of the state's public college or universities. The Legislature approved the Opportunity Scholarship, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham championed, in 2022. Eligible residents for the state's Lottery Scholarship must be enrolled full time in a New Mexico public college or university within 16 months of graduation and maintain a 2.5 grade point average. The state in 2021 restored the Lottery Scholarship to provide 100% of tuition, following reduced coverage implemented in 2016. Last year, the governor signed Senate Bill 159, which created a close to $1 billion trust fund and scholarship program fund for the state's tuition-free programs. According to NMHED, more than 34,000 students are receiving financial assistance through the Opportunity Scholarship and close to 10,000 students received Lottery scholarships during the spring semester. 'The Opportunity and Lottery scholarships are fulfilling their goal of empowering tens of thousands of New Mexicans to pursue a college education at no cost for tuition and create a more prosperous future for themselves and their families,' Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez said in a statement. 'As we always say, there is no wrong door to higher education in New Mexico, and we are dedicated to supporting programs that broaden opportunities for our state.' In a recent interview with Source NM, Lujan Grisham cited the state's investment in both early childhood and higher education as accomplishments from her tenure as governor. 'No state in the nation has our cradle to career system,' she said.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mandatory training coming soon for NM university boards of regents
The four new members of the Western New Mexico University board of regents met for the first time on April 9, 2025. (Screenshot of meeting) Starting next month, regents on New Mexico university boards will have to complete 10 hours of training to prepare them for their roles in guiding academic institutions. Senate Bill 19, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces), directs the New Mexico Department of Higher Education to develop those training hours to include topics such as state law, financial management, institutional governance and student success. The HED is tasked with providing the training and ensuring regents comply. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed SB19 on April 8 and the bill goes into effect on June 20. The bill states that current regents must complete the training by Dec. 31 this year. Higher Education Department Spokesperson Auriella Ortiz told Source NM in a written statement that members of the department have started considering requirements and platforms for the training, which she said is projected to be completed by the end of the year. 'Since the agency has provided a similar type of training for regents in the past, this process is not new to us,' Ortiz wrote. Steven Neville, a former state senator who represented San Juan County, recently took over as chair of the Western New Mexico University Board of Regents. The entire board consists of four new members after previous members resigned or concluded their tenure in late 2024 and early 2025, following the board's controversial decision to award outgoing university President Joseph Shepard a $1.9 million severance package. Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed a civil suit against Shepard and the board in an effort to recover the state funds. A hearing is scheduled in June to consider Shepard's motion to dismiss the case against him. Neville told Source NM that he has a lot of knowledge about state law and financial management from his time as a lawmaker and member of the Legislative Finance Committee, which he will use in his new role, but university management is still different. 'There're certain things about the way universities run that are totally different than my county commission experience or my city council experience or even my state senate experience,' Neville said. 'I've been on several boards and commissions through the years, but nothing is exactly the same.' He added that all four members of the board need some aspect of the future training, despite everyone's background. He said the HED provided all new regents with a short orientation over a couple of hours when they were first appointed, but hopes that future training also involves more explanation of higher education policies and funding 'intricacies that are a little different from one agency to the next.' Ortiz reiterated to Source that the HED already provides training to newly appointed and reappointed regents covering topics such as governance, ethics, fiscal management and state and federal laws. 'Adding a requirement of 10 hours will enhance a governing boards' understanding of their appointed or elected positions in addition to the tools they need to better champion students, faculty and staff on their campuses,' Ortiz wrote. 'It is important to note that Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez and our colleagues at the department are always available to assist governing board members at any time beyond the training sessions.' During the session earlier this year, Steinborn told Senate Education Committee members that he introduced the bill to ensure regents are prepared for their work in hiring university presidents, setting tuition and other actions that fundamentally impact students and faculty. SB19 was one of several bills and resolutions introduced this session that would have addressed the process for how regents are chosen and the preparation they receive for fulfilling their roles. Steinborn also introduced Senate Joint Resolution 7, which would have required the governor to choose regent nominees from a pool of candidates approved by a nominating committee. House Joint Resolution 12, introduced by Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces), would have codified regents' fiduciary duties; moved regent removal proceedings to the district courts; and allowed the attorney general or a majority of the board to initiate the removal of a regent. Both resolutions would have required a ballot vote to amend the state constitution, however both died in committee. 'I think we owe it to our universities and our kids and taxpayers that we have the best regents we can get and that they're trained,' Steinborn said during the committee meeting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI in Education Report: New Cengage Group Data Shows Growing GenAI Adoption in K12 & Higher Education
