To investigate the state of building maintenance across UK universities, SFG20, the industry standard for facility management, submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to universities across the country. They received responses from 61 universities, who were asked to provide information on: total costs spent on repair and remediation works in the most recent financial year; completed repair projects; outstanding projects; and total budgets.
The universities that invested the most in building repair and remediation
As part of their overall ranking, UWE Bristol were one of the universities that completed the most repair and remediation projects across the whole of 2023, with a total of nearly 37,500, a figure similar to York and Oxford Universities, also in the top 5.
When compared to other newer institutions that gained university status after 1990, UWE Bristol was the highest ranking for investment into building maintenance, and had one of the largest repair and remediation budgets, at over £6 million.
The Universities of Oxford (75.41), York (74.04), Durham (71.31) and Bradford (64.21) also ranked in the top five institutions for building maintenance budget management, efficiency, and responsiveness, when compared to the figures provided by other universities.
Paul Bullard, Product Director at SFG20, on the issue of building maintenance in UK Universities, has said:
“Staying significantly under budget on maintenance costs and keeping a low cost per repair request are both strong indicators of a well-structured, proactive maintenance strategy - one that prioritises efficiency and minimises more serious and costly unexpected downtime.
To attract and retain the best calibre of staff and students, universities must provide outstanding learning environments, supported by high-quality leisure facilities and living conditions. Even before Covid, we saw a shift towards improving indoor air quality to enhance student focus and well-being. Now, more than ever, delivering a great experience is critical. Well-maintained facilities not only create inspiring spaces for learning but also play a vital role in university recruitment and retention.”