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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

What are institutional design guidelines and building design standards? And how do they impact long-term value?

At B&D, we see firsthand how institutional design guidelines and building design standards shape the success of campus and other facility projects. These documents set the tone for quality, consistency, and alignment with institutional goals. But not all clients start from the same place. Some have well-established standards, while others are building from scratch. Even when standards exist, they may be out of date, overly rigid, or difficult to apply consistently across stakeholders. Left unchecked, these issues can create challenges rather than solutions.

What they are

Institutional design guidelines capture the broader vision for a facility or campus and help to strengthen its physical identity and character: things like architectural aesthetics, consistency in material selections, branding, user experience, and sustainability priorities. They often describe “the look and feel” as well as desired outcomes for functionality, space quality, and long-term performance.

Building design standards are typically more technical. They spell out details such as acceptable materials or manufacturers, equipment specifications, systems requirements, or sustainability certifications. They are often organized to follow the same format as construction specifications and help ensure that every building across a portfolio feels consistent and meets the same baseline expectations, often producing efficiency in maintenance and operations.

How they are used

For owners, these documents serve as a roadmap to ensure continuity across multiple projects. For architects, planners, engineers, and contractors, they set the expectations and parameters for design and construction projects.

Range of development

Some clients start with no formal standards at all, relying on the design teams for individual projects and case-by-case decision-making. Others have robust, multi-volume standards manuals covering everything from door hardware to lab finishes. Many fall somewhere in between. Clients often hire consultants to draft or refine these documents and support coordination across leadership, facilities staff, design professionals, and sometimes students or end users.

Updating and keeping standards current

Building technologies, sustainability benchmarks, regulatory requirements, and user expectations evolve rapidly. Standards that remain static quickly become outdated. Ideally these documents should be reviewed every few years to incorporate lessons learned from recent projects and align with changing codes, cost implications, technologies, and institutional goals.

Flexibility across project types

Not all projects require the same approach. For example:

• Academic buildings typically focus on learning environments, technology integration, and user comfort. They target a very long life expectancy for the building structure, infrastructure and finishes.
• Student housing often prioritizes durability of materials, speed of delivery, and cost efficiency, with an understanding that finishes may be refreshed more frequently than academic or administrative buildings.
• Medical facilities demand rigorous technical, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects may require flexibility from standards developed primarily for academic buildings to accommodate developer-driven constraints.

Best practices for using standards

Standards should be seen as a foundation, not a minimum to be achieved. They set expectations while providing the framework for innovation and improvement. Regular review, clear communication, and proactive issue-spotting keep standards relevant and effective.

Conclusion

Design Guidelines and Building Design Standards provide the framework for quality, consistency, and identity across a campus or building portfolio. But they work best when they evolve alongside changing needs and technologies.

At B&D, we support clients at every stage of this process. Our team:

• Helps institutions create standards where none exist, streamline and update existing manuals to reflect best practices, and align guidelines with current strategic priorities.
• Facilitates the development process by engaging stakeholders, organizing input, and benchmarking against peers.
• Guides update cycles to ensure documents remain current with codes, technologies, and sustainability goals.
• Advises on how standards can be adapted for different project types, balancing consistency with flexibility so that standards work in practice, not just on paper.
• Provides oversight during design and construction to ensure standards are applied consistently, while also capturing lessons learned that can inform future updates.

By treating standards as living documents and helping clients put them into action, B&D ensures these tools deliver long-term value and contribute to the success of every project across a portfolio.