The Higher Education Estates Management Report 2024 (EMR) is now available, and at a point where university finances have become headline news. As always the report creates benchmarking opportunities for university estates teams, and helps them understand long-term trends on estates income and expenditure. As every institution closely examines its financial position we can see clear and unhelpful trends in the overall operating costs of the estate, driven by energy and insurance price rises; an overall rise in estates income eaten away by inflation; a small, slow but steady erosion of the condition of the estate as maintenance budgets are squeezed; and capital spend not yet recovered to anything like its pre-pandemic level.
Increasingly the association is interested in the ways in which inclusive design can make our buildings and campuses better working and living environments for the widest possible range of people. Serving the needs of neurodiverse members of our university communities is a key part of inclusive design – our new guide will quickly get you beyond ‘beginner status’ on this theme.
The AUDE report 'Well the assumption is...: Conversations with women leaders in estates and facilities' is the result of conversations with female members of the association. It examines barriers to careers success for women, and is a strand of the work of the AUDE EDI Group. Our report participants consistently highlighted issues including invisibility of the career path; ‘casual sexism’ (anything but casual in its ability to undermine); unequal expectations placed upon women; and health, maternity and menopause. Read the report to boost your understanding of these issues and more.
AUDE last addressed the issue of legacy buildings in a 2008 report, so it is high time that we return to a subject that matters more and more. In managing our carbon obligations and in operating within tight financial constraints, the estates teams of today need more flexibility and creativity than ever before in getting the most possible from every building and every campus space. With capital spend in the overall Higher Education estate a clear £1bn down on its pre-pandemic levels, every university is looking to get the most from its older buildings. In the new AUDE Legacy Buildings Guide we look at these and related issues. We are grateful to Arup for their support in creating the new guide, as well as to the many AUDE members that had a helpful hand in its development.
We are very pleased to be able to publish our new tool ‘A Guide to Decarbonisation’, a project commissioned from Arup. Every AUDE member university knows that decarbonisation of the estate sits high on the institutional task list, but it can seem daunting in terms of both cost and process. Where do we start? How do we finance the multiple sub-projects involved, and schedule them into a coherent plan of action that aligns with corporate strategy? How do we prioritise between the options available to us and consider our own unique position as universities in the decisions we make?
Please note this is a closed meeting for members of the AUDE Professional Development Group only.
Time: 11.00 - 12.00
With Southernsbroadstock
This seminar will discuss how effective asset management and maximising the useful life of FF&E can not only have a positive impact on Scope 3 carbon measurements but also offer financial savings, marketing opportunities and social value benefits.
Risk, Assurance and Internal Audits - Making them Work for You.
Venue: In person only. Conference Aston, Hotel and Conference Centre Aston University, Birmingham
Date: 25th February 2025
Time: 10.00 - 15.30
AUDE set the brief on managing social and informal learning spaces (S&ILS) in the context of what AUDE’s members need to consider.
AUDE are today re-launching their existing Sustainability Leadership Scorecard (SLS), with a new look and feel and easier access. It is a free, online and available to all AUDE and EAUC members.
AUDE believes that learning and development should be at the heart of a high-performing estates and facilities management team. As part of our role we will develop your knowledge through networking, providing you with relevant resources and a variety of events.
AUDE are pleased to be partnered with the following businesses:
Over 30 years of experience across over 200 Higher and Further Education Institutions.
EQUANS improves lives through better living and working environments. We help to balance performance with responsibility, enabling progress in a harmonious way.
LitmusFM provides facilities management consultancy and asset management services to University settings across the UK. We aim to reduce waste and inefficiency in service design, construction, asset management protocols and maintenance and replacement processes, saving money and delivering real value.
Maris Education is a division of Maris Interiors LLP and specialises in providing fast-track, design, fit-out and refurbishment solutions for universities.
Provelio are leading experts in the management, delivery and digitisation of estates, programmes and projects across the property and construction sectors. We specialise in estates management thinking; and seek to do work that integrates space, energy, projects and operations.
Your Trusted Partner in Education
With over 30 years FF&E experience Southerns Broadstock Interiors offer a consultative approach to ensure we deliver a solution which is tailored to your furniture needs.
SSE Energy Solutions is a division of SSE that delivers ‘Business Energy’ electricity & gas supply as well as ‘Distributed Energy’ infrastructure solutions to public and private businesses across the UK and Ireland.
