The choice is clear: focus more on research and education instead of continuing to operate empty campus spaces that generate unnecessary emissions and costs. This is the message from representatives of KTH and Akademiska Hus in a joint opinion piece emphasising the need to rethink how university facilities are used.
If universities and colleges can increase the utilisation of their spaces, they can reduce both costs and environmental impact. A study by KTH and Akademiska Hus shows that campus space nationwide could be reduced by up to 30 percent.
The authors of the newly published opinion piece in DI Debatt highlight the importance of challenging old habits and strengthening collaboration. They propose a more data-driven approach, where property owners can support their tenants in smarter space usage with data from an expanded sensor system. This can form the basis for long-term, well-informed decisions, and create more attractive environments. Another suggested measure to reduce costs and environmental impact is the possibility to return unused spaces in advance.
Read the article at DI.se (Swe):
Miljarder att spara på tomma universitetslokaler
Authors:
Anders Söderholm, President KTH
Jonas Anund Vogel, Strategic Advisor Dig-IT Lab KTH
Caroline Arehult, CEO Akademiska Hus
Peter Karlsson, Head of Data Management and Analysis, Akademiska Hus
Composite image from DI, showing Anders Söderholm and Caroline Arehult.
Swedish