Heriot-Watt University is a modern, globally focused institution, renowned for its blend of academic excellence, innovation and sustainability. Its main campus in Edinburgh spans 380 acres and houses 34 buildings, offering state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, student accommodation and recreational spaces for a thriving community of over 30,000 students.
The University wanted to gain a clearer picture of how its teaching spaces were being used across campus. While feedback from some faculties and departments highlighted challenges in aligning space with teaching needs, the Estates’ team saw an opportunity to review how bookings and timetables could be managed to make the best use of the facilities already in place.
With no existing room utilisation data, the University needed clear evidence to:
They asked Baker Stuart to provide accurate, independent data to inform conversations with faculties and drive change
Using our SpaceLOOK™ service, we conducted a targeted utilisation survey across 19 buildings, 38 floors and 107 rooms over 5 days.
Our approach included:
The survey provided the Estates team exactly what they needed – solid, objective data showing how teaching spaces were being used.
Key outcomes included:
Building on the success of the original study, Heriot-Watt commissioned a follow-up survey 12 months later. This provided an opportunity to measure progress, ensure recommended improvements were taking effect and highlight further areas for optimisation. The Estates team described the data as ‘invaluable’ in helping them address and better understand faculty-specific issues, reinforcing the benefit of ongoing, evidence-based monitoring.
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