Higher Ed Facilities Forum (HEFF)

Aging infrastructure. Shrinking budgets. Talent gaps. Huge thanks to Alexander Kohnen (Vanderbilt), Cindy Torstveit, RCFM (UW–Madison), Timothy Smith (ASU), and Lalit Agarwal (APPA) for a candid conversation about the day-to-day realities and tough decisions campus facilities leaders are facing. From managing risk and rethinking space to engaging and retaining staff, they brought grounded strategies, bold perspectives—and more than a few mic-drop moments. Read the full blog here ?? https://hubs.li/Q03dqpSs0

March Madness is here ?? Time to pick your favorite team! Odds are you’ll meet a facility leader from their university at our event this November. From campus planning and construction to operations and sustainability—we’re bringing the top programs together for real conversations off the court. Higher Ed Facilities Forum ?? Nov 9–11 | Bonita Springs, FL https://hubs.li/Q03cyByj0

ASU is breaking ground on a $200M+, 200,000-sf medical training hub in downtown Phoenix. The high-tech facility will feature advanced medical simulation spaces, AI & VR-driven public health labs, and a flexible “Medical Discovery Platform” for hands-on training. ??https://hubs.li/Q03bkdls0

Virginia Tech’s $2B Innovation Campus is now open in Alexandria. ?? 300K sq. ft. of cutting-edge facilities ?? Drone labs, cyber research hubs, & AI spaces ?? Industry collaboration built into the design ?? https://hubs.li/Q038FS010

Boston University is pushing mass timber to new heights—literally. Their new 12-story, 186-foot academic tower will be Massachusetts’ tallest, designed to cut embedded carbon, preserve open space, and test the limits of sustainable construction on a tight 6,100 sq. ft. footprint. ?? https://hubs.li/Q037Lrdh0

The University of Rochester needed to modernize their master plan. Michael Chihoski, Senior Associate Vice President of University Facilities and Services, took an unexpected approach - studying 173 years of campus history and reimagining how they work with consulting firms. Their innovative process is already leading to smarter investments for their future. Watch the Mike's full talk here ?? https://hubs.li/Q034Jkdv0 ??Join us in Bonita Springs | Nov 9-11 ?? https://hubs.li/Q034JmWR0

At HEFF, collaboration isn't just talk - it's how we solve problems together. Watch Peter Zuraw and Caroline Johnson-Wade with Gordian guide us through a $30M challenge where 'building bridges and talking across lines' isn't just theory - it's how real campus solutions emerge. Because no facilities challenge is solved in a silo. ??Join us in Bonita Springs | Nov 9-11: https://hubs.ly/Q034w9Sy0

Music legends meet campus innovation! HEFF celebrated its 10th anniversary at ASU, bringing together campus facilities and construction leaders for three days of real connection. From DMC opening up about resilience and creativity to candid discussions about the future of campus facilities - this was anything but a typical conference. Check out our latest blog to see what went down at HEFF ????? https://hubs.li/Q031k1b30

?? Bonita Springs, here we come. The Higher Ed Facilities Forum is back Nov. 9-11, bringing together facilities leaders from the nation’s top colleges and universities to rethink what’s next for higher ed campuses. This isn’t your typical tradeshow. It’s where big ideas meet real conversations—all in an intimate, laid-back setting by some seriously beautiful beaches. Let’s talk about what really matters (and maybe catch a sunset, too). Request your invite to attend ?? ?? https://hubs.li/Q031gmx_0

That's a wrap 2024!??? Looking back at the top 5 talks from HEFF's 10th anniversary - where leaders shared how collective success drives campus evolution, from using historical insights to shape tomorrow's spaces to real-world solutions that transform how we plan, build, and utilize our campuses. Michael Chihoski, Bob Schulz, Aaron Benz, Morgan R. Olsen, Lalit Agarwal, Cindy Torstveit, Timothy Smith & Alexander Kohnen ?? Watch the full talks here: https://lnkd.in/eyt3wqY8 ?? Join us in Bonita Springs next November 9-11, 2025. Beachside retreat, trusted connections, meaningful solutions: https://lnkd.in/e5ARSqSW