New data analysis from the Smart Space Forum has revealed that university teaching space in the UK is often underutilized, with some spaces being used as low as 10%. In addition, one university was able to save £5.1 million in construction costs by utilizing existing space.
As universities face financial pressures and strive towards net zero emissions, campus leaders are realizing that the money they need may already be available in their buildings. The Smart Space Forum, a group of university estates and space-planning leaders convened by building intelligence company SmartViz and chaired by former Oxford University Director of Estates Trevor Payne, has found that the sector may be over-provisioned by as much as 40%.
According to the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE), teaching spaces are typically utilized at around 20%, and for some universities, the rate can be as low as 10%. In contrast, commercial spaces are typically utilized at 50-60%. This means that buildings are being cleaned, heated, and maintained as if they were full, even though they are often empty for most of the week. As a result, universities spend nearly £1 billion a year on energy, with about half of that being used outside of normal operating hours.
However, the Smart Space Forum argues that the issue is not a lack of space, but a lack of insight. “It is not whether space exists, it is whether we know it exists,” the group concludes. The necessary data to prove this already exists in timetables, room-booking systems, card access, Wi-Fi, and can be gathered quickly with low-cost sensors.
Trevor Payne, Chair of the Smart Space Forum, believes that the money universities are looking for is already there, it just needs to be utilized differently. “If we can evidence that we’ve got the space we need, we don’t need more space, but different types of space to different cohorts,” he says.
Shrikant Sharma, Founder and CEO of SmartViz and Smart Space Forum Provocateur, adds that every university is on a journey towards better evidence, and the goal is not to wait for perfect data, but to start making better decisions with the evidence that is already available.
The Smart Space Forum has already seen success in turning this insight into tangible savings and lower carbon emissions. Cardiff Metropolitan University was able to avoid £5.1 million in new construction costs by using space it already had. Additionally, operational insights have helped the university reduce gas usage by 33%, electricity by 10%, and water by 20%, saving an additional £1.8 million.
The University of Glasgow was able to save over £1 million by splitting a 500-seat lecture theatre into two 250-seat rooms. The data showed that the occupancy rarely exceeded 250, making the decision to not build anything a cost-effective one. Similarly, Midlothian Council merged two buildings into one, and Vodafone has saved $40 million annually across its global portfolio by using the same approach.
The Smart Space Forum is a select group of university estates, space-planning, and campus-operations leaders, chaired by Trevor Payne. They meet regularly to share what is working, what is not, and to work towards a better future for university buildings and estates. Their next meeting will take place at UHEI in Birmingham on November 24, 2026.
SmartViz is an operational intelligence platform that uses occupancy and building data to provide actionable insights. Their platform integrates building management systems, room-booking platforms, energy meters, and IoT sensors into a single live 3D digital twin, allowing estates teams to test different scenarios before committing to capital expenditures. SmartViz has helped universities, hospitals, councils, and global organizations use their space more efficiently. For media inquiries, please contact Shrikant Sharma at shrikant@smart-viz.com or 07900 565848.
