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"I don't believe in deferred maintenance. It's like the national debt—who cares at this point?"
With that, Alexander Kohnen, Associate Vice Chancellor & Chief Facilities Officer at Vanderbilt University, sparked an engaging discussion at the Higher Ed Facilities Forum to talk about the current state of campus facilities.
Moderated by Lalit Agarwal, President and CEO of APPA, the panel brought together Kohnen, Cindy Torstveit, Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning & Management at UW-Madison, and Tim Smith, VP of Facilities Development & Management at Arizona State University, to discuss strategies for addressing aging infrastructure, workforce challenges, and sustainability goals.
Rethinking Infrastructure Priorities
At UW-Madison, more than 60% of campus buildings are over 25 years old, and 40% are past the 50-year mark, contributing to a $2.6 billion maintenance backlog. Torstveit described how her team uses strategic planning, facilities condition assessments, and space utilization and demand studies to prioritize limited resources.
Smith highlighted ASU's challenge of balancing existing needs with new development: "Part of our challenge is telling the story better," he explained, noting how leadership naturally focuses on new projects like their medical school and McCain Center.
Kohnen suggested focusing on "the ratio of scheduled vs. unscheduled maintenance," explaining that when critical systems fail unexpectedly, "It will be a priority when you're on the evening news."
The Talent Retention Challenge
Agarwal guided the discussion toward workforce development, where each institution shared its approach to this common challenge.
Smith described how Phoenix's semiconductor industry impacts ASU's ability to retain skilled trades: "Companies are paying plumbers $120,000 a year—it's hard for a public institution to compete." In response, ASU created a scholarship program for employees and their families that covers costs beyond traditional tuition benefits.
UW-Madison has developed an apprenticeship program to "bring more of the workforce to us and teach them from the ground up," Torstveit explained, helping them build talent internally.
All three panelists emphasized the importance of workplace culture in retention. As Smith noted, "How do you make ASU a great place to work and treat people the right way so they don't have a reason to leave?"
Practical Sustainability Solutions
When Agarwal asked about decarbonization efforts, the panelists acknowledged both ambitions and challenges.
UW-Madison is working toward 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and net-zero by 2048. "We're partnering with our researchers," Torstveit explained. "We don't think there's just one solution—it's probably going to be a combination."
Smith described ASU's methodical approach to sustainability planning. Before tackling decarbonization, ASU first mapped their entire utility infrastructure. “One of the first things we did was an underground utility master plan and study,” Smith explained. This foundation not only helps with sustainability planning but also has practical daily benefits - when a major water line ruptured on campus recently, they could immediately locate and address the problem.
Innovative Approaches to Space Management
Beyond sustainability, the conversation explored another pressing campus issue: optimizing existing space. Kohnen noted that while institutions collect plenty of data, they often struggle to translate it into actionable insights. "We have a lot of data, but not a lot of information," he observed, suggesting that better sensor technology could help campuses understand how their facilities are actually being used.
He pointed out that many campuses continue maintaining underused spaces at the same level as high-traffic areas, even when they sit empty most of the time. "How many people think they have space that's less than 10% utilized on their campus, and it's a significant chunk of what they own right now?" He questioned why these spaces receive the same routine upkeep—like custodial services —despite being rarely used. "You're still cleaning it on the regular schedule that you're cleaning everything else, even though it's 10% utilized. Does it need that level of effort right now?"
UW-Madison is addressing this challenge through data-driven assessments. Torstveit explained that her team is conducting "a facilities condition assessment and a space utilization assessment so that we're not maintaining space that we're not using." By evaluating which areas are actually needed, they can better allocate resources. Additionally, UW-Madison is using augmented reality, treating "our campus as a living lab" by enabling maintenance teams to visualize underground infrastructure and work more efficiently.
Smith offered a bolder solution for rethinking faculty office allocation, recognizing that many offices remain vacant much of the time. "If we came up with creative solutions and said, 'It's going to cost us about $3,000 a year to provide a 10x10 office space,' we could offer that money back to faculty members willing to use shared space instead." He suggested that offering stipends could incentivize faculty to opt for shared workspaces—reducing the campus footprint while cutting operational costs.
Collaboration and Creative Solutions
As Agarwal brought the discussion to a close, the emphasis was on sharing ideas across institutions. The panelists noted that although each campus has its own unique circumstances, many core challenges are shared across higher education.
By exploring a range of approaches—from apprenticeship programs and employee scholarships to augmented reality and space utilization strategies—the panel highlighted the importance of both technological innovation and cultural adaptability in addressing facilities challenges.
🎥 Watch the full discussion here:
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