A recent survey of commercial real estate, facilities management and building operations decision-makers suggests that many organizations continue to make workplace planning decisions with limited visibility into how their office spaces are being used. Thus, resulting in wasted energy spending, delayed projects and missed opportunities for cost savings.
The report from Butlr and Wakefield Research, Beyond Occupancy: The State of Office Space 2026, surveyed 400 U.S. decision-makers responsible for large office buildings and found that 87 percent consider utilization insights a high priority for space-planning efforts. Yet only 19 percent said their space-planning decisions are based primarily on data, while more than one-third rely mainly on experience or intuition.
The lack of actionable utilization data is having measurable impacts on facility operations. Respondents estimate that an average of 24 percent of office space is unused or underused during a typical week yet still consumes heating and cooling resources. Nearly two-thirds of respondents identified energy costs as the area where improved space utilization insights could deliver the greatest savings.
Cleaning operations also present a significant opportunity for improvement. The survey found that 82 percent of organizations do not base cleaning schedules on occupancy data for individual spaces, and two-thirds clean all areas with the same frequency regardless of how often they are used. Respondents said better utilization data could help reduce labor and material costs while improving operational efficiency.
Additionally, nearly all respondents (99 percent) reported that uncertainty about how office space is being used has disrupted business plans over the last five years. More than half said unclear space usage data caused them to delay or cancel expansion plans, while others reported postponing renovation projects, consolidation efforts and energy-management investments.
Despite widespread adoption of workplace technologies such as desk reservation systems, employee surveys, occupancy sensors and badge-access data, many organizations continue to struggle with data quality, integration and accessibility. Seventy-nine percent of respondents said layout changes have been hindered by data-related challenges.
Privacy concerns remain another major obstacle. Ninety-two percent of respondents said privacy considerations create barriers to obtaining the space-utilization data needed to make informed decisions.
The takeaway for facility managers is that organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of occupancy intelligence. However, they still lack the tools and processes needed to translate data into actionable facility and workplace strategies.
Jeff Wardon, Jr., is the assistant editor for the facilities market. With more than three years of experience, he covers topics including technology, wellness, sustainability and emerging industry trends.
