AUS Smarter Furnishings Ranks Four Projects in Top 14 On Campus Delivery Leaders
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty of campuses delaying opening or operating on a hybrid schedule or going 100% online, Fall 2020 has been “a banner year for on campus deliveries.” According to a report announcing On Campus Delivery Leaders in the July/August issue of Student Housing Business, four of the Top 14 On Campus New Bed Deliveries were AUS Smarter Furnishings projects.
The SHB report adds that 17,007 new beds are scheduled to be delivered on-campus this fall, “well above the bed counts that RealPage* has tracked for the past 10 years.” The article continues, the spike in on campus deliveries is much higher than historically seen, up from an average of 8,000 beds over the past few years.
The report also cites that 10 campuses of the 14 leaders are set for delivery of 1,000 beds or more. Three of the colleges delivering 1,000+ beds in the Top 14 were AUS projects:
- Purdue University at 1300 beds (#4th)
- University of Chicago at 1298 beds (#5th)
- University of California Davis at 1000 beds (#10)
The fourth AUS project was 800 beds delivered to North Carolina Central University (#14).
AUS – A Trusted Name to Get the Big Job Done
At AUS Smarter Furnishings we like to say our business rests on furnishing a good night’s sleep. For our customers and their students. The campus housing experience is so important to the entire collegiate experience. That’s why we are driven to never miss a move-in deadline in nearly three decades of building, delivering and installing furniture nationally – so students are ready to begin their college experience on time, all the time.
That’s why customers who start with us, stay with us. And, that’s why customers trust us with their large jobs, even in these challenging days of COVID-19.
An AUS installation crew has recently returned from the just over thirty-day installation at the University of California Davis. Along with the scale of the project, the crews had to navigate all the challenges of COVID-19 under California’s lockdown. The three-building project broke out into two buildings in an E-shape configuration with 400+ bedrooms per building, and a third building with 140 bedrooms. In just over a month, the crew moved and installed furnishings into 1,000 bedrooms.
The No-Excuse Zone
Under COVID-19 regulations, the AUS crew installed furniture in three different buildings while social distancing, wearing masks and gloves, and cleaning and sanitizing furnishings constantly. Since it was still a construction site, the crew was required to work in full PPE: boots, pants, hard hats, safety vests, safety glasses, and masks all day, every day during a prolonged California heat wave that saw highs up to 110˚.
AUS has earned its perfect track record for on-time delivery and installation with its company-wide “Whatever it takes!” attitude. On projects where the crew gets in a time crunch for move-in due to any kind of delay, AUS Install Manager Caleb Edwards explains, “Even in delayed situations beyond our control, we will stay through the night and do whatever it takes to be ready for student move-in.” No excuses.
AUS Senior Project Manager Carson Vines adds, “The student housing industry runs on tight deadlines and high expectations from the end user. We have to be on-time with product in place. Otherwise we put our customers in a bad position. At any point in the process, a late delivery, a miscommunication, or a damaged piece of furniture has the potential to severely damage the customer’s reputation in the market.”
“I came to know AUS 14 years ago when they were chosen for a renovation project prior to my assuming my current duties. I have used them every project since. AUS is committed to the project and its successful completion, whatever that takes. AUS has met impossible deadlines … they have done everything asked of them and have done it all in superb fashion.”
– Steve Marcotte, Assistant Director Building Services, University of Georgia
Smarter Decisions in a New Normal
At AUS, we create smarter live-learn environments that enhance student perception of their institution and enrich their residential experience. With solid wood construction, fully welded metal and mortise and tenon joinery, our furniture is built to last with case goods engineered to last 25 years, which makes AUS a smarter decision for your housing budget. Partnering to solve new challenges that arise, developing the right look and feel for your student housing space and guaranteeing a stress-free move-in makes AUS the smarter decision when choosing a furnishings partner.
From the AUS Leadership Team
It’s encouraging that students across the country are returning to campus in this challenging year. Like many of you, we have kids attending college this fall in a much different environment than we have ever encountered before. We appreciate the many people who are working tirelessly to serve, protect and support students and staff – on campuses everywhere. We want to thank all the housing directors, RA’s, and on-site management teams who honor us by making our family part of yours as we face this challenging time together. You all are at the heart of the business we have built to learn, to live and to last.
Can we furnish a model room for you?
Call Jennifer at 205.621.2502 or learn more at smarterfurnishings.com for relevant information to help you make smarter decisions on behalf of your housing budgets.
*RealPage tracks new construction, rent and leasing numbers in student housing and conventional multifamily. The company tracks activity at 175 universities nationwide for its student housing numbers.