Optimism for GenAI increased 5% across Higher Education and K12 HED students, instructors validate importance of AI literacy in courses K12 experienced higher GenAI adoption rates YoY alongside increased concerns BOSTON, April 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cengage Group, a global edtech company, today released updated data from its "AI in Education" research series, which regularly evaluates AI's impact on education. This edition, which surveyed over 3,000 higher education (HED) students and instructors and over 1,000 K12 teachers and administrators, found similarities among HED instructors' and K12 teachers' optimism for GenAI specifically. Nearly half of HED instructors (45%) and almost three in five K12 teachers (55%) have positive perceptions about GenAI, despite concerns and perceived risks in its adoption. However, while both K12 and HED share similar optimism, the data also exposed strong differences in GenAI adoption rates. Nearly 2 in 3 K12 teachers (63%; +12% year-over-year) say they (or their school district) have incorporated GenAI technology into their teaching process compared to 49% (+5% YoY) of HED instructors. "Educators and administrators remain optimistic about the potential of GenAI and are starting to realize the positive impact it can have on learning," said Kimberly Russell, Vice President, UX, Market and Product Research at Cengage Group. "While we're encouraged by this optimism, we found a significant delta – 28% difference – in reported adoption rates between both groups. Adoption and usage trends are important because they provide our product development team a more holistic view of how both markets are using GenAI in education." While differences remain, both markets continue exploring GenAI to support various professional and student needs. Within HED, instructors are currently using GenAI to create course content / student-facing materials (45%; +11% from 2023) including quizzes and assessments (39%; +16% from 2023), assist in lesson planning (42%; +18% from 2023) and support their lectures (42%; +12% from 2023). Nearly 2 in 5 (36%) use it to complete administrative tasks (36%; +3% YoY). HED students are also leveraging GenAI in learning, primarily by using it to help summarize complicated concepts (67%), generate writing assignment ideas (61%) and create study materials (55%). Additional HED findings among students and instructors show: Demand for Future Use Cases: Most desired AI use cases among HED instructors is AI that supports language learners (63%), assesses whether cheating is occurring, (57%) completes administrative tasks (55%) and personalizes learning and instruction (52%). AI Skills and Literacy Matter: Almost all HED instructors (92%) and students (83%) say it's important to include AI literacy in courses, partly because most students (84%) believe AI skills proficiency is important for future employment. Instructors Still Need to Catch Up: About two-thirds (65%) of HED students believe they know more about AI than many of their instructors and 45% wish their instructors used AI and taught AI skills in applicable courses. "We are just scratching the surface on the potential GenAI has for personalizing learning and supporting HED educators, and it's encouraging to see such optimism and adoption growth in this market," said Darren Person, Chief Digital Officer at Cengage Group. "At the same time, we're noticing new opportunities to meet the evolving needs of students. Students need educators to embrace and encourage GenAI use in their curricula to support greater employability; instructors want expanded AI capabilities that help them personalize and evaluate students' learning efforts. Both are critical focus areas Cengage Group is leaning into as we evolve and develop new AI edtech capabilities." Within K12, YoY adoption has increased, including an 18% increase in teachers who recently started using GenAI prior to this semester/school year (40%; 16% in 2024). However, adoption has increased alongside a rise in concerns about GenAI risk with 88% of administrators (+4% YoY) and 87% of teachers (+4% YoY) believing there is a moderate to severe risk in using GenAI. While K12 teachers' concerns about GenAI's impact on academic integrity (83%, -1% YOY) and a lack of training/support (34%, -4% YOY) have gone down, concerns about data privacy (32%, +4% YOY) have increased. Additional findings among K12 teachers and administrators show: Demand for Future Use Cases: For districts planning to use GenAI, there was a notable increase in demand for teacher support (53%, +15% YOY), classroom support (40%, +13% YOY) and tutoring (23%, +9% YOY). Additional features that would further increase K12 adoption include GenAI products that help personalize instruction (27%), completing administrative tasks (20%), helping language learners (17%), instruction (16%) and lesson planning (14%). Specific Content Generation Needs: K12 teachers are more likely to adopt GenAI materials that can create and build the following types of content: assessments (e.g., test and quiz questions) (34%), animations (e.g., videos integrated into digital content) (30%), narrative content (e.g., textbook readings) (30%) and visuals (e.g., images included in textbooks and digital content) (29%). GenAI Isn't Going Anywhere: Nearly all administrators (96%; +2% from 2024) and teachers (87%; +3% from 2024) believe GenAI will play an increasingly important role in education to boost student engagement (teachers: 66%, +4% YoY; administrators: 81%, +1% YoY) and bridge the gap between traditional and online learning (teachers: 62%, -1% YoY; administrators: 73%, +3% YoY). "We're encouraged to see high adoption rates within the K12 market, but the data shows there's still work to be done," said Person. "There is tremendous potential for K12 to continue realizing the impact that GenAI can have on education, but first, we must overcome and close perceived gaps around data and privacy concerns. We know that before any new tool or technology is introduced, K12 educators and administrators, rightfully, have an invested interest in the security and safety of students and their learning environments. Any future edtech products we create for this market, in the same way we support HED instructors, must deliver on that interest and keep the highest pedagogical standards in place." View previous findings from Cengage Group's research on AI in Education here. Survey methodology: The data presented in this report comes from a survey conducted in Spring 2025. It surveyed 1,190 HED instructors, 1,834 HED students, 872 K-12 Teachers and 311 K-12 administrators in the United States. About Cengage GroupWith more than 100 years serving learners, Cengage Group is a global edtech company that enables student choice. No matter how, where, when or why someone wants to learn, our portfolio of education businesses supports all students, from middle school through graduate school and skills education, with quality content and technology. Collectively, our three business units – Cengage Academic, Cengage Work and Cengage Select – help millions of students each year in more than 125 countries achieve their education and career goals and lead choice-filled lives. Visit us at or find us on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on Contacts Emily Featherston, Vice President, Corporate
