The Benefits of Smart Flooring in Educational Settings
Smart flooring technology is an emerging innovation that offers a range of benefits, particularly in educational environments. Scanalytics has done installations at every education level, grade school to high school to university settings. (See our Education area here for case studies.) From improving security to enhancing energy efficiency, smart flooring holds the potential to transform K-12 schools and higher education institutions alike. Incorporating features like data-driven facilities management, gamification for students, and advanced cleaning schedules, this technology addresses a variety of pressing challenges. In this post, we’ll explore how smart flooring enhances safety, streamlines facility management, improves energy efficiency, and even plays a role in student engagement.
Kids spend a lot of time on the floor; especially in preschool and grade school settings
Smart Flooring in K-12 Settings
1. Enhanced Security and Safety
Security in schools is a top priority for administrators, and smart flooring can provide an additional layer of protection. By integrating sensors within the flooring, schools can monitor foot traffic in real time, identifying potential security threats or emergencies. For example, schools can use the data collected from smart flooring systems to detect unusual movement patterns, like someone entering restricted areas or a sudden surge in traffic that might indicate a safety concern.
Additionally, smart flooring systems can be integrated with security cameras and alarms, offering more comprehensive security management. When abnormal activity is detected, the system can alert security personnel, allowing for quicker responses and more effective intervention. Unlike cameras or motion sensors, smart flooring is invisible, so not only is it less invasive to faculty and students, it is not detectable to those who might have ulterior motives when assessing protective layers at schools.
2. Gamification for Student Engagement
Gamification—the use of game-like elements in non-game settings—has become a popular way to engage students in learning. Smart flooring can contribute to gamification strategies by creating interactive learning spaces. In a gym or play area, for instance, smart flooring can be used to create interactive games that involve movement, reinforcing educational content like math, geography, or history.
For younger students, smart flooring can be part of interactive play areas where stepping on certain tiles triggers educational content on nearby screens. This turns movement into a learning tool, combining physical activity with academic instruction. This type of gamified learning is particularly beneficial in elementary schools, where kinesthetic learning—learning by doing and moving—is crucial for cognitive development.
As an example, Scanalytics has installed our system in a grade school library in Milwaukee. Students were able to “vote with their feet” for their favorite book by doing a little dance or stamping in front of their favorites on display.
Smart Flooring in Higher Education Settings
3. Facilities Management and Cleaning Schedules
Universities and colleges typically operate large and complex facilities that require substantial resources to manage. Smart flooring technology can help streamline facilities management by monitoring foot traffic and identifying areas of heavy usage. For instance, smart flooring can help universities optimize cleaning schedules by focusing resources on areas with the highest traffic, reducing unnecessary cleaning in low-traffic zones. According to data from building management systems, facilities can cut down cleaning times by up to 20-30% simply by targeting areas that need it the most .
Furthermore, smart flooring can help facilities teams manage maintenance needs. Sensors embedded in the floors can detect signs of wear and tear or even water leaks, ensuring that maintenance staff can address issues before they become costly problems. This proactive approach to maintenance can reduce the likelihood of expensive repairs and increase the overall lifespan of building infrastructure.
4. Energy Efficiency
One of the most significant advantages of smart flooring in both K-12 and higher education environments is its potential to improve energy efficiency. Smart flooring can be integrated into building management systems to optimize lighting, heating, and cooling based on real-time occupancy data. For instance, classrooms that are vacant can automatically adjust the temperature or turn off lights, reducing energy waste. In fact, research has shown that occupancy-based systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 35% .
At a university level, smart flooring can also help in energy audits and sustainability initiatives. By tracking movement patterns across campus, administrators can identify underutilized spaces and make informed decisions about whether to reallocate resources or retrofit buildings to be more energy-efficient. These insights are particularly useful in the context of green building certifications like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which emphasize energy efficiency and sustainability.
Smart Flooring: Case Examples
Scanalytics has worked with Arizona State University to better understand the impact of dementia and Parkinson’s by analyzing the gait of seniors through smart flooring sensors. Our gait is a health signifier and can be tracked over time. Additionally, with this information, senior care facilities can pinpoint potential hazards and areas that are more prone to falls. With our Department of Energy ARPA-E vetting process, our smart flooring system was installed at Texas A&M to measure energy savings. With precise occupany connected to the University’s building management systems (specifically HVAC and lighting,) the DOE benchmarked 35% in energy savings, on top of already installed motion sensor and camera systems.
Movement and learning go hand in hand - stimulating environments lead to happier, more engaged kids
Other Key Benefits of Smart Flooring in Education
5. Data-Driven Insights for Administrators
Smart flooring technology generates valuable data that can be used by school and university administrators to make data-driven decisions. Whether it's reallocating classroom space based on occupancy trends or identifying areas that require enhanced security measures, the data collected from smart flooring provides actionable insights that can improve overall school operations. For example, a school might try a new configuration in their library space to access more natural light or experiment with a new learning station. With smart flooring, you gain access to precise information - how did people—including the level of detail our sensors can provide to even differentiate between children and adults—actually use this space? Our footsteps and where they take us reveal truths.
In higher education, this data can also inform long-term planning. For example, if certain campus facilities are consistently underutilized, the university can consider repurposing or renovating these spaces to better meet the needs of students and faculty. By leveraging real-time data, institutions can avoid costly renovations that don’t align with actual usage patterns.
6. Improved Health and Hygiene
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the health and safety of students and staff has become even more critical. Smart flooring technology can be part of an integrated approach to health and hygiene, particularly when it comes to managing cleaning schedules. Schools can use smart flooring data to ensure that high-traffic areas, such as restrooms and cafeterias, receive more frequent cleaning. By prioritizing cleaning in these areas, schools can reduce the spread of germs and create a healthier environment for students and staff.
In addition, smart flooring can support social distancing measures by tracking the number of individuals in a given area. This can help administrators ensure that occupancy limits are adhered to, reducing the risk of overcrowding in classrooms, hallways, and communal areas.
Conclusion: The Future of Smart Flooring in Education
As schools and universities continue to seek out innovative solutions to improve security, energy efficiency, and student engagement, smart flooring technology will play an increasingly important role. Whether it's improving security through real-time monitoring, optimizing facilities management, or enhancing student engagement through gamification, the benefits of smart flooring are clear.
Looking to the future, emerging technologies like smart flooring sensors will only become more advanced, offering even more opportunities for schools and universities to improve efficiency and create safer, more engaging learning environments. By integrating smart flooring with other AI-driven technologies, educational institutions can stay at the forefront of innovation, ensuring that they are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the future.
