For universities, universities of applied sciences, and other educational institutions, space management in higher education is becoming increasingly strategic. Campus space is expensive, teaching models are changing, and users expect increasingly better insight into available work, study, and teaching spaces. At the same time, many decisions about space utilization are still based on timetables, assumptions, or occasional manual counts.

That is exactly where the added value of a smart campus lies.

From measuring to understanding

Manual counts show what was happening at a single moment. Real-time data shows how campus spaces actually function.

By combining the academic expertise of Bart Valks with millions of real-life data points from educational environments worldwide, PLEQ aims to help educational institutions gain better insight into:

• frequency rates of spaces;

• occupancy rates of teaching and study spaces;

• patterns in campus utilization;

• discrepancies between planned and actual use;

• opportunities to deploy existing space in a smarter way.

Bart Valks’ research into Smart Campus Tools focuses on how real-time information about space utilization can contribute to better utilization of the current campus and better decision-making regarding the future campus.

Why smart campus data is important for higher education

Many educational institutions face the same question: how can we better align our campus with the actual demand for space?

A smart campus makes this question tangible. Not by building more or planning more based on averages, but by offering continuous insight into how spaces are being used. This helps campus managers, facility teams, real estate teams, and administrators make decisions based on facts.

Research by Valks and co-authors shows that smart campus tools can contribute to more effective and efficient campus utilization, amongst other things by linking real-time space use measurement with decision-making on buildings and user needs.

The role of PLEQ

The PLEQ platform makes space utilization transparent with real-time data from educational environments. This creates a practical picture of space usage: which spaces are used, when they are used, and how this relates to planning, capacity, and needs.

The collaboration with Bart Valks strengthens this approach. His academic background helps not only to collect the data technically, but also to translate it into actionable insights for space management in higher education.

The goal is clear: no theory for the sake of theory, but actionable intelligence for educational institutions that want to organise their campus in a smarter, more sustainable, and more user-centric way.

Whitepapers and knowledge sharing

As part of this collaboration, PLEQ is working on whitepapers and talks about smart campus, space analytics, and real-time space management. The second whitepaper by Bart Valks has now been announced, with a clear message: the difference between measuring and knowing lies in real-time insight.

This knowledge sharing helps educational institutions to better understand how smart campus data can be applied in practice: from daily operational choices to strategic real estate decisions.

Towards smarter campus management

The collaboration between Bart Valks and PLEQ brings together research, practical data, and implementation. For educational institutions, this means a stronger foundation to better understand and better utilise campus space.

Ultimately, a smart campus is not just about technology. It is about better decisions: for students, staff, real estate teams, and the future of higher education.

Want to know more about smart campus, space analytics, and space management in higher education? Follow PLEQ for upcoming white papers, talks, and practical insights.