With the ever-increasing number of students attending college, universities are finding new ways to improve their facilities and services. One way that colleges can take advantage of is using indoor mapping technology.
This type of software helps campuses become more sustainable by reducing energy consumption, provides better customer service through a true understanding of space utilization, and improves safety for everyone on campus with emergency response systems in place.
Here is how colleges and universities can benefit from indoor mapping:
1. Building and Room Marking
A simple way to use indoor mapping technology is to mark your campus buildings and rooms. This can be done easily by using a mobile device or computer with a camera, then uploading the images into the app. The app will automatically convert the image into a map.
2. Emergency Response Planning
In case of an emergency, having digital college campus maps can help first responders find their way around quickly and efficiently. These maps are also helpful for people who have trouble getting around on their own, such as those with disabilities or medical conditions that limit mobility.
3. Campus Safety Training
Campus safety training is essential for staff members and students across all departments. Having access to an interactive map helps them learn about their surroundings in new ways – while also providing critical information they need to know in case of an emergency situation on campus.
This can be used for staff training as well as student orientation sessions and first-year student orientations (for example, showing incoming freshmen how to get from dorms to classrooms). It’s also useful for current students who may have forgotten how certain buildings are laid out on campus or where certain facilities are located (such as laundry rooms).
4. Visitor Orientation Programs and Events
Having a map of your campus is helpful not only for students but also for visitors who come onto your campus, including prospective students and family members visiting during events like graduation or homecoming.
Having this information available online allows you to customize it based on each visitor’s needs – you can include maps that show the location of guest housing, dining halls, parking areas, athletic facilities, registration areas, classrooms/meeting spaces/theater/auditoriums/etc., libraries, etc., so they’ll know exactly where they need to go when they visit your campus (and how best to get there).
You can also include important contact information (like phone numbers) that visitors might need during their stay on campus – things like directions to nearby restaurants or hospitals if someone gets sick or injured while visiting your school; emergency contact numbers; etc.).
If you already have a website with general visitor information included online – indoor mapping can help enhance these pages further by adding more detailed information about specific locations on campus that visitors may want to know about prior to arrival at the college or university (i.e., maps of specific buildings/areas, parking areas, etc.).
5. Emergency Response Training for Faculty and Staff
In addition to training for students, you can also use indoor mapping to train faculty and staff members on how best to respond in case of an emergency situation. This is especially important if your campus has a large number of buildings spread out across a large area – this can help reduce confusion during an emergency situation that involves multiple locations (which happens more often than you might think).
The app can include information about the appropriate response protocols for each location on campus – things like evacuation procedures, shelter-in-place orders, etc. This is also helpful for staff members who may be new to your campus and need a refresher course on how to react in case of an emergency situation.
6. Emergency Response Training for Students with Disabilities or Medical Conditions
For students with disabilities or medical conditions that limit mobility – having access to an interactive map can help them learn about their surroundings in new ways while also providing critical information they need to know in case of an emergency situation on campus.
For example: if a student has difficulty walking long distances due to a disability or medical condition – the map could show them the closest wheelchair accessible restrooms; if there’s been an active shooter incident on campus – it could show where the nearest safe haven locations are located; if there’s been a natural disaster such as flooding or earthquake – it could show where the nearest safe zones are located (such as stairwells) so they know how best to take cover from falling debris/flooding/earthquakes; etc.).
The map will allow them to easily navigate their way around campus while also knowing what steps they should take in case of emergency situations that require immediate action (i.e., running away from danger vs taking cover from falling debris). Having this type of information available online allows you to customize it based on each student’s needs so they have access to critical information at all times during their time at your institution.
You can also include important contact information (like phone numbers) that students might need during their stay on campus – things like directions to nearby restaurants or hospitals if someone gets sick or injured while visiting your school; emergency contact numbers; etc.). If you already have a website with general visitor information included online – indoor mapping can help enhance these pages further by adding more detailed information about specific locations.