11 Questions campus leaders should ask to drive better space utilization

In these challenging times, many colleges and universities are looking for ways to effectively and safely resume operations and fulfill their commitments to students, faculty and investors. Paying close attention to space utilization can go a long way toward reducing costs while supporting campus health and safety when business-as-usual no longer applies.

Space utilization refers to how often your campus spaces are used, who is using your facilities and why. JLL occupancy data shows that the typical college or university uses only about 60% of its administrative space at any given time, leaving 40% sitting vacant. Put another way, if you have 100 desks used by only 60 people on an average day, your occupancy rate is 60%--and the unused 40% represents a potential cost savings opportunity.

Tracking space utilization effectively requires a combination of real estate technologies and data—much of which you may already have at your fingertips. The following are 11 key questions to ask as you tackle the space utilization challenge.

1. Why is space utilization important in today’s environment?
2. What are some space utilization strategies that reduce costs or generate revenue?
3. How does effective space utilization benefit the campus experience?
4. What are the first steps for understanding space utilization in my organization?
5. How can better space utilization reduce administrative costs and improve productivity?
6. How will continued adoption of remote working affect space utilization?
7. How does efficient space utilization benefit building performance?
8. What data will I need—and how will I obtain it?
9. Will I need to invest in new technologies?
10. How do I fine-tune space utilization monitoring?
11. Can space utilization technologies be used in all campus facilities?