Putting the Built Environment to Best Use

Despite widespread underutilization, the demand for space on college and university campuses remains persistent and difficult to curb. When every stakeholder views space as the answer to their needs, unchecked growth becomes inevitable. However, in many cases, enrollment has remained flat or declined while campuses continue to add square footage. The result: institutions are managing significantly more space per student than ever before, further straining operational budgets and compounding long-term financial risk.

Establishing a strong foundation is essential for any institution seeking to maximize the use of existing resources. To support this effort, EAB’s report identifies four core practices that are critical to effective space governance and 10 space management tactics to reduce costs, disrupt growth, improve utilization, and creatively source funding. Download the full report or read the executive summary below.

The financial burden of empty space

In an era of rising costs and shrinking margins, colleges and universities can no longer afford to ignore one of their most significant (and underleveraged) assets: physical space.

Although labor expenses make up most of operational costs, the facilities footprint remains a silent driver of institutional financial stress, with new construction often exceeding $600 per square foot and long-term maintenance consuming scarce resources. Despite this, campus space continues to grow, even as utilization declines, creating a disconnect that now threatens institutional sustainability.