University of Zurich Case: Using Data to Rethink Campus Space
Universities worldwide face a persistent challenge: they are expected to deliver more value from the same estate, yet reliable data on how campus spaces are actually used is often limited. Timetables and static reports rarely match reality: buildings appear fully booked on paper while, in practice, some hubs feel crowded and others sit underused. This makes it difficult to allocate capital, plan refurbishments, and communicate decisions clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
To highlight how leading institutions are addressing this, we are sharing selected best practices based on publicly available examples. One such example comes from the University of Zurich (UZH). Below is an overview based on their official interview “Optimizing Use of Space for Research, Teaching and Work” (18 September 2025), featuring President Michael Schaepman and François Chapuis, Vice President Real Estate & Facility Management.
1. From gut feeling to activity based planning
The university’s goal is straightforward: remain internationally competitive while managing space efficiently and using resources carefully. Leadership openly acknowledges that perception alone is not enough, especially as utilisation fluctuates across the academic year.
“As an exemplary institution it is our goal to manage space in an efficient, needs-based and resource-saving way.”
— François Chapuis, Vice President Real Estate & Facility Management, University of Zurich
By observing usage over roughly a full academic cycle, the university connects utilisation data to key campus strategy decisions, including planned refurbishments and large projects such as the Forum UZH and Portal UZH developments. The data helps reveal whether important activities such as quiet focus work, workshops or informal collaboration are supported by the right mix of spaces, so that future planning is based on real behaviour rather than assumptions.
This logic, using occupancy data to link how space is used to how it is designed, is the core methodology Basking uses with universities. It shifts discussions from perception based claims to a shared, quantitative view of what is actually happening across the estate.
2. A privacy-protective approach to measuring utilization
For a public university, privacy is non-negotiable. Any measurement initiative must uphold strict data protection rules and public trust. The UZH approach shows that meaningful space insights do not require tracking individuals. Instead, the methodology works by analysing anonymous signals from systems already present on campus.
Specifically at the University of Zurich, this means aggregating signals like Wi-Fi access point connections and other anonymised indicators of room usage over time. All inputs are processed in anonymised form. Both the university’s and the canton’s data protection officers have reviewed all aspects and approved the measurements, and an external legal opinion has come to the same conclusion.
Sourse: uzh.ch
3. Turning utilisation insights into campus decisions
The University of Zurich example is valuable because it shows where measurement leads. The university expects the findings to inform concrete campus decisions.
Portfolio strategy: Identify underused areas that can be opened up to new functions or users.
Operational shifts: Adjust scheduling or policies to smooth peaks in demand across the week and the academic year.
Design and investment: Justify expansion or redesign with real capacity constraints and shift layouts toward more activity based use of space.
If your campus feels “full and empty” at the same time, the Zurich approach provides a concrete way forward: measure actual usage, design privacy in from the start, and let the findings guide strategic choices.
Apply the same playbook to your university
Basking helps universities apply this playbook, turning existing campus data into decision-ready occupancy insights that support evidence-based planning and smarter use of the space you already have.
