Benefits of Using HEIcount for Better Management of Space Utilisation
The timetable might look healthy, maximising all that teaching space, but when you walk around campus many teaching rooms seem to be empty… Auditing by looking at timetable data just doesn’t work, no institution has room utilisation that actually matches timetable data.
Using the timetable data to make informed decisions is an inaccurate and risky way to manage your estate.
The same can be said with automated attendance monitoring systems as they are susceptible to students actions which can compromise data validity.
The only sure way to generate accurate data is via a physical audit.
Cost Saving
After staff costs estates is the biggest cost universities face.
Teaching space on average costs around £2,000 to £3,000 per square metre to construct, furnish and add typical IT equipment.
The figures below show how much on average teaching space costs a university. These are very substantial figures and identify that if these teaching spaces are not being utilised efficiently and effectively then the university is wasting/losing money on its estate:
Typical Room Costs (average sized facility)
- Lecture Theatre £326,188
- Teaching room £290,788
- IT Suite £332,525
Poor room utilisation is an expensive mistake no institution can afford to make!
Meeting Statutory Requirements
Universities are required to return a Space Utilisation figure annually to HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency) which is part of the EMR (Estates Management Record).
HESA recommends this figure should be based on actual audit survey of space. All other approaches produce lower quality data or estimation – eg derived from timetabling data, or attendance monitoring, or processing of camera-acquired images, or PIR sensors. Manual space auditing is the best way to audit effectively and guarantee data integrity.
Accurate Reliable Data Every Time
HEIcount system will:
- help identify the best match between space needs and space provision
- provide factual data on the efficiency of space use both under-use and overuse
- highlights the differences between timetabled use and actual use
- deliver concise and clear reports to Faculty/School Management teams to enable them to improve matching of rooms and timetabling to improve the student experience